David R. Hernández: “We are just getting started, we are going to change our community.”

“If anyone needs help with the work of my company, especially those who are starting out and don’t have resources, I’ll be there for them,” says David R. Hernández, founder and owner of NightFlare.LA. (Photo_“Rudy Torres”, @visualeyes.la)

His voice is calm, clear, and filled with wisdom. David R. Hernández knows what he wants—to create films, help the community, and offer workshops and assistance to all those who need his help.

“If anyone needs help with the work of my company, especially those who are starting out and don’t have resources, I’ll be there for them,” says David R. Hernández, founder and owner of NightFlare.LA, a film production company.

For David, his childhood was a mix of emotions. His parents had to work and were almost always away from home. “We grew up with nannies, but fortunately, my two brothers and I were very close; we kept each other company, we were quite mischievous,” he says.

Years later, he understood his parents’ plan—to provide a better life for them. His father, René Hernández, was a musician, and his mother, Marian, a businesswoman. “We are the first generation; they wanted us to have a good life. They weren’t there physically, but they always enrolled us in after-school programs, where I was exposed to art classes. My mother was always behind us, maybe that’s why we didn’t get involved in gangs. My mom always told us to work hard, to know what we want,” he adds. “They weren’t at home, but they were present. They did the best they could,” he adds.

The biggest impact on his childhood came at the age of 8 when his parents divorced, but they did it so quietly that they didn’t notice it at that moment. “They did it quietly, sent us to live with an aunt for three months while they dealt with their issues,” DAvid R. Hernández says.

“I like to tell our stories that other media ignore. For our Southeast community, it’s difficult to be recognized, so I’ve stayed in this area to collaborate in doing just that,” he adds. (Photo_“Rudy Torres”, @visualeyes.la)

Filmmaking has always been his passion, although it wasn’t always the case. “I wanted to be like my dad, a musician. In adolescence, I formed some rock music groups; I wanted to be a rock star,” he says, laughing. But that led him to the world of cinema. He started filming some of his concerts and realized that what truly interested him was being a filmmaker.

“I like to tell our stories that other media ignore. For our Southeast community, it’s difficult to be recognized, so I’ve stayed in this area to collaborate in doing just that,” he adds.

His company is the first Southeast Los Angeles (SELA) film production company, and he hopes others join him. “We have to change the narrative; Latinos are not seen. In our community, many tell us that we can’t be artists; they want us to be lawyers or doctors,” he adds. “I just went around and said, ‘fuck it. We can do it.'”

“I booked bands in my community called it Alternative Shows LA.” and saw that it didn’t fulfill him.

“I started my film production company, and then my crew became, Erstor Suares, Joaquin Sandoval, Rudy Torres, Justin Amen, Jesus Villa and Juan Valdovinos,” he adds

“The challenges are getting the funds; there’s no money for the Southeast. That’s why the creation of the SELA Cultural Art Center is so important for the community. All of this will change in 5 or 10 years. I tell my fellow artists that our challenge is to make films with Hollywood standards and a bit more. Hollywood doesn’t see us, so we have to be better, much better than the standards they set,” he said.

“We are just getting started, but things happen in their own time. Right now is our time; we will change what is happening,” he concludes.

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