by Salvador Luna
Since my beginnings, on a commune in the back woods of Tennessee, I have been enthralled with the process of storytelling. As a commune we engaged in our own theater, film and television production. Each story we told was a part of the myths of the commune that we still carry with us today. Much like ancient Greek theater we used the catharsis of storytelling to forge our identity. Upon leaving the commune, for the San Francisco Bay Area, I’ve continued my studies in acting, and directing film & television. These studies culminated in my MFA, with a focus on directing, in the Motion Pictures & Television department at The Academy of Art University in San Francisco.
I’ve directed 16 short films and one feature over this period, and worked on many more. I’ve had a chance to study with some of the industry’s best camera & sound production teams, including alums of Skywalker Sound & Lucas Films. My focus has been on science fiction, and magical realism, which allow for the building of mythological spaces. My thesis project “The Simulant Mechanism”, based on Philip K. Dicks “The Electric Ant”, demonstrates this mixture of science fiction & magical realism. Using the film medium I wish to enhance personal narratives and bridge them with the cathartic experience of the audience. I believe that this is the heart of modern storytelling, which draws us into the characters we see on the screen, and how their stories, like our own, have meaning.