RETROFILMMAVEN

Well, there's no denying it.  I love movies and I know I'm not the only one out there who has a passion for the medium.

 

I was born and raised in a South Jersey suburb about 20 minutes outside of Philly.  Growing up you were bound to find me in one of two places; playing video games with my friends or watching a movie at the local movie theatre.   The local theatre, the Budco Millside Twin, which eventually became the AMC Millside 4, was just a ten minute bike ride away.  Other theatres were just 20-30 minutes away so needless to say, every weekend, assuming I wasn't grounded, I was always asking my parents to drop me off at the theatre.  

 

Movies and moviewatching has been part of most of my life.  I honestly can't remember what my first movie was but I do remember seeing "Laserblast" at the drive-in.  I think we saw "Star Wars" at the drive-in, as well.   I'd have to say I was a strange kid because I wasn't even ten years old and I recall sitting down to watch "Gone With the Wind" with the family and liking it.  Seriously, what kid sits through four hours of mushy stuff and likes it. 

 

In high school I wanted to become a film critic like Siskel & Ebert.  I went to Rowan University and graduated with a degree in Radio/TV/FIlm.   Nearly every job I've held has been related to film in some way.  I've worked in video stores and movie theatres and watched just about anything.  I think I watched the video store's entire horror section. 

 

I gained a new perspective and appreciation for film and the art of filmmaking when I made the move west and arrived in Los Angeles.  I became a background actor and was now working on the sets of the very type of films and TV shows I have watched and admired.  I was working with some big names and often times had to remind myself I was there to do a job.  In addition, I discovered the wonderful world of repertory cinema.  With four prominent repertory theatres in the area, I found cinephile nirvana.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With my film intake increasing exponentially I once again found myself wanting to write and talk about movies even more.   Over the course of a few years I started a small film blog, became a contributing writer, launched my own Youtube channel and now here we are with my own website.   However, in the back of my mind I knew I wanted to make a film one day.

​

Since launching retrofilmmaven.com, formerly ernietrinidad.com, my focus has moved away from film criticism to filmmaking.  In November 2017, I executive produced and wrote the short film "A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE THEATRE" which has played several film festivals, earned some nominations and won a few awards.  Not too bad for your first time out of the gate.

​

I am currently filming a feature length retrospective documentary about the 1986 film "HOWARD THE DUCK" and its fans.

​

I love movies, I love talking about them and now I find myself making them.  

 

Until next time, I'll see you at the movies.

 

-Ernie Trinidad