Case Study
Ela Troyano: La Lupe
By Aaron Landsman, December, 2002

Though Cuban-American filmmaker Ela Troyanoäs first two films had been successful, she knew that her new project, La Lupe, might prove difficult to fund. The experimental documentary focuses on the life and legacy of Cuban singer Lupe Victoria Yoli, who fled her native Cuba and came to New York City after Cubaäs revolution in 1960. Ela says Yoli is an influential force in contemporary Latin culture, but her music is little known today, and Ela sees La Lupe as an homage to "a generation that never got any attention."

In 2000 Creative Capital awarded Ela $7,500 toward the production of La Lupe, as part of the foundationäs first round of grantees. In 2001 she was awarded Supplemental Funding of $5,000 to purchase a computer and editing software. This allowed her to edit footage while shooting on location in Puerto Rico, Cuba, and Miami and to create excerpts of the film for potential backers, producers, and festivals. In addition, Ela attended each of the three Artistsä Retreats. "Creative Capital was the first support I got," says Ela, "and it allowed me to begin development on something that had so far appeared unfeasible."

Perhaps the most significant support Ela received from Creative Capital came through the Strategic Planning Project. "For me," says Ela, "the Strategic Planning component was invaluable because it changed significantly how I work." Meeting extensively with Colleen Keegan and the foundation staff, Ela set long-term career and artistic goals and then worked backward on short-term goals specific to La Lupe. Ela says that one of the most important aspects of the financial planning process was that, for the first time, she included a decent salary for herself as the writer and director. "I think this helped me work from a stronger financial foundation," she says.

Together, Keegan and Ela outlined ways to approach everything from in-person meetings, to funding applications, to production assistance. Keegan helped Ela secure producer Rea Tajiri as a consultant and Brian Kates as an editor to work on a sample clip. "I learned how to ask for something specific," says Ela, "so I can get people to help with the project in a way that fits each of them."

Her planning has paid off handsomely. In 2001 and 2002, Ela received more than $350,000 to complete La Lupe, which will be broadcast as a one-hour documentary on Public Television in early 2003. This support…which came from Independent Television Service (ITVS), The New York State Council on the Arts, Latino Public Broadcasting, and the Ford Foundation…means Ela will be able to make exactly the film she wants. "Colleen helped me understand that you can build on a success," Ela says, "so it was easier to approach the Ford Foundation once I had received funding from ITVS." With domestic distribution in place from PBS, La Lupe is now under consideration for European television distribution by Canal Plus and Arte.

"Colleenäs approach to time management was also interesting," says Ela, "because it figured in the down-time for personal responsibilities, and it was easier to schedule work using her weekly tracking system." Ela reports that the planning process hasnät stopped with La Lupe. "Colleenäs 'homework' for me was to figure out how to use this success to build a foundation for my next project."

As La Lupe nears completion, and as Ela looks toward the next film, she says the progress she has made has been breathtaking. "Creative Capital, especially the planning process, has helped me to begin what I believe to be a major move to another level in my work, my project, my career, and life that I did not believe was possible."