We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Carlos Avila a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Carlos, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?

First of all, let me say that I have had regular jobs and I have always worked hard to fulfill my commitment to those employers who put their trust in me. I suspect that that impulse comes from a work ethic that I was raised with by my Mexican mother and grandmother. I’ve had some great experiences at those ‘regular’ jobs and met friends that remain a part of my life. The strong attraction of working for others in non-entertainment related work is a regular pay check and some level of stability. Without a doubt that is very appealing. Of course, like everybody, I think of that sometimes. Certainly, the upheaval of recent years in the film and television industry with Covid, labor actions, runaway production, the arrival of A.I. and this current ‘era of contraction’ have challenged everyone who works in film and television to reassess the viability of a career in this industry. Those difficult choices are present, real and urgent. Right now, however, I’m standing firm in my pursuit of the work that I would like to still do. There’s stories that I want to tell and there’s people that I would like to work with. My work as a writer and director, allows me to explore my imagination and find a way to express ideas that matter to me. When I’m writing, time disappears and I’m able to create worlds, moments and characters. When I’m directing, I get to realize those scenes that I imagined. There is something completely and thoroughly satisfying in seeing an idea be born and then evolve into a fully realized project. There’s a sense of authorship that I find very gratifying. Other times, when I work as a director on a television series, I get to collaborate with creative and inspired people in order to help them to fulfill their ambitions for a given episode. That also is an extremely satisfying experience. Yes, a regular paycheck is important but sitting with an audience and sharing your work is truly rewarding. I’ve been fortunate in that I’ve been able to work and make money at my craft. Hopefully, that will continue even with all the headwinds on the horizon.

Carlos, 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 was born in Lima, Peru but came with my family to Los Angeles when I was three years old. I grew up in the Echo Park area of Los Angeles in the 1970s and 1980s, not very far from Dodger Stadium. At first, I wanted to be a musician but all the while that I entertained that possibility, I kept up with my education. Once I arrived at Loyola Marymount University (LMU) and started to take film and television production classes, I was hooked. Some people have family members who are in the entertainment business who can help facilitate and guide their careers but for me, attending LMU and then UCLA’s Graduate Film School gave me a path into the film and television business. The guidance of my film school peers and professors was so incredibly important to me.

As I mentioned earlier, I work on two tracks: (1) as a director for studio and network film and television; and (2) as an independent filmmaker. I immerse myself in both of these modes of work with an equal level of commitment and passion. I’ve directed for network television shows and in those instances, I bring all my skills and talents into a preexisting narrative world where I collaborate in order to fulfill the creative ambitions of the showrunners of a given series. I am constantly vigilant to find opportunities that elevate the storytelling. I fully embrace the responsibility of collaborating with these creative partners to tell a larger story.

On film and television projects where I am the initiator, I wear so many different hats as producer, writer and director. Most recently, my wife, Elaine Montalvo, and I produced a short film that I wrote and directed called, ‘The Kill Floor.’ I’m very proud of that film as it was critically-acclaimed, award-winning and is now streaming nationally. Another project that I am particularly proud of is called ‘Foto-Novelas.’ This was a magical realist anthology series that I created. I wrote, produced and directed most of the episodes in that series. I also have a feature film called, ‘Last Band Standing’ that I wrote and will direct. The story is a 1960s Texas music story that I am excited about bringing to the screen. Hopefully, we’ll be able to shoot it in 2025.

I believe that for those who are interested in collaborating with me they will find a willing partner. Someone who is committed to the principle that ‘the best idea always wins.’ Yes, I have opinions and a defined taste but given the specific circumstances of each collaboration, I adjust in order to be the best creative partner that I possibly can be.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

This is a great question. From my conversations with family, acquaintances and friends who work outside of the film and television industry, I believe that there are a lot of misconceptions about ‘creative’ people. Sometimes there is this notion that ‘creative’ people are just drifting and blowing in the wind and waiting for inspiration to hit them so that they can be, well, ‘creative.’ Maybe there are people in the industry who are like that. I haven’t crossed paths with them. Most of the people that I know, myself included, who have ventured into the arts come from working class backgrounds and I believe, consequently, have a ‘roll up your sleeves and let’s get to work’ mentality. The ‘creatives’ that I know are incredibly disciplined and hardworking. They are organized and responsible. They have a ‘hustle’ attitude to how they conduct themselves in regard to work. Because people often do move from job to job, they need to stay alert to the opportunities that might come their way. They need to be vigilant and ready to embrace the next opportunity. If there are those who perceive ‘creatives’ as flighty, I’d ask them to reconsider.

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

While I do believe that we are living in a time when we are overloaded with so many forces that consistently and constantly battle for our attention, I do think that with a little bit of effort, individuals can look outside of the mainstream for distinct voices and unique and expressive points of view. I love a great blockbuster movie as much as the next person but there’re so many other types of films such as foreign films, independent films and short films. We were just out on the film festival circuit with our short film, ‘The Kill Floor,’ and I saw so many inspiring films from all sorts of filmmakers. People should seek out film festivals that might expose them to different types of work. I love music, especially live music. It’s always a wonderful discovery to find a new band or a new musical artist that isn’t being played on commercial radio or that is just at the beginning of their careers. Living in Los Angeles gives a person so many opportunities to find new artists, filmmakers and bands. What a privilege it is to live in a city that offers so much. I encourage people to go outside of their comfort zones and explore all the creativity that our city offers. That effort will go a long way in terms of building new audiences for artists that might otherwise be overlooked. These new audiences could help support that creative ecosystem.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.carlosaviladirector.com
• Instagram: @carlosavila_pix
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlos-avila-b41b8b1/
• Other: Bluesky: @echoparkvato.bsky.social

Image Credits

All photos courtesy of Echo Park Films, Inc.