Saturday, May 25

Interview With Writer/Producer Gil Luna

 

La Libertad:  Where are you from?

Gil:  Northern California, although I’ve lived all over the U.S., in Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Oregon, [and] Washington, and I am now in Boise, Idaho.

La Libertad:  How did you get your start in film-making?

Gil:  I met a filmmaker in high school, many years ago. His name was Anthony C. Ferrante; [he] launched the Sharknado series. I was just an actor then, and would help him with his projects. It was then I was bitten by the film bug, and started writing stories, and getting on film sets whenever I could.

La Libertad:  Where did you get the idea for your new, feature film, She Cries Your Name?

Gil:  It’s a true crime thriller about a Native American F.B.I. [Federal Bureau of Investigation] agent who embarks on an investigation into a serial killer that may have information about his daughter that went missing years ago. There are themes and cultural ties to Native American culture that bring attention [to] missing Indigenous women, and how the past can come back to haunt us. It’s personal, relevant, and classic storytelling.

La Libertad:  What is the story behind your project "The Bobbsey Twins Go to Hell"?

Gil:  Oh, that one! It’s the favorite of the stories I’ve written. It’s another very relevant story that must be told. It’s a dark comedy satire that makes fun of today’s volatile American society and culture. I’m looking forward to making that one. It’ll be a blast!
 
La Libertad:  What would you like to tell our readers about your writing work with The Asylum?

Gil:  Anthony C. Ferrante got me involved in writing for them during the pandemic. I reached out to him after a long period of being out of touch, and he decided to bring me on as a writer. Though I worked on a handful or projects for them, only one was released, on Amazon, called, “Attack on Titan.” Working with them was one of the most challenging endeavors I’ve had so far, and [it] taught me I can write a pretty damn good first draft in six days.

La Libertad:  What is your favorite, classic, scary movie and why?

Gil:  It’s hard to say. When I think of classic horror movies, I think of Dracula with Bela Lugosi, or George Romero’s, Night of the Living Dead. All of those movies back then were truly important to cinema today, because they paved the path for those memorable horror and thriller movies of today. I think The Exorcist is a favorite one from my own childhood. It scared the pants off of me as I watched it in secret, because my parents wouldn’t let me see it. After seeing it, and not sleeping that night, I started to wonder how they did all that cool stuff. The spark of curiosity it gave me grew, and now I’m making that magic happen on the screen.

La Libertad:  What are you most looking forward to, in 2024?

Gil:  I’m looking forward to new ventures and landscapes to explore. I think “She Cries Your Name” will be a game changer for my career, as it’s a fresh, new take on ideas of old.

La Libertad:  What are your overall career goals?

Gil:  On “She Cries Your Name,” I came in as the producer, but my goal is to write and direct films, and that’s always been my goal. In any position, I am loyal to it, "to a fault." I could step in as director on this one, but I think this film needs someone with much more experience and reputation than I have. I want to see it succeed, so I must be loyal to the project, and honest with myself.

La Libertad:  What links would you like to share?

Gil:   

Imdb.me/gilluna

https://www.linkedin.com/in/gilluna/

https://www.facebook.com/gilluna

La Libertad:  What else, if anything, would you like to tell our readers?

Gil:  Stay vigilant, and keep your sights on your goals. There’s room for all of us.

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