“What does it mean to be an artist? You could be a mechanic, and that could be art. My reality allows me to be empathetic to others’ stories and use my medium to amplify their narratives.”

I don’t like it when directors take full credit,” explains filmmaker Jezrael Gandara, who is well aware of the team effort it takes to realize the vision of a story. While deep down he enjoys having control of his projects, Gandara understands when he must let go, “I have to give others the freedom to do what they are good at and simply guide them towards the vision.”

His film studies at the University of Texas at El Paso pushed him to think about the stories that need to be told in today’s society. While he tends to gravitate towards stories that he can identify with, such as being a Latino man in America and growing up around immigrant culture, Gandara is equally as inspired by the folks he encounters daily. “What does it mean to be an artist? You could be a mechanic, and that could be art. My reality allows me to be empathetic to others’ stories and use my medium to amplify their narratives.” He believes that the more we learn about someone’s life, the more we learn about why people do the things they do.

Early in his film career, Gandara was not much of a planner. He went into shoots with no plan other than to go with the flow, which he soon learned was often unsuccessful. Gandara’s moody and intentional demeanor came across in his work when he began to write out his vision ahead of time. He would structure his preproduction, plan his shots, and create mood boards to match his subject’s overall philosophy to capture their vibe. “The root of my process is learning about the philosophy of their art or how they see the world,” Gandara explains. “My biggest interest is providing an accurate image that people can see themselves in.”

Today, Gandara’s work straddles the line between documentary and art, encouraging his subjects to communicate their feelings. “There are parts of San Jose that remind me of El Paso, and it makes it feel like home. I hope my work can make an impact within the community by helping share its stories.”

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