They started out in Queens, New York and later migrated to Rockland County which they still hold down as home base. But make no mistake, Colombian filmmakers Kevin and John Marco Lopez founders of LPZ Media were always enthralled by the box office hits of their childhood. In fact, going to the movies every weekend was a tradition for the Lopez family—John Marco was into action, thrillers and gangster movies, while Kevin was into horror flicks.
Yet, their interest in film would remain just that – until college. It was while Kevin was attending the University of Buffalo, that his interest would be piqued. Specifically, it was an on-campus screening of Conan The Barbarian. “If watched from a certain perspective, [Conan The Barbarian] can be truly appreciated as a pure art film. I had seen it a million times prior, but this time, I left the theater thinking that I could one day also make an artful epic film,” he recalled. Kevin soon switched lanes and entered the Master’s in Arts & Humanities Film and Performance program in pursuit of a career in film.
For John Marco venturing into filmmaking was a way to help his brother on projects early on in his career. John Marco, at the time was pursuing an undergraduate degree in Economics at Stony Brook University, would take on many roles on the film set, like handling lights or other filming equipment – pretty much anything that would help with the process. The two would work together on smaller projects, including a few music videos for artists such as Fabolous, Skyzoo and Nitty Scott MC, as well as Bhangra artists such as JK and Bikram Singh. One music video project in particular was where John Marco got hooked to filmmaking. “It must have been over ten years ago, but I think it was a Bollywood Music Video [laughs],” John Marco remembers. “The shoot [was] pretty hectic, but I also got bit by the filmmaking bug…and never looked back.”
Today, the brothers own LPZ Media, which produces everything from featurettes, to music videos and feature length films. Their latest production — which premiered at the 2015 Colombian International Film Festival in New York City, and features their sister, “Power” actress, Leslie Lopez—is titled The Inquisition of Camilo Sanz, and delves into the life of an illegal immigrant living in Queens, New York, who seeks money from a loan shark to fund a falsified marriage with a U.S. Citizen in order to avoid deportation.
‘LLERO caught up with the Lopez Brothers to get the behind-the-scenes stories on their venture into the film industry, their collaborative and individual projects, and the benefits of working with family. Check out our interview after the jump!!!
‘LL: You, your brother Kevin and your sister Leslie all followed careers in film. Was going into the film industry something that your family supported?
John Marco Lopez: Going to the movies was like going to church for us, and we went practically every weekend. Afterwards, we would discuss or debate what we had just watched. However, like most children of immigrant parents, we were encouraged to get a good education and pursue stable careers like medicine, politics or finance — which of course is very logical. They eventually got the memo when we graduated from college, but we still had to show that we could make a decent living. Thankfully, they are now our biggest fans.
‘LL: Where did you go to school to get the knowledge and training that it takes to become a filmmaker?
Kevin Lopez: When I knew in my heart I wanted to pursue filmmaking, I was in my second year of graduate school. I knew at this point that my calling was film, so when I realized that the New Media Studies program was to be led by Linda Riesman, former head at Zoetrope, I quickly applied. I was also informed that Miramax Films was offering the Miramax Films Minority Scholarship Fund to graduate students working on their Master’s projects. I was accepted into the Master’s in Arts & Humanities Film and Performance program, which introduced me to some of the most incredible film educators I have come to know. This program provided me with the opportunity to obtain a comprehensive film arts education that helped jump-start my career as a filmmaker.
John Marco Lopez: I’ve been fortunate enough to have on-the-job training helping my brother make music videos/short docs when I was in college. He would direct, and I would just wear multiple hats — anything to get the job done. There was an incredible amount of trial and error involved, experimenting with different camera and editing techniques, learn as you go—guerrilla filmmaking at its finest. Then, being able to work on big budget TV commercials took the learning curve to another level.
‘LL: What was your first film project, and how did it come about?
Kevin Lopez: The very first film project that I have worked on as a director was the documentary film for my Master’s Thesis titled Entre Luz y Sol, about the social affects of tourism in Cuba in the mid 2000s. This film was supported by the Miramax Films Minority Scholarship Fund and in collaboration with University of Buffalo Latin American Studies Department. The short film would eventually receive recognition not only at the university level but also in film festivals across the country.
John Marco Lopez: My first short film was shot on a camera phone, back when they were first released with decent picture quality. It was an experimental horror film — really just testing the waters with narrative storytelling, and also embracing the cultural phenomenon of camera technology.
‘LL: How did LPZ Media come about?
Kevin Lopez: John and I would always sit and talk about all things film related. From creative ideas to business ventures and strategies, the conversations would be long and extensive. I would have to say that John was the one that proposed the idea to formally create LPZ Media. I had been a part of a few other independent film production companies that did not turn out well, so I was a bit apprehensive about starting something new. Nonetheless, I felt that this time it would be different. It would be with my brother. So, in the summer of 2010, we went for it.
John Marco Lopez: We both had experience working with other production companies, but we came to the inevitable conclusion that the only way to really control the end product and put your signature on it was to work independently.
‘LL: What is working with your brother like?
Kevin Lopez: It’s great. It makes the difficult journey to get recognized and strike a chord creatively that much more exciting and personal. I have also learned a great deal from John. He has his MBA and an Economics degree, so he teaches me a thing or two on business strategies and systems. Also, we both love what we do, so our conversations are very fulfilling to me as an artist as well as a brother. We have a shared vision, and that’s very powerful.
John Marco Lopez: This line of work is very tricky and, at times, unpredictable. You find yourself working with various personalities—some great, some bad. Everyone has different motives and objectives. So, it’s a blessing to have someone who you can trust, and that has your back in difficult moments. He’s also very talented and resourceful, so I’m able to lean on his experience to execute tough jobs.
‘LL: Tell us about your work on The Inquisition of Camilo Sanz.
John Marco Lopez: ICS was our first full-length feature. We needed to break the ice and be a part of the motion picture medium. Films were the reason we entered this line of work in the first place, so we had to plant our flag. To say it was a learning experience is an understatement. It was a transformative moment in my life. We could finally call ourselves “filmmakers” and believe it.
Kevin Lopez: I served executive producer for the film. I not only helped John find the money to make this film, but I also oversaw the daily operations during the month’s prior and after production. John was certainly the driving force of the film, but I had his back in all aspects of the filmmaking process. From providing notes on the script, to hiring the cast and crew, I along with John, led the team to battle. It was one of the most incredible experiences in my life, one that I cannot wait to do again.
‘LL: The Inquisition of Camilo Sanz touches on the illegal immigrant struggle. How important was it for you to become involved with a film that discussed that issue?
Kevin Lopez: We pride ourselves in exploring themes and topics that are socially driven and contemporary. Like Pontecorvo’s The Battle of Algiers, we hope to make films that are relevant and provocative, cinematically scrutinizing the state of affairs of a particular culture, demographic, and overall society. The Inquisition of Camilo Sanz allowed us the opportunity to aggressively delve into a topic that is at the forefront of many political and ethical debates in this country. It’s a story that has yet to be resolved, which affects many New Yorkers, both legal and illegal.
‘LL: John Marco, I’m told that you’re also a screenwriter. Was The Inquisition of Camilo Sanz one of the projects you’ve written?
John Marco Lopez: The writing process is something that I value greatly and have come to embrace as possibly my favorite part of the process. I’d like my films to have a unique voice and perspective that is uniquely mine, and in order to achieve that, I not only have to direct the film, but have my signature in the screenplay. It allows the viewer to identify with an author/filmmaker and decide whether they’d like to follow more his films. I also have to give credit to my co-writer Samuel Clemente, who contributed to the story of ICS. It was the accumulation of many stories we heard in the neighborhood growing up, with regards to immigration, loan sharks, and volatile love lives.
‘LL: Kevin, you’re also a film teacher. What inspired that move?
Kevin Lopez: I was broke. I was in my second or third year of “freelancing,” but much of that time was just learning and growing as an artist, so the last thing on my mind was that I needed to also make a living. I hit rock bottom at one point when I could not afford the cab ride to one of my shoots. I came to terms, as many New York City artists do, that in order to support the art, I needed a real job. I quickly applied to the New York Teaching Fellows Program, and within a few months of interviews and workshops, I was in the classroom in the South Bronx as a self-contained special education teach-er. That’s when the real work began.
‘LL: What does your LPZ Education program offer the kids in NYC?
Kevin Lopez: Once I began working as a Special Education teacher for the New York City Department of Education, I soon realized the harsh reality of student disengagement, particularly in high needs communities. Kids hated coming to school and those that actually showed up, were encountered by educators and administrators who where disconnected and out of touch with the community in which they served. Additionally, arts programs in many public schools were nearly non-existent, which certainly created environments that lacked the encouragement of creative freedom. That’s when I decided to bring in some of my own gear to create engaging English, Math, and Social Studies lessons through the power of filmmaking. My students quickly gravitated towards it, and in a few months, we saw improvement with attendance and even with their reading and math levels. The power of film inspired many of my students to connect the work they were forced to learn in class, with real practical skills that allowed them to create films. I, then, took many of the strategies and models I developed these early years, and have been applying them to programs that we developed throughout the City of New York.
‘LL: Do you have some advice to offer any aspiring film directors, producers or screenwriters?
John Marco Lopez: The only advice I could give would be to just grab a camera, gather some actors/friends, and make your film. Don’t listen to the doubters or “experts.” Just go out there, express yourself, keep trying to get better, and enjoy every minute of the process.
Kevin Lopez: My advice to up-and-coming filmmakers is to align yourselves with like-minded artists who will help you grow in all aspects of your lives. This is a field that requires enormous discipline and dedication, and with the right amount of support from people you, trust, you’ll have a much more enjoyable experience. I always tell my film students that this is a long journey that requires patience and consistency. Once you embrace that reality, you’ll be able to organically develop yourself into the filmmaker and storyteller you have always imagined yourself to be.
For more info on LPZ Media, visit lpzmedia.com, as well as vimeo.com/lpzmedia for their newly published creative and commercial content.