Meet Carlos V. Gutierrez | Film Writer & Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Carlos V. Gutierrez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Carlos V., how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I was born and raised in Miami by Cuban immigrants who came to this country with dreams & hopes like every immigrant does. What makes me so proud to have been raised that way is that it truly is the American Way, we are a country of immigrants. I did not speak English until I was 6 years old so that showed me, even as a kid, that my culture & language were something to be prideful about. I grew up listening to Spanish in the house, on the radio and even on TV. The funny part was I always loved American movies and specifically genre films (action, horror, sci-fi). Those are very American genres that my parents (as immigrants) couldn’t really get into or just didn’t have interest in watching. So in reality I was shaped by both cultures into the Cuban-American I am today.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
As a Latino filmmaker, I always strive for authenticity in the storytelling & acting. It’s what I feel I excel at and what I guess I am known for. Now if Marvel comes knocking at my door, I’ll happily answer. After all, filmmakers from my NYU Tisch program have gone from small, award-winning films to blockbusters. What I think is crucial is to not lose your identity as a writer-director and retain the personality on-screen that makes your films yours. Starting out was incredibly difficult because I didn’t know how directors made money or how to start. So I began in advertising and gradually worked my way up to being represented by commercial production companies (shout out to Ed Rivero @ Cortez Brothers for giving me my start). Since then I have directed nearly 200 commercials, a feature documentary and two feature films, as well as selling two scripts.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would spend the day in Buckhead then hit the downtown area for bars & dinner (maybe not in that order). I really like Le Boulangerie and Umi Sushi. I really like Ponce City Market too.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Coming from a family of immigrants, the natural inclination is for your parents to want you to be a doctor or lawyer. I pursued a medical degree and even completed most of my pre-med courses in college until I realized that profession was not for me. There were several people I can thank for this but as a young Latino I was not sure what I wanted to do until I met two mentors: Jay Cantor and Howard Woolf. Both were professors at Tufts University where I graduated with my Batchelor’s degree and both played crucial roles in building my self-confidence as a writer-director. Jay is an accomplished novelist who was teaching a course in screenwriting when he let in a persistent sophomore into a senior class (that was me). He made me understand and learn to value my own background and that my stories were important to tell. At that time being Latino was not cool — trust me. At the same time, Howard Woolf made me learn the visual language of cinema through his classes and exercises and was instrumental in helping me finish my thesis film, a documentary about my father’s journey out of Cuba and to the United States. For that, I will always be grateful to these two amazing professors.

Website: http://www.carlosgutierrez.tv

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Twitter: https://twitter.com/carlosvgdirects?lang=en