Project: “Alive” Short Film.
Role: Director, Producer, Co-Writer.

The Challenge: Making a microbudget film feel like a high-end cinematic experience is a massive hurdle. Based on an idea by Pepe Gamez, we had to take a deeply personal, intimate story about a Mexican immigrant and an American woman and execute it with enough visual polish and narrative weight to compete for professional distribution. The challenge was telling a complete, emotionally complex story with an abstract ending while working within the strict limitations of a small scale production.

The Solution: I leaned into the “less is more” philosophy by focusing on the raw chemistry of the leads and the atmospheric tension of their journey. By co-writing the script with Pepe Gamez, we ensured the dialogue felt authentic to the immigrant experience and the shared ride setting. I directed the film with a focus on high-production value aesthetics despite the lean budget, aiming specifically for a quality level that would catch the eye of major streaming curators.

Deliverables: I directed and produced a polished short film that successfully moved from a microbudget concept to a global streaming platform. I co-wrote a narrative that balanced grounded realism with an artistic abstract finale and managed the entire production lifecycle from script to screen. The final result was an official selection for the Amazon Prime Shots Showcase and a successful commercial release where the film is currently available to rent and buy on Amazon Prime.