LOS ANGELES - What do you call a kid who makes his first movie at nine years of age? Mature beyond his years? Gifted, or perhaps someone special who was born to make movies? All these descriptions fit Ruben Guevara the III. He had as a child and still has, as a current UCLA freshman, an unquenchable desire for making movies.
Ruben was recognized by Warner Bros. for his filmmaking ability. He was awarded their first 'Warner Bros. Film and Television Scholarship' of $10,000 and an additional $2,500 for each of the following three years at UCLA.
"He is a very creative guy and a very technical filmmaker too. He is very prolific. I received a reel from him recently of his most recent film and he is very positive for sure about what he is doing," said Michelle Crozier, Director of Corporate Responsibility for Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
Ruben Continues Answering Questions about his Filmmaking:
ET: Of all the films you made, which one was the most rewarding?
RG: I would think the one I experimented on the most was Cohen versus Walsh III ( CVWIII. ) It was a time for me where I could make a music video and do an action scene and get beyond a regular student film, and try to do something with more of a bang to it.
A little more sophisticated in the technological qualities of how well it looks and not just recognizable as a home movie. I slowed the shutter speed to make it look more like film and I used almost professional actors.
The two key characters in CVWIII had taken a lot of acting lessons in their lifetime, and good acting alone really gives the film a new level of perfection.
This is really what you are trying to achieve. You are always trying to make a shot look perfect. And trying to achieve perfection through an actor is so important.
That is usually what drives directors "insane" -- trying to achieve that perfection.
ET: Did you submit CVWIII to Warner Bros.?
RG: No, because I was still in production at that time.
ET: I get the impression that CVWIII was the film you really liked?
RG: Right. I really made it for myself, to challenge myself, and to share with my peers, and it's pretty much a present to my teachers for helping and teaching me film.
It is sort of a congratulatory thank you and homage to them from me. I don't need recognition for it, but it's just nice to know that I can make a good film like that in the future and people will appreciate it.
ET: Are there lessons that you feel you have learned for your personal and professional development?
RG: It really teaches you that you need to have social skills in order to go into this profession. Because talking to people and dealing with their problems at every conceivable moment really messes with your head.
You have to be strong enough to handle the fact that usually everything is going to go wrong that could go wrong. It is very masochistic.
But when you get a good project together, you really feel proud of it, and that is all the difference you need.
ET: What type of film Program did LACHSA provide?
RG: It actually wasn't a program that you were admitted to in school, it was an elective class or classes that you would take. You were not required to take the classes by any means.
ET: How many filmmaking classes did you take in high school?
RG: About seven classes.
ET: And were these two teachers that you referred to, Cohen and Walsh, were they your teachers for these classes?
RG: Yes, they were. And they would actually help out if we were shooting on the weekend, they were available to come and help and monitor and give assistance as needed. I thought that was really nice of them, because they did not have to do that at all. And I really appreciated that.
ET: How did you decide to go to Los Angeles High School for the Arts (LACHSA)?
RG: That was actually due to the fact that I was making a lot of art work at the time. During sixth, seventh and eighth grade I went to the Ragan Art Academy which is at Barnsdall Art Park every Monday night in the Hollywood Hills area of Los Feliz.
My parents then wanted me to go to LACHSA because they thought it would be the best place for me to develop my mind creatively.
But my focus changed and I wanted to do film instead because I was meeting a lot of actors, dancers, and musicians, and I realized that film was the most eclectic form of art there is.
I just thought that film is the highest hybrid form of art and that I really wanted to be a part of that. This is why I stuck with film when I went on to college and not art so much.
ET: It seems to me that the LACHSA really contributes to students developing their artistic skills and in your case, filmmaking skills. It looks like it was a good choice that your parents made.
RG: Oh, definitely. I am very glad that I went there, and am very happy and thankful for that. It wasn't your typical high school where people were more concerned with the social hierarchy. It was more dedicated to your art work and challenged your artistic creativity.
ET: Do you have suggestions for other young people who would consider developing themselves in this area of filmmaking?
RG: Yes, I would have to tell them to consider what their other options are because it is a really difficult medium to work with.
But if they are 100% dedicated they should try to get into film school and learn as much as they can before trying to get out there and make it in the industry.
So I would say continue with your education as much as possible before actually trying to go out and get recognized immediately.
It's not instant gratification whatsoever, and that is a common misconception that a lot of kids have about film.
The Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (LACHSA)
"Ruben received the first film scholarship from Warner Bros., and it seems to be the plan to give film scholarships every year. They have been more than outstanding with their partnership and support of the school."
– Paul Gothold, LACHSA Principal
LACHSA is located on the campus of the California State University at Los Angeles. The students come from 110 different cities in Los Angeles County. LACHSA provides a learning environment where quality artwork is nurtured and highly valued.
LACHSA has sustained a 0% dropout rate for 20 years. It ranks in the top 5% of California schools and sends 96-98% of its students to the nation's most prestigious universities and colleges. The remaining 2-4% start their arts careers immediately upon graduation.
Principal Paul Gothold participated in one of Ruben's films, Court of Carnage IV. He said it wasn't much of a part but that it was pretty funny.
Gothold commented on why LACHSA is referred to as "The Best in the West" arts high school. "I think that is due to the fact that there was a significant endowment that was awarded by the Doris Duke Foundation and they basically took a look at a multitude of arts high schools around the country and we were identified among the top five in the country and our school was the only one in the West, with the remaining four back East and in the Midwest".
"Ruben received the first film scholarship from Warner Bros., and it seems to be the plan to give film scholarships every year. They have been more than outstanding with their partnership and support of the school. Aside from the internship and their commitment to that they also support the school financially."
"Warner Bros. has sent professionals in the industry to our school to provide workshops for our kids. In addition to that we have already had more than five field trips of various groups of students to the Warner Bros. studios for make-up, costumes, special effects, sound, etc. So they have been a critical partner in exposing our kids to many learning opportunities that we were not able to provide for them," said Gothold.
More information on LACHSA can be found at http://www.lachsa.org/ .
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