We were lucky to catch up with Ximena Uribe recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Ximena, thanks for joining us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

Like many, I am an actress and filmmaker and learning the craft has not been the most linear path. The way I got into it was purely out of curiosity for the art.

When I first started I remember seeing kids my age on Netflix shows and feeling like I got into it way to late. Now looking back I see that there is no right or perfect time to get into something like this. I wish that was something my teachers imparted on me more, so that I could’ve had more fun in my earlier days.

That was another thing only time and experiences taught me, was that making films is not saving lives (at least not immediately) therefore you should be able to not take yourself that seriously.

One of the things that has haunted me since I started is the feeling that time is against me and learning that time is working rather for me has been quite difficult. There’s no shortcut to fast learning or understanding of certain topics specially on something not as tangible as artistic concepts. I think the best thing I learned about learning is that curiosity can do wonders if you let that drive you.

That all to say that I find curiosity, fun and patience to be the most essential skills in this field.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Storytelling was just always around me. Oral tradition is a big deal in my culture. I grew up around aunts who would have a room full of family member dead quiet while she told a simple story, but the way she told it made it extremely engaging. The images they painted with language causing laughter and tears in the family were something I always tried to mimic.

I love to tell stories and there are many ways to do that. Slowly I have been learning to do it through acting, writing, directing and even editing. The way I like to see these four disciplines is as a circle. All of them are somehow connected and through the next one you can understand the other one better.

Through storytelling I seek to explore my own life experiences and the way things have and still affect me. It’s both an exercise in self-reflection and empathy which has helped me and others understand different people’s life experiences.

Right now, I’m working independently on a short film I wrote and directed “Wilder Greene”, a story of a young girl that faces her unusual abuser: herself. I’m happy to say that it is one of the stories I have worked the hardest on and feel the proudest about.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

Personally I think one of the biggest concerns artists usually have is money. Money as a creative can come in various forms and usually not from your art. You have to be in a very privileged position to both generate income from your art and not have the need to have what we like to call a “day job”, which is usually a job that has nothing to do with your passion and it’s purely for survival.

Unfortunately many of the things that can branch out your craft such as classes and different networks cost money so we’re pushed to look for way to hustle for money. In my opinion monetary resources should be more accessible to upcoming artists.

When you take out money problems you can completely focus on pushing the limits of your craft and observe your surroundings and try out new things that can get you further.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

As an actor surrounded by actors I constantly saw the people around me auditioning, booking and even getting praise from teachers at moments where I wasn’t, and as embarrassed I am to admit it, it used to make me feel some sort of way. I hated the feeling of being upset because my peers were working. I slowly understood my insecurities were speaking for me and it started to eat away at my focus and my own work.

At some point, one of my favorite teachers at college said “someone else’s victory is not your loss”. It was such a simple phrase yet so impactful. I wish it was something that was taught to me way earlier in my journey. It would’ve saved me stress and helped me understand that everyone’s path is so different. Comparison was detrimental to myself but most importantly to the people that have become so important in my growth.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ximenauribev/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ximenauribev

Image Credits
Stills by Ruben Frischeisen, Pictures by Jeremy Thompson, Maxwell Olivieri, Riley Ater