October 21, 2024 • 26 mins
Emmy-award-winning filmmaker and VVC alum DJ Lopez returns to Victor Valley College to discuss his journey in show businesses post-VVC. DJ was part of a team of artists that won the first-ever Emmy award for a Marvel film. That film/documentary is called Stan Lee and is available to view on the Disney Plus streaming platform.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:10):
Welcome to another edition of Ramplify the podcast here at
Victor Valley College, brought to you by the Associated Student Body.
I'm excited about this one because my background happens to
be in television and film, and I was able to
convince somebody to buy the snake oil to come onto
the show that does television and film. So this is
(00:34):
DJ Lopez. Hello, sir, How are you good?
Speaker 2 (00:36):
How are you doing pretty good?
Speaker 1 (00:38):
What does the D and J stand for?
Speaker 3 (00:40):
So it's actually a it was a nickname from way
back when that my parents got me. So my real
name is Sassario Lopez the Third.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
The third. Yeah, that's an official Yeah.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
So you know, when I was young, my parents, I
always loved to play with the radio and everything, and
so you know my dad was you know, the moniker
of like, oh he's a DJ and somehow that's stuck.
And so that kind of is just you know, been
with me throughout, you know, growing up in high school
and just that's what I've gone by because my dad
(01:12):
was Caesar. My grandfather was Sosario. So it's just you know,
kind of just that's what fell.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
And then DJ DJ's your stage name, and the name
you just go by all the time. Yeh was there
like a moment, like was there an inspiration growing up
that you're like, I like films, Like films are awesome.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
So actually, in junior high I went to Victor Raley
Junior High School, which you know doesn't exist anymore.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
I went to Apple Valley Middle School, also debunked. Like
is it debunked? Defunct? Yes, what's the word Haley? It's
debunked when it goes away? Right?
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Okay, yeah, also.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
Gone, yeah, it's it's so sad.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
But I took a video production class at that junior
high picked up a camera for the first time. I
was like, hey, this is really cool. So that kind
of started the spark of you know, like, hey, maybe
this is something that i'd like really like to you know,
when you're you know, twelve, thirteen years old, you're like, hey,
you know, you don't know that it's hey, I want
to do this for the rest of my life.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
But it was one of those like, hey, this is
really cool.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
And so, you know, throughout high school, you know, my
parents bought me a camera.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
Where to go to high school at.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
Excelsior Okay, yeah, so just right over.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
Here, just around the corner.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
Yep, And so I was, you know, in high school.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
I would video everything and learned, you know, how to
edit stuff together, and that, you know, that kind of
carried me through the you know, throughout my my teenage years.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
Yeah, before we dive way deep into who you are,
I noticed that you were a student here at Victor
Valley College about five or six. So what were you
studying and did you have like a declared major when
you started going here.
Speaker 3 (02:52):
I didn't, So I did not have a declared major.
I was doing a concurrent enrollment through Excelsior. So I
took a couple of classes. I took BIO. I took
the self defense class with Master Bruce McGee.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
That was a fun one.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
It was me and a couple of friends and we
all just kind of beat the crap out of each
other every single week.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
It's funny that you you say that, because well, most
of you listening or watching this don't know this. But
as I was going down your resume, I noticed that
there was a brief moment where you were doing like
stunt driving or or or stuff of that nature. Or
even your company. I've seen some some of your demo
row where there's like self defense. So I'm wondering how
much of what she learned at VVC maybe went into
(03:33):
some of that.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (03:35):
So I've actually worked with Master McGee over the years
as a stunt coordinator and a stunt uh you know,
teacher for some of the actors that I've worked with.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
So I've I've kept in contact with him.
Speaker 3 (03:48):
Over the years, and you know, he's he's a dear friend,
and I'm glad to have him, you know, on on
my team and on my side when it comes to
being able to pick up the phone and just being
able to call him and be like, hey, I know,
you know some stunt coordination.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
He's like, yeah, I got you.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
So so after you left here, and you know, this
is what I do as a journalist. I just I
stock people online. H Military Police School in two thousand
and six. What was that all about?
Speaker 3 (04:15):
So, you know when I got when I got out
of high school, it was like, you don't know that
you can that filmmaking is a viable career. So my
brother was in the military as US Army, as a
military police officer. So I decided to be like, you know,
I want to be like my older brother, and so
I joined the California Army National Guard as a military
(04:39):
police officer. And then I from after I graduated in
peace school in December of O sixth February of I
was seven, I found out I was getting deployed to Iraq.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
I saw that it was like a combat deployment.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
Yeah, yeah, so we were.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
I was in Baghdad for about six months, my ten
month deployment.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
So and then around what year was that, So that was.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
It was September of seven.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
So the war was really hot and heavy around that time.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
Yeah, so that that big push that was, you know,
from all the National Guard units around that time.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
We were a part of that.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
So I deployed with an infantry unit to go do
high value target transport and stuff like, stuff of that
nature when I was over there. So being a military
police officer, I had gone all through the driving courses
and you know, the emergency vehicle operators courses, and so I.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
Was a driver over there. Wow for my deployment.
Speaker 1 (05:40):
Okay, we're going to take a quick break and when
we come back, we're going to get into what DJ
is doing now. And he's award winning and we'll tell
you exactly what that means in a hot minute, So
don't go away. All right, we are back here on
(06:03):
rample of FI And just to correct myself from the
last segment, thank you, Thank you President Hailey Reyes, our
ASP president and student trustee. When we talk about Victor
Valley Junior High in Apple Valley Middle School, they are defunct. Defunct.
That was the word we were looking for. Okay, before
we go on, we ran out of time, just thank
(06:26):
you for your service. Yeah, So, of course veterans are
important to this community and to our country. You know,
when you guys have served an active duty, you guys
basically keep it safe. So thank you for everything that
you've done during that time in your in your career.
So shifting gears spoiler alert, Yes you're a desert rat
(06:47):
right worn and raised, but you are now an Emmy
Award winning desert rat. I am yes. So that's huge, man.
That's that's really really huge. And I think it's it's
even cooler that you got to work on a Disney
and Marvel production, a documentary about stan Lee. Yeah, that's
that is super super fun. So was this through your
(07:10):
production company CL three Productions?
Speaker 2 (07:13):
It was not.
Speaker 3 (07:14):
So for a long time I was along with you know,
owning a production company, I would do freelance work. And
my wife is also a production designer in the film industry,
and she worked on a project with a producer who
ended up being the production manager at the studio that
did the miniatures for the Stanley documentary.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
So as a freelance you won an Emmy.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
Yes, yeah, so so she so her name is Anna,
and Anna got both me and my wife hired on
to the Stanley documentary. So I was really fortunate enough
to actually win the award with my wife, who was
the art director on the project.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
And you were was it the coordinator for that one?
Speaker 2 (07:56):
I was the art department coordinator.
Speaker 1 (07:57):
Yes. OK, So if you guys haven't seen it, we'll
go ahead and throw up some b roll right now,
just so you guys get an idea what you guys
did there. But you guys basically made like realistic, like
miniature sets, and they kind of had a comic vibe
to them. Tell me a little bit about that.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (08:18):
So, the the idea was is to take vignettes of
Stanley's life over the years, you know, along with the
archival footage that was in the documentary, and just recreate
little bits and pieces of you know, what it would
have looked like, you know, throughout those years, and we
went from you know, the nineteen twenties when he was
(08:40):
born and we see him as a baby excuse me,
all the way to you know, there's a very famous
conversation in the documentary between Stanley and Jack Kirby about
you know, kind of who did what so and we
cover timely comics when you know, Stanley first got into
the you know, the comics business all the way through
(09:02):
Marvel and in the sixties the creation of Spider Man
and then on kind of through the rest of his life.
Speaker 1 (09:09):
That's amazing. So on average, how long would it take
to just do one of those sets that you were
going to be using for like the next scene and stuff.
Speaker 3 (09:18):
So the project, I was on it for about three months.
It was two and a half months worth of research
and then the actual production was two.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
Weeks to shoot all of the sets.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
Oh wow.
Speaker 3 (09:27):
Yeah, So it was you know, twelve hour days, fourteen
hour days just being on set. But the research is
kind of where it all you know, came together and
you know, inspiring all of the miniature artists to be
like this is what these things need to look like.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
Was there anything you learned in the in the process
of building these sets that you didn't previously know about
stan Lee or or that world a ton.
Speaker 3 (09:50):
So it's it's funny because I actually I'm not a
comic book person at all, So I really knew very
little about stan Lee.
Speaker 1 (09:57):
Not to label you, but just meeting you for the
first time, you kind of do fit the mold. Oh yeah,
he reads comic books, you know.
Speaker 3 (10:07):
I'm I'm kind of you know, I'm still kind of
in that nerd you know nerd. Am I come from
more the Lord of the Rings side the fantasy?
Speaker 1 (10:14):
Okay, that's my genre, So it's in there somewhere, just
comic specific exactly. Okay, So I.
Speaker 3 (10:19):
Knew very little about Stanley coming into this project, and
you know, learn so much about like, okay he was
born and this is what he did, and it was
everything was really kind of eye opening, you know, being
able to do this project. You know, you hear the
name Stanley and almost everybody knows who he is, and
but getting really you know.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
Hayley, did you know who Stanley was? Okay? What what
comic did tan Lee do? Say it? Louder Spider Man? Okay,
good you get an a for the day.
Speaker 3 (10:51):
Yeah, and it's funny because it's kind of where some
of the documentary, you know, is his base round is
that creation of Spider Man, which.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
Is really cool.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
So yeah, it was it was a fun It was
a fun project. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (11:05):
And I guess it's cool too, Right, you get to
work with your wife, right, So that's that's kind of cool.
You get to work well. I guess most people would,
you know, assume that's a good thing. Maybe some people don't,
but that's really neat that you guys are both showbiz
people and you make a living doing this type of stuff. Uh.
We're going to take a quick commercial break, and when
we come back, we're going to talk a little more
to DJ about his company that he's created, uh cl
(11:28):
three Productions, and a little more about the biz. And
then I have some fun questions for you that you
have no idea what I'm going to ask. Let's do it. Yeah,
So all right, we'll be right back. Don't go away.
We are back here on Ramplify the podcast, a podcast
from Victor Valley College, uh, sponsored by the Associated Student Body.
(11:52):
So here right now with a alum Uh, DJ Lopez.
He he went here for a minute back in five
six and since then he's moved on to become a
big shot filmmaker in Hollywood.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
And we try.
Speaker 1 (12:06):
And we can say that because you're an Emmy Award
winning uh producer. Now, this is really cool and specifically
and it's in a cool category too, art direction, set decoration,
and scenic design. That's awesome. It's you got to create
art and then you you you won like the biggest
award in television because of it. That's Uh. Who did
(12:27):
you guys go against for for that award?
Speaker 3 (12:29):
So we were up against a made off documentary. I
believe it was Netflix, but we were also up against
some other larger streamers like HBO Max Let's see HBO Max,
Apple Plus, I said Netflix, and then there was us,
which was the Disney.
Speaker 1 (12:47):
Plus streaming wars. Yeah, there's a documentary in that somewhere.
Speaker 2 (12:51):
There's got to be.
Speaker 1 (12:54):
Okay, So you are you are a business owner, right,
So what's really cool about this is, yes, your Emmy
Award winning, but you're also local and you have your
own production company. Tell me a little bit about CL
three Productions.
Speaker 3 (13:06):
So CL three production started just after I got or
I basically started it when I was in film school,
which I went to New York Film Academy and from
twenty ten to twenty eleven.
Speaker 2 (13:17):
Uh, And so.
Speaker 3 (13:18):
I was like, you know, as a producer, you need
to have your own you know, production company to where
you can you know, fund your projects, fundable projects.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
Through what's the name means through?
Speaker 3 (13:29):
So it's actually Csario Lopez the third Yeah, yeah, three, yep.
This is kind of the only thing that I could
really come up with at the time, and it's always
kind of just stuck.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
But yeah, so I've done you know, I've done music
videos and.
Speaker 1 (13:44):
Films, and do you have a special or what am
I trying to say here? I love the I love
doing documentaries as a journalist and stuff, right, Like, that's
the kind of film that I like to be involved in.
Do you have a certain type of film genre music
videos included that you you prefer more than anything else.
Speaker 3 (14:04):
I really like kind of the simple narrative stuff, you
know what I call like the Fox search Light type
of you know, really simple family dramas, stuff like that,
feel good stuff. Yeah, yeah, definitely. I mean I'm currently
producing a kids show, a kid's nature show, it's based
(14:24):
up here in the Heigh Desert.
Speaker 1 (14:25):
You know. Just just for the record, I've never been
hit up to be a part of anything, you know,
so you know, it's it's it's not insulting. I just
you know, I just if if if there's something you know,
you you know where to find me.
Speaker 2 (14:40):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
Absolutely, I'm not trying to leave, Haley. I'm just trying
to expand my horizons.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
I love the hustle.
Speaker 1 (14:50):
Yes, yes, so, but just you know, just keep that
in mind.
Speaker 2 (14:55):
You got it absolutely anyways, you were.
Speaker 3 (14:57):
Saying continue, So yeah, so I've as far as the
types of genres, it's you know, like I said, it's
the feel good stuff, the family drama is. But yeah,
I'm very much looking to expand into you know, other
things like I'm currently in developing a kind of police
(15:18):
drama episodic type show. Yeah, so I definitely want to
expand my horizons to more. You know, everybody says, oh,
horror is easy, but I'm just I don't watch horror,
so I wouldn't know how to properly make a horror film, right.
I am developing or kind of in the pre pre
production process for a thriller, which is a little different
(15:39):
than horror, right, a little more action going on, and
it's still got that you know, kind of family vibe.
You know, it's kind of a mix of a bunch
of different things, but it's yeah.
Speaker 1 (15:49):
Uh, where do you find inspiration when you when you
decide to work on a project, Like, do you have
like a like a meditation, some routine that you that
you go through or you do in order to kind
of pull or yeah, pull inspiration or or is it
you just kind of go about your day and whatever
hits you hits you?
Speaker 2 (16:09):
Music?
Speaker 3 (16:10):
Actually, yeah, I I listen to a lot of music,
a lot of kind of different genres. I was raised
on the country music genre genre. But you know it's
like I if you look at my Spotify playlists, it's
everything from like musicals and stage plays to country to
(16:30):
rock to.
Speaker 1 (16:30):
It's the algorithm exactly gotcha?
Speaker 2 (16:34):
Yeah, I'm sure the people at Spotify like what the
heck is?
Speaker 1 (16:38):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (16:38):
And so sometimes, you know, I'll just get hit with
a song or a piece of music and I'm like, hey,
you know, and that'll inspire me, but hey, this might
you know, make something.
Speaker 2 (16:48):
Really cool er.
Speaker 3 (16:48):
This would be cool and like the end credits of
something and then I kind of delve deep into figuring
out what that is.
Speaker 1 (16:54):
I want to ask you before we take another quick
time out here aspiring filmmakers in the High does it's
because you've done this? Like you you lived here, you
grew up here. You know what the struggle is? Like,
what do you have to tell those young filmmakers that
are trying to you know, get out of the High
Desert or head off to New York or head off
to LA to try and make a name for themselves
(17:14):
making art.
Speaker 3 (17:16):
A lot of people always say like, always shoot content,
and I think I have to like back that up.
Speaker 2 (17:22):
It's you know, you how do you put it?
Speaker 3 (17:28):
So, yeah, you don't know what you like until you
start making it, if that makes any sense or so, yeah,
it's you know, if you want to, you know, establish
yourself as a filmmaker or a director or a producer,
just get you know, your friends together and just start
making things and you'll figure out exactly what you want,
(17:51):
what type of a filmmaker that you want to be,
the type of stuff that excites you.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
Like if you want to make a whore, just make
a horror film.
Speaker 3 (17:57):
It doesn't have to be crazy, you know, you don't
have to spend you know, five or ten or fifteen
thousand dollars to make a short film.
Speaker 2 (18:06):
You can do it. You know, get a bunch of friends,
you know, get some good pizza.
Speaker 3 (18:10):
You know, good pizza, that's the thing, and just you know,
make stuff and figure out what you like to make.
Speaker 1 (18:16):
You know, the Magic school Bus. Miss Frizzel used to say,
take chances, make mistakes, get messy.
Speaker 2 (18:21):
Yep.
Speaker 1 (18:22):
So all right, we will be right back. We have
some fun questions for a new segment that we're going
to do here with DJ. So keep it locked. Emmy
Award winning he's their gas. This is amazing. All Right,
we'll be right back, and we're back for our fourth
(18:44):
and final segment with DJ Lopez, Emmy Award winning filmmaker
that got the award for hold On. It's a long
one art Direction Outstanding Art Direction, Set Decoration in Scenic
Design on stan Lee, which is a Disney Plus documentary
and it's streaming now, like I actually have it on
(19:04):
posit at home because I got to finish it. So
it's good. It's really really good. Okay, We're gonna do
a segment called Crafted Chaos. Okay, so I'm gonna ask
you some really fun questions things in the purview of
set design and stage craft, and we'll just see, we'll
just see where your mind takes us. Okay, are you ready?
(19:27):
All right? Here we go. Question one, If your set
design could talk back, what would be its most sarcastic
comment about the director's vision?
Speaker 2 (19:37):
Why? Am I only seeing a white wall?
Speaker 1 (19:41):
That's good? That's actually good? Okay. Next question, which iconic
movie set would you love to sneak into for a
weekend get away? Past or present, it doesn't matter.
Speaker 3 (19:52):
I would you know, going back to the Lord of
the Rings think the Rivendelle set from you know, Fellowship
of the Ring.
Speaker 2 (19:56):
It's just, oh my gosh, I love Oh.
Speaker 1 (19:58):
That reminds me. What did you guys do with the
set after you guys finished production? Please tell me didn't
go in a dumpster?
Speaker 3 (20:03):
No, No, Disney took everything because they owned it, so.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
It's probably in a warehouse somewhere until they find a
place for it.
Speaker 2 (20:09):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (20:10):
Okay, you'll have to let us know when that is,
because then we can go ahead and let everybody know. Yeah.
I would love to actually see it. That'd be pretty cool. Okay.
If you could design a dream prop for any character?
What would it be and what hidden power would it have?
Speaker 2 (20:24):
Oh?
Speaker 1 (20:26):
I know these are good.
Speaker 2 (20:27):
Yeah, that's a good one.
Speaker 1 (20:33):
Any character, any prop.
Speaker 2 (20:35):
Any prop.
Speaker 3 (20:37):
So i'd have to say, like, for one of my
own films, there's a fight between a you know, a
woman and this ancient creature, and basically it'd be a
blade that can cut off this ancient creature's head.
Speaker 1 (20:51):
That's so yeah, that's pretty dramatic. Yeah, Okay. Have you
ever had to convince a director? I love this. Have
you ever had a convince a director that a particularly
wacky set piece was actually necessary for the story? And
what and what was that?
Speaker 3 (21:07):
Hmm, that's a good one. I'm just going through my
rolodex of like, you.
Speaker 1 (21:13):
Know, trying to push it through, right, pushed through?
Speaker 2 (21:16):
Like, but you're talking set piece specifically?
Speaker 1 (21:19):
Yeah, or if not, any any any elements of a
film that you you try to convince the director to
push through.
Speaker 3 (21:27):
Uh. Actually, I'll go to the Stanley things and there's
a you'll notice in the marble bullpen there's a green
couch that the director wasn't very like convinced of, and
once he saw it on the set, he's like, oh
my gosh, that's great. So it was that was one
thing that was just like, hey, let's just try this
and see And honestly that was like that was more
(21:48):
my wife's call than because she was kind of my
boss or so, but yeah, it was that was something
that was just.
Speaker 2 (21:56):
Like, hey, let's let's at least try this and see
what it works. And it worked and made in the all.
Speaker 1 (22:00):
Right, I love this one too. These are great questions.
What's the most ridiculous thing you've ever had to create
for a movie? And did it end up actually making
the final cut? So me like, well, say anything you
were involved into.
Speaker 2 (22:13):
Yeah, I'll go back. I'll go back to the Stanley Dock.
Speaker 1 (22:18):
So there's.
Speaker 3 (22:20):
A scene of little baby Stanley. That's he's laying on
the bed looking at a comic book or not baby,
he's you know, probably like ten.
Speaker 1 (22:27):
Years old, toddler, a child child.
Speaker 3 (22:30):
The flashlight that he's holding that's you know, very very tiny,
it's less than an inch long. Worked and that was
one of those it's like, how are we going to
get to do this that and you know, to actually
make it look like it's lighting up this book.
Speaker 2 (22:45):
So yeah, I think that's it's got to be what
it is.
Speaker 1 (22:48):
Yeah, and it made the cut.
Speaker 2 (22:49):
It didn't make the cut.
Speaker 1 (22:50):
Yeah, good.
Speaker 3 (22:50):
And it looks great on camera, Thank god, it looks
straight on camera.
Speaker 1 (22:55):
If you could give a character a wardrobe malfunction on screen,
who would it be and what would it like? Like, hmm,
I already know mine Batman and he does something with
the cape, but he gets caught in the cape and
he falls down.
Speaker 2 (23:13):
I feel like the voice of like a an a
mode from Incredibles. It's like no capes, you know, like.
Speaker 3 (23:22):
Probably anything with with Chris Hemsworth, you know, like I
think there's a close he always has to have his
shirt off in one right, in one movie, one scene
of a movie. So I think that, you know, audiences
love that. So that's that's gonna have to be what
it is.
Speaker 1 (23:39):
That's that's what it is. It is what it is. Okay,
a couple more questions. What is the most outlandish visual
effect you've ever dreamed up? Or let's see, Yeah, what
is the most outlandish visual effect you've ever dreamed up
that you would love to see brought to life? M So,
something that maybe you've thought of and you're like, god,
(23:59):
i'd be great to put in a film.
Speaker 2 (24:04):
That's a that's a tough one. That's that's a tough one.
Speaker 3 (24:09):
I've seen so much on film. It's it's hard to like,
you know, it's hard to come up with something. But uh, okay,
I got one. So another film that I'm trying to develop.
Basically a dragon that comes out of like an aura
basically so kind of just like materializes and you know,
(24:33):
so yeah, definitely going back to the fantasy where I
you know that I love something to that effect.
Speaker 2 (24:39):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (24:40):
And then last question, if you had to choose between
a perfectly realistic set and a completely bizarre surreal one,
which one would you go for? And why?
Speaker 3 (24:53):
I think the realistic set because you want to have things.
Speaker 2 (24:57):
That are grounded for your character too to interact with,
and that could.
Speaker 3 (25:03):
Be in a fantasy setting or any type of you know,
like sci fi or whatever. If the if the set
feels real and grounded, you're doing a good job.
Speaker 1 (25:12):
Very good. And any last bit of information or advice
that you'd love to leave for our listeners today when
it comes to I think, in your case, advice when
it comes to following your dreams and your passions in life.
Speaker 2 (25:27):
That you know it's okay to kind of figure out
as you go.
Speaker 3 (25:32):
You know, for me, going into the military was not
you know, I didn't know that I would go into
filmmaking afterwards. So you know, just kind of you know,
be open to where your career is going to take you.
And if you really want to, you know, if you
really want to go after something that you feel in
your heart, just do it. You know.
Speaker 1 (25:53):
The reward is is really great.
Speaker 2 (25:55):
You might win an Emmy.
Speaker 1 (25:56):
Might you might win an Emmy. I love that that.
Just do it. It's not like that's ever been used before. Yeah,
all right, thank you DJ for being with us today.
Emmy Award winning filmmaker DJ Lopez also VBC Alum. I'm
Andrew Caravella. This is Ramplify. Thanks for tuning in. We'll
see you on the next one.
Speaker 4 (26:18):
Ramplify. The podcast is filmed and recorded in Victorville, California.
This podcast is made possible with the support of the
Associated student Body of Victor Valley College. The views and
opinions expressed in this production are those of the speakers
and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of
Victor Valley College or its affiliates. Ramplify is hosted by
Andrew Caravella, produced by Robert A.
Speaker 1 (26:39):
Sewele.
Speaker 4 (26:40):
Production crew includes officers of the Associated student Body of
twenty twenty four through twenty twenty five. If you'd like
more information about this podcast, please reach out by email
info at VVC dot e EU
Welcome to another edition of Ramplify the podcast here at
Victor Valley College, brought to you by the Associated Student Body.
I'm excited about this one because my background happens to
be in television and film, and I was able to
convince somebody to buy the snake oil to come onto
the show that does television and film. So this is
(00:34):
DJ Lopez. Hello, sir, How are you good?
Speaker 2 (00:36):
How are you doing pretty good?
Speaker 1 (00:38):
What does the D and J stand for?
Speaker 3 (00:40):
So it's actually a it was a nickname from way
back when that my parents got me. So my real
name is Sassario Lopez the Third.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
The third. Yeah, that's an official Yeah.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
So you know, when I was young, my parents, I
always loved to play with the radio and everything, and
so you know my dad was you know, the moniker
of like, oh he's a DJ and somehow that's stuck.
And so that kind of is just you know, been
with me throughout, you know, growing up in high school
and just that's what I've gone by because my dad
(01:12):
was Caesar. My grandfather was Sosario. So it's just you know,
kind of just that's what fell.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
And then DJ DJ's your stage name, and the name
you just go by all the time. Yeh was there
like a moment, like was there an inspiration growing up
that you're like, I like films, Like films are awesome.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
So actually, in junior high I went to Victor Raley
Junior High School, which you know doesn't exist anymore.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
I went to Apple Valley Middle School, also debunked. Like
is it debunked? Defunct? Yes, what's the word Haley? It's
debunked when it goes away? Right?
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Okay, yeah, also.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
Gone, yeah, it's it's so sad.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
But I took a video production class at that junior
high picked up a camera for the first time. I
was like, hey, this is really cool. So that kind
of started the spark of you know, like, hey, maybe
this is something that i'd like really like to you know,
when you're you know, twelve, thirteen years old, you're like, hey,
you know, you don't know that it's hey, I want
to do this for the rest of my life.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
But it was one of those like, hey, this is
really cool.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
And so, you know, throughout high school, you know, my
parents bought me a camera.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
Where to go to high school at.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
Excelsior Okay, yeah, so just right over.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
Here, just around the corner.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
Yep, And so I was, you know, in high school.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
I would video everything and learned, you know, how to
edit stuff together, and that, you know, that kind of
carried me through the you know, throughout my my teenage years.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
Yeah, before we dive way deep into who you are,
I noticed that you were a student here at Victor
Valley College about five or six. So what were you
studying and did you have like a declared major when
you started going here.
Speaker 3 (02:52):
I didn't, So I did not have a declared major.
I was doing a concurrent enrollment through Excelsior. So I
took a couple of classes. I took BIO. I took
the self defense class with Master Bruce McGee.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
That was a fun one.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
It was me and a couple of friends and we
all just kind of beat the crap out of each
other every single week.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
It's funny that you you say that, because well, most
of you listening or watching this don't know this. But
as I was going down your resume, I noticed that
there was a brief moment where you were doing like
stunt driving or or or stuff of that nature. Or
even your company. I've seen some some of your demo
row where there's like self defense. So I'm wondering how
much of what she learned at VVC maybe went into
(03:33):
some of that.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (03:35):
So I've actually worked with Master McGee over the years
as a stunt coordinator and a stunt uh you know,
teacher for some of the actors that I've worked with.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
So I've I've kept in contact with him.
Speaker 3 (03:48):
Over the years, and you know, he's he's a dear friend,
and I'm glad to have him, you know, on on
my team and on my side when it comes to
being able to pick up the phone and just being
able to call him and be like, hey, I know,
you know some stunt coordination.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
He's like, yeah, I got you.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
So so after you left here, and you know, this
is what I do as a journalist. I just I
stock people online. H Military Police School in two thousand
and six. What was that all about?
Speaker 3 (04:15):
So, you know when I got when I got out
of high school, it was like, you don't know that
you can that filmmaking is a viable career. So my
brother was in the military as US Army, as a
military police officer. So I decided to be like, you know,
I want to be like my older brother, and so
I joined the California Army National Guard as a military
(04:39):
police officer. And then I from after I graduated in
peace school in December of O sixth February of I
was seven, I found out I was getting deployed to Iraq.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
I saw that it was like a combat deployment.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
Yeah, yeah, so we were.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
I was in Baghdad for about six months, my ten
month deployment.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
So and then around what year was that, So that was.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
It was September of seven.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
So the war was really hot and heavy around that time.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
Yeah, so that that big push that was, you know,
from all the National Guard units around that time.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
We were a part of that.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
So I deployed with an infantry unit to go do
high value target transport and stuff like, stuff of that
nature when I was over there. So being a military
police officer, I had gone all through the driving courses
and you know, the emergency vehicle operators courses, and so I.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
Was a driver over there. Wow for my deployment.
Speaker 1 (05:40):
Okay, we're going to take a quick break and when
we come back, we're going to get into what DJ
is doing now. And he's award winning and we'll tell
you exactly what that means in a hot minute, So
don't go away. All right, we are back here on
(06:03):
rample of FI And just to correct myself from the
last segment, thank you, Thank you President Hailey Reyes, our
ASP president and student trustee. When we talk about Victor
Valley Junior High in Apple Valley Middle School, they are defunct. Defunct.
That was the word we were looking for. Okay, before
we go on, we ran out of time, just thank
(06:26):
you for your service. Yeah, So, of course veterans are
important to this community and to our country. You know,
when you guys have served an active duty, you guys
basically keep it safe. So thank you for everything that
you've done during that time in your in your career.
So shifting gears spoiler alert, Yes you're a desert rat
(06:47):
right worn and raised, but you are now an Emmy
Award winning desert rat. I am yes. So that's huge, man.
That's that's really really huge. And I think it's it's
even cooler that you got to work on a Disney
and Marvel production, a documentary about stan Lee. Yeah, that's
that is super super fun. So was this through your
(07:10):
production company CL three Productions?
Speaker 2 (07:13):
It was not.
Speaker 3 (07:14):
So for a long time I was along with you know,
owning a production company, I would do freelance work. And
my wife is also a production designer in the film industry,
and she worked on a project with a producer who
ended up being the production manager at the studio that
did the miniatures for the Stanley documentary.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
So as a freelance you won an Emmy.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
Yes, yeah, so so she so her name is Anna,
and Anna got both me and my wife hired on
to the Stanley documentary. So I was really fortunate enough
to actually win the award with my wife, who was
the art director on the project.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
And you were was it the coordinator for that one?
Speaker 2 (07:56):
I was the art department coordinator.
Speaker 1 (07:57):
Yes. OK, So if you guys haven't seen it, we'll
go ahead and throw up some b roll right now,
just so you guys get an idea what you guys
did there. But you guys basically made like realistic, like
miniature sets, and they kind of had a comic vibe
to them. Tell me a little bit about that.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (08:18):
So, the the idea was is to take vignettes of
Stanley's life over the years, you know, along with the
archival footage that was in the documentary, and just recreate
little bits and pieces of you know, what it would
have looked like, you know, throughout those years, and we
went from you know, the nineteen twenties when he was
(08:40):
born and we see him as a baby excuse me,
all the way to you know, there's a very famous
conversation in the documentary between Stanley and Jack Kirby about
you know, kind of who did what so and we
cover timely comics when you know, Stanley first got into
the you know, the comics business all the way through
(09:02):
Marvel and in the sixties the creation of Spider Man
and then on kind of through the rest of his life.
Speaker 1 (09:09):
That's amazing. So on average, how long would it take
to just do one of those sets that you were
going to be using for like the next scene and stuff.
Speaker 3 (09:18):
So the project, I was on it for about three months.
It was two and a half months worth of research
and then the actual production was two.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
Weeks to shoot all of the sets.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
Oh wow.
Speaker 3 (09:27):
Yeah, So it was you know, twelve hour days, fourteen
hour days just being on set. But the research is
kind of where it all you know, came together and
you know, inspiring all of the miniature artists to be
like this is what these things need to look like.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
Was there anything you learned in the in the process
of building these sets that you didn't previously know about
stan Lee or or that world a ton.
Speaker 3 (09:50):
So it's it's funny because I actually I'm not a
comic book person at all, So I really knew very
little about stan Lee.
Speaker 1 (09:57):
Not to label you, but just meeting you for the
first time, you kind of do fit the mold. Oh yeah,
he reads comic books, you know.
Speaker 3 (10:07):
I'm I'm kind of you know, I'm still kind of
in that nerd you know nerd. Am I come from
more the Lord of the Rings side the fantasy?
Speaker 1 (10:14):
Okay, that's my genre, So it's in there somewhere, just
comic specific exactly. Okay, So I.
Speaker 3 (10:19):
Knew very little about Stanley coming into this project, and
you know, learn so much about like, okay he was
born and this is what he did, and it was
everything was really kind of eye opening, you know, being
able to do this project. You know, you hear the
name Stanley and almost everybody knows who he is, and
but getting really you know.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
Hayley, did you know who Stanley was? Okay? What what
comic did tan Lee do? Say it? Louder Spider Man? Okay,
good you get an a for the day.
Speaker 3 (10:51):
Yeah, and it's funny because it's kind of where some
of the documentary, you know, is his base round is
that creation of Spider Man, which.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
Is really cool.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
So yeah, it was it was a fun It was
a fun project. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (11:05):
And I guess it's cool too, Right, you get to
work with your wife, right, So that's that's kind of cool.
You get to work well. I guess most people would,
you know, assume that's a good thing. Maybe some people don't,
but that's really neat that you guys are both showbiz
people and you make a living doing this type of stuff. Uh.
We're going to take a quick commercial break, and when
we come back, we're going to talk a little more
to DJ about his company that he's created, uh cl
(11:28):
three Productions, and a little more about the biz. And
then I have some fun questions for you that you
have no idea what I'm going to ask. Let's do it. Yeah,
So all right, we'll be right back. Don't go away.
We are back here on Ramplify the podcast, a podcast
from Victor Valley College, uh, sponsored by the Associated Student Body.
(11:52):
So here right now with a alum Uh, DJ Lopez.
He he went here for a minute back in five
six and since then he's moved on to become a
big shot filmmaker in Hollywood.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
And we try.
Speaker 1 (12:06):
And we can say that because you're an Emmy Award
winning uh producer. Now, this is really cool and specifically
and it's in a cool category too, art direction, set decoration,
and scenic design. That's awesome. It's you got to create
art and then you you you won like the biggest
award in television because of it. That's Uh. Who did
(12:27):
you guys go against for for that award?
Speaker 3 (12:29):
So we were up against a made off documentary. I
believe it was Netflix, but we were also up against
some other larger streamers like HBO Max Let's see HBO Max,
Apple Plus, I said Netflix, and then there was us,
which was the Disney.
Speaker 1 (12:47):
Plus streaming wars. Yeah, there's a documentary in that somewhere.
Speaker 2 (12:51):
There's got to be.
Speaker 1 (12:54):
Okay, So you are you are a business owner, right,
So what's really cool about this is, yes, your Emmy
Award winning, but you're also local and you have your
own production company. Tell me a little bit about CL
three Productions.
Speaker 3 (13:06):
So CL three production started just after I got or
I basically started it when I was in film school,
which I went to New York Film Academy and from
twenty ten to twenty eleven.
Speaker 2 (13:17):
Uh, And so.
Speaker 3 (13:18):
I was like, you know, as a producer, you need
to have your own you know, production company to where
you can you know, fund your projects, fundable projects.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
Through what's the name means through?
Speaker 3 (13:29):
So it's actually Csario Lopez the third Yeah, yeah, three, yep.
This is kind of the only thing that I could
really come up with at the time, and it's always
kind of just stuck.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
But yeah, so I've done you know, I've done music
videos and.
Speaker 1 (13:44):
Films, and do you have a special or what am
I trying to say here? I love the I love
doing documentaries as a journalist and stuff, right, Like, that's
the kind of film that I like to be involved in.
Do you have a certain type of film genre music
videos included that you you prefer more than anything else.
Speaker 3 (14:04):
I really like kind of the simple narrative stuff, you
know what I call like the Fox search Light type
of you know, really simple family dramas, stuff like that,
feel good stuff. Yeah, yeah, definitely. I mean I'm currently
producing a kids show, a kid's nature show, it's based
(14:24):
up here in the Heigh Desert.
Speaker 1 (14:25):
You know. Just just for the record, I've never been
hit up to be a part of anything, you know,
so you know, it's it's it's not insulting. I just
you know, I just if if if there's something you know,
you you know where to find me.
Speaker 2 (14:40):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
Absolutely, I'm not trying to leave, Haley. I'm just trying
to expand my horizons.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
I love the hustle.
Speaker 1 (14:50):
Yes, yes, so, but just you know, just keep that
in mind.
Speaker 2 (14:55):
You got it absolutely anyways, you were.
Speaker 3 (14:57):
Saying continue, So yeah, so I've as far as the
types of genres, it's you know, like I said, it's
the feel good stuff, the family drama is. But yeah,
I'm very much looking to expand into you know, other
things like I'm currently in developing a kind of police
(15:18):
drama episodic type show. Yeah, so I definitely want to
expand my horizons to more. You know, everybody says, oh,
horror is easy, but I'm just I don't watch horror,
so I wouldn't know how to properly make a horror film, right.
I am developing or kind of in the pre pre
production process for a thriller, which is a little different
(15:39):
than horror, right, a little more action going on, and
it's still got that you know, kind of family vibe.
You know, it's kind of a mix of a bunch
of different things, but it's yeah.
Speaker 1 (15:49):
Uh, where do you find inspiration when you when you
decide to work on a project, Like, do you have
like a like a meditation, some routine that you that
you go through or you do in order to kind
of pull or yeah, pull inspiration or or is it
you just kind of go about your day and whatever
hits you hits you?
Speaker 2 (16:09):
Music?
Speaker 3 (16:10):
Actually, yeah, I I listen to a lot of music,
a lot of kind of different genres. I was raised
on the country music genre genre. But you know it's
like I if you look at my Spotify playlists, it's
everything from like musicals and stage plays to country to
(16:30):
rock to.
Speaker 1 (16:30):
It's the algorithm exactly gotcha?
Speaker 2 (16:34):
Yeah, I'm sure the people at Spotify like what the
heck is?
Speaker 1 (16:38):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (16:38):
And so sometimes, you know, I'll just get hit with
a song or a piece of music and I'm like, hey,
you know, and that'll inspire me, but hey, this might
you know, make something.
Speaker 2 (16:48):
Really cool er.
Speaker 3 (16:48):
This would be cool and like the end credits of
something and then I kind of delve deep into figuring
out what that is.
Speaker 1 (16:54):
I want to ask you before we take another quick
time out here aspiring filmmakers in the High does it's
because you've done this? Like you you lived here, you
grew up here. You know what the struggle is? Like,
what do you have to tell those young filmmakers that
are trying to you know, get out of the High
Desert or head off to New York or head off
to LA to try and make a name for themselves
(17:14):
making art.
Speaker 3 (17:16):
A lot of people always say like, always shoot content,
and I think I have to like back that up.
Speaker 2 (17:22):
It's you know, you how do you put it?
Speaker 3 (17:28):
So, yeah, you don't know what you like until you
start making it, if that makes any sense or so, yeah,
it's you know, if you want to, you know, establish
yourself as a filmmaker or a director or a producer,
just get you know, your friends together and just start
making things and you'll figure out exactly what you want,
(17:51):
what type of a filmmaker that you want to be,
the type of stuff that excites you.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
Like if you want to make a whore, just make
a horror film.
Speaker 3 (17:57):
It doesn't have to be crazy, you know, you don't
have to spend you know, five or ten or fifteen
thousand dollars to make a short film.
Speaker 2 (18:06):
You can do it. You know, get a bunch of friends,
you know, get some good pizza.
Speaker 3 (18:10):
You know, good pizza, that's the thing, and just you know,
make stuff and figure out what you like to make.
Speaker 1 (18:16):
You know, the Magic school Bus. Miss Frizzel used to say,
take chances, make mistakes, get messy.
Speaker 2 (18:21):
Yep.
Speaker 1 (18:22):
So all right, we will be right back. We have
some fun questions for a new segment that we're going
to do here with DJ. So keep it locked. Emmy
Award winning he's their gas. This is amazing. All Right,
we'll be right back, and we're back for our fourth
(18:44):
and final segment with DJ Lopez, Emmy Award winning filmmaker
that got the award for hold On. It's a long
one art Direction Outstanding Art Direction, Set Decoration in Scenic
Design on stan Lee, which is a Disney Plus documentary
and it's streaming now, like I actually have it on
(19:04):
posit at home because I got to finish it. So
it's good. It's really really good. Okay, We're gonna do
a segment called Crafted Chaos. Okay, so I'm gonna ask
you some really fun questions things in the purview of
set design and stage craft, and we'll just see, we'll
just see where your mind takes us. Okay, are you ready?
(19:27):
All right? Here we go. Question one, If your set
design could talk back, what would be its most sarcastic
comment about the director's vision?
Speaker 2 (19:37):
Why? Am I only seeing a white wall?
Speaker 1 (19:41):
That's good? That's actually good? Okay. Next question, which iconic
movie set would you love to sneak into for a
weekend get away? Past or present, it doesn't matter.
Speaker 3 (19:52):
I would you know, going back to the Lord of
the Rings think the Rivendelle set from you know, Fellowship
of the Ring.
Speaker 2 (19:56):
It's just, oh my gosh, I love Oh.
Speaker 1 (19:58):
That reminds me. What did you guys do with the
set after you guys finished production? Please tell me didn't
go in a dumpster?
Speaker 3 (20:03):
No, No, Disney took everything because they owned it, so.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
It's probably in a warehouse somewhere until they find a
place for it.
Speaker 2 (20:09):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (20:10):
Okay, you'll have to let us know when that is,
because then we can go ahead and let everybody know. Yeah.
I would love to actually see it. That'd be pretty cool. Okay.
If you could design a dream prop for any character?
What would it be and what hidden power would it have?
Speaker 2 (20:24):
Oh?
Speaker 1 (20:26):
I know these are good.
Speaker 2 (20:27):
Yeah, that's a good one.
Speaker 1 (20:33):
Any character, any prop.
Speaker 2 (20:35):
Any prop.
Speaker 3 (20:37):
So i'd have to say, like, for one of my
own films, there's a fight between a you know, a
woman and this ancient creature, and basically it'd be a
blade that can cut off this ancient creature's head.
Speaker 1 (20:51):
That's so yeah, that's pretty dramatic. Yeah, Okay. Have you
ever had to convince a director? I love this. Have
you ever had a convince a director that a particularly
wacky set piece was actually necessary for the story? And
what and what was that?
Speaker 3 (21:07):
Hmm, that's a good one. I'm just going through my
rolodex of like, you.
Speaker 1 (21:13):
Know, trying to push it through, right, pushed through?
Speaker 2 (21:16):
Like, but you're talking set piece specifically?
Speaker 1 (21:19):
Yeah, or if not, any any any elements of a
film that you you try to convince the director to
push through.
Speaker 3 (21:27):
Uh. Actually, I'll go to the Stanley things and there's
a you'll notice in the marble bullpen there's a green
couch that the director wasn't very like convinced of, and
once he saw it on the set, he's like, oh
my gosh, that's great. So it was that was one
thing that was just like, hey, let's just try this
and see And honestly that was like that was more
(21:48):
my wife's call than because she was kind of my
boss or so, but yeah, it was that was something
that was just.
Speaker 2 (21:56):
Like, hey, let's let's at least try this and see
what it works. And it worked and made in the all.
Speaker 1 (22:00):
Right, I love this one too. These are great questions.
What's the most ridiculous thing you've ever had to create
for a movie? And did it end up actually making
the final cut? So me like, well, say anything you
were involved into.
Speaker 2 (22:13):
Yeah, I'll go back. I'll go back to the Stanley Dock.
Speaker 1 (22:18):
So there's.
Speaker 3 (22:20):
A scene of little baby Stanley. That's he's laying on
the bed looking at a comic book or not baby,
he's you know, probably like ten.
Speaker 1 (22:27):
Years old, toddler, a child child.
Speaker 3 (22:30):
The flashlight that he's holding that's you know, very very tiny,
it's less than an inch long. Worked and that was
one of those it's like, how are we going to
get to do this that and you know, to actually
make it look like it's lighting up this book.
Speaker 2 (22:45):
So yeah, I think that's it's got to be what
it is.
Speaker 1 (22:48):
Yeah, and it made the cut.
Speaker 2 (22:49):
It didn't make the cut.
Speaker 1 (22:50):
Yeah, good.
Speaker 3 (22:50):
And it looks great on camera, Thank god, it looks
straight on camera.
Speaker 1 (22:55):
If you could give a character a wardrobe malfunction on screen,
who would it be and what would it like? Like, hmm,
I already know mine Batman and he does something with
the cape, but he gets caught in the cape and
he falls down.
Speaker 2 (23:13):
I feel like the voice of like a an a
mode from Incredibles. It's like no capes, you know, like.
Speaker 3 (23:22):
Probably anything with with Chris Hemsworth, you know, like I
think there's a close he always has to have his
shirt off in one right, in one movie, one scene
of a movie. So I think that, you know, audiences
love that. So that's that's gonna have to be what
it is.
Speaker 1 (23:39):
That's that's what it is. It is what it is. Okay,
a couple more questions. What is the most outlandish visual
effect you've ever dreamed up? Or let's see, Yeah, what
is the most outlandish visual effect you've ever dreamed up
that you would love to see brought to life? M So,
something that maybe you've thought of and you're like, god,
(23:59):
i'd be great to put in a film.
Speaker 2 (24:04):
That's a that's a tough one. That's that's a tough one.
Speaker 3 (24:09):
I've seen so much on film. It's it's hard to like,
you know, it's hard to come up with something. But uh, okay,
I got one. So another film that I'm trying to develop.
Basically a dragon that comes out of like an aura
basically so kind of just like materializes and you know,
(24:33):
so yeah, definitely going back to the fantasy where I
you know that I love something to that effect.
Speaker 2 (24:39):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (24:40):
And then last question, if you had to choose between
a perfectly realistic set and a completely bizarre surreal one,
which one would you go for? And why?
Speaker 3 (24:53):
I think the realistic set because you want to have things.
Speaker 2 (24:57):
That are grounded for your character too to interact with,
and that could.
Speaker 3 (25:03):
Be in a fantasy setting or any type of you know,
like sci fi or whatever. If the if the set
feels real and grounded, you're doing a good job.
Speaker 1 (25:12):
Very good. And any last bit of information or advice
that you'd love to leave for our listeners today when
it comes to I think, in your case, advice when
it comes to following your dreams and your passions in life.
Speaker 2 (25:27):
That you know it's okay to kind of figure out
as you go.
Speaker 3 (25:32):
You know, for me, going into the military was not
you know, I didn't know that I would go into
filmmaking afterwards. So you know, just kind of you know,
be open to where your career is going to take you.
And if you really want to, you know, if you
really want to go after something that you feel in
your heart, just do it. You know.
Speaker 1 (25:53):
The reward is is really great.
Speaker 2 (25:55):
You might win an Emmy.
Speaker 1 (25:56):
Might you might win an Emmy. I love that that.
Just do it. It's not like that's ever been used before. Yeah,
all right, thank you DJ for being with us today.
Emmy Award winning filmmaker DJ Lopez also VBC Alum. I'm
Andrew Caravella. This is Ramplify. Thanks for tuning in. We'll
see you on the next one.
Speaker 4 (26:18):
Ramplify. The podcast is filmed and recorded in Victorville, California.
This podcast is made possible with the support of the
Associated student Body of Victor Valley College. The views and
opinions expressed in this production are those of the speakers
and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of
Victor Valley College or its affiliates. Ramplify is hosted by
Andrew Caravella, produced by Robert A.
Speaker 1 (26:39):
Sewele.
Speaker 4 (26:40):
Production crew includes officers of the Associated student Body of
twenty twenty four through twenty twenty five. If you'd like
more information about this podcast, please reach out by email
info at VVC dot e EU
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