Meet Tom Musca: filmmaker & professor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tom Musca and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tom, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
Since I’ve been an independent contractor and business owner in the arts for decades, I don’t see a clear demarcation line between work/life balance since it doesn’t make sense to try and control creative impulses. The American novelist William Faulkner was staring out the window lost in thought when he was interrupted by his wife urging him to get back to work. He turned to her and calmly said, “I am working.”

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I made Hollywood-type movies for a few decades but now that I’m teaching at the U of Miami I’m concentrating on lower budget film/TV projects I can green light myself.  I have one on HBO now called MAKE LOVE GREAT AGAIN and my next film, a comedy called CHATEAU VATO, will premiere on HBO in November.  

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Miami is full of folks acting out. You don’t need anybody’s permission to sing in high decibels, dance on top of a car, or prove that wearing clothes is more of a suggestion than a hard and fast rule. Which makes a quiet afternoon sipping a mojito by the bay that much more to savour. 

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My mother taught me to see. Not just look, but to peel away the layers and get to the core.  Toni Morrison said, “If you are really alert, then you see the life that exists beyond the life that is on top.”  

Website: chateauvato.com
Facebook: Tom Musca

Image Credits
Photo of the vertical Chateau Vato poster with Paul Rodriguez & Elpidia Carrillo is by Jorge Parra. Photo of the horizontal Chateau Vato poster with Paul Rodriguez & Richard Haylor in the tuxedos is by Karli Evans. N/A for all other Tom Musca and his students.