Interview: Filmmaker Shirley Cruz
Shirley Cruz is a bilingual multimedia content creator based in NYC. She is a Cinematographer, Photographer, Director, and FAA Certified Pilot in Command. She currently shoots, directs, edits, and produces for digital, television, film, commercial, print, and new media content. Her clients include: NBC Universal, Woodridge Productions, DIRECTV, AT&T, Soze, Bare Necessities, XXL Mag, ATTN, Spotify, Gibson Guitars, Tic Tac, Make Up For Ever, Flag Award, Asana Rebel, K+12, Conde Nast and more. In Season One of High Herstory, Shirley brings an anarchist and orator, Lucy Parsons, to life. You will spy her playing many supporting characters throughout the season, and she also ran camera or was shooting BTS on almost every single episode. We could not have done it without Shirley Cruz!
She chatted with us about what she’s passionate about, our fun times on set, and her production company, Extra Syrup.
High Herstory: Tell us about yourself, what are your passions?
Shirley Cruz: I am a bilingual multimedia content creator based in NYC. I am a Cinematographer, Photographer, Director, and FAA Certified Pilot in Command. I currently shoot, direct, edit, and produce for digital, television, film, commercial, print, and new media content.
I was born and raised in New York City and have been able to call this my home my entire life. I am first generation American and grew up in a bilingual household. I was an only child and spent a lot of time in front of a television screen (aka my informal babysitter). It’s how I learned and taught myself and my mother English. The hours spent watching TV from a young age shaped my interest in film, photography, directing and storytelling. I knew that I wanted to be in that world, but I wasn’t exactly sure in what capacity. I attended Frank Sinatra School of the Arts as a Double Major in Drama and Music. My time there really piqued my interest in writing and shooting short films driven by strong characters based on real life stories. During my college years I started working in the fashion realm during the inception of the social media boom for Gucci, Burberry, and Custo Barcelona.
After college I leveled up and started working in television, commercial work, documentaries, and films. In 2015 I started working for DIRECTV Latin America as a Producer/Shooter/Editor and worked on the Rio Olympics, World Cup, and launched HBO’s streaming services to the US Hispanic and Latin American countries. I also worked in the camera department for Season 2 and 3 of Orange is the New Black, and day played on a variety of TV shows shot in NYC, such as Blue Bloods, Law and Order SVU, The Knick, The Blacklist, The Following and more. I later joined Condé Nast Entertainment as their first unofficial female and BIPOC staff Studio Videographer and Coordinating Studio Producer and worked across all their brands. In 2019 I launched my own full scale production company Extra Syrup. I currently reside in Astoria, Queens.
Motto: Stick to the side roads.
High Herstory: Tell us what it was like to play Lucy Parsons?
Shirley Cruz: It was fun exploring and developing her character since she predates film and there weren’t many things to reference her on. I shaped her character around literature and photographs that I found of her— specifically her infamous quote “ I am an Anarchist” I literally thought of the Sex Pistols Song “Anchary in the UK” and got transformed into my punk rock self of kicking ass and giving no fucks, flipping the bird and not caring. #Unapologetic #NotSorry
High Herstory: You play supporting characters, were a camera operator, and were an all-around pivotal contributor on Season One. Do you have a favorite moment from on set?
Oh gosh, where do I begin! I mean, getting into costume is probably the funnest. Seriously the moment someone puts on a wig you see a huge personality shift. You see everyone around you slowly transform into their character. I loved twinning with Annette, I loved playing Kendall’s wife, I loved the times that the dogs would walk into frame.
High Herstory: What was the funniest moment?
Shirley Cruz: Probably Jenny giving birth and Zombie Iman delivering it haha!
High Herstory: As an actress and crew member what made you want to be a part of a project that is pro-cannabis?
Shirley Cruz: So many reasons. What drew me first was the fact the High Herstory provided a platform for women created by women. As a Cannabis advocate myself, I love pushing the boundaries in a space that’s predominantly male.
High Herstory: How has the prohibition of cannabis affected your life?
Shirley Cruz: The hoops and ladders people have to go through to get a good connect. I think it’s really dumb how neighboring states sell recreational weed, but yet NY hasn’t stepped up to the plate. It will just encourage people to head across the river as soon as it’s legal in NJ.
High Herstory: You were boots on the ground this summer during the protests in NYC. Can you tell us a little about that experience?
Shirley Cruz: I don’t want to say it was eye opening because, as a minority this is a constant reality to my life. If anything from this experience, I have learned to sympathize instead of getting angry at people with white privilege that are just discovering the atrocities that plague our communities of color.