Local StoriesNovember 18, 2024

Meet Nelson Isava

Local Stories

Today, we’d like to introduce you to Nelson Isava. Nelson was introduced to us by the brilliant and talented Xenia Marcinko.

Nelson, can you walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I actually got started in film and media production a bit later than most! I wish I could say I was like Spielberg, making home movies with an 8mm camera as a kid, but that wasn’t the case. I’ve always been curious and observant, and while my dad and grandpa took me to the cinema often, sparking a sense of wonder, it wasn’t until I was 19 that I realized I could channel that curiosity and my observation of human behavior into artistic expression.

I still vividly remember making my first short film with lifelong friends in Caracas, Venezuela. We had a mini-DV camera, running around, shooting scenes, and then editing the footage together on a PC at home. One scene stood out: a character opening a door to reveal the protagonist on the other side. That single cut, the power of creating that moment, made me realize the magic of filmmaking—the ability to recreate reality and make people believe in what they see. I’ve been chasing that high ever since.

At the same time, I was studying molecular biology at university, partly because I was good at it, and school was free. But I was miserable in the lab, staring at data for hours on end. Eventually, I dropped out and enrolled at the School of Visual Arts in NYC to pursue filmmaking. I was incredibly lucky to have people in my life who supported that choice—I owe so much to them for helping me follow my passion.

After graduation, I worked on two micro-budget feature films, which helped me realize that my love for cinema combined with my scientific training gave me the skills to become both a producer and a director. I love being the person who can handle both roles and get things done. Eventually, I joined Complex Networks as a part-time Associate Producer, and within three years, I was a showrunner overseeing four series at a time. It was trial by fire, but I wouldn’t have had it any other way. The experience taught me so much… and I got to interview former President Barack Obama!

Today, I’m a media producer specializing in documentary series and branded content for digital platforms, as well as micro-budget feature films, through The Magus Films—a company I run alongside the same friends I made those mini-DV movies with. Life has come full circle in the best way. On top of that, I now teach at the School of Visual Arts, where it all started for me. It feels like things are aligning, and I’m excited about what comes next.

Let’s talk about your work and career – what else should we know?
Professionally, I’d describe myself as a creative facilitator. From ideation to execution and distribution, my hands-on, jack-of-all-trades approach allows clients seeking high-production value media to trust that I can oversee and execute through every stage. Whether it’s a documentary series, branded content, or a scripted feature film, I always prioritize the narrative that’s going to resonate emotionally. As a queer Latino filmmaker, my voice and perspective are shaped by my identity, and I approach production through a lens of cultural competency and heart. What sets me apart is my ability to balance both the creative and logistical sides of filmmaking. Early in my career, I learned the value of wearing multiple hats, particularly as a producer and director. My experience allows me to manage production efficiently while safeguarding the creative vision of the client or the voice of the brand. This blend of strategy and artistry is something both clients and collaborators appreciate. My work spans a wide range of formats, and in every case, I strive to ensure things not only happen but happen at the highest level of quality. A lot of my work now revolves around generating new business through marketing and co-production partnerships. I’ve built relationships with clients who trusted me early on, like Complex, which is now a returning client for the Miami arm of my company. They believed in my work back then, and they trust my team now. Most recently, I wrapped production on ATTAGIRL!, a short film funded by two major beauty brands. This falls in line with a growing trend of fashion, beauty, and lifestyle brands choosing cinema as an organic and artful avenue for advertising over traditional ads. We tested this model earlier with a spec ad for BoySmells, which doubles as a short film and is now heading into the festival circuit. We’ve used it not just to garner attention but as a selling tool for future collaborations. I’m excited to be sharing these insights at the Miami Shorts Film Festival, where I’ll be giving a seminar on brand collaborations in filmmaking. This ties directly into my work as a professor at the School of Visual Arts, where I teach the next generation of filmmakers how to navigate the evolving landscape of film production and brand partnerships. What I love most about my work is the collaborative process. Filmmaking is never a solo endeavor, and working with talented teams to bring a shared vision to life is incredibly rewarding—plus, you often make lifelong friends along the way. I also love the challenge of storytelling itself—every project is different, and I’m always learning new ways to engage audiences. Whether it’s a docu-series about financial literacy or a branded piece telling a company’s story, I’m driven by the desire to create something meaningful.

Xenia Marcinko and The Magus Films have been great to us and I know you’ve got a great relationship with them as well. Maybe you can tell our audience a bit about Xenia Marcinko and The Magus Films and your experience with them.
Xenia has been my production partner at The Magus Films and my rep as a director since joining the company. We’ve also been close friends for over two decades, which is wild to think about! She’s a highly accomplished Executive Producer and entrepreneur, someone who has earned the trust of brands and collaborators alike. What I admire most about her is her ability to take on projects that are daunting in scope, break them down in parts and somehow communicating the path to success so clearly, and that’s what makes our partnership so effective.

One of the standout moments in our partnership was our corporate responsibility campaign with BankUnited, which I co-produced alongside Xenia and directed. She was instrumental in bringing that client onboard. Despite the fact that The Magus Films was still growing at the time, she secured their trust in us as a nascent production house. Xenia led the project from the initial pitch to the final green light, showing her skill in building client relationships and navigating the business side of production.

The campaign’s brief centered on addressing high turnover rates during the pandemic recovery period. The client wanted to create a piece that emphasized the value of long-term employees and the opportunities available to them. Xenia and I decided to approach this challenge with a more intimate, emotionally engaging style, focusing on making the narrative feel genuine and heartfelt. The result was a piece that struck the right balance between being on-brand and also deeply sincere—editorial in tone rather than purely corporate. The client loved it, and it remains one of those projects that really set us apart.