Working toward making their Hollywood dreams a reality, the Dream Team Talent Academy is progressively moving into the world of feature filmmaking with the help of online media outlets like YouTube.
Writer, producer and director Shade Gumapac, 29, a Bakersfield College theater major, leads the Dream Team cast in reaching their goals of becoming Bakersfield success stories in Hollywood.
Gumapac will also be graduating this semester with a theater arts degree. Additionally, he is a film student at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, where he is studying to be a director.
Dream Team has been in production since 2008.
“I started Dream Team just to get people to get started in film, and have experience in film, because each and every one of these people are passionate toward heading [to Hollywood] in the future,” said Gumapac.
Gumapac gathered with members of his “Star Circle” to discuss their hopes and dreams and what they are doing to achieve their goals.
“There’s a core, which I call the ‘Star Circle;’ they’re the people that are more featured and that are more passionate about acting and they’re willing to do whatever. So whatever I have come up or whatever I want to produce, they’re always there and want to do it.
“These are the people that I’m mainly training to have that kind of experience,” said Gumapac about his fellow actors.
Gumapac is passionate about helping others, and enjoys working with local talent in his films.
“I just want the world to know, and especially this campus, that there are students coming from this group that maybe someday in the future will be going from BC to Hollywood, and that is the goal.”
BC theater major Riki Suzuki, 21, recalls his first encounter with Gumapac and his first encounter with a Dream Team production.
“I remember I saw them in front of the Fine Arts building and I saw Shade with some actors and I thought, ‘Hey, they’re shooting some kind of film or student film or something.’ And I said, ‘I wish I was part of it,'” said Suzuki.
Gumapac and Suzuki met shortly after that and discussed how they felt about acting and film and also about the possibilities of working together. The two realized that they had a lot in common and decided to start making movies together.
Suzuki has been filming with the Dream Team crew since December 2009 and feels that the relationship has been a blessing for him.
“Above all, everything’s been fun, and I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Suzuki said.
Dream Team primarily films love stories or soap-opera-type romances. Gumapac’s vision for his future includes making these types of movies in Hollywood and beyond. He also feels that comedy is not one of his strong suits; however, he would like to explore horror-type features sometime in the future.
“My goal in the future is to be making love stories. No comedies, I don’t do well with comedy, I think. So writing, producing and directing love stories are what I’m getting into right now, so that’s what we’re doing,” said Gumapac.
One of Dream Team’s actors who takes on more of the romantic leads, business major Brian Aguirre, 21, loves the crowds that gather to watch as they film in public.
“I love [acting]. It’s fun, it’s exciting and I get a rush doing it,” said Aguirre who admits that, though he has always been interested in acting, he was a bit timid about performing until he met Gumapac, who helped him overcome his shyness.
Laurence Chien, 22, who will be graduating with a biology degree this semester, is another of Dream Team’s romantic male leads.
Chien, who has been passionate about acting from a young age, was also in the recent BC production “Twilight: Los Angeles 1992” in which he played five different roles.
“I’ve been passionate about acting since around sixth grade, and I’ve always wanted to be an actor and star in some kind of film. I always thought it was cool and not just because of the fame and the money, but because of the love of the game and all that,” said Chien.
“[Shade] taught me a lot about acting, a lot about Hollywood and how everything works,” Chien said before he proceeded to thank Gumapac for helping him with his acting, as did the others before they embraced in a group hug surrounding Gumapac.
As one of the first Dream Team cast members, Jessie Maldonodo, 18, has a continuous role in one of Dream Teams features titled “Flames.” Like the other Dream Team members, Maldonado has been an aspiring actress for most of her life.
Additionally, she thanks Gumapac for his efforts to keep the group motivated in reaching their goals.
“I’ve always had a passion for acting and singing, and I’ve always wanted to model and dance,” said Maldonodo who added, “If I could make it in one of those, it would be like reaching one of my all time goals in life.”
“Shade found all of us, and he sees potential in all of us to get us up there and get us to Hollywood,” Maldonodo said.
The group is also planning a road trip to Hollywood to film and experience in the ambiance of the L.A. film scene and culture.
For now, though, Dream Team is airing their productions via YouTube to gain exposure and also to garner critiques from fans and critics alike.
“So us doing a little something for YouTube to start off gives us that chance to actually learn or experience how we look in film, how people are going to accept us in film — you know, people who will be watching,” said Gumapac.
He added, “A lot of people have been watching us online, giving us good feedback and negative as well, which is good because it’s what we need in order to grow.”
Dream Team films their features at different locations throughout Bakersfield like public parks and the BC campus.
“As far as filming on campus, it’s always been amazing and a lot of people here have been so supportive. Our teachers have known about us and have given us praise and encouragement,” said Gumapac.
There are over 30 people currently with Dream Team, and Gumapac’s Star Circle has about 12 members, though it is growing.
Gumapac also offers an invitation for other like-minded, aspiring actors to check out their films and contact them if they are interested in working together.
“Whoever out there that is passionate about acting and wants to do something like this, feel free to get a hold of me or any one of us, ’cause I wanna take a look at what you got,” said Gumapac.
Dream Team’s films can be viewed at www.youtube.com/thedreamteamtalent.