#04: Alejandro Montoya Marin - on Tamales, Kevin Smith, Failing Forward, Robert Rodriguez and DC vs Marvel
Alejandro Montoya Marin was born in Laredo, Texas and raised in Mexico (Merida and Monterrey). Graduated Film Production at VFS, Canada and Marketing in Mexico.
Hand selected by Robert Rodriguez to be part of his documentary show "REBEL WITHOUT A CREW: THE SERIES" where with a budget of only $7,000 and 14 days of shooting time, he was able to adapt his award-winning short film “MONDAY” into a feature film of the same name. The movie premiered at a special screening at the 2018 SXSW FESTIVAL and to a sold-out audience at the Soho International Film Festival. In 2020, the film was inducted into the New Mexico Film Hall of Fame.
His follow-up film "Millennium Bugs” has secured distribution with Indican Pictures and is set to premiere in February 2023. It was named top movies to see during its festival run by Roger Ebert's Scout Tafoya. Alejandro is currently touring with his thriller comedy "The Wrong Guy" and premiering his thriller starring Scout Taylor Compton (Halloween) and Gabrielle Stone (FML talk) on September 25th on Roku and SLING.
Learn more about Alejandro Montoya Marin at:
Alejandro Montoya Marin LinkTree
Alejando Montoya Marin on Youtube
Alejandro Montoya Marin on Instagram
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Note: This episode was recorded on 9.25.22
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Killah Cortez is a music producer, musician, and songwriter based in Los Angeles. Specializing in alternative/indie/pop, Cortez is richly creative with a remarkable gift of enhancing projects and taking listeners on a journey.
Cortez has also landed reviews from The New York Times, Rolling Stone, Lyrical Lemonade, and Paste Magazine with his compositions appearing in commercials and tv shows like "Younger".
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Today’s Episode is sponsored by New Monkey Studio
"REBEL WITHOUT A CREW: THE SERIES"
Soho International Film Festival
The Killah Cortez Show EP #01 w/ Stephanie Hatzinikolis
TRANSCRIPTION
Killah Cortez: All right. Welcome to episode four of The Killah Cortez Show. The following is an interview with Alejandro Montoya Marin. Alejandro was born in Laredo, Texas, and raised in Mexico. He was hand-selected by Robert Rodriguez to be part of his documentary show "Rebel Without a Crew: The series" where with a budget of only $7,000 in 14 days of shooting time, he was able to adapt his award winning short film "Monday" into a feature film of the same name. The movie premiered at a special screening at the 2018 South by Southwest. His follow up film, "Millennium Bugs", has secured distribution with Indican pictures and set to premiere in February 20, 23. It was named one of the top movies to see during his festival run by Roger Ebert's scout Tafoya. Alejandro is currently touring his thriller comedy "The Wrong Guy", which you can check out at the Soho International Film Festival October 8th. I met Alejandro while working on a session. We hit it off and he recently directed a video for a song that I produced for friend of the pod, Stephanie Hatzinikolis. And we'll talk about that. Some Killah Cortez News. I should have some new merch dropping in the next week or so, so keep an eye out for that and I should have some new music dropping in the next few weeks. So hint, hint, keep an eye out for that. So now sit back, relax, and enjoy this interview with Alejandro Montoya Marin.
Killah Cortez: So I'm going to come in as devil's advocate here. What do you have against the Green Lantern and his obsession with tamales?
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Not his. The people that drew it, definitely. Everyone loves Tamales, even Green Lantern. And I like the fact that he can imagine whatever he wants. And he goes, Give me a second ( makes magical noises ), pinche bolsa tamales.
Killah Cortez: So I saw I saw in another interview that you were talking about DC and Hispanic Heritage Month. Why don't you talk to people about that a little bit?
Alejandro Montoya Marin: That was a very that was a pleasant surprise in September, which is Hispanic Heritage Month. DC Comics did like a revamp of famous characters in situations that resemble or honoring Hispanic Heritage Month. And. Some of the drawings. Like 75% of them were racist as fuck. Like, Green Lantern with his plastic bag of tamales after they had drawn him. Like, I don't know who Miguel Hidalgo or someone like very epic against the Spanish, you know, like with the, you know, very cool stuff. And then they drew one of Hawkgirl because she's got wings. She'll be really cool to getting quick to pick up dirty dishes. Yeah, like a fucking bus girl. Like, I'm like....
Killah Cortez: damn... just think somebody. Somebody in a board meeting was like, oh, and I saw that, like, they had they actually had some really kind of traditional graphics of it and they look tight.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Amazing.
Killah Cortez: But then you could tell they went to a board meeting and somebody was like, "Hmm, nah.... lets... let's give them Taco Bell.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Yeah.
Killah Cortez: So you're a huge DC fan. Who's your who's your favorite DC character?
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Batman.
Killah Cortez: Batman.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: I'm so cliche.
Killah Cortez: Yeah.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: And then Superman.
Killah Cortez: Which Batman is your favorite Batman?
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Oh, man. There have been many talks, many conversations about this. I want to say, I guess Michael Keaton.
Killah Cortez: Okay.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Just because seeing Batman, the kids won't understand. Not, you know, like everyone knows, like, oh, Batman in the movies, of course. But no one has really seen Batman in the flesh. I mean, yeah, Adam West, but he was campy as heck. Still loved it. So. Michael Keaton But then I was a really, really big fan of the animated series.
Killah Cortez: Yeah, I love the animation, I love the animated series. And I also loved Batman Beyond.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Yeah, that was great.
Killah Cortez: I wanted that to go further.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: They've they've talked about it like even Kevin Smith was like.
Killah Cortez: Like even seeing a movie on that would have been sick.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Oh, a whole movie in the world and like like Blade Runner slash Gotham City. Oh yeah. In even if I didn't like it, I'd watch it twice.
Killah Cortez: Yeah.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Just because. I mean, the background's got to be great. The artwork, everything.
Killah Cortez: Yeah, totally, man.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: But I really did enjoy the Robert Pattison movie a lot.
Killah Cortez: Dude, I love. I loved that. I didn't know what to expect because the from my perspective, the the previews and the trailers, it was cool, but I was like, I don't know if this is going to be good. Couldn't tell. And then I saw it. What do they call that new format where it's like the screen, but then it's not a screen on the side, but they still just project it on the side. You know, I'm talking about. Have you seen that? Yeah.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Like the three thing. Yeah, I don't know, but I know exactly what you're talking about
Killah Cortez: I saw it in that and it was, it was pretty rad. I mean, I wasn't expecting the whole like 90's sad boy thing. It was cool.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: I.... Like we were talking about when we went to go get coffee. I'm tired of comic book movies. And this is a comic book nerd. Yeah, I. I went and got in line to buy The Dark Knight Returns and Superman dies and FlashPoints and, you know, of of Avengers what was the.... Civil War.
Killah Cortez: Yeah. Yeah, I actually just watched that.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: It's a really good movie.
Killah Cortez: So good.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: It really is. But I feel like they should have stopped at Endgame because it was so climactic or.
Killah Cortez: Or at least take a little break. Like, I think.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Two year break 100%
Killah Cortez: You know what it is right now is. It feels like we got yeah, we got to the climax and now yeah we're ramping back up again but it just, it doesn't feel right. They got to find, they got to find the soul of their story because right now it's really hard to to feel it.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Yeah. No, I completely agree. I it's hard to care for about any any of these characters like Spider-Man Dies and and the one before Endgame, though, my favorite one. What's it called?
Killah Cortez: I think that would have been Infinity War.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: That's my favorite. Everyone was like, endgame, like, nah, fuck that, Infinity Wars, because the bad guy lost, people died. There were consequences, there were stakes. And I hated that Spider-Man and I'm throwing the air quotes dies. And then the next movie, the first trailer is the fucking Spider-Man movie. I'm like, Well, guess what?
Killah Cortez: Yeah, we know he lives.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: And well, not only that, but like marketing people. Hey, Marvel, hit me up. How the hell do you market? You know, they started introducing all these new characters. Black Panther, Wanda and all that shit. Yeah. And then they go to that point, and only the new characters die. So I'm like, Guess what, y'all? They're coming because they're haven't established their franchises. Why don't you take away some of the old people? So then your older people that were there. So, you know, like Captain America, why didn't you, Captain America, disappear? So you go, oh, my God, that's the last.... Is that the last interpretation of him?
Killah Cortez: Yeah, yeah, yeah. That was that was the beauty of I mean, I wasn't I was I was still a kid when it came out. But in watching it in retrospect. Yeah, that was the beauty of, like, Han Solo dying or like getting frozen, right? You're like, dude, is Han Solo dead?
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Right? And you don't know. You don't know and who knows? And there's no trades and there's not some kid who wants to sound smart and make the ending of this movie explained. Yeah, it's like we don't need that shit.
Killah Cortez: Yeah. Okay, hot topic question. I got a question.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: I do buy a hot topic clothes.
Killah Cortez: DC VS Marvel,
Alejandro Montoya Marin: DC.
Killah Cortez: DC wins?
Alejandro Montoya Marin: For me. But I mean, obviously if you.
Killah Cortez: Who are the final two in the pit, it's like a full on?
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Batman and Daredevil.
Killah Cortez: Batman and Daredevil. They're the final.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Batman wins.
Killah Cortez: He's always prepared.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Though. He's like, he's just standing there, right? And then Daredevil's like "I'm going to fucking kick kick the shit out of you because it's dark". And he goes, Oh yeah. And then he throws a sound like a little sound pellet and it fucks up his senses. And Batman just.
Killah Cortez: Done.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Annihilates.
Killah Cortez: And then he's just alone, and he's like, This is how I wanted it to be. Yeah.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: And then he plays Nirvana.
Killah Cortez: Then he plays Nirvana.
Killah Cortez: So you're from Laredo, Texas. You moved to Monterrey, Mexico. You owned a video store and then took the leap to study film in Vancouver, where you've now found your way to LA to make films. Tell me about that journey. What have been some of your favorite moments? And tell me about some of the moments where you were like maybe ready to pack it in and stop.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Every stage dude, I think I think about quitting every month, every few months for a little bit. I don't, want I also I lived in Merida, Yucatan.
Killah Cortez: I saw that
Alejandro Montoya Marin: in case in case someone hears it and he goes, Oh, he's fucking ignoring us now. I'm like, No, y'all. Then Albuquerque.
Killah Cortez: Apologies, Mérida
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Apologies. Mérida
Killah Cortez: Did you eat iguana down there? They eat iguanas right?
Alejandro Montoya Marin: I don't know. I don't know if.
Killah Cortez: You might have had chicken. Might not have been chicken.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: It tasted great. What's the weirdest thing? I've eaten? I've eaten. I've eaten like ants and a taco. And it was awesome.
Killah Cortez: I've had ants, but not intentionally.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Great.Oh yeah. Yeah. They got, they got on my .... Though and just stayed it great man. I, I, you know, I told my sister, you know what's really cool at the end of the day or when I die or something, if I can go to any of these places, I've got friends there and that's really cool. You know, like when you go to another city and you don't know anyone, maybe something like insecurity might creep in and you don't, you don't try other different stuff, you know, that, that, that locals try. It's really cool that when I was there, I was like, okay, I'm going to be here for a certain amount of time. I'd better make the best of it.
Killah Cortez: This was in Vancouver.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Vancouver. Albuquerque,
Killah Cortez: Right.... Yeah. You've kind of lived around.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Yeah, man. It's. It was kind of like, I wish I would have moved to Vancouver sooner, but, I mean, the wish doesn't exist, right? It's like you did it when you did it. And it's cool because I got to experience Mexico the right way and it has a lot of my writing in it. Yeah, like 50% of the, the tone and the comedy and the, and the energy comes from the energy that Mexico has, like, you know, or that we did stuff there.
Killah Cortez: Was it in Mexico that you like you decided you wanted to be a filmmaker or did that come later?
Alejandro Montoya Marin: I think it was in Laredo, Texas, when it's going to sound super cliche. But when I saw I think when I saw it, it was like a whole summer when I saw Clerks, Pulp Fiction or Reservoir. And then I saw. Jesus. What is that, Mariachi? I saw all that shit on pay per view. And and I was like, My God, I love this. And then I realized that either George Lucas or Steven Spielberg went to study film. And I said, you can you can do that at school. Right. Because I hate school. I hated school.
Killah Cortez: Right. But now you like it because you're like, well, how do I do that?
Alejandro Montoya Marin: I could do, you know, I could learn about what I love. So, yeah, I was all about it.
Killah Cortez: Wow. Which school in Vancouver?
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Vancouver film school.
Killah Cortez: Awesome. How was that experience?
Alejandro Montoya Marin: I loved it. It's always like a dilemma or not a dilemma, but like a topic between filmmakers. Like, was film school worth it for the big old debt? And I'm like, Yeah, man.
Killah Cortez: How long is film school?
Alejandro Montoya Marin: It was a year. It's intense, but you got to do another year. Yeah, like to. What's it called? Like, I don't know, like straightened the basis or the roots of what you want to.
Killah Cortez: I did recording school and it was like six months, but it was funny because like three months in I ended up getting an internship at a studio. Perfect. And. What I learned in my first day at that studio. I learned more than this whole entire six months.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Oh, yeah,
Killah Cortez: In school. That's cool man
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Yeah, you learn. Experience shows you a lot, but you need to have that basis or else anybody else that does it. Because, you know, my dad always said it's like, hey, man, there's more people with more connection and more money than us.
Killah Cortez: Yeah.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: And you got to want it more.
Killah Cortez: Yeah.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: So it's. Yeah, it was. I liked it. I liked it a lot. I think it was worth it. I learned every position. It wasn't like I'm only going to direct. The school was designed for you to earn the directing. So I personally, it wasn't always like this, but I personally had to do grip. AC, Catering.
Killah Cortez: Whats AC?
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Assistant Camera.
Killah Cortez: Okay.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Cam up. AD. And then I directed and then I produced.
Killah Cortez: Wow. Yeah. I mean, that's the same as the studio. You come up, you start as an intern, you move to a runner, then an assistant than an engineer. And then a lot of those engineers turn into producers. But now, you know, it's different now. Like now some you know, most people just kind of decide they want to do music and then they watch a couple of YouTube videos and they're a producer. Yeah. So it's but it's different, right? Like running, working in a studio versus like working at home.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: With your clients.
Killah Cortez: It's a different experience.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Very different. Very different. I mean, I'm not saying don't do it, but. There's a difference between making movies with your pals and making movies with professionals and egos are involved in money.
Killah Cortez: Is there a same dichotomy in filmmaking, too? Like where you have the ones who went to school and the ones who like just did it on YouTube. They figured out how to do stuff?
Alejandro Montoya Marin: I mean, that's great power to them, but it's what I'm saying. It's it's not just because you can do a scene. There's so much more that you learn by experience because. Like I was talking to an actress who was just starting and I won't get into the detail. But she got a little upset that we kind of brushed off her suggestion and I had to pull her aside and be like, We appreciate you suggesting us. Just because we're not going with your answer, it doesn't mean it's wrong. It's right or wrong. It's we can't have a producer do this, this and this because they financed this, this and that. And there's more into it where she goes, Oh, I never thought exactly.
Killah Cortez: Right.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: So of course we could come up with a solution, but the instant solution will have ramifications that will keep dragging. And we still and I told them we still have a day of production. I don't want to have the producer yapping in my ear while I'm trying to figure shit out.
Killah Cortez: Right.
Killah Cortez: So you're a big Kevin Smith fan?
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Yeah.
Killah Cortez: What is it about his filmmaking and storytelling that has been an inspiration for you?
Alejandro Montoya Marin: How Down to earth, The beginnings. Especially like, Clerks, Chasing Amy. I. I mean, I'm a fucking kid from Laredo. That was in Mérida Yucatan. And I got to say, I'm pretty positive that if people in Yucatan know who Kevin Smith is, it's because of me. Because I showed a lot of people. It was Clerks, Mallrats and Chasing Amy. Yeah, I would show it to a bunch of people, and they were all we we would say, Hey, when it was called, it was like, Hey, we should go Jersey look. And it was the shirt, the t shirt, the shirt and the jacket all un buttoned.
Killah Cortez: Dude, what year? What year did Clerks come out?
Alejandro Montoya Marin: 94?
Killah Cortez: 94. Yeah. Did see, I was like, I was definitely still late to that game because I remember. I think I must have heard about it in like 2002, but I had the same exact experience. Like, I remember my buddies, like, Dude, we got to watch this movie and then we watch Clerks and then like shortly after I just watched all these. All the movies in the universe, right? Yeah. Yeah. I feel like anybody, anybody who grew up in the nineties had that. Kevin Smith phase
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Oh, people don't. Yeah, it's, it's such a weird thing because I haven't really been a fan of his, of his newer stuff, but I admire him as a person now he seems really happy. He seems like people can call him whatever you want. He's doing the same shit, but he genuinely looks like a happy person.
Killah Cortez: Yeah,
Alejandro Montoya Marin: He's stoned, He loves his wife, he loves his daughter, He has a business. He actually goes and does these podcasts and you can tell he's enjoying himself.
Killah Cortez: So he has his own podcast too?
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Oh, he was one of the pioneers.
Killah Cortez: Oh, wow,
Alejandro Montoya Marin: He started this like his podcast was like 15 years ago.
Killah Cortez: Damn.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: So no, he's. He's.
Killah Cortez: Have you ever met him?
Alejandro Montoya Marin: No, never.
Killah Cortez: Soon,
Alejandro Montoya Marin: I hope.
Killah Cortez: Tbd.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Yeah, right. Well, you know what's funny? We're going to his first annual film festival. He started one. Oh, and we got in with "the wrong guy".
Killah Cortez: Heck yeah, man.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: So I hope. I hope I get to meet him.
Killah Cortez: And the wrong guy is your latest short, right?
Alejandro Montoya Marin: It's the one we're touring right now, which we should be premiering very soon on YouTube or on a platform
Killah Cortez: Sick.Tell me more about that. What what's that movie or short about and how did it come about?
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Oh, man, "The Wrong guy" is a dark comedy about a guy who. Who thinks he's a vigilante, but he's like a suburban vigilante. He's, you know, he's an idiot. He he he he puts like, you know, he puts, like, dog poop and like bags outside of the house and burns it to, like, got you, motherfucker. You know, like, stuff like that. He doesn't do that, but he takes revenge on people who cut him off at this grocery store. It takes the last orange juice or whatever until he does something really messed up to someone who's, like an ex FBI agent. It was like, Oh, you fucked. You fucked the wrong person then. So now he comes back.
Killah Cortez: You T.P.'d the wrong motherfucker.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: The wrong guy
Killah Cortez: Damn. Okay, Love it.
Killah Cortez: I saw that you won a contest to work with Robert Rodriguez, and out of 2000 applicants, you were chosen to complete a short, which became titled Monday. What was that experience like?
Alejandro Montoya Marin: It was a feature film.
Killah Cortez: Feature film? Holy shit.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Yeah, that was. Yeah. You see, all this white hair I have is from that fucking show.
Killah Cortez: that period.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Oh, yeah. It was so stressful, man.
Killah Cortez: Yeah.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Oh, yeah. It kind of, like, opened the doors to, like, constant anxiety because it was not only. I mean, it's like a triangle. A triangle, a trifecta of pressure, because you're you're. You want to impress one of your idols. You want to you have cameras on you, so you don't want to look like a goddamn idiot. And then you're like, to me, I'm like, all right, you're always you're always barking that you can do it. Show it like. So it's a lot of pressure, but. Well, I would I do it again? No.
Killah Cortez: No?
Alejandro Montoya Marin: No.
Killah Cortez: In retrospect,
Alejandro Montoya Marin: No, man. It's like, I can't do it now.
Killah Cortez: Well, now,
Alejandro Montoya Marin: No way.
Killah Cortez: I think past Alejandro would probably still do it again.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Maybe.
Killah Cortez: Maybe.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: I don't regret doing it, though.
Killah Cortez: Exactly. That's what I'm saying.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Yeah,
Killah Cortez: It's all part of the experience.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Just I'm like, Well, yeah, right now the like, I started getting pick up stuff and like, Oh my back.
Killah Cortez: Yeah. Were you in Vancouver when that, when that happened?
Alejandro Montoya Marin: No, I was in New Mexico. So how was it? I don't know. I don't know. Maybe someone must have sent me the link. I don't remember how it was. Someone sent me the link. Oh, I have sent projects to them. Then someone sent me the link I submitted and I swear to God, it was like. It's like when I do auditions or something. And now? Now I learned from that show. I just said, Here you go.
Killah Cortez: Wow.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: And just walked away. I'm like, I don't know. There was no way I thought I was going to get it.
Killah Cortez: Yeah. And you there was like, what, four or five rounds of cuts. And every single time you just kept.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: I just kept coming on. I'm like, Oh, my God, I, I get this.
Killah Cortez: Yeah. What was, what was your what was your feeling like when you were like, not the final cut, but like round round three when you were like, right there, like semifinals?
Alejandro Montoya Marin: I started calling people going, "I think I'm going to get this. I might get this." Well, it was at the same time where someone offered me like a Here's $30K, let's go make that movie. Yeah. And then, then I saw $7K and people were like, it's a lot of less, a lot less. And I'm like, Yeah, but it's Robert Man.
Killah Cortez: Yeah.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Like my movie will have a connection to Robert and I'll get to learn and, you know, and I don't know, it's the experience, dude. I mean, was I scared? Of course I was.
Killah Cortez: So speaking of that, what was the biggest thing you learned from working with Robert?
Alejandro Montoya Marin: To have patience, to be more patient.
Killah Cortez: Be more patient? But isn't he isn't he like, notoriously known for for like doing films under extreme pressure, like no funding as fast and as quick as possible?
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Like 30 years ago.
Killah Cortez: Yeah. No, no.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Oh, fuck. I don't have a problem raising money.
Killah Cortez: Yeah, right.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Oh, he's. Everything comes. Just because he has a budget doesn't mean that there's no pressures that come with it. Like I heard that Alita was a very tough production because he has, you know, produced by James Cameron. And James Cameron is a tough motherfucker. Could be rude. Whatever you want, whatever you want to call it. I'd rather have a leader that's rude to me, but I get to make. You know, Titanic where it's like, Yeah, I did. I did the number one move. I don't know. To me, that's I like it so much and I'm not going to take it personal once it starts becoming something psychological or causing my self harm and then that's a problem. But Robert has the ability of incorporating yoga and meditation to his set.
Killah Cortez: And oh cool.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Whenever he starts getting stressed, he just turns around, meditates for like 10 seconds, comes back, What's up? What are we doing?
Killah Cortez: Wow. Do you have any any particular Robert stories that stick out in your mind where you're like, Oh, that's that's really cool. Or that just really impressed upon you something?
Alejandro Montoya Marin: I mean, this man impresses me all the time. How candid he was like, there's moments in the show that there weren't. I mean, there's there's stuff that's not choreographed. There's like the show is very real, but some things need to be planned out. Like Robert was in Post of Alita. And that's a big deal, man. Alita is a $200 million movie, so he still managed to find time to hang with us. You know what I'm saying? So one time he's he's known for working at nights in the middle of the night because no one bothers him. And we were working because my movie takes place at night during the whole day of Monday.
Killah Cortez: Mm hmm.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: And he came out of fucking three in the morning just to hang out and and just "hey what are you guys doing?". He saw lights and he came walking. Walking up to us like a moth. It's like, Hey, guys. So he's. He's. He's a nerd, man. Any time the cameras get turned off, and obviously I'm nervous because, you know, here sits a legend. Yeah. I try to make him make conversation, and he just redirects his brain to. To be a nerd, a film nerd. He starts talking about predator. He'll start talking about the thing and, yeah, very chill.
Killah Cortez: That's cool. Did he give you any personal tidbits that you remember?
Alejandro Montoya Marin: He gave me one, but I don't know if he would want me to. He just managed to. He talked to me about a very anxious time of preproduction. And how. He Yeah. What he had to do and how he had to change his life to. Because it's going to get worse. There's going to be more pressures and there's more money at stake and stuff. So, yeah, he gave me a very nice six page main email or like a Yeah, it was of. Of examples of of how he it helped him. Yeah, that was really nice, man.
Killah Cortez: That makes sense. I think as things ratchet up and we get longer in our careers. Of course the stakes get higher, the budgets get higher, and managing the anxiety that comes with that, not only your internal, but also with the external pressures. Yeah, it's key. I saw I saw a I think it was an interview with Rick Rubin talking about how he like for the first time had had major anxiety and it took him a couple of years. I think he said he had to. He ended up using hypnotherapy to to get it treated.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Jeez.
Killah Cortez: But yeah, I mean, it's a thing. It's a thing especially for for anyone that's like trying to be high performing.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Yeah. And it's because I think it's because it's a it's a multiple thing. It's we care about it so much, man. We care about it so much. We care what we put out in this world under the the nametag of filmmaker, you know, and what we were talking about, like you could say whatever you want about Tarantino, but the motherfucker doesn't have a bad film. I mean.
Killah Cortez: Yeah.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: His worst movie is still better than some filmmakers best film, and that's because he cares and loves. And I mean, amongst other things, talent, whatever. Yeah. Budget backing time.
Killah Cortez: You can tell. He never mailed it in.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Yeah, exactly. That's exactly my point. This cat would. Yeah. And I like that. I like someone that puts the time and effort.
Killah Cortez: What's your favorite movie, WTF moment?
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Movie. I mean, the Pulp Fiction, Marvin getting shot. I remember screaming in the theater like, "what the fuck?" I did not expect that.
Killah Cortez: Okay, I like that. Correct me if I'm wrong, but you've made two feature films.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Yes.
Killah Cortez: The latest being "Millennium Bugs". Mm hmm. What was the hardest part about making a feature film for? I'm in music, so I have no idea what that process entails. What would you say is the hardest part about making a feature film?
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Making a movie for that amount of money so I can pay people and still have enough time to make something good.
Killah Cortez: Right.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Stretching a buck? Raising the money was really hard because I had to raise it through Indiegogo, but we were able to raise the funds. That was really cool
Killah Cortez: That's a nice segue to my next question, because one thing I've always wondered about filmmakers is what is the process like to find financing for a film? Like are there networks of angel investors or their patrons, or is it just like music where you kind of just you build your network and you you kind of find your ins and you find your partners.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Sometime? I think it's a mix of all of that, actually. Yeah, it's like a paella of all the of all the examples you just did because that there's there's angel investors there's. So "Monday" obviously was the $7K because of the show but then "Millennium Bugs" after "Monday" people really like supported it was really it was great to I I was I honestly hand to God I'm an atheist but I think I just I, I grew up in a Catholic home so I have the phrases at times, but I did not think we were going to raise half and we were able to raise $55K That was pretty cool. Wow. So we shot the movie for that.
Killah Cortez: How many donors? Roughly?
Alejandro Montoya Marin: I'm going to lie, but maybe like 400.
Killah Cortez: Wow.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Something like that. Something.
Killah Cortez: Amazing
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Is that good? I thought that would be bad.
Killah Cortez: I mean, I think I don't know. I mean, I think I think any money raised for art is is beautiful, man, because it's like at least people believe in it. It's worthwhile, you know, because that's the thing with art, right? It's it's it's not tangible yet. And you're kind of just banking on someone's idea.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: On the dream.
Killah Cortez: Yeah,
Alejandro Montoya Marin: I, I tell, I tell that to my to my mom. I'm like, I, I operate on dreams. Mom. I can't. I don't know. Yeah.
Killah Cortez: Well, that's what I mean. I say I tell people to like, you know, as a producer, it's I'm I'm selling sculpted air.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Yeah. You know, And they got to and they and that's why I try to do as much stuff because once I'm trying to get something else developed, I show them the other things that are coming down to the pipeline so they can look at all the variety like, you know, it's exactly the same. You, you, you've, you've been producing some really like big ass bands, man. And I'm sure that in order to get to that point, they had to go to your catalog and go, All right, this cat knows what he's fucking doing.
Killah Cortez: Oh, yeah. There's always a little, little check,
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Of course.
Killah Cortez: What is the worst advice you see or hear being dispensed in the filmmaking world?
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Oh, there's so many.
Killah Cortez: Like how much time you got?
Alejandro Montoya Marin: There's so many. Dude, it's so weird because some people might take it the wrong way, but I feel like. Some people will tell you you've got to follow these rules, these set of steps, these this manual or whatever map, whatever. And then some people, the opposite side are like, fuck it, don't listen to anyone. Just do it. And there's a there's a plus and there's a negative to both. If you're always impulsively just going to shoot, all your shit, technically will start looking the same. The scenarios, the you've got to think about it. Just because you could go shoot a movie in three days, which I don't recommend you doing. I got lucky with Monday. I got I managed to get lightning in a bottle and I don't think it's going to happen again. That's why. But it wasn't just me. It was the night. It was my plus one, the actors giving it everything. So there's that. And then the other one is the No, wait till this is good. And I think that that's that's a detriment of you trying to take risks, because if you always wait, then you're going to I've seen a lot of filmmakers wait and out of nowhere they don't do shit for three years. And guess what? You get rusty. Yeah. So when people always. Alejandro why are you always doing short films? I'm like, because I'm, I'm practicing. I'm, I don't want to, I don't want to get I don't want to see a step back when I go make movies or something.
Killah Cortez: Yeah, you're honing.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: And in different genres the better because at the end of the day, it's all storytelling. Hmm.
Killah Cortez: Yeah, I definitely lean on the. On the fuck it. Don't listen.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: It's a good it's a great premise.
Killah Cortez: Blazed my own path. But, you know, I recently saw a quote. I think it's like a Seneca quote. And he says that "fools learn from experience and wise men learn from other people's experience." ( CORRECTION: The quote is “Only a fool learns from his own mistakes. The wise man learns from the mistakes of others.” by ―Otto von Bismarck ) But I also think in the creative endeavors, like that's where a mentor can come in and really help. But even then, like everyone has their own experience and it is like not only is what we do creative, but the way we create our lives to do what we do is creative. You know, like you, you live different, you have different jobs, you do different things to sustain yourself. So it's like I it's hard for me to say that there is any one way, like I'm sure it's the same for music and film.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Oh, yeah, I, I admire the art form so much that I, I'm very hard on myself because the people that I admire have conquered. You know, Sundance, and I've never been to Sundance. So I get I get down on myself like, well, maybe. Well, how did this girl do it? And what did they do? Well, they just sat on the couch and talked about how cool it is to have fireworks in 2022. I'm like, Well, guess my shit ain't that good. And it gets to you because you know, the political turn is coming or whatever the hell may be. But I think the older I get, I'm just, you know, just do the best job you can because then it takes away from you actually being effective with your time and creative that yeah, I think time is slowly. I used to take shit really hard.
Killah Cortez: Yeah.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: And focus on like, I'm going to get back, I'm going to get back at them.
Killah Cortez: Oh yeah, yeah.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: I used to be like that.
Killah Cortez: When are you born?
Alejandro Montoya Marin: December 81.
Killah Cortez: December. So what are you, a Capricorn? Capricorn. I'm a, I'm a Scorpio. So I naturally had that. Yeah, I definitely have eased up. Me too. Eased up the stinger. But you know, it's.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: It's different because people that say, people hearing us, oh, look at these revengeful fucks. It's not that man. It's it's having to be Latino in a fucking in another business. And then you. I don't know you that well, dude. Like I know you a little bit, but it's all your family music People. Artist?
Killah Cortez: No.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: That's an extra fucking pile of it. And then second. Third. Are you fucking rich?
Killah Cortez: No.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Then that's another pile. Like, so you can't. So when people do shit and you're like, they demean you or they talk down to you or you can't do this. And they make it harder. Like, Yeah, you get a little chip on your shoulder to go, I'm going to prove you wrong.
Killah Cortez: Yeah, I've always had that. Yeah.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: There's nothing wrong with that.
Killah Cortez: Yeah. I said last podcast that I like. I joined a high school football team just to, like, prove that I could do it physically. Like I hated. I didn't even know. I didn't know the plays in football. I didn't know all the players. I was like, whatever. I just want to make the team to show that I can do it. I've always had that. It's an inner competitiveness. I don't really find myself competitive with other people, but internally, if there's something I want to do, like I just pump myself up for it.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Yeah, if there's something that you're passionate about, yeah, I'm the same way I used to when I went to school in Mexico. I would fail every subject. Yeah, because I didn't give a shit.
Killah Cortez: Right. When you cared, though, that's when you did well
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Well, well, check this out. I was the smart kid of the class that was named is named Hector Garza. If this motherfucker hears it, he's not. We don't hate each other, but we hated each other at that moment. He. He was. We were in class, and I failed again. And he laughed, and I was like, Who cares? He goes, You failed English, homie. You were born in Texas. I'm like, Yeah, but the thing is, I'm smarter than you. It goes, How is that? And he goes, I go, Well, you guys study for fucking 12 months, right? And then you have one month full of vacation. I have 12 months of vacation and I fucking only study for one month. So you tell me who's smarter, and it's because if you failed a class, you would have to study what you did the whole year in a one exam called an extraordinario or an extraordinary exam. So every subject would have that. And when I went to fucking eighth grade, I failed all of them. I took ten of those mo fo's.
Killah Cortez: And passed all of them?
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Passed them all.
Killah Cortez: Damn.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: It was great. My mom hated me because my mom was dropping me off at the school going, Oh, don't, don't fail.
Killah Cortez: Don't feel like I'm trying to fail. It's all part of the. Plan, Mom.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Get with it.
Killah Cortez: Yeah. Haven't you. Haven't you read? Fail yourself forward? ( CORRECTION: was referring to “Failing Forward by John C. Maxwell )
Alejandro Montoya Marin: I haven't, but I'll play it off like I did.
Killah Cortez: What advice would you give to aspiring filmmakers?
Alejandro Montoya Marin: This is weird. Well, not really. It's going to be Look, it's not going to be anything groundbreaking, but just if you really, really want to do it, do it. Don't do it. Because it sounds cool, because the glamor is going to. It's going to fucking wash off in a week. In a week. It's a lot harder than it seems and there's a lot of competition. So you you know, you better be in it for the long haul. But if you are. Well, yeah.
Killah Cortez: Yeah.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Do it. Why not?
Killah Cortez: Yeah. I echo those sentiments, when I was in recording school. Kind of like saying, going back to what you were saying, I didn't have. Money didn't really have connections, but I did have time and I was willing to put in sweat equity. You know, so when I was going to recording school, it was like 9 to 5 go to school six to midnight. Go work at the studio. Oh, yeah. And then I'd sleep at the studio, rinse, repeat Monday through Friday. And then sometimes I would even do a session from like 12 to 5 in the morning.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Jesus,
Killah Cortez: You know, And I did that. I did that for four years, you know, No way in hell I could do that now. Oh, that was like, no way. That was like two monsters every day.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: And that was like, 15 years ago, huh?
Killah Cortez: Oh, more now, you know. Yeah. Close. Close, you know, And it's like. It's like Dude couldn't do it now, but. But that's that definitely that ethic has stayed. And, like, now I'm just very choosy where I put put that energy in. Yeah, but yeah, that's been my way to like, level. The playing field is like, you know, I tell this to some artists that, that I'll produce like, you know, there's people willing to do this for free. They don't care. Like anything, anything that's entertainment related, they do not care. They'll do. They'll do whatever it takes. So you have to be on that level. You can't be. Very rarely will a weekend warrior come in and and actually do anything.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Mm hmm. Yeah. And that's why you have time to develop your talent and your your reputation. So when when they come in, like, hey, we could do it for free. Well, I don't do it. Well, how much do you charge, then? That's. There comes the negotiation. You're as much as worth as your work.
Killah Cortez: Mm hmm.
Killah Cortez: So you recently produced a music video for a song that I produced called "Savor Me” by our friend Stephanie Hatzinikolis
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Yes.
Killah Cortez: So we also did an interview with her on this podcast.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: First episode, of the podcast
Killah Cortez: . So tell me, how was that experience making the video? How was it working with Stephanie? Yeah.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: There was only one time when I got stressed and it was when I was like when we were trying to put this together during the before the shoot. Because I had to put I had to step back and be like, Hey, she doesn't know who you are. You see, she's seen stuff, but she hasn't. I don't think she was. This the biggest production she's done?
Killah Cortez: I think so.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: So.
Killah Cortez: To date
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Yeah, that's exactly
Killah Cortez: Definitely, definitely like, definitely video production.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: So, you know, it could be it could be very intimidating when prices go up and insurances and this and parking and blah blah blah. It's a lot of shit.
Killah Cortez: Yeah,
Alejandro Montoya Marin: So much stuff. So again, like you said, you know, you're building, you're building air, you're kind of formatting air. So you're just selling it like, check it out, we're going to do this, this, this and this. And my really shitty drawings, i would text her drawings of like, Look, we're going to put the camera like this and we're going to do this like that. And I mean, no, dude, if, if this whole thing was 100, I think it was a 99.
Killah Cortez: Yeah,
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Because I mean, I mean, and even then I'm just trying to be. I'm just trying to build up the suspense, y'all. It was very comfortable. And there's as an artist, as an artist, the three of us, there's nothing better when you get to do something and be completely creative. But you know what you're doing. And you know, there's always like, work between collaborations, between everyone and and maybe what you had somebody else had the, that, that you never saw. So now you adopt it at the end of the day is going to say directed by Alejandro Montoya Marin.
Killah Cortez: Yeah.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: So you can say whatever you want. I'm going to pass it as my own.
Killah Cortez: Heck yeah. What was it like working with her on set?
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Great.
Killah Cortez: Did you did you see an evolution as the day went on?
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Oh, yeah.
Killah Cortez: How did it go?
Alejandro Montoya Marin: She loosened up. Is that how you say it? Yeah. No, it was great. There was this. There was this particular vibe with all of us, kind of like a pinball machine. And the pinball was like the. The energy and the collaboration and how everyone was feeling when we did the tape thing. When she's playing the guitar, I feel like everyone was like, I'm in.
Killah Cortez: Yeah, that was so dope.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Everyone was so happy.
Killah Cortez: Yeah, everyone. What do they do? They got it was like a couple of posts and then they got what was it, VHS tape?
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Yeah, we did like 30. We took apart 30 to 40 VHS tapes.
Killah Cortez: Right. And then, like, put them behind to create the background set.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Yeah. So it creates a vantage point of like VHS tape. And then we would put lights around it and time it. So then the light would go like, like a caterpillar, you know, like the Nokia game. But it would light up the and it would glisten because the VHS tape, it naturally is shiny. Yeah. Yeah, that was dope. My not.
Killah Cortez: So cool.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Anya, my art director, killed it. And then Grant the DP like and I love working with those guys.
Killah Cortez: Yeah, we heard the the makeup crew even stay at Extra because they're getting really into it.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Oh, yeah. Yeah.
Killah Cortez: A little extra work.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: That's always good. See, that means they're like, Hey, we did not waste our time. But yes, it was great to work with Stephanie. Yeah, I don't think I said it. She's very talented. I think as an artist, you know, she's not here. But look, between us and we're recording this. I didn't make shit on that video, but I'm going to make. Another door open because of it. I love the video, man. I think it's my favorite music video I've directed.
Killah Cortez: Do you have a quote? You live your life by or think of often?
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Yeah, man. I mean, you don't live life twice. You don't. And my uncle showed me my my uncle. My uncle passed away, like, five years ago. Or maybe more like seven, maybe. But it was. It wasn't. We've all had family members passed away pass away. But the way he passed away was very. It shows you something. It wasn't dramatic. It wasn't. He just. Fell or plummet and died. He had a heart attack, but he was very healthy, dude.
Killah Cortez: Yeah,
Alejandro Montoya Marin: He had a 32 waist dog and he was 65. He had a six pack.
Killah Cortez: Wow.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: He got up every day. He swam. He took care of his diet. He. He was a scotch drinker, but hang on. He was a I'll have a scotch, drinker. One scotch barely smoked. Barely. And I mean, probably ten smoked in 15 years. And he died at 65. Wow. So I you know, my dad at that moment, my dad's like, I don't know when I'm going to go, so I'm going to have a good time. And I think that that's that's something because here's someone who's very successful, who was very successful, has a great family, healthy as shit lives, a nice life. Anyone got up to go to the bathroom, he fell or not fell, but he just had a heart attack, fell down to the ground. So I guess it's that man. It's it's it's. Yeah, Learn to relax, because we're all so programed to. If you want to succeed, you have to work nonstop till you the rails. Come on. That's like. Yeah, that's good for a bit.
Killah Cortez: But yeah, you can't do that all the time.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: no you got.
Killah Cortez: There has to be some kind of balance.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: I try to take a day off a week where I literally don't do anything. Yeah. Get up. Coffee. Order food, watch movies. And that's. Yeah. Maybe. Maybe. Walk my dog. No, I do walk.
Killah Cortez: Yeah. One of the big things that I've that I've recently been focusing on is reducing, like, my input. Just people trying to reduce a lot of the chatter that's coming at me. Like, I get a ton of questions, I get a ton of calls, I'll get all this stuff and like, new projects and it's great. I'm very lucky to be able to be turning down work and stuff, but even just the inquiry can kind of get stressful because you got to think about it, right? Yeah. So yeah, at this point now, I try and just I'm like, All right, if I have a table and these are the things that I can do, I'm trying to run at about 80% and make sure I can live my life like 80%. I don't have to max out. Because. Yeah, I think I think if you're trying to hit 100% all the time, like you're going to pay for it down the line.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Oh yeah. And then in a matter of time because it's. News and finances and everything. Like I said, everything piles up. Family? Yeah. Inflation, whatever you want. It's little people. That's fine. It slowly starts building until you can feel it. You're like, Yeah, kind of stressed.
Killah Cortez: If you could put anything on a billboard, what would you put?
Alejandro Montoya Marin: I don't know. Oh. A QR code to a Spotify playlist.
Killah Cortez: Just a QR code. No, no barcode, no context.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Nothing. So people are like, What the fuck? And then they play it and then it's like, Hey, man, it's good music,
Killah Cortez: Dude.That's that's actually a good idea. You should do.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: That's actually not a bad idea for a promo. For a video for a music video Greg. Dude you should I'm actually not going to say this. I think it's actually a good idea.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Pause this shit. That's not a bad idea. Dude.
Killah Cortez: What have you been working on lately and what do people have to look forward coming from you?
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Well, if if this this, this is too much information, I would suggest people to just go to my Instagram. I update it pretty, pretty regularly, like every two or three days. But we're touring a project called The Wrong Guy, which is the one we talked about, and it's going to be screening in Soho, New York City, October 8th, Saturday at 1130 in the morning, part of the Soho Film Festival. Then we still don't have the exact dates, but we're going to be screening the same movie The Wrong Guy in New Jersey for Kevin Smith's first annual Smod Castle Film Festival, which takes place takes place November 30th through December 4th or third. So it's just a weekend like a Thursday to Sunday weekend, and that's that. And we're going to be releasing Millennium Bugs, which is the Y2K dramedy I did either January or February. We still don't know the exact dates, but we got a couple of things coming up, especially Stephanie's video. Then I have another video from a band called Litvar, which you also did music by produced for and.
Killah Cortez: I engineered on that one.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: You engineered on that one. That's how I met you.
Killah Cortez: Yeah, that's exactly how I met you.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: That was that was fun. And yeah, man, we have a couple of projects where we're editing a sci fi skateboard thriller, young adult movie, and we're editing a comedy with Matt Walsh from Veep and Criss Angel. Mindfreak Guy. Oh, cool. He's so nice, Dude, It's. It's all just the persona. Hey, guys. Doesn't go when he comes out. You see him? He's all tall, long hair, just, you know, smoke coming out and shit. And he's like, Hey, guys, what's going on?
Killah Cortez: dude, so sick.
Killah Cortez: Alejandro, thank you so much for coming on the show. Why don't you tell the people where they can find you?
Alejandro Montoya Marin: I'm under Alejandro Montoya Marin. All one word on Instagram. Then you space out each word or each name on YouTube and El Montoya Marin on TikTok. I don't you know, I don't really tick tock. I just really I record random shit that I see on TV that I think is funny. Just, I don't know. Just. I don't don't. If you're looking for a middle aged man doing dances, go look somewhere else. This ain't the spot.
Killah Cortez: This ain't this spot. Dude, thank you so much for coming on.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Thank you.
Killah Cortez: And we'll be talking soon. Have a good one, brother.
Alejandro Montoya Marin: Thank you, sir. You, too.
Killah Cortez: Just want to say thank you so much to Alejandro for coming on the show. We had an awesome time recording this podcast. It's been a few days since since we recorded and I'm just recording the outros now and it was cool. It's really cool to see someone come in that was so candid and not holding back. And I hope you guys felt that and enjoyed that too. If there was anything in the show that you wanted to check out further, you can go to the Killah Cortez show dot com, where you can find other episodes. You can find links to merch, you can find links to my music and yeah, please drop us a like on Spotify or leave us a comment on YouTube if that's where you're listening or give us a thumbs up. And yeah, we will see you soon. Adios