Meet Pablo Echevarría

We recently connected with Pablo Echevarría and have shared our conversation below.

Pablo, thank you so much for joining us today. Let’s jump right into something we’re really interested in hearing about from you – being the only one in the room. So many of us find ourselves as the only woman in the room, the only immigrant or the only artist in the room, etc. Can you talk to us about how you have learned to be effective and successful in situations where you are the only one in the room like you?

This is something I used to find really scary, being the odd one out in a room. We, as humans, tend to group people based on appearances and then attach certain preconceived notions to each group. I was always worried about what people’s notions of me as a Queer Latino man in the world of Film would constitute. If I “wrote what I knew”, as I had always been taught, would that pigeonhole me into a niche? Or if I wrote outside of my lived experience would people call it inauthentic? Despite these fears, as I’ve grown, I’ve identified some advantages to being the only person in a room who looks like you. By looking different, you will automatically have attention drawn to you. It’s important to use this attention to ensure your ideas are heard. You can provide insight into perspectives no one else in the room has and, perhaps even more importantly, you can subvert people’s expectations of you and those who look like you. Thankfully, it’s becoming less and less common these days to see groups of professionals who all look the same. But, when you do find yourself the outlier, try not to be intimidated, and remember your ideas hold the same weight as anyone else’s. It’s what I tell myself.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I’m a director and screenwriter based in DC. I went to the Savannah College of Art and Design where I earned my degree in Film and Television production. I love crafting intricate, character-driven stories that challenge the typical genre conventions. My goal with all my work is to get people to view the world around them differently and think about a topic in a way they maybe haven’t before, no matter how slight. I tend to lean more towards scripted narrative work, as that’s when I feel I can best combine my love for writing and directing, but have also worked on music videos and documentaries. I’m actually in pre-production on a short documentary film I was asked to direct about the Apacheria Gravel race, an inaugural bike race taking place this November in Arizona. I’m really grateful I was brought onto the project and excited to improve my skills as a documentarian on a larger-scale project like it.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

1. You’re only as good as the people you surround yourself with.

This is a good mindset to live by generally, but it is especially true for those of us working in fields where we are entirely reliant on collaboration with others to excel. A project suffers when a member of the crew isn’t pulling their weight. I’ve always found that the best final product comes when there is a high level of trust and mutual support amongst everyone on the team. You will never be able to shoulder all the responsibilities of crafting a film yourself. Learn to trust others and they’ll trust you.

2. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.

I used to be very hesitant to ask questions whenever I was on a set for fear of appearing inept. However, once I gathered the courage to finally admit my lack of knowledge on a certain topic, I realized most people would gladly teach me what they knew. Every set is a learning experience, no matter your position and the people you want on your team are those with a thirst for knowledge.

3. Leave well enough alone.

Every new filmmaker struggles with knowing when a project is finally finished. I’ve seen countless peers never complete a project because they felt it wasn’t “good enough”. I, myself, have struggled with my work failing to live up to what I wanted it to be, always tweaking some dialogue or cutting a scene differently. I remind myself, though, that no film exists solely in my head. That I just have to be confident in my idea and trust that, even if it ends up being different from what I imagined, it is what it had to be.

Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?

Over the past couple of years, I’ve been trying to identify the techniques to alleviate stress that best work for me. This has been something I’ve put a lot of thought into, especially in these past few months post-grad, where many changes are taking place. As far as techniques I use, I have noticed that breaking things down into more digestible parts helps center me when I feel overwhelmed. Taking the time to write down the things that are causing you stress can help you visualize what the more pressing things on your plate are and what you can set aside to tackle later. Ultimately though, there is no catch-all fix for when you’re feeling overwhelmed. Finding the best strategy for you is a process of trial and error.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://readymag.website/u663514091/4778118/
• Instagram: @pabloj.e
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pablo-echevarr%C3%ADa-604a22210/

Image Credits

Caitlin Sellman
Sophia Mogames
Pablo Echevarría