Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1339678
20 C I N E M O N T A G E C O M M I T T E E N E W S Veteran editor Amy E. Duddleston, ACE ("Hunters") agreed: "I just wanted to protect Eddy." Benaim also chimed in with a term she first heard on the series—"white-ti- nas"—referring to Latinas who are seen as identifying more with white America. As Yarrow reveals, that actually stemmed from a real-life incident on set that one of the EPs suggested incorporating into the show. Since the series was set and filmed in Boyle Heights, it was important to b e m i n d f u l o f h ow t h e l o ca l s wo u l d re s p o n d to h ow t h e i r co m m u n i t y i s portrayed. "Two cast members are from Boyle Heights and we had neighborhood ambassadors to communicate with the locals," Yarrow noted. 'AUTHENTICALLY QUEER' Duddleston still can't believe she worked on the show. "As a queer woman, I felt like the show was calling my name when my agent pitched it to me. "Vida" is so authentically queer. There's nothing else like it on television; I hope Tanya [Saracho] keeps making shows like this." As the daughter of Mexican immi- grants, producer Christina Perez ("The Walking Dead") knew the show would be handled differently when she attended the first production meeting. "You look across the room and see all the diverse faces, and now there's a level of trust. Most of the department heads were women, and that authenticity really came across in our storytelling," she said. For the gorgeous songs in Season 2, they also had an all-Latinx female songwriting team in partnership with Pulse Studios. Even though the series has done really well on STARZ, the Lionsgate-owned streaming platform isn't seen as a brand for Latinx stories. But co-chair Morgan thinks the show being on STARZ is actu- ally a blessing. "The authenticity really captivated me," he said. " I think being on STARZ, it sort of flew under the radar which relieves the pressure of what you can and can't do on the show, and that al- lows the freedom for more authenticity." Henriquez is encouraged with the future of authentic Latinx stories, espe- cially with one of Showrunner/EP Tanya Saracho's recent initiatives. "Recently, Tanya has gotten a group of Latinx writ- ers together for the Untitled L atinx Project. The project fosters support for these writers so they can tell authentic stories the way that 'Vida' has been able to," she said. MENTORING AND OUTREACH Due to financial and socioeconomic factors, higher education isn't always as accessible to people of color. But Gimenez sees a way around this: "Filmmaking doesn't necessarily need a college de- gree—anyone can work in storytelling if you have the passion for it. We shouldn't be 'gatekeeping' this job—it should be accessible to everyone." Just as the Dogme 95 movement in the mid-90s precipitated the boom in digital photography by democratizing the artform, the same can be said for editing. Hernández is more hopeful now because "everyone can edit videos on their i-Phones, editing as an artform has become more accessible. But ultimately, it has to be the outreach programs to the kids, maybe as young as junior high." And the outreach effort has already started: Centeno and Benaim were recently in- vited to be on a panel for students in the LAUSD—a school district where more than 70% of students are Latinx—to share their experiences in the film industry. Besides networking, outreach pro- grams and mentoring, Lozoya's advice to his assistants is to get to know other editors. "I always tell my assistants: 'Don't just hang out with me. You've got an entire hallway of TV editors to learn from—go hang out with other editors!'" Arteta is thrilled to see more Latinx talent coming up the ranks. He works with Sundance in finding and mentoring more people of color and encourages everyone to send scripts into the festival. "Writing is the best way to get Latino voices out there. Write down your obser- vations in life. Things that you wouldn't dare tell anyone can end up being your strongest weapons in writing," he said. "That's how you find your voice." ■ Su Fang Tham is a story analyst and freelance writer specializing in media and entertainment. Susana Benaim and Glenn T. Morgan, MPSE, co-chairs of MPEG's Latin Steering Committee. P H O T O : J A S O N R Y A N