We were lucky to catch up with Iker Amaya recently and have shared our conversation below.

Iker, 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?

Well, yes and no. I do have a regular job. I work in the financial sector. I trade FX and as a broker I have access to other various investment vehicles.
In fact, I find that to be part of my artistic growth as well.

Growing the business, learning from mistakes, taking risks. It only helps me understand roles better. Regardless, one of my goals is trying to live each day in an artistic way. That can mean many things. Sometimes it’s writing, sometimes appreciating a good album, watching a filmography of a director Etc.

I partnered up with some amazing people and we started a Production company. We’ve got a few projects in development at the moment. But also I wanted to find clever ways to get more bang for your buck sort of speak. So I also got my insurance broker license. Each production requires Certificates of Insurance, so I thought why not be able to get those for our productions, and when the “commission” I make comes in, I will just reinject that cash into the production to help with marketing or closing costs.

It’s a work in progress but It is a direction I can see myself going for a while.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

TLDR: I am an Actor
I am a producer
I am a father.
I got cats.
Was born in Mexico City.
Came to Hollywood when I was 18
Worked many different jobs within the entertainment industry.
Casting
Management
Art/Sound/Transportation Department,
PA,
Selling Hollywood tours…you name it, I’ve done it.
Learned as much as I could.

As an actor one of my favorite things to do is prepare for a role. Shooting is also super fun but it’s sort of bittersweet. Everything you worked so hard for is coming to an end each take you do. So you relish it as much as you can.

As a producer I like to think of myself as a problem solver. It’s all about connecting the right.
Once we are in full swing, my job is to go to bat for the creative team so that they can have everything they could possibly want. Doesn’t always happen of course but you learn that sometimes pivoting ends up turning out to be even better.

We have several projects in post-production or doing the festival routes and several more in development. Currently, we are fully self-financed, but soon, we intend to seek potential studio partners or financiers who can help us create and sell our work.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind a Book by Yuval Noah Harari (2011). Looking at evolution from that perspective sort of helped me understand that we are story tellers. What sets us apart and allows us humans to coexist on a global scale to the degree in which we do, we had to create stories. Stories that enough people will buy into to create some sort of order.

It made me reevaluate the story that I was telling myself. Who am I, what do I want to be, accomplish, and do in my lifetime. Believe that story and just live it.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

It’s doing work that resonates with others, whether it’s making someone feel seen, understood, or simply entertained. Art can reach into the core of who we are, so when someone feels deeply about a piece you’ve created, it’s a powerful reminder of why art matters.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @iker.amaya