Meet Sienna Serrano

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sienna Serrano a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Sienna, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?

I got my work ethic from growing up in a competitive dance studio. The studio itself was very fast-paced and no-nonsense, so as a child, I quickly learned that you had to put in the time and effort to reach your goals, like placing first in a dance competition. I spent hours after school at what would become my second home, practicing and uncovering the craft of dance alongside understanding the importance of teamwork. Even though there were arduous and frustrating moments, I kept going knowing the happiness created by sharing my art with others was well worth it. As a filmmaker and choreographer today, those lessons still influence my drive and purpose as an artist. My journey in the entertainment industry hasn’t been easy, especially throughout the pandemic and industry strikes, however knowing I have gone through similar hardships as a child and have succeeded through it, reminds me that anything is possible with the right amount of determination.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I am a Mexican-American filmmaker and choreographer who explores her Latin culture and San Gabriel Valley roots through film, dance, and theater. After graduating from the University of California, Irvine, I have worked with companies such as NALIP, Sporas, Cine Sony, Breath of Fire Latina Theater Ensemble, and The National Women’s Theater. My first documentary short film, “A Bear-Able Life” screened at many festivals nationwide and won Best Documentary Short Film during its world premiere at the Oklahoma Cine Latino Film Festival. My latest work is a narrative short film titled, “Call Your Mom” created under the fellowship of the Women of Color Filmmakers’ film lab. Currently, I am working on a few collaborations with local artists and choreographers as well as enjoying my time as a 2024 Unlock Her Potential mentee under the mentorship of Ilana Peña: Creator, showrunner, executive producer, and director of the critically acclaimed, Emmy-nominated “Diary of a Future President” on Disney+.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Perseverance, empathy, and confidence have been the most impactful qualities for my journey so far. The entertainment industry is a beast in itself, but if you know your worth, know who you are as a person, and treat others with kindness and respect, you will find the beast a lot less scary!

As for advice to the folks early in their process, I would say regardless of the type of journey, you must treat it as if you are running a marathon. You will have to go through discomfort to reach your destination, however, by remembering to take care of yourself and celebrating the little wins throughout the process, you will suddenly find yourself amazed at how far you have come.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?

Always! I love collaborating with others who have a passion for storytelling and/or movement. I’m always open to collaborating on short films, theater productions, music videos, etc. I’m also seeking more friends in the Film/TV space to bounce around ideas or talk about creative endeavors in general! So if you are interested, you can reach me at www.siennaserrano.com.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.siennaserrano.com/

Image Credits

Headshot by Melanie Maio, Images 1 and 2: Stills from “A Bear-Able Life”, Image 3: Still from “the hell inside my mind”, Images 4, 5, and 6: Stills from “Call Your Mom”, Image 7: Santiago Rivera, Image 8: Danny Kim