Many students at HTLA know Mr. Polish. He is truly a dedicated history teacher; however, not many people know that before he set foot into the classroom, he built an impressive and a little complicated career in the filmmaking world. After I personally interviewed him, I discovered a story filled not only with passion but also with the challenges, victories, and very tough life decisions that shaped the teacher we all know today.
Mr. Polish’s film journey began a long time before he became an educator. In 2016, he graduated with a master’s degree in Film Production from Loyola Marymount University(one of the top film schools in the country!) Around that time, he completed his final short film, which was a part of a collection of approximately five short films that he created throughout his filmmaking career. His unique work was recognized within his programs as well; his final film won Loyola Marymount’s Best Picture Award! Some of his films were even submitted to festivals; however, none of them were able to get successfully funded or get the attention that was needed to launch full-scale productions.
After Mr. Polish graduated from school, he shifted his focus from short films to feature-length storytelling. He spent the next several years writing two screenplays that he believed delivered meaningful themes that are rarely seen in Hollywood! Between 2016 and 2020, he worked tirelessly to secure funding for these scripts to turn them into films.
At one point, however, his efforts seemed to pay off! Mr. Polish sold one of his screenplays to a production company, which began pre-production and even attached a lead actor to the project. However, the company has failed to raise the money that was required to produce the film. When the agreement expired, the rights had gone back with no film made. His second screenplay faced a similar path, with never being able to find the financial backing that was so needed to move forward with the film.
During the interview, Mr. Polish spoke honestly about how life outside of filmmaking influenced his decisions. Around the same period of time, he and his wife had a child, and he decided to prioritize financial stability for his family. Instead of risking money on uncertain film projects, he decided to focus on securing a home and continuing his life as a full-time teacher. The fate of failed funding attempts, new responsibilities, and priorities has led Mr. Polish to a nine-year break from filmmaking.
Some of his past projects were also deeply personal. One short film that was inspired by his wife’s father, who had not only acted in it, but also showed what Mr. Polish described as the best performance in the entire cast! However, the portrayal of that short film caused a conflict among some of the family members, leading to a tension that is still happening to this day. Additionally, the actor has since passed away, making it emotionally and practically very difficult to publicly release the film.
Not only did Mr. Polish face family complications, but the actual filmmaking process had brought challenges. In one project, a well-known Mexican actor, Jesús Ochoa, who was recognized from movies such as Narcos and Get the Gringo, agreed to star in his movie. However, when the production company failed to pay him, it burned down all possibilities and further hopes of moving forward with the movie.
Nonetheless, despite everything, the interview ended on a good note! Mr. Polish had openly thought that his early works had some flaws, and he plans to someday return to his scripts and rewrite them with a more experienced perspective. Time, financial stability, and brand-new inspiration remain as obstacles at the time, but his passion for storytelling has never disappeared!
Today, Mr. Polish continues to teach while balancing his family life and a creative reflection. Although he hasn’t produced a film in almost a decade, he still gives it hope and thinks about it a lot. His experience, challenges that he faced, and his creativity are reaching far beyond the classroom!
