Check Out Luis Tovar’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Luis Tovar.

Hi Luis, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Back in high school, I started doing a lot of drawing and painting. Lots of art! Then cinema and film caught my attention, but it was too much for me at the time to learn all the aspects of film that were necessary to become an expert in the field (i.e. processing {non-digital}, lenses, lighting, actors). It was simply overwhelming at the time. So I lost interest and kept on drawing. Soon after, I was intrigued by traditional animation, which quickly turned into digital. I was able to get a lot of experience doing that kind of creative work on a freelance basis, from visual effects to motion graphics and a bit of character animation. But cameras and cinema always stayed in the back of my mind. I was making short, animated films. But I wanted more. I wanted to have physical characters. I wanted live-action.

The college I was attending at the time had a cinema program where you couldn’t touch a camera until the 2nd or 3rd year. They wanted their students to learn the theory first. I was anxious to start making my own films, so I decided to grab my dad’s mini-dv camera and got to work. Using my little brother as my main and only actor, was the absolute best. The little films we made together were so bad, but so good. Obviously, the composition, angles, and story were completely amateur. But what made them good was the passion, collaboration, and the freshness that my brother and I were able to bring to the screen. Magical little moments in time. I watch them every once in a while, and they are still pure gold to me.

A decade later, I discovered that I was in love with storytelling. And since then, all I’ve wanted to do is to create and share compelling stories. So I attended film school to hone my craft in directing as well as my camera work. As far as screenwriting, I am self-taught. Starting with simple structures, character developments, and plots, I learned to transfer what I was feeling into my craft. Injecting my own emotions/feelings into the art of motion picture became very cathartic for me. I won my first screenplay competition for my short script “LAPSE” for Glendale IFF. Shortly after my feature-length script “PAPERLESS” was nominated for the best connection in The Oaxaca FF Global Script Challenge. It was then that I realized, in my heart, mind, and soul, that I wanted to keep telling stories that truly impacted people. I wanted to tell stories that changed people’s lives. I wanted to tell stories that mattered.

I founded my own production company in 2019, Quagmire Filmz. And since then, I have had the privilege and opportunity to lead an incredible team of writers, producers and actors. Most importantly, my core team, which includes: Daniel O’reilly, David Holt, Chelsea Teel, and Elena Nardini. We started with a simple passion project/idea. To shoot 52 comedy sketches and release one a week for a whole year. The commitment and dedication of my team surpassed my expectations. We shot over 70 sketches, a music video, and our first dramatic short film, all within less than a year. Our hard work and consistency paid off pretty quickly, as we got picked up by VIACOM for digital studio distribution with BrandonTV. That’s when we started to see the potential of our work and our content. We started to see that there was not only an audience for it, but a tangible demand for it.

Currently, we have a couple of films in the festival circuit: Our award-winning drama “LAPSE” and comedy “The Devils Smoke Alarm”. Also working with various clients to create more streaming content. But our main focus right now is gathering scripts, prepping pitch decks, and getting ready to produce compelling stories of our own, once again.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Oh never a smooth ride. I think covid was the hardest hit for most of us. Hitting a wall during very unprecedented times made the journey for us that much more challenging. Most of our clients dropped, people moved, and businesses and establishments dissolved entirely. And the worst part was that people were getting sick and dying all over the world. For artists especially, that time was a lot to digest. At least for me, I felt like I couldn’t “create” for months.

But, thanks to our medical evolution and vaccines, we are able to fight a global pandemic. Not only as a nation but worldwide. And I think it taught us to be more kind to each other, more empathetic, and reminded us that Mother Nature always wins in the end. Now, we feel stronger than ever. Picking ourselves back up, reinventing ourselves creatively, and continuing to make art that speaks to people and tell stories that matter.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
We are Quagmire Filmz. We specialize in effective storytelling through cinema. Even though I am the head of our ensemble, I rely heavily on my team for their creative and professional opinions and suggestions. I put a lot of value on collaboration. And when I feel stuck, they give me solutions. My team is, at its core, a family. And with that in mind, we continue to push each other to do bigger and better things as time goes on. We bring out the best in each other. Personally and professionally. And I love that!

The emotional range in our films is what sets us apart from others. Adding creative flair, pace, and comedic timing, and organic chemistry to our work is a unique element we’ve learned to embrace. Staying original and true to our style is a constant that we fight not to lose.

What does success mean to you?
Success is giving something back to the world. Money and recognition is amazing, don’t get me wrong, but to make stories with an emotional impact that could make a global change and give hope. To me, THAT is success.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.quagmirefilmz.com
• Instagram: @quagmirefilmz

Image Credits
Brandon Stewart
BTV
Johnny Lavallee
Catalina Film Festival
Golden State Film Festival