Directed and Produced by Lorena Cortez, this short documentary highlights Clave Especial, a corrido band from Salinas, CA, whose members come from farmworker roots and humble beginnings. Through their musical talent, they’ve risen to national acclaim, embarking on their first sold-out U.S. tour. Created specifically for Instagram Reels, the production required intentional shot selection and storytelling within the constraints of a 9:16 aspect ratio.
Lorena served as producer, hiring crew, managing the budget, and location scouting, while acting as the primary liaison between the Los Angeles Times and her team to ensure a seamless production.
As the Director, she also developed a list of meaningful interview questions for the band and co-edited the final cut. The video resonated widely, garnering over 286K+ views, 10.3K+ likes, and overwhelmingly positive audience engagement on their De Los Angeles Times Instagram profile.
Crew:
Director/Editor/Producer - Lorena Cortez
Executive Producer - Diana Ramirez-Santacruz
Director of Photography/Editor - Jezrael Gandara
1st Assistant Director - Enrique Labrada-Prieto
Gaffer - Dominic Cabrera
Grip and Electric - Samuel Hyatt
Jalo Fest Footage - Jaime Ibanez
Behind The Scenes - Erick Salazar
Cast:
Lead Singer - Alejandro Ahumada
Guitar - Leonardo Lomeli
Basist - Rogelio Gonzales
