Click on the image below to see Reuben’s work featured on Creative Humans
Reuben Hernandez, director and cinematographer, is featured on Creative Humans
director
Her Favorite Patient nominated for Best Comedy Short and Best Ensemble - Narrative Short /
We’re excited to announce that Her Favorite Patient is nominated for Best Comedy Short and Best Ensemble - Narrative Short at the 11th annual Queens World Film Festival! Congrats to our cast Barbara Miluski, Isabelle Pierre, Clay Russell, our writer/producer Brady Evan Walker, and our entire crew! I’m honored to share this recognition with our cast and crew and grateful that Queens World Film Festival has selected our film to screen live at their festival this year.
Thanks to everyone that came out to our live screening in Long Island City on Saturday. It’s nice to have the collective experience of sharing our work in person on the big screen once again, and it feels like we’re starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Her Favorite Patient, a film by Reuben Hernandez, is nominated for Best Comedy Short and Best Ensemble - Narrative Short at the 11th annual Queens World Film Festival
Her Favorite Patient, a film by Reuben Hernandez, is nominated for Best Comedy Short
Her Favorite Patient, a film by Reuben Hernandez, is nominated for Best Ensemble - Narrative Short
Settling Up screening at Malarkey Film Festival /
My short film, Settling Up, will screen at the Malarkey Film Festival in the Malarkey X Blackmagic: Introductory Micro Shorts competition on June 17th at 6 pm EST. This is a FREE virtual event, with a $10 Suggested Donation. All donations for this event go directly to Public Assistants and you can RSVP here.
Settling Up, a film by Reuben Hernandez and written by Brady Evan Walker
Malarkey Film Festival
Malarkey Film Festival Malarkey X Blackmagic: Introductory Micro Shorts
Settling Up film director Reuben Hernandez
Reuben Hernandez Studios 10 Year Anniversary /
Photo by Evan Burgher, March 2010
Today marks the 10 year anniversary of Reuben Hernandez Studios and being independent/self-employed. Ten years ago I quit my full time job at Oakley, Inc., hopped on a plane bound for Mozambique, and never looked back. It has been a wild journey with a lot of unexpected turns including the current crisis were are all living.
I dedicate the past 10 years of my business to my dear friend and mentor Brian Robbins, who sadly and unexpectedly lost his life to cancer on February 2, 2020. I had known Brian and his family for nearly 16 years, and he believed in me, took a chance on me, and gave me my first real job at Oakley Inc. We continued to be friends and I considered him a mentor and guiding light to this day. Brian showed me a tremendous amount of courage when he quit his job to start his creative journey. Little did I know that I would soon follow in his footsteps four years later, quit the job that he gave me, and embark on my own creative journey. There is a piece of Brian in every business and creative decision I've made over the past 10 years. He showed me what it looks like to be a loving father and husband well before I became one myself. Thank you Brian for shaping and molding me into the person I am today, both personally and professionally.
As I reflect over the last ten years, I have a lot of memories, feelings, and emotions. I'm so grateful that my family and I are healthy and safe in the midst of the current COVID-19 epidemic. We live in New York City, now considered the US epicenter. I have to admit we sometimes suffer from moral fatigue, and I get anxiety when I leave the apartment to buy groceries or mail a package. Taking my daughter outside for walks feels like human frogger trying to maintain a safe social distance from all other humans. My daughter seems to be doing ok, is happy, and joyful. It's been beautiful and absolutely wonderful watching her grow up. I love my family dearly and couldn't imagine having to survive this without them by my side. Today Leuca turns 18 months old, which means she is officially a toddler.
Below are some discoveries and key learnings I’ve taken to heart over the past decade.
"If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed."
- Naval Admiral William H. McRaven, The University of Texas at Austin, May 17, 2014
Ever since I watched this commencement speech, I have made my bed every single day. "If you make your bed every morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride and will encourage you to do another task, and another, and another... Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that the little things in life matter." I've extended my morning ritual to include grinding coffee beans and making pour over coffee. This morning ritual gives me a small sense of pride and accomplishment. Making and drinking my morning coffee is my moment of peace and calm, before I start the day. Yesterday I made chocolate chip banana bread from scratch with a lot of love that my daughter thoroughly enjoyed. While I made this bread, I got lost in the process and the moment and completely forgot that we are in the middle of a crisis. It was a therapeutic moment of joy and peace. Keep creating and making stuff. Make things out of love. It's a form of therapy and will get you through a crisis. My family and I celebrated my 10 year anniversary by breaking and eating banana bread together. The little things and the little victories in life do matter. Here’s the banana bread recipe if you’d like to make it.
Family First
Being self-employed has afforded a flexible schedule and allowed me to spend more quality time with my family. At the end of the day, I want to be remembered as a loving father and husband, someone that loved my family dearly. As much as I love my work, I love my family more. If Reuben Hernandez Studios does not survive me, my family will. And they also love me back (as far as I know).
Motherhood, Antarctica © 2015 Reuben Hernandez
Motherhood, Arctic Norway © 2014 Reuben Hernandez
Be Kind And Respect Everyone
Kindness goes a long way and you never know who will hire you next. My friend Evan Burgher took the jumping tank photo of me at the top. We met at Oakley, Inc. and have been friends for over thirteen years. Even is also independent and we’ve worked together hiring each other numerous times over the past decade. Evan flew me out to Dallas last month for a job.
Get A Mentor
Find someone to help you get through life and succeed. Shoutout to Brian Robbins, Greg Harvey, and the mentors and leaders I have had and learned from in my life.
The Train Is Moving Forward. Get On or Off.
I embraced this concept when I directed and produced my narrative short film "Maddie". People will come and go; however, the project is moving forward regardless. There were so many lessons learned on that set. You can accomplish anything with a great team, heart, and dedication. People will come and go in business and in life. Never give up.
In closing, I will share some COVID-19 resources that may be of interest to you. The NYC Department of Small Businesses is offering employee retention grants and zero interest loans for NYC businesses. More info here. Adobe, Squarespace, Quickbooks, and other companies are offering COVID-19 relief. Delta has been incredibly flexible with their cancellation and flight change policy (we cancelled our flight to Aruba last week). Local restaurants Anella and Jimmy’s Diner have offered pay what you can takeout meals. Yoga With Adrienne is helping me survive. You can watch 75 SXSW 2020 short films online for free and here are 15 Short Films Now Streaming From Great Directors: Nolan, Waititi, and More (including Waititi’s Oscar winner). Individuals and businesses are doing beautiful things for the community. I’m hopeful and confident we will flatten the curve and get through this.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart to my family, friends, collaborators, casts, crews, and clients that have supported and believed in me over the past decade. I wouldn’t be here without you.
Stay healthy and safe. Sending lots of love and virtual banana bread.
Best Thoughts,
Reuben
Director's Reel /
Reuben Hernandez | 2019 Director’s Reel
I’m excited to share my new director’s reel featuring some of my film work over the last five years. A huge shoutout to my cast, crews, supporters, and collaborators that have helped bring these projects to life. Thanks for watching.
Filmed on location in NYC, Antarctica, Arctic Norway, Chile, and Yellowknife
Airbnb Sketch NYC /
New work for Airbnb
Airbnb Sketch Your Way Around NYC
Director Andrew Klein
Director of Photography Reuben Hernandez
Sound mixer Nick Heppding
Post production Airbnb
Produced by Reflector
Lighthouse International Film Festival /
Lighthouse International Film Festival was an incredible experience and is hands down one of my favorite film festivals. I had the opportunity to meet and learn from Guy Nattiv, Oscar winning director of Skin, and numerous other talented filmmakers and industry people. Some friends and fellow Filmshop members screened at LIFF and it was fun seeing so many familiar faces. My family also enjoyed attending the festival and my 8 month old daughter ate lobster for the first time, thanks to Charlotte and the rest of the crew at the hospitality house. I highly recommend the festival and will definitely be coming back. Thanks to the entire team at Lighthouse Intl FF for such a memorable and wonderful experience!
Q&A with Guy Nattiv, writer/director of the opening feature film, Skin, and some cast members
I met Guy Nattiv and attended his filmmaking masterclass. Guy won the Oscar this year for best live action short film for his short, Skin.
My 8 month old daughter Leuca enjoying the view and lobster at the filmmaker hospitality house
Q&A following the screening of my short film, Settling Up. Photo by Clayton Dean Smith
Lisa and I in front of the Long Beach Island Historical Museum
Congrats to all of my fellow Filmshop members that screened at LIFF!
Settling Up Film Premiere Sunday June 9th /
My narrative short film Settling Up will premiere Sunday, June 9th, at 1:30 pm at Long Beach Island Historical Museum (129 Engleside Avenue, Beach Haven, NJ 08008, USA) in competition at Lighthouse International Film Festival, one of MovieMaker’s “Coolest 25 Film Festivals in the World”. Settling Up will also screen alongside Filmshop short films If the Shoe Fits by Cinder Chou and Self(Ish) by Dani Tennenbaum. Oscar winner Guy Nattiv will open the festival with his narrative feature film, Skin, and Sundance documentary American Factory will close the festival.
Check out the full program here and schedule here. We are so excited to screen at LIFF and hope to see you there!
Settling Up Film Festival Premiere at Lighthouse International Film Festival /
I’m excited to announce my latest short film, Settling Up, will have its film festival premiere at Lighthouse International Film Festival, one of MovieMaker’s “Coolest 25 Film Festivals in the World.” The festival will take place June 6-9 on Long Beach Island and stay tuned for screening info. Thanks to our cast and crew for all of your hard work and we hope to see you there!
Directed by Reuben Hernandez
Written by Brady Evan Walker
Produced by Reuben Hernandez, Maryann Alspaugh, and Brady Evan Walker
Production Sound Mixer and Sound Design by Ash Knowlton / Silver Sound
Edited and colored by Patrice D. Bowman
Made in collaboration with the Filmshop collective
Marina del Rey Film Festival /
Thank you, Los Angeles and the Marina del Rey Film Festival. That was an incredibly special and unforgettable experience sharing my film, Maddie, with you on the big screen. A big thank you to everyone that came out and supported our film. I'm forever grateful and look forward to doing it again soon!
making a movie /
I’m 3 months into making my short film, knee deep in preproduction with casting, meetings, trying to coordinate a complicated stunt on the streets of NYC, and a whole list of other things. I’m all in pouring my heart and soul into this project, switched to 7 day workweeks, and forget to eat lunch sometimes. Despite feeling overwhelmed and alone at times, I also feel empowered and able to bring this project to life in a beautiful and compelling way. So many people have been supportive, generous, and willing to help, even strangers (friends of friends of friends of friends of friends, etc.) that don’t even know me. I can’t thank you enough. And I’m learning something new and growing every moment along the way. I absolutely love it and I’m beyond grateful.
I’m blown away by the hundreds of actors that have responded to my casting call. Thank you! I wish I could audition every single one of you, but that is impossible. The amount of talent/passion/dedication/hard work out there is truly remarkable. Keep kicking ass. You inspire me.
I have high hopes for this film and am working towards completing it in time for the Sundance Film Festival deadline in September. If all goes to plan, principle photography should commence in 3-4 weeks (OMG!)!!
Shit is getting real, real fast. Stay tuned folks…
Much Love,
Reuben