She Said, She Said

was away and Puerto Rico film in the movie. But this is my first time. I'm excited though. I'm very excited, and I hope I do a good job going a jaddy ho aja d ho Come stand mihint. We got a lot of questions for me regarding the movie and regarding all this stuff. So I am just gonna jump right in and let's see what comes out on my mouth. Prima, do you watch your own films that you have been that you have been What is it like editing your

own film? And are you editing yourself? So this is what's funny I actually enjoy watching myself when I do work on screen. Eric, it's totally the opposite. He can't stand it. But I actually get a kick out of it. You know why, because I learn a lot by observing what I'm doing. I can catch bad habits, I can catch things that I do that I just feel like they're not very honest when it comes to acting. So I actually story myself a lot when I am on screen.

I know there's a lot of actors, very serious actors, that they never watch their work. I am the opposite, and I'm actually very critical, and I learn a lot by watching myself and actually observing other people as well. I'm very critical. I have like an eagle eye when it comes to in people's acting. But with me, I think it's important. Yes, I do watch myself. How is it editing a film? It's it's almost scientific, guys. It

is very complicated. I am basically I'm going to leave the podcast to run to my house because I'm editing the audio Mohericafette as the name of my movie. I'm doing it virtually, which I don't think I'm ever going to do again. I filmed the movie, I wrapped, I stayed in Puerto Rico a week and have to be present to be there in person at the post production

office with the two editors. But then I started missing my family like crazy, and it was two and a half months and I was like, I need to go home. So I'm going to continue doing post even though I'm going to be in La So we're going to do it virtually. We use an app that I'm actually live in terms of like I see it exactly what's happening on the big screen, and I'm able to edit with the guys and tell them exactly what I'm looking for,

and they manage the console. You know, they the editing, the technical part of it, but I am very much there telling them this is what I want specifically, and cut over here and out of a here, and let's find a different take for this line. And I'm doing it virtually, and it is a bit of a nimer, to be honest with you. There's a lot of glitches. You know, the power grid in Puerto Rico, it's not the most reliable, So a lot of times we're like editing something and the power goes off and then they

have no Wi Fi. It's been a whole story but they're doing a great job, and I feel like I'm doing a good job, so we're gonna get it accomplished. But yeah, in my next movie, I will do post where I'm at physically because I have to be there present. And yeah, and even though I'm not an editor again because I don't know any of the technicalities of editing. Some things I don't know how to deal with the computer.

Just to be honest, like even doing this podcast here today by myself, thirty seconds ago, I was with my producers going, I don't know how to do this. I think I clicked something wrong. I see you, you don't see me. So because Eric is I want that takes care of all of that. So I am absolutely an alfabea when it comes to technical stuff about I'm learning. I have another question here from Orla dot Os. How do you get your head around how you want each

shot to look in a movie. I am amazed by how directors have a specific vision and wonder where it comes from. You know, it's interesting. I've been in front of the camera for almost thirty years, and again, like I tell you guys, I'm very observant. So when I wrote the Arimoherica film. When I wrote Sato's it's almost like I have the movie in my mind already. And you know, somebody taught me that when you create a movie, there's three movies. The one you write, the one you

shoot your film, and the one you edit. It's three different movies because when you write something, you have a very specific vision. Then you start shooting and it starts becoming something else because now you're adding all the other elements and the actress and the delivery. It's different from what you thought. And every actor and every head of department brings their own proposal of what they think the

movie should be. And then when you edit the movie and you start you start looking into all the takes and how you want to compose this whole masterpiece. You know the material, it has a life of its own. So it's three different, three different movies into one for me because I wrote it, and I think there's something very personal when you write something and you direct something.

And because I'm an actress myself and this is a movie about four women, I had a very specific voice for each girl, maybe the way that I would play every single girl. But I'm saying all this because I was very, very specific about what I wanted to see on screen, and I had everything edited in my head and what I do. That was very helpful and people

would make fun of me. I always had like a little thing hanging on my neck, like a little clipboard hanging like a soft one, hanging with every single shot list of the day, so the night before I will discuss it with my DP. And I had every single scene and every coverage that I wanted to do for each scene, wide single single two shot, three shot French kids like the French which is when you when you cover somebody from the back and you see the profile three sixty Dolly,

one eighty dolly like. I was very specific with every single shot that I wanted for each scene because it was the only way that I was able to convince myself I can do this. I'm fully, fully prepared, prepared, So I was very diligent about my shot list and everything that I wanted to accomplish every single day. It's like a dance, guys, Directing a movie is a full on choreography and I loved every second of it and I cannot wait to do it again. Next question, Lily

mac three. You mentioned you wrote the script for this movie and you're directing it, are you staring in it as well? And if not? Would you ever want to do all things at once? I didn't start, even though I could have done one of the roles. Anyways, I wanted to be behind the camera, guys, because it was so important to me to just concentrate and direct. I didn't want to be in front and behind I'm producing. It was a lot. I did it for Satos though.

My first time directing was a short. Satos this beautiful short film that I did, very dramatic there. It was three different stories and I played one of the stories. I was the girl that was going through fertility issues and marital problems. It was a beautiful piece and I directed, produce and acted and I was able to pull it off. But it was a lot of work, guys. It was a lot so for the audio because it was so

important to me. Like my first long feature directing the BEW type of thing, I wanted to be behind the camera. But that's not to say that my next one I will actually tackle playing a role. If I have to, I'll do that. But if I can say behind the camera, I'll do that as well. Phoebe e. Lewis something like that. I am a film student from England and I am making a documentary about the importance of women in the

film industry. I was wondering what it was like as your first time as a female director on your debut film. Is there anything you would recommend for a younger girl trying to do the same. You know what, I recommend to just do it and have the courage to just go for it. I think we are very much needed in this industry. Women. The percentage of women directing, especially Latino women, if I'm going to speak for myself, it's

very very minimal. Things are changing and you see a lot more participation when it comes to producing and writing, and even camera operators and dps that are female. But I actually believe that we need much more because we bring something else to the table. And my advice to you would be, if you think you have the capability, and if you believe that you know how to tell a story that is compelling and relatable and universal, even if it's very specific, it has to be universal, just

go for it. You know. For me, it was s petrifying because I've been in front of the camera for many, many years but I never went to film school. I went to school for acting and for many, many many years, and I read many many books, and I went I go to private coaching when I need to. So I'm super comfortable when it comes to tackling a script and I'm going to break it down and I'm going to find the motivation and objective and just work on my character.

But when it comes to directing, it's a different animal. And I was like, I don't know how to communicate with a DP. I don't know how to communicate with a production designer. I don't know anything about lenses. So even though I wanted to do it for many years, I was just too scared and insecure to be able to communicate because I don't speak the same language. And then I had angels in my life. You know that God presented at different times at different places that kept

telling me it's about telling your story. It's about understanding what you want to communicate. You don't need to know about lenses right now. After your third, third, or fourth film, you're going to be able to communicate with a DP director of photography that way. But for now, just tell them listen, I want to close up. I want to master. I want from the breast up, I want from the white stop, I want a cowboy, which is from the

hip hop. And there's ways that you can compose a story board and you let them know exactly your vision and they know how to translate that on screen. That's your responsibility. Tell them this is the shot that I see, this is the poem that I'm trying to write, and

then tell your story. And once I believe that I was capable of doing that when I said action that first time in Puerto Rico, when I directed Satosh Granted, I had a fantastic DP, Hayesan from Puerto Rico, and with the Areo had Brinda lis Negron another fantastic DP. That once you have a good communication and they understand the material the way you do and they see it

the way you see it. If you're on the same page, it's the responsibility to be able to make that shot look good and the lighting to be what you're aiming for. My responsibility is being able to direct actors properly and telling my story, so you know what, go for it. Then, George under score one seven six, what would be your dream, current or past show to direct an episode of and did you ever imagine you will be doing a project like this when you were acting on Without a Trace?

Oh my god, let me see what you know. Eric keeps telling me that I should really try to push my team, my agents and my manager to have me direct episodic TV, and you know what, It's not my thing at the moment. I'm not saying that. At some point, yes, I can become an episodic director. Listen to the dream for every director that wants to do TV is they want to be able to direct the pilot. That's that presentation, because then you become an executive producer for the perpetuity

of the show. And it's a great gig to get and to be able to direct a pilot, it's awesome. I'm not there yet. I will never get hired to direct a pilot unless it's my pilot that I'm producing. Then maybe I have a shot and they will still find me because I don't have the experience to do episodic TV. But is this something that I want to

do now? To be honest, no, I see myself the next two or three times that I direct to be movies, and especially something that I write, or if it's something that I'm just work for hire and they just hire me as a director. It has to be material that I really love to be able to do it. Episodic TV that medium, it's more about the network and the studio or the streamer and the producers. They're the ones that decide what is that final cut. And I want to be able to decide what is my final cut.

So I'm not ready for that yet, but I will at some point. As of now, no, and if I get to do it one day, you know, if I'm blessed enough to do that one day, I think it has to be like a drama. Y I think a drama will be fantastic for me to direct. And when I was doing Without a Trace many years ago, was I dreaming or thinking about directing To be honest, no, not yet. I know I had the capability because I am.

I think I'm very good, you know, identifying talent and identifying things at work, and I'm really good with storytelling. But it wasn't my north. You know, I was doing Without a Trace. I wanted to continue doing movies, and all I kept thinking was musical theater and brought away that I still have to do. I haven't done it yet. It breaks my heart, but I will so without a choice was about all. It was all about in front

of the camera and stardom, an ambition, ambition. Later on, once you listen, you get married, you become a mom, priorities change, and I think that's when, maybe, yeah, eleven years ago, when I was like, you know what, at some point I'm gonna have to transition into something else and I think I'm gonna love directing. But how am I gonna do it? I don't know how to do it. Do I have to go back to school, Do I have to go and take seminars? Like? What do I do? I want to direct, but how do I do it?

And I was petrified and I think that was holding me back. And thank God that I was able to what four or five years ago for when I did Satos, that I was able to take the leap of faith. And I'm never gonna look back because I love it. What is it like finally seeing this come to life? What was the feeling like? I love seeing all the behind the scenes with you. They were totally epic. Danni Star eighty eight, You know, Danny Star eighty eight is

so supportive guys. I always see your comments, Danny Star everywhere Instagram and Twitter and everywhere that I post. You're always present. So thank you for that. Thank you for being such a wonderful supporter. What does it feel like, Oh my goodness, gracious guys, if I don't even know how to describe how it feels, the sense of accomplishment, knowing that goals can actually materialize if you believe, If you believe, if you have the will, the discipline, the

support system, This unwavering greens. Yeah, they get to puy this, to puy this. And I'm going to tell you something. The audio was three or four years. It was a journey. I tell people, I'm going to write a book one day about how difficult it is to accomplish independent filmmaking. It's like climbing mountains every single day, and when you feel like you're at the top of it, then you get that phone called the finance falls through, and the lies and the people whining and dining you and offering

you all this rubbish. But because your dream is so big, you believe it all even though you don't. They're con artists, and the wires are supposed to come in and it's all a lie and they never come in, and then different people with different agendas. You guys have no idea the amount of tears and sweat and work that it is to be able to do a film. And I'm sure even at the studio level, like big budget films,

it's a film within the film. I'm sure there's a lot of nymbers and fires that you have to put out, But when it comes to independent filmmaking, it is, it's huge, so the accomplishment is unbelievable. I was doing theater. I was working fourteen fifteen hours a day. I was barely sleeping. It was I was I have never sweat. I was sweating. It was like one hundred degrees in Puerto Rico humid. It's a tropical country. And I'm going, I have never worked this much in my life. I'm exhausted. I can

even think straight. I lost weight, I'm away from my family. It was pretty brutal. But again, when when it's your dream, when it's your passion, you do it with gusto. You know, you go to autopilot and you're invincible. That's how I felt.

I was, like, I'm invincible. It's the most incredible feeling in the world that I hope everybody gets the chance in their lifetime to experience something like this, when you have such a goal and it gets accomplished and it's not even listen, we haven't crossed the finish line, guys.

Now is the editing process. Then you have to try to sell it and find distribution, and then you have to make sure that what you wrote and the dream that you had every single night, it's actually what you're going to see on screen, and the music is right and the color correction is right, and somebody buys it and the opposite theaters, and then you hope that it's successful and people appreciate it, that it's not a bomb and you lose money. So we're not even halfway through.

But the fact that is in the can, the fact that all the days were completed and I actually have a film that I'm editing. Even if one people see the film and they enjoy it, that's mission accomplished for me. Larax two, seven or nine. Did you feel more comfortable behind the camera or do you think you are still most comfortable in front of it. I don't even know.

Oh my god, I think in front of the camera for sure, because I've been doing it for so long, especially if I'm acting in Spanish, the English component of it all. To be honest with you, even though I do this podcast in English and ninety percent of my life now is speaking English, I am far more comfortable acting in Spanish and I rarely get to do it. But I'm definitely, definitely more comfortable in front of the camera. Behind the camera. It's going to be a work in progress,

even though I'm actually very comfortable doing it. I'm very comfortable. I do not explain it, guys. I think I direct really well, and I hope you guys agree when you see the idiomohadicunfe. I hope you agree, and I hope you you believe that I did a good job. I did my best, that's for sure. Tsunami. Tell us about how it feels to be in the chair, the one calling, the one calling the shots, the one translating the vision to screen, the interactions and the pressures. I love that.

I love that. D D loved it. I loved it not because I was calling the shots, just because the sense of empowerment to be a Latina. Yeah, directing and overcoming fears and knowing that everybody's there for you because they want to see you in victory, because they want

to see you shine, and they're supporting your vision. And every single crew member, every the one, the gaffer, the DP, every department, hair, makeup, costume design, production design, art props, oh my god, everything greens, guys, graphic designer, everybody, because it takes a village when you go to that production office and you see all these rooms, you know, and every department has their own area, and you see them composing this beautiful song, you know, and the pictures on

the walls, and the cast and the casting director and the constant meetings and everybody working towards a common goal and supporting you. Oh my god, Like it makes me want to cry, Like I want to do it again so badly. It's so awesome, guys, it's so awesome. It feels unbelievable at amili. What is one of Eric's annoying qualities that you missed? Okay while you were away. Now we're gonna get into the personal stuff. What annoying qualities?

Oh my goodness, I kid, you know what He's gonna be mad if I start talking about his annoying qualities, even though a lot of you think that he doesn't have any annoying qualities because he is Tim Bradford and he's perfect, which he is. I actually have a scene in my movie that he walks away and one of the girls says, oh my god, that guy is perfect, because he is. He's pretty unbelievable. But let me see, I don't knowing quality that I miss. I don't miss

any anning quality. Actually, it's so peaceful when I'm by myself in Puerto Rico with my villa. I don't have to deal with him living leaving on the keys and the and the and the nail clipper and the and the eye drops and the little ziplog with all his vitamins on top of the kitchen counter in the island and I have to move it, and then he moves it back, and I move it again and he moves it back. I don't miss that like at all. It's amazing. But I love you, Eric, make Key de Rerees. I

don't know Makey Direes. Hey ros. I'm chatting with a guy who lives in Peru and I live in the Netherlands. He speaks Spanish and I do not any advice for someone trying to learn another language for love, Then you have to learn the language, girl. Oh my goodness. It's the only way because you want to be able to communicate. It's a lot of fun actually when you are in a relationship that there is like like there's things that are lost in translation. I'm gonna tell your story very funny.

I'm sorry, Eric, I'm gonna talk about my past, but it's actually funny. So I moved to New York when I was twenty one. And you know, in Puerto Rico nowadays, all the kids, you know, the new generation, they're fully bilingual, you know, English, especially if you go to private school, they speak English. But me. But when I was growing up in Puerto Rico more than thirty years back, it

was a different story. And even though I went to private school and it was at by lingual school, I was able to read really well and I was able to understand, but I never spoke the language. So when I moved to New York, I didn't consider myself fully by linguald by any means, you know, I was. I was. It was very tricky for me, and I was so scared.

I hated to this day I don't love English, but I hated it because I was severely insecure about like, you know, I want to act, I want to be I want to be about hiaek and how the heck am I going to do this? Even though she had an accent and still has an accent, I consider herself fully by lingual. By then I didn't. But anyways, I moved to New York and I started taking this acting class and there's a kid, American kid from Massachusetts that

was there. He invites me out. Anyways, I dated this kid my entire duration when I was in New York for three years, and he didn't speak any Spanish, and my English was just not fantastic, and it was coming. It was comedy two. A lot of times. It was just absolutely crazy because I didn't understand a lot of the sayings. And I met the parents and they spoke so fast, and I was like, oh my god, I

feel like so stupid. But it was the smartest thing I did, even though it wasn't intentional at all, because

I would have rather did a Latino. But he was a wonderful, wonderful man, and I learned a lot of English, like better English in terms of the verse and the tenses and all that, the pasts and the present and the I I like to this day on and I struggled with that, but I was able to learn much faster because I started dating somebody that didn't speak my language, so I was forced to learn English, so I was

it was actually very valuable. And even now with Eric, we've been together for nineteen years, I think my English would have been completely different, and my acts and would have been still super thick, even though it's a little thick. I mean it's very thick, but it's cute. I have come to accept that my accent is cute, even though I don't love it. I to be able to live, happy and own it within this business, I was like,

you know what it is, what it is. I am one am, I speak the way I speak, and this is my accent, and it is what it is. Anyways, So my advice to you is keep going at it. It'll be great for you to learn the language, and the best way to do it is through love. So yeah, do it. And now we have one more guys, I a cleary. What is the thing you miss the most about your family when you are away? And what can you know way to do. When you get home, I

miss I miss everything. I don't miss annoying parts, but I miss my husband dearly and everything about him and his support and the help, you know. And I miss my kids like crazy. And that is the hardest part of this business for me, because you know, Eric has been so lucky. He shoots The Rookie seven seasons and he's shooting in Los Angeles. It takes him ten minutes to go to work. That is such a blessing. With me,

it's been a different story. You know. Most of my jobs are always on location, meaning that I have to travel to everywhere, you know, to Vancouver, to Atlanta, to South America. Now within three weeks, I have to go to Spain for a month. I'm going to Bilbao because I'm doing a movie acting not directing. So I'm gone again, and you miss you miss your kids. And a lot of times I'm not gonna lie. I feel like should I be doing this, Like is this is this worth it?

Like I have young children and I have a husband, so I should be home. And my mom tells me all the time, my mom is actually not very happy. Please every time that I say mom, I have to go even want to go to Puerto Rico. Even though she's in Puerto Rico and I get to see them more. She's like, go home. You need to go back home. Your family needs you. And I know they need me and I need them, and I miss them like crazy, and to the best of my abilities, I try to

bring them with me when I can. You know, I was doing the idea. The kids went for almost three weeks, so I got to spend time with them. But now I'm going to go to Spain and they're in school so they won't be able to visit me. I'm going

to miss Daylan's birthday, and that's brutal. That's brutal because I don't know what it's doing to their mind, and I don't I don't ever want to feel like my kids feel like Mom wasn't present, because that would break my heart because I am and I think about about them twenty four seven, but I'm not physically there there

all the time. But guys, I left my country, and I left my family, and I left my friends, and I left all I knew to come to this country with very clear clear ideas and goals and dreams that I wanted to accomplish and I've been so lucky that I've been able to do that. And I'm fifty one years old, so I don't know when. I don't know how much longer I'm going to be able to have the luxury of being in front of the camera as often. And I don't want to be working my whole life

at some point. I want to be able to live comfortable, you know, and travel more with Eric, and so I'm trying to accommodate everything that I that I want to in terms of my career career universe. You know, I still wanted to Broadway and I want to direct some more, and I still believe that I have one more show, in one more successful TV show that I can do before I say, you know what, it has come full circle. I just want to enjoy what I have, and I want to enjoy my kids. So it's it's I think

it's a dilemma of working moms. You know that you feel so accomplished, and you feel so independent, and you feel so fierce, and you're happy when you're working, but then you also want to be happy because you see your kids happy and you give them you're all. I think that's very important. It's extremely important. So I'm trying to manage everything. I'm trying to manage it all to the best of my abilities. I have an incredible husband that is very supportive. I have an incredible mother in law,

I have an incredible nanny. I have incredible friends, so I'm able to do it all. Thank God. Is it hard? Incredibly hard, incredibly hard, And these are these are ongoing conversations that I have with Eric a lot, so you know what, it's a contant negotiation, but it is. It is hard. And yeah, when I'm gone, I cannot wait to be back home to be honest with you. Anyways, Thank you, guys. I didn't mean to get all deep and emotional. It's just it's a heavy topic. It's a

heavy topic, but I love you guys. Thank you for listening. If you have something you want to talk to us about, you know the deal, you can dm us and he said, a ya, d ho. You can email at Eric and Ross at iHeartRadio dot com. This was a privilege, guys to have a solo, solo, intimate time with you all. Thank you for your questions. I hope you enjoyed the answers and I'll see you next time. Love you, love you I always tell love you to my Eric would

love you guys, Thank you, thanks for listening. Don't forget to write us a review and tell us what you think. If you want to follow us on Instagram, check goes out at he said. Ada An email Eric and Ross at iHeartRadio dot com. He said, Ayad is part of iHeartRadio's Mike would put up podcast network. See you next time, ye