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Expressing Art Through
Filmmaking
My journey into
filmmaking came at the
early age of five.
Although, I knew I
wanted to be involved in
the entertainment
business, I never
thought it would lead me
to becoming an
entrepreneur. I did know
that one day I would
become a writer and
director for hire. I
never thought I would
own my own company. As
an independent filmmaker,
it was important early
on to form a production
company to produce my
films under even if they
were short films. In
2005, I founded 4
Elements Entertainment,
a film and new media
company focusing on
diverse content. Many of
my short films, new
media spots, spec
commercials were all
produced by 4 Elements
Entertainment early on.
Anytime I was hired to
do a spot or short film,
it was always under 4
Elements Entertainment.
In 2007, Anheseur Busch
hired me to produce new
media content
highlighting some of the
non-profit organizations
that they support in the
Latin Community.
The spots were to be
showcased on
LatinoBud.com I felt
this was a great
opportunity to explore
and break old
stereotypes of the way
Latinos had been
portrayed in the media.
The web created videos
branched off into
creating diverse content
for other leading
organizations and is
gaining recognition in
the new wave of media
advertising.
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Shawna Baca is
the director and
producer of 4
Elements
Entertainment
and a 2008 Anna
Maria Arias
Memorial
Business Fund
recipient. |
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Last year was great by
first being recognized
by the City of Los
Angeles and La Opinion
Magazine as the 2008
“Mujeres Destacadas”
Award for my
contribution as a
filmmaker in Los Angeles.
In September 2008, I was
awarded in Washington
D.C. with a Latina
Entrepreneur Award at
the Latina Symposium and
the recipient of the
2008 Anna Maria Arias
Memorial Business Fund.
The recognition and
embracement of leading
Latino organizations
have helped me realize
that this path has
always been a part of my
journey.
As a filmmaker, I have a
freedom to express my
art, and as a Latina I
feel I have a
responsibility to create
positive images of my
culture and stand for a
diverse population. As a
female, I look up to
women like Anna Maria
Arias, who had the
courage and strength to
start LATINA Style
Magazine and to manifest
her dreams into a
reality. At the National
LATINA Symposium,
I met women such as U.S.
Treasurer Anna Escobedo
Cabral and CEO of the
National Society of
MBA’s, Lourdes Hassler.
To watch these women
speak at the podium and
the contributions they
give as leaders of their
industries and their
passion for their Latin
heritage makes me feel
compelled to stand even
taller for what my
contributions may be to
this country. These
woman are not only
leaders in their
industries, they are
mothers and wives. It
made me feel proud to be
honored that night in
front of women I look up
to. To be able to see
that I can be part of a
greater system of change,
the focus on how we see
a global community, how
we are identified and
viewed as minorities,
and how through media I
have a voice and a
choice to be part of
this change.
I believe that being an
entrepreneur is about
taking a stand for what
you believe in and not
only have I been honored
in Anna Maria Arias’
memory, I was given a
scholarship to attend
the Tuck School of
Business at Dartmouth
University. This is a
torch that she has kept
the flames burning and
years from now I can
only hope to pay it
forward to other Latinas
who will stand up for
what they believe in and
know that they can do it
too. Nothing is
impossible and when you
believe in something
with passion, dedication
and hard work, you will
be successful.
By Shawna Baca |
