From watching movies to building them

Written by: Sophia da Silva 🇧🇷

Headshot of Benjamin Gutierrez. (Emelyn Gomez)

Benjamin Gutierrez grew up going to the movies with his dad.

“It was our weekend plan, you know. When I was a kid, we didn't have much to do, and I grew up in the prime age of franchise films, like Marvel (and) DC,” Gutierrez said.

He said those weekend trips made him fascinated with the visual aspect of movies.

“[They] tell a story in a universal way. Everyone can understand images, it doesn't matter what language you speak,” Gutierrez said, “I feel like art and more especially like film, [it's] the only way you could tell those kinds of stories.”

In high school, he started to experiment with that medium by cutting together his own video game streams.

“It wasn't until college time that I'm now putting my all into this,” Gutierrez said.

Gutierrez is majoring in cinema and media studies and works as a student cinematographer. He’s part of the Maryland Filmmakers, a campus organization for aspiring filmmakers. He’s worked on roughly four projects with them, but he still remembers when his first project was screened at their semesterly festival.

“I was like, ‘Man, my name is right there.’ That's right where it belongs,” Gutierrez said.

When he started at the University of Maryland, Gutierrez was quite shy. Putting himself out there and being part of a filmmaking team of new people didn’t come naturally. 

“I knew that if I wanted to get to where I wanted to be… I'd have to burst through that bubble,” Gutierrez said.

He pushed past his discomfort and anxiety to connect with people who shared and amplified his passion for film.

Photo of the Gutierrez Family. (Courtesy of Benjamin Gutierrez)

During his junior year, Gutierrez realized how much he’d grown while chatting with one of his film professors he had taken a class with as a freshman.

“At that time, I didn't participate in the class. I was the person who sat in the back of the class,” Gutierrez said. “I felt like I wasn't as motivated as I am now and he really noticed that–he noticed that change in me.”

Gutierrez comes from a hardworking family. His mom works in a hospital and his dad in a warehouse, so making them proud is one of the things that motivates him. As a first-generation college student, his oldest sister has become his biggest role model.

“I remember when I was growing up, there would be times where I would just watch her study,” Gutierrez said. 

As graduation nears, Gutierrez is proud of the time he spent at Maryland.

“My family, they had a lot of hardships that they pushed through and because of that, I'm so grateful because I'm in the position that I am right now,” Gutierrez said.

“Your hard work and determination have truly paid off, and I couldn't be prouder of your achievements. Keep shining. Love you little brother.” - Gabriela Cordova