Today we’d like to introduce you to Alfonso Aguirre.
Please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
For as long as I can remember, I always loved the arts. Singing, playing guitar, drawing, acting, photography – you name it. I took theater classes when I was in high school because I had to, but what I really wanted was to be a musician. My theater teacher saw something in me and encouraged me to keep acting, but I didn’t listen – I wanted to be the next Bono or Kurt Cobain. 🙂 I was in a few bands and recorded demos and an album with a band called Zubersiva, in Monterrey, Mexico. We got one of our songs to play on the radio and we actually played gigs and sold a bunch of records. It was a great experience.
A few years later, I moved to Texas and stopped making music. I worked at a medical school and I had health coverage, job security and nice co-workers. But I wasn’t happy. I was not being creative, so I was bored.
One day, I woke up after a dream that felt very real in it, I was a successful actor, and I felt like that was a message. I told my wife about it and she suggested I looked for acting classes here – at least it would be a fun thing to do weekly. So, I did. I took classes at The Next Level Acting Studios in the Houston Heights and my instructors were very encouraging. They suggested I looked for an agent. I visited Page Parkes and they immediately took me in. I felt very welcome and took classes there too, eventually getting representation with them.
In the year and a half that I’ve been with them, I’ve been hired for commercials, short films, modeling, photoshoots and more. My life has changed completely. I am not where I want to be yet, but I am closer to it than I’ve ever been, so I am very happy.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Being a full-time actor is hard, in general. A very big part of our time is going to auditions. It’s like interviewing for a job several times a month. It requires a lot of driving back and forth, car repair expenses, gas, travel time and of course, taking classes and perfecting your craft. Sometimes you might get an audition, then a callback and then never hear back. You have no control in the decision-making process, and even if you do everything right, sometimes you may not be booked. It’s part of the deal. But sometimes you may go to an audition and go straight to booking. There are a few times in which an audition isn’t even required – those are the best! But you have to be able to take everything that comes with it. Good and not so good. It hasn’t been smooth, but I’ve had encountered a group of very supportive people along the way. I am grateful for that!
CUPID-19 (Short Film) – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Ever since I moved to Texas in 2010, I have been involved in fitness photography as my side job. I’ve had some of my photos published in local, regional, and international magazines and websites. I always loved the aesthetics of the athletic physique, so it was one of my interests, besides social and event photography. When I decided to become an actor, I realized that I had to stop “playing it safe”. I never committed to photography full time, just like I didn’t do it for music, or my nine to five jobs. This time it was going to be different: no more Plan B’s.
As an actor, I am proud of having been cast in about 14 commercials, four short films and four print gigs on my first year alone. I went to over 40 auditions. I now teach at Page Parkes Corporation and try to motivate my students to follow their dreams – it’s never too late!
Today I want to talk to you about CUPID-19. My main goal for 2020 was to direct my first short film, which was scheduled to shoot in April. While on lockdown, I had the idea for a short film: what if we were to stay on mandatory lockdown indefinitely? With one camera, computer screen capture and zoom, my team and I put together this experimental film in just six days, from script to final edit. CUPID-19 is now in three film festivals, and I am very proud of it. I would like to thank my amazing team, with Ofonmbuk Solomon, Rianne Rivadeneira and Cheri Ben-Dov. The film is available to stream for free on our website. And thank you Voyage Houston for sharing our story of hope!
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
To me, success means not giving up. You won’t accomplish your goals if you quit trying. Every time we fail, we should see it as learning a new way of ‘how not to’ do things. And then try again in a different way. I believe success should not be measured in bank account numbers, but in how happy one feels. Some rich people feel miserable, while others with more modest budgets live long, happy, wholesome lives. To me, these last ones are successful.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.cupid19film.com
- Email: cupid19film@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/cupid19film
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/cupid19film
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/alfonso_aguirre
Image Credit:
Hammer Photo, Select Studios Photography, Nicole Freitag Photography, GrantFoto, Priscila Garcia, Alfonso Aguirre Rocking Photography
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