Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Marina Klimann. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Marina, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

While I was studying in Madrid, where my family is from, I was pursuing a double major in Business Administration and International Relations. Even then, I had always been passionate about film and storytelling. As I progressed in my professional journey, I began to realize that simply being an avid consumer of movies and television was no longer enough for me. I wanted to be a part of the industry, to help bring stories to life.

Although I had never formally studied film, I was always close to it in my daily life. My roommate was an actress, so I was constantly surrounded by filmmakers and actors, collaborating on small projects, and getting involved in theater whenever I could. These experiences kept my passion alive and growing. Still, I knew I wanted to take the next step, to move beyond just participating creatively on the side. I felt that pursuing a master’s degree was the best way to truly enter the world of film.

But if I was going to continue my academic journey, I wanted to do it in the best place possible, which for me was Hollywood, and I wanted to study at a top university where I could learn from the best. That was when I decided to apply to master’s programs in Los Angeles. It was a long and challenging journey, because I did not have formal training in filmmaking, development, or production. There was a lot of self-teaching I had to do just to prepare my application. I spent countless hours researching programs, studying industry concepts, and carefully crafting my applications. Finally, after months of hard work and determination, I was accepted into the UCLA Producers Program.

That was the moment when everything became real, when my dream started to feel like a true possibility. I was overjoyed, but at the same time, it was a huge risk. Moving to Los Angeles meant being thousands of kilometers away from my family and friends, committing to two more years of intense study, and taking on a significant financial burden. I knew it would be a difficult path, but I decided to take the leap, and I am so glad I did.

It has now been almost a year since I arrived in Los Angeles, and I have completely fallen in love with the city and its people. I always tell my family and friends in Spain that I am truly living my dream. That does not mean it has been easy. There have been moments of doubt, exhaustion, and homesickness. It has been very hard at times, and it still is. But I am deeply grateful for this experience. I am learning from incredible professionals, meeting talented and experienced artists, and immersing myself every day in the heart of the filmmaking world.

I know this is just the beginning of my journey, and there is still so much to learn and accomplish. But I am proud that I took that risk, because it has already changed my life in ways I could never have imagined, and it has given me the chance to pursue what I love.

Marina, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I grew up in Mexico, in a household full of film enthusiasts. My mother would buy every Disney DVD that came out, carefully crafting a child’s dream collection of films I still have to this day. On the other hand, my father, sometimes against my mother’s will, would show me more classic films, sometimes meant for a more adult audiences. To this day, my happy place is the couch in my childhood home, sitting next to my family on a Sunday, watching movies together. That is where I believe my love for film began.

At first, I dreamed of becoming an actress. I did theater for over seven years, participating in several productions and loving every moment on stage. After graduating, however, I moved to Spain to study a double major in Business Administration and International Relations. I believed that in a globalized world, this path would prepare me for any future endeavor, and it has proven to be incredibly useful.

While in college, I continued to study theater. My days were spent in class, and my afternoons were filled with rehearsals. During this time, I also discovered a love for music and joined my university’s music club, eventually becoming its president. This experience turned out to be unexpectedly formative for my path toward producing. As president, I organized over 35 events, both on and off campus, which involved negotiating with venues, coordinating the transportation of instruments, overseeing marketing efforts, building partnerships with other organizations and artists, and managing a team of more than 40 musicians. Through this work, I discovered my passion for organizing creative projects, blending artistry with logistics, a passion that laid the foundation for my career as a producer.

While working in event planning and leading the music club, my interest in the film industry only grew stronger. When I finally decided to fully enter the industry, I realized that producing was the perfect fit for me. Producing is the bridge between the creative and the strategic sides of storytelling. I have always been a pragmatic and realistic person. I love movies deeply, and I want them to be seen by audiences. I believe a good producer does more than just help a film get made; they ensure it is made within budget, aligned with the director’s vision, and with smart financial decisions that give it the best chance of reaching and impacting audiences.

When I chose to pursue an MFA, producing felt like a natural path. During my first year in the program, I produced two short films and began developing several projects. To my surprise, I found my event-planning background to be an invaluable asset. The adaptability and flexibility I gained from organizing concerts turned out to be essential in film production, where circumstances often change rapidly and creative problem-solving is key.

For example, one of my recent projects was set on a farm. We were working with a very limited budget, and finding an affordable location felt nearly impossible. This project perfectly illustrates what I believe sets me apart as a producer: I am a proactive problem solver. I tend to be an anxious person by nature, which motivates me to stay ahead of issues and look for solutions before they become obstacles. I called many different farms, visited several locations, and finally secured the perfect location for free, which ultimately made the film possible.

Through experiences like these, I have learned that my strength as a producer lies in supporting directors by taking on the logistical and organizational challenges, allowing them to focus fully on their creative vision. My goal is always to create an environment where production runs smoothly, the team feels supported, and the project can achieve its full potential.

Now, I want to continue to build my brand as a producer. I am dedicated to producing bold, character-driven stories that blend sharp humor with high emotional stakes, often focusing on unexpected heroes and exploring the gray areas of human behavior. I want to create films that entertain while challenging audiences to think differently, and I aim to build productions that foster creativity, inclusivity, and collaboration. I believe stories have the power to connect people across cultures and experiences, and I strive to champion projects that do exactly that.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

I recently read Mindfulness from the Harvard Business Review Emotional Intelligence Series, which I found to be very helpful and I have been recommending it to my peers. I believe it is a great book for anyone who is hoping to be a leader, no matter their area of specialization. We live in a world where we receive constant streams of information and inputs, making it difficult to focus on a single task without losing attention. This book emphasizes the importance of really focusing on what is happening now, which can be transformative for both personal and professional growth.

As ambitious creatives, we often spend a lot of time worrying about the future, and I know I have experienced this myself. Mindfulness helped me see how bringing my attention back to the present moment can make me a more effective and resilient leader. What I appreciate most is that it is based on solid research. Unlike some books on similar themes that feel abstract or purely philosophical, this one offers grounded and practical advice that can be applied directly to everyday challenges.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

Being a creative in film is truly beautiful. I love seeing an idea come to life and knowing that it can move or connect with others. There is something incredibly fulfilling about starting with just a concept or a script and, through collaboration, dedication, and problem-solving, turning it into a finished film that audiences can experience. I love watching people react to a story, seeing them laugh, cry, or reflect, and realizing that our work sparked an emotion or a conversation.

But despite this, I find the most rewarding part is truly the process of getting there. That is what I enjoy the most. Especially in filmmaking, which is such a collaborative art form, everyone must come together and contribute their knowledge, experience, and passion to bring the project to life. Being on set really demonstrates this collective effort, and it is incredibly fulfilling and exciting to see how each person’s work weaves together to create something bigger than any one individual could achieve alone.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marinitamk/?next=%2F
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marina-klimann-nu%C3%B1ez-2227971a1/