We recently had the chance to connect with Juancho Rodriguez and have shared our conversation below.
Juancho, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: Have you ever been glad you didn’t act fast?
It’s interesting, actually. I’ve never been an impulsive person, yet I’ve always had a “let’s just get it done immediately” mentality which has served me quite well while navigating both business and creativity. With that said, recently I’ve learned the value behind what I call “taking a beat.” What I mean by that is being able to take a pause and assess what’s in front of you.
As artists, creatives and entrepreneurs, we’ve all been taught to move at an extremely rapid pace regardless of any potential risks; and, though sometimes moving fast is not only required but necessary, it’s important we all remember that our instincts are extremely valuable. When an opportunity lands on your lap, what should you do with it? Well, to me, it’s during that moment that I ask myself three key questions: “Is this right for me?” “Can this lead me to other opportunities?” and, ultimately, “How can I absolutely excel at this?” Asking yourself these questions will immediately allow you to take control of your decision and move down the right path.
I’ve acted fast before. In fact, I still very much do. Nonetheless, I’m actively nurturing a mindset through which I can have discernment over what I want out of my career and my relationships with others. Sometimes slow really is fast.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m a film producer, writer, director and actor currently residing in New York City – dividing my time between NYC and Miami. I produce projects for film, television and new media with my production company Dawn Kino Entertainment, which was founded in Miami.
Although my main creative focus for the last few years has been filmmaking, I am now also heavily involved in theatre, both as a producer and as an actor. In fact, I’m currently developing a multimedia theatre production with my colleague and friend John Leguizamo.
Over the last couple of years I’ve worked with EastLine Theatre Company in New York starring on their stage productions of Jose Rivera’s “References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot,” and Sophie Treadwell’s “Machinal.” I’m also a member of The Mechanicals Theatre Company in NYC, recently understudying for their own production of “Machinal” (a complete coincidence!), and playing King Edward IV, Stanley, and Brakenbury, in William Shakespeare’s “Richard III.”
I’m the director and producer of the award-winning documentary short, “In Human Kind,” and I’m also a producer on an upcoming feature film in the horror genre hitting all screens very soon.
I’ve become a close collaborator of the new music project ‘tomorrows waterfall,’ having co-directed and co-produced the music video for his debut single ‘TALKING IN YOUR SLEEP,’ starring our very own John Leguizamo and supermodel Denise Bidot. TALKING IN YOUR SLEEP went on to premiere as a Special Presentation at the 2024 Miami Film Festival, and was awarded ‘Best Music Video’ at the 2024 Seattle Film Festival. The music video is now available everywhere on YouTube. It’s very fitting to mention that I have several projects in the works with ‘tomorrows waterfall, and I’m quite excited to share them with the world.
With Dawn Kino Entertainment, I work with, and support, other creatives who want to develop and fast-track their creative projects. From budgeting, scheduling and packaging all the way to final delivery, Dawn Kino is always welcoming new ideas, new projects and new clients.
Needless to say, if there’s a good story to be told — I’m your man!
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
This question really gets me excited because it’s a topic that affects virtually all of us. I’ll start by saying this: I love human beings. We are absolutely the most interesting (and most complex) creation when it comes to life on earth. A human being is precious and, therefore, I see human relations as sacred and requiring nurturing.
What breaks bonds between people? Believing that our way of seeing the world is the only way there is: the most correct, the most righteous, the most important. Believing that our unique way to see and experience the world is the only one that’s valid will likely rupture bonds with individuals who see and experience the world differently than ours. Call it differences in religion, lifestyle, politics: when we decide our way is the only way, we’re not only breaking away from someone whose opinion clashes with ours, but we’re also deciding not to learn anything new from a fellow human being. We all have stories to tell. And, yes, they are all valid and valuable.
What restores bonds between people? One of my favorite words: listening. Can I really just sit back and let someone else speak, really speak, from their heart? I would start there because if you’re really listening, then understanding will follow.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
I’ll tell you what suffering has taught me: you’ve still gotta wake up the next morning, you’ve still gotta get up from your bed, and you’ve still gotta deal with the realities of life.
I’m not being pessimistic, I’m being realistic if not very optimistic. Dealing with profound pain has taught me that, no matter what life throws at you (both the good and the bad), you should still hold your head up high and live. You may not feel like yourself, and you may not feel like there’s anything worth living for but, trust me, there is. In life, even pain is worth living for because it reminds us that we’re alive in the first place.
Success is delicious and a huge ego boost, but it’s potentially fleeting. If we all learn to be and do better in the midst of suffering, then success is not a goal but a blessing.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
I’m going to chalk it all up to one big lie: the idea that trends always beget success.
Oh, boy, that’s the biggest lie of them all. Over the last decade, I have witnessed the quality of mainstream American storytelling be reduced to social media followers, engagement KPIs, and “let’s go viral!” presumptions. I wholeheartedly disagree with, and reject, that premise. Some say that looking at the entertainment industry as I just described works because it’s all part of a grander business model; however, we’ve completely disengaged from championing soulful, raw, and exciting ideas in name of respecting “the business model.” Yes, Entertainment is a business; but if we want that business to incubate, create and nurture more than hollow and trendy hits, we must go back to the most important tenet: telling a damn good story.
I challenge every development executive in Hollywood (actually, every creative, period) to stop thinking about how their project can be a hit, and start thinking about how they want their audience to feel. I love feeling. Everybody else does too. It’s time to go back to feels.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What do you understand deeply that most people don’t?
I’m not sure most people don’t understand this (or understand it less than I do), but the one thing that has become a key lesson in my brain is this: people are fickle. They want this now, but will not want it later. They believe in this now, but won’t believe in it later. They fight for this now, but will not uphold it later. Most people ache for a bandwagon they all want to jump on to because it validates their current beliefs.
I’m not good friends with bandwagons. Actually, I avoid them every single time. It’s been my experience that people change their minds constantly without even realizing that they do. That’s why I prefer to live and create within the circumstances that face me at any specific time. The most important thing to me is knowing that my values and my principles can remain unwaveriing regardless of what new fad, new trend, or new ideology is coming around the corner.
I deal in creation not destruction. And in order to create, I embrace humanity — quirks, complications, beauty and all.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juanchorodgz/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juansrodriguez3991/
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
