Local Producer Has Show On CW; His Main Goal is To Help El Paso

We've seen some local filmmakers do some amazing work in the world of cinema & television; take for example Day Shift was a #1 movie directed by an El Pasoan, & we've seen local films win at the Cannes Film Festival.

Lately if you've watched The CW channel, you've probably seen the show DOLOS; which is shot entirely in El Paso, Socorro & Las Cruces. Originally it was a short film created for a film festival in April that would later get picked up by The CW on August 28th.

The show has gaining a lot of popularity, and was even featured on Fit Fam encouraging people to watch it.

But this article is to showcase the people BEHIND DOLOS. The show was produced by Caleb Lara & main writer Rafael Prieto. I had to pleasure of talking to Caleb about DOLOS & the production that went on behind the show.

One thing about Caleb is that is NOT his first show. He's produced shows for The CW for the last 7 years; Elevate El Paso is another program that airs on The CW.

Getting your stuff on national television is incredible, but after having the pleasure of talking to Caleb, I realize that's only PART of his goal as a filmmaker:

"Personally, my inspiration for producing Dolos is founded on the thought of having local creatives be able to display their talent. It is a way for us to have something we could totally call an El Paso Original with everything being done locally. My goal is to bring together as many creatives as possible and help the creative scene be further solidified in El Paso. Rafael Prieto, tells me that his inspiration for the story came from a desire of doing something that was innovative but felt familiar at the same time. He says, “ I want other creatives to grow along with us and for everyone to think outside the box.”"

Creating a show for a national network such as The CW definitely has its challenges, as Caleb explains:

"Honestly, the biggest challenges aren’t so much working with the stations, they are typically great all around and very helpful. The struggles come in the logistics of the actual production side; we are now filming episode five, and at this point, we have worked with five directors, about ten assistant producers, about forty crew members, and a few dozen actors. Here it is important for me to point out the great and hard work our Production Manager, James Pleasant II, has put in. He has really been pivotal to our staying organized, he is an Engineer by trade and has managed to keep all these almost chaotic creative minds in check somehow".

Just because it's a lot of hard work, doesn't mean it come with its rewards & great moments.

"There have been so many awesome and almost surreal moments on this journey that it is hard to pinpoint one, but one of the most impactful aspects of all this has been how it has all come together almost magically. Everything has flowed in quite an amazing way, and often we stand in awe of how many people have gravitated together and how much has come from what seemed to be just a conversation at some point, but I suppose nothing is ever “just” a conversation; the same way that DOLOS has now gone beyond being “just” a TV Show. It is now a factory of dreams for many creatives who come together to collaborate, it has sparked creative juices and inspired several others to start similar projects" - Caleb Lara

Making a film can be a lot of hard work but as we've seen, the work CAN pay off. When I asked Caleb, what advice would he give for inspiring filmmakers/artists/etc, this is what he said:

"The best advice for anyone...is to just do it. Do what you will; act on your dreams, take risks, and above all lose your fears. It will definitely not be easy, and it definitely will bring about scenarios that others could interpret as a failure, but the trick to life is in understanding that action leads to leads more actions, and this leads to momentum before it all starts to “flow.” So long as you have a definite vision you hold in your mind and heart with passion, and take any steps towards it daily you will succeed. There is no other way, life has an undelaying interconnectivity who’s implications are applicable to our dreams and goals".

We definitely wish Caleb & his production team much more success & a huge thank you for representing El Paso to the world in a positive light!

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