“If it wasn’t for Dodge College, I would not be where I am today.”

So says Erick Crespo (MFA/Film Production ’08), whose filmmaking journey has been filled with great successes since graduation.

Crespo’s latest film,
Journey of a Female Comic
, opened two weeks ago in Los Angeles, and this past weekend in New York City, through AMC Independent. The documentary chronicles the ups and down of an immigrant female comedian, Kiki Melendez, trying to make it in Hollywood. It’s also a comedic, yet inspirational, story about the pursuit of the American Dream.

“Dodge College definitely helped me with my attitude toward the filmmaking process itself,” said Crespo. “Though we shot on Super 35 and Mini DV while in class, I shot this film entirely with my Canon DSLR. Dodge taught me that it’s the story that matters, not the format you’re shooting on.”

Crespo used the resources he currently has, including that Canon DSLR and an Apple iMac, to create the film. Unable to secure the budget he wanted, he decided to forge ahead with what he already owned to complete his vision.

Erick Crespo (MFA/Film Production ’08) on the red carpet at the premiere of Journey of a Female Comic


Erick Crespo at the red carpet premiere.



“It took about a year and a half from the initial idea to final edit. We were lucky to have so many great actors who wanted to work with Melendez on this, and it just helped the project grow.”

AMC Independent learned about the film after a distributor screening in Los Angeles in late 2013. They liked the film so much that they not only picked it up for distribution, but also asked for a longer running time to make it feature length. Crespo worked with Melendez to film additional reenactments, and to bring the running time of the film up to an hour and 28 minutes.

When asked what advice he would give to current students, Crespo said “Tell your stories with what you have. Don’t wait for a bigger budget or a better camera. Just go out and do it. Make your stories happen.”

For more information about the film and where you can see it,
visit the website
or
Facebook Page
.