Today we’d like to introduce you to Marlon Smith.
Hi Marlon, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
My passion for film and photography started when I was a kid back in Mexico City. Movies were part of my everyday life and I enjoyed submerging myself in each world. As I grew up, I continued watching movies, specifically of the superhero genre. Once I came to the States in 2015, the idea of becoming a filmmaker occurred to me. I initially rejected the idea, as it was a career field with a lot of uncertainty. However, I took a video/audio production class in my sophomore year where I got more experience creating news segments and realized this was for me. I started making my little videos for YouTube or Instagram along with assignments from that class.
One day, I overheard one of my dad’s friends mentioning a college where one had the chance to go to LA for six months, and I knew I wanted to go there. Shortly after, I discovered the University of Texas at Austin and applied there in my senior year. I was accepted and decided to major in Radio-Television-Film. I quickly realized that some of my peers already had production companies of their own and had done paid work. That was when I decided to brand the content I create, whether it is a music video, short film, or photo session, as MXR Films. I am still in college but also doing some work on the side with the hopes of fully establishing a production company once I graduate.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road has definitely been challenging. First, coming from another country, I am still learning many things every day about how the US works. As I mentioned previously, some of my peers in college had their businesses already running, and since I had only done some videos on my own as passion projects I thought I needed to catch up.
Along with that feeling, dealing with impostor syndrome is not a fun hobby. Now, filmmaking is a very expensive thing to do, so saving up to slowly build up MXR Films is also a lot of work.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a filmmaker and photographer. So, I make films and take pictures. I would love to keep doing narrative films, music videos, and portrait and headshot photography. I believe I am known for my good attitude and treatment of others within the UT Austin filmmaking community. When it comes to being proud, I guess I will have to say being accepted into UT Austin is still a big achievement for me, so I remind myself of it whenever I am not feeling great.
Especially since it is extremely easy to compare yourself with others in this field. So, in order to differentiate myself, I just tend to follow my gut and trust my instincts. it is a very vague answer, but I feel like my background and all the experiences I have gone through informing my everyday life decisions.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
I believe loving what you do is key. You could be good at something, but if you do not like it then failure will eventually come. I love being able to express myself creatively through such a rich medium as film.
Contact Info:
- Website: mxrfilms.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mxrfilm/?hl=en
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/mxrlonrubio
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZ47IOOWLpvfHKGMXR19_Uw
Image Credits
Marlon Rubio, Smith Annalise, and Vanderwater
