We recently connected with Alyssa Toledo and have shared our conversation below.
Alyssa, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?
Fresh out of college, I landed a role as a Production Assistant on the Outer Banks series. Feeling inspired, I wrote a short script called ‘Lift Off’. Seeking feedback, I shared it with Rudy Pankow, who plays JJ on the show, and to my surprise, he wanted to be involved. It was surreal and my first opportunity to collaborate with a professional actor.
But let’s rewind a bit. We were shooting in South Carolina, far from my comfort zone on the West Coast. Without my usual network or resources, I teamed up with another PA who knew the area well. Together, we managed to piece together locations, equipment, and a camera crew.
Alyssa, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I initially enrolled in community college with dreams of becoming a firefighter. Growing up in a Mexican household, where the TV only played Ellen Degeneres and King of the Hill, I had no inkling that people made movies. But surrounded by Spanish speakers despite only knowing English, I became attuned to behavior, actions, and emotions from a young age. I was a curious kid, eager to understand the world around me.
Right before diving into fire academy, I stumbled upon a film studies course and fell head over heels for the world of cinema. I poured all my time and money into filmmaking and writing. Eventually, I transferred to CSUF to pursue film production, where I continued to craft shorts.
During my sophomore year, I decided to take a leap. I began cold-emailing the head of Netflix every month for two years. Persistence paid off, and upon graduating, I was invited to Netflix. There, I hit it off with the team and was offered a PA position on a new series called Outer Banks, shooting in South Carolina. It was a dream come true.
As a first-team PA, I seized the opportunity to create ‘Lift Off’ while on set. Since then, I’ve worked on other shorts and am currently in post-production for ‘Toledo,’ a film delving into my childhood experiences with my traumatised, machismo Mexican father. It’s an honour to have Chase Stokes and Jonathan Daviss as Executive Producers.
Currently, I’m diving into writing a new Latinx, queer short and have my sights set on directing my first feature soon. It’s been a journey of discovery and growth, and I’m eager to see where it takes me next.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
As a Mexican American filmmaker, my goal is to inject a fresh voice into the Latin film scene. I’m passionate about sharing stories from the perspective of Mexican American youth.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
My fourth and latest short film, ‘Toledo,’ was a project fueled by a desire for ease. I envisioned a substantial budget, ample shooting days, and a team of producers to ease the burden of wearing multiple hats besides writing and directing. For over a year, I met with various producers, refusing to compromise on my vision for a “legitimate” production.
During that year, the projected number of shooting days and budget skyrocketed from 3 days and $40k, to 4 days and $75k, then 7 days and $80k, eventually ballooning to $130k and 9 days of shooting. Anything less was deemed a recipe for disaster, threatening to tarnish my reputation.
Feeling disheartened, I walked away from the project for several months, convinced it was a lost cause. But eventually, I reached a turning point. I decided to say ‘screw it.’ I was going to make this film happen with just 3 days and around $30k. And guess what? We did it.
Was it perfect? Far from it. Did I have to make compromises? Absolutely. But such is the nature of filmmaking. There will never be a perfect time, budget, or set of producers. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this: create at all costs. Use what you have at your disposal. Because waiting for the perfect circumstances is a futile endeavor.
In the end, ‘Toledo’ taught me that taking action and making something happen, even in less than ideal conditions, is far more rewarding than waiting for the stars to align.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alyssatoledo.mov/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5GfZP3JvhZNCksHIc6UZEg