UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — No great film or story follows a linear narrative. There are always challenges and changes, twists and turns — and nobody knows that better than Penn State alumnus Pablo Lopez.

Lopez, film production manager for the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau, was recently certified as a film commissioner by the Association of Film Commissioners International. In his role, Lopez works to engage with and support independent artists in Centre County and to promote filmmaking in the region.

Lopez, who earned his bachelor’s degree from Penn State in 2016, appreciates his role as a way to give back.

“When I was in school my first year or so, I was sleeping out of my car,” Lopez said. Still, he said, despite his financial challenges, filmmaking and the support he found in the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications allowed him to find connections, happiness and success. Countless hours spent in classrooms and studios allowed Lopez to focus on creating rather than worrying.

One night Lopez was found sleeping beneath a desk in a locked editing room. The next morning, he said, through the kindness of one of his professors, he was connected with emergency housing. When life outside of school was difficult, the Penn State community was a backbone, he said, because of the sincere support people provided.

“Never once was I judged, just helped,” Lopez said.

Along with that personal support, many of those same people helped with his creative efforts as well. “All of the professors have such a passion to make sure that you are aware that regardless of what roadblocks come up, regardless of who may be in your way, when it comes to you producing your film, the most important thing is you and the story that you want to tell,” he said.

All that inspired Lopez, whose hometown is Minersville, Pennsylvania, to stay in Happy Valley after graduation, and he became the film production manager for the adventure bureau. He and his fiancé recently purchases a house in State College.

“Everyone here helped me get back on my feet. And so, to repay that debt, I want to make sure that they know that I'm committed to this community and to the artists in this area,” he said. 

To give back to the community, Lopez said, he makes sure to be what he calls a “megaphone” for local storytelling voices. By creating his own film production company, Dark Mind Productions, Lopez provides the chance for artists to get hands-on opportunities to improve their films and storytelling.

He believes there is a mindset in fostering environments that encourage local creativity. The first step is to “be as creative as you want to be,” giving a space that is open to all the “wacky, crazy ideas,” he said. The next step is support.

“It's your story. We'll help,” he said. “We'll support you because it's fun and we love it, and we love you for going that crazy extra mile.”

The extra mile is a familiar idea to Lopez.

His work ethic and passion for filmmaking have driven him to go above and beyond in each project. In his roles with the adventure bureau and his production company, Lopez is no stranger to pushing beyond the bounds of creativity.

It has paid off, too. One of his projects, “The Door and The Book of Mystics,” was just nominated for Best Feature Script at the WideScreen Film & Music Video Festival in Toronto.

No matter how many projects Lopez produces, his passion for filmmaking never runs dry, he said. There is always another story to be told.

He’ll help ensure many stories get shared Nov. 11-17 during the annual Centre Film Festival. It’s another connection to Penn State, he said — the festival represents a wonderful collaboration between the film community, regional filmmakers and the University.

The festival, which has grown significantly since it started in 2019, is an important part in a potentially burgeoning film industry in and around Centre County, Lopez said.

“This event is a vital opportunity to highlight central Pennsylvania’s growing film industry and showcase incredible local creative talent,” he added.

Lopez said he feels it’s his job to encourage even more growth by fostering those collaborations and ensuring the festival helps cultivate the next generation of filmmakers in the region, while also showcasing and representing all of Happy Valley’s film production resources.