Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1512433
THE ARTISAN WINTER 2024 • 77 Annie Gonzalez as Judy Montanez had scripts for me to read. He mentioned a period piece with the storyline about the creation of the Flamin' Hot Cheetos. I thought he was joking. He was not. My curiosity was piqued. Friday, I found myself on the phone with the producer. Saturday, after I spoke with director Eva Longoria, I was hooked. On a wing and a prayer, Monday morning, we were headed to New Mexico for a 33-day shoot with the first day of principal photography in just eight days. My Assistant Department Head, Carol Mitchell, and I love a challenge, so we dove right in and never looked back. Once we landed, we hit the ground running, with not a minute to spare: √ First stop, production meeting √ Set up trailer √ Do script breakdown √ Character breakdowns √ Research √ Compile a look book √ Budgets √ Crewing up the department The storyline introduces protagonist Richard Montañez in 1960 as a very young boy in a migrant labor camp, where he was raised and befriends his future wife, Judy. We follow him and his From top: different looks of Jesse Garcia and Annie Gonzalez