It may not come to a complete shock that the studio has been working on a new web series-ish mini series called LA FUERZA during the late latter half of 2019, but it may be completely shocking to learn that the new production has been entirely produced in Spanish, for viewing by Latin fans who may have been deprived of a good Indie film in Texas. The studio has completed filming the first episode to the six episode series and plans to have a premiere viewing on January 1st, 2020 for the cast and crew.
Fuerza is the brainchild of D. R. Quintana, who wrote a full feature film under the title of La Fuerte in 2016 during his time crossing the country during several business trips. He says that the original script was written just to pass the time at hotels and to keep him busy during his off time. The initial idea for the series was to include a Vegas-type casino and a large ranch in the middle of West-Texas, but without a solid budget to produce the series the way it was originally intended, the studio pulled talented actors from the Houston area and produced a smaller fraction of the story that will be given a chance to flourish on the smaller screens of the internet.
The series cast is led by veteran actress, Maque Garcia, who takes the part of "Ana" and has worked with the studio on several projects, but most identified for her performances as "Holly McAdams" on The Secret of ANGELIKA5 which ran from 2009 to 2014; produced entirely in Montgomery County. Her other works with the studio have been a plethora of modeling and short films that were received with positive reviews. She has worked on Spanish networks in Houston for over ten years, being featured as a weather lady, traffic consultant and news investigator on Telemundo and Univision stations in Houston, Texas.
Garcia also stepped up her efforts on Fuerza, becoming the Executive Producer, ensuring that the all English written scripts were translated into Spanish properly and to ensure proper performance during screenplay just before filming began. She was beside the director during every take, taking notes, correcting Spanish grammar when required to ensure the best delivery in each scene, and she helped procure a location for the entire series first two episodes. Her tenure as an asset to the studio has proven to be the best element for success as we begin to transition from series projects to full feature films in 2020.
A surprise casting decision was made for Sonia Reyes to play "Teresa" in this new dramatic series. She played her role in a blistering performance as the antagonist for the leading character, even though it was her first time on a set, acting in front of a camera. Reyes came into the scope of Quintana's during the production effort on Wives of Bellaire, which initially went into production in 2018 but abruptly came to a halt. Her small role in a bank robbery as an extra, won Quintana's admiration through a smartly performed [and improvised] interview as a "witness to a crime."
When the studio decided to put the project into production, Quintana did not hesitate to contact Reyes and bring her to the show. The director felt that the part of "Teresa" required a stern actress to play the character who actually looked the part with forceful facial features and still deliver a sexy look to entice a larger response from male viewers. Episode one is considered one of the best performances by a new comer for the studio and Quintana was very proud of Reyes' delivery at the end of the episode. She is expect to expand her talents to the show for the entire season, playing two roles but delivering dramatic performances to captivate audiences for a possible second extension of the series.
The studio was also desiring a strong male lead for the Latin soap opera-ish series, so Quintana called in another veteran actor for the show, the handsome Omar Scanu. His background has national origins from Puerto Rico, so he has had to adjust his Spanish dialect for Fuerza to match up with the other Latin actors. He has participated in Houston as a professional male model, as a commercial DJ "scratch" performer, and film director. Scanu plays the character of Manuel "Manny" Mancha in the show, a Houston Police Detective who is trying to solve the murder of a local businessman.
Scanu has worked on several projects with the studio from 2010 to 2016; a small role in The Secret of ANGELIKA5 both the web series & the movie which is currently in production, and the leading role in WISHBONES, a one episode sizzle reel that won accolades for dramatic presentation. His addition to Fuerza was no accident as whenever the studio has required the need for a well versed actor for dramatic performance, Omar's name has often surfaced as the best choice for setting his mark in that production as he is always well prepared and provides keen insight to developing likeable solid characters on film each time he takes a role.
Fuerza will also star Dulce Garcia [from Mexico], Salma Flores [of Katy, TX], Huberto Villarreal [of Houston], David Kurfner [of Humble, TX], and Saira Ramos [of Houston, TX]. The series is set to launch on January 1st on a special Facebook page listed here.
Bernice Felton R. R.
[Contributing Writer]
