We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Carlos Gallardo a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Carlos, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
When I was 6 years old a nany asked a few kids what they wanted to do when they grew up and when my turn came I looked and pointed to the tv and said I’m gonna be inside there ..: Years passed and I wanted to somehow record my mischievous things I would do in the back yard but I couldn’t figure it out yet. A few more years passed I belive in was 11 years old and I saw escape from New York and I finally understood the characters that I wanted to play and by 12 my dad had a friend doctor who had an 8mm camera and he let me borrow it .
I ask my dad to buy me one roll of film and I shot a scene from “escape from New York” (the scene where snake sits down in the office Whith Hawk)
Funny thing we had no sound 😂
But it was my movie ..
That was my first ever thing I directed and shot and lit ..
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
Now days I’m focused on my career with a twist … about 12 years ago I decided to look for new directors to try and help them in their directing dream.
I usually look for the right recipe and attach myself to projects depending on how I’m good at helping.
One of the things that has always exited me is to be part of the production team (be in the process of preproduction and observe everything with out stepping on the artist vision but I do have many discussions on what they don’t have experience with. Sometimes beginner directors make the same mistakes …
REDCON-1 is the biggest indy film ever made from the west that took about 14 weeks to shoot and 2 years to edit and bring it to market .. won over 25 awards on action film festivals and I’m very proud of it ..
I was an executive producer, a costar and second unit director.
The latest project I’m involved is titled “where the dead go” I came to that project almost when they were already finishing the project . I got involved there as an executive producer and I play a small role and I narrate the whole film . It’s directed by Alberto Rodriguez and staring Adam cray … it’s doing some festival rounds .
And this last festival I attended in Texas (south texas international film festival)is taken me to another project where a director saw something in my personal appearance I assume, that he contacted me to see if we could work together..
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)Be very observative (sharp eyed)) 2)Find a creative way to do it (don’t take no for an answer)
3)Listen
The most impactful thing I’ve learned is knowledge of the industry (beside how movies are made but what are the steps on the business to bring that film to markets)
The knowledge of knowing all the lies that people tell you in this industry and learned from them.
My advise to others :
This is more than a career this is a life style .:: some make it over night like us, others in ten years others in 20 years and so on. But if you never quit with real talent you will make it …
And unfortunately you must make this a priority and a lot of times you will end up alone… but how much do you want it? .. that’s the question ..
Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?
This is a question that probably a lot have difficulty answering : I’m in the stage of my life where I have to make a transition based on my age and try to fill the characters that Liam Neeson for example and a few others have been doing, and are ready to leave behind and get a chance to start filling those shoes for example: not be just like them but step into those type of films that have characters that are more mature and bring new entertainment to that type audience.
In this scenario I must work from the bottom up and engage with new directors and work on second roles to build up to that new stage of my life.
I love low key characters that don’t say much but say a-lot by reacting and being the unpredictable character that saves the day or the low voice whisper character that when he speaks people listen .. I love action but I also love the camera to have always action Angles and movement and tell a story : I’m a fan of John. Woo for example.
There are more challenges but those are a few of many.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002230/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/realbandido1?igshid=dWlqd2hkMm5zbDg5&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Carlos-Gallardo/169294239805686?bookmark_t=page
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlos-gallardo-64088914b?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
- Twitter: CarlosGallardo@REALBANDIDO
- Other: denise Barret [email protected]
Image Credits
For the camouflage pictures: Intense productions The other ones we own …
