Vista Clara Productions is an independent
production company headed by Writer/Director
Derek Velez Partridge. On staff are experienced,
capable producers and a production staff equipped
for music videos, commercials and feature
films. Although experienced in many different
aspects of the media business, our main focus
is on feature films with universal themes
in a wide range of budgets.
Vista
Clara’sliteral
translation is “Clear View”.
We embrace this as our mantra. We only take
on projects when we can envision it’s entire
process. From it’s conception we want to know,
what kind of film it is, what might the marketing
look like, who are we making it for, who will
see it and is it an outer box idea.
Our goal is to put forth films that are different.
They are pure to it’s genre but it’s approach
and it’s P.O.V. must be original, creating
what we call a clear view, Vista Clara…
Derek
was born in Astoria, NY on February 8th, 1969.
At
16, Derek moved to New Mexico where he wrote
poetry, became an artist, learning the ancient
style of pottery with the Pueblo Indians.
The Indians provided him with a life lesson
he will not soon forget: Surrender to your
art and become a medium for your work…
I’ve learned not to force it. Stories,
ideas, they already exist, they are out there,
complete. All we can do as writers or filmmakers
is allow them to come through us. Our job
is be curious, to seek out the truth; which
is how it gets our personal touch but it’s
like streams of knowledge we don’t create
the truth, we discovered it on our own. I
try not to have any judgment in my characters,
the human condition is far older than me,
and I’m showing the viewer what I see or at
the least, how I understand it.
Feature
Film: No Deposit, No Return (starring Reiko
Aylesworth (24) and Peter Billingsley (The
Break-Up) Directed/ Co-wrote and Produced,
First Feature Film - Winner of the 1997 Best
Feature Film at the New York Independent Film
Festival and World Fest Film Festival’s Bronze
Award.
Narrative
Shorts:
SANGRE/BLOOD. 20 min (starring Guillermo Díaz
(Weeds) and David Zayas (Michael Clayton)
Screened at 2005 NY Latino Film Festival and
Long Island Latino Film festival, Mezcla Market
SEEKING
SOLACE. 7 min. Starring Guillermo Díaz (Half
Baked)
Best Long Island Short film. Long Island Latino
Film festival, Mezcla Market.
2006
Music Video Abenna ”Everyday”
2 spec Commercials
All work can be viewed on my web site. Vistaclaraproductions.com
Contributed
in New York University Film School’s Cinematographer
Program (2003)
Completed Stella Adler’s Acting Conservatory
(1990) two- year program. Also participated
in Stella Adler’s Master class (1993)
Derek
is of Cypriot/ Puerto-Rican descent, he chooses
to channel his unique perspective into his
films. An example of this is “N.Y.P.R.”?
a period piece following the events in 1969’s
Spanish Harlem. Some financing is in place
and plans to have this film in production
soon.
Amongst
his many lifetime accomplishments are his
marriage and becoming a father to three beautiful
girls.
President
and Founder of Vista Clara Productions
Presently
in development a Feature Film “N.Y.P.R.”
in which Derek, along with his
production team, is putting together the
media package and raising the necessary
funds for the film’s production. He
is a writer and plans on directing this
project.
GAMECOCK (has a operating budget.)
Produced,
Co-wrote and directed the Feature Film No
Deposit, No Return - Winner of the 1997
Best Feature Film at the New York Independent
Film Festival and World Fest Film Festival’s
Bronze Award.
Contributed
in New York University Film School’s
Cinematographer Program (2003)
Completed
Stella Adler’s Acting Conservatory
(1990) two- year program. Also participated
in Stella Adler’s Master class (1993)