Skills Workshop: Independent Film Directing
with Filmmaker Kris Mercado
In partnership with White Elephant Group
Join award-winning Latinx filmmaker Kris Mercado for an intimate workshop on directing short and feature content with a limited budget. This comprehensive session begins with a screening of one of Mercado’s award-winning low budget short films, providing insight into what’s possible with limited resources.
Following the screening, Mercado will lead an in-depth presentation sharing his strategies for directing both short and feature-length projects with minimal budgets, including best practices for creating captivating content that both an audience and studio executives would love.
The session continues with an intimate Q&A where participants can dive deeper into specific challenges and get guidance from Mercado’s experience in independent filmmaking. The event concludes with a networking event, allowing attendees to connect with fellow filmmakers.
Whether you’re just starting out or looking to refine your approach to low-budget filmmaking, this workshop offers insights from a filmmaker who has navigated the independent film landscape and earned recognition for his work.
About the Speaker:
Raised between New York’s Spanish Harlem and Puerto Rico, Kris Mercado discovered his passion for the arts at an early age, often using film as a form of escapism. His psychedelic animated short Nuevo Rico debuted at the 2021 SXSW Festival, garnering the prestigious Animation Jury Award, and is currently being developed into a full-length feature film.
Earlier this year, Mercado directed his first feature film entitled If You Were the Last, written by Angela Bourassa. The film is a warm and comedic investigation of life and love, set on a rocket ship adrift in space.
Mercado has directed content for Billie Eilish, Bad Bunny, Awkwafina, Eric Andre, Spotify, Adidas, Corona, Miller, Topo Chico, Alienware, De La Soul, MF DOOM, Planned Parenthood, Gatorade, and Adult Swim, among others. He has also solidified a place in today’s comedy scene, directing specials for Michael Che, Ilana Glazer, Taylor Tomlinson, Hannibal Buress, Sam Jay, Phoebe Robinson, and Aida Rodriguez.
With work that has screened at numerous festivals, Mercado has a distinct voice for addressing issues of identity, family, and systemic oppression across race and class. His work is celebrated for its poetic portrayal of working-class struggles and highlighting the gaps between love and loss. Mercado has several scripts in the works, laying vital groundwork for the next phase in his career.
Date/Time
Saturday, July 12, 2025
3 – 5 p.m.
Oolite Arts Satellite Space
7297 NW 2nd Ave.
Miami FL. 33150
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