Local filmmaker bringing new TV series to Madera
For The Madera Tribune Falcons Pictures crew members shoot an episode of “GhettoBusters,” a Madera-based television show with some scenes shot in Madera.
We could all use a laugh, now more than ever.
With uncertainty seemingly lurking behind every door, Falcon Pictures LLC owner and Madera native Danny Sauceda is bringing a playful, comedic twist on a timely classic — Ghostbusters.
However, in Sauceda’s TV series “GhettoBusters,” starring many actors and actress including Anthony ‘Citric’ Campos who currently works alongside comedian George Lopez in “Lopez” the show. Campos has also played roles in “Idiocracy” and “Harsh Times” with Christian Bale.
Along with the talent from outside the area, Sauceda recruited some of Madera’s very own, including The Madera Tribune’s Tyler Takeda.
“We just want to bring the people something to laugh at,” Sauceda said on his productions goal. “We are not making this TV series for a specific reason or anything. GhettoBusters is supposed to make you laugh.”
Sauceda’s team shot Saturday at Tesoro Viejo’s fire station and Sunday’s shoot was at Jay’s Chapel and at a ranch in Madera.
Sauceda’s story is about a scientist who created a device that turns ghetto people into regular, upstanding citizens. Falcon Pictures takes that concept and plays with racial roles in a playful and comedic manor.
If you aren’t on your hands and knees laughing, you are missing the point.
“I’ve lived in Madera all of my life. I’ve coached little league baseball, basketball and football, I’ve just spent my whole life here,” Sauceda said. “Whenever I get the chance to bring this type of stuff home, I do it because this is my community here. Allowing the people here to be apart of this experience is something that I wanted, also.”
Sauceda got his start in the production field through his young son, who is a child actor. Chance Falcon (DJ Sauceda) has starred in numerous roles throughout his young career such as “My Big Heist” (2020), “Midnight Altercation” (2019) and “Kid Hulk” (2011).
His son has a role in GhettoBusters, as well. The younger Sauceda played a role in episode one and plans to be a part moving forward.
Because of his son, Sauceda met more people in the industry and, soon enough, he gave it a shot. But, Sauceda noticed a lack of representation for the Latino community within the industry.
“There isn’t much stuff for the Latino community, so I thought about making our own content,” he said. “That’s kind of how we got started making this film. It’s like creating more serious roles for people who are Hispanic.”
Sauceda relied on his connections in the industry and around the Valley, creating a group of talented actors/actresses, camera people and assistants.
Sauceda does such a good job of finding talent, he’s referred to as Adam Sandler because he’s always finding roles for people he knows, giving them an opportunity they might not have had without him.
“As you grow in this industry, you get to meet a lot of new people and you just kind of use your best judgement when working with them and when you have friends and people that are close. It makes it a lot easier,” he said.
But it doesn’t hurt to have some star power in ‘Citric’ Campos, who has been in the industry for years. Not only has Citric made cameos on the big screen, he also does voice acting for “Squidbillies” among other shows.
The actor is not only excited about coming into town, Citirc hopes to bring some much-needed laughter to a time where everyone could use a pick me up.
Citric met Sauceda in the past and soon the pair began working on projects together and now, Citric plays one of the GhettoBusters in the TV series.
“We just started hanging out with Danny and got to know him a little bit and we just started working on projects and the latest one we are working on now is ‘Ghettobusters,’” Citric said. “This is all about the comedy.
“Everyone here, the cast the crew they are all hilarious. They are always doing a good job and It doesn’t matter if someone has been doing this longer than the other, at the end of the day we all come together and work as a unit to create something the people can enjoy.”
And in this scenario, Citric believes “GhettoBusters” will be a huge hit as it relies solely on a comedic element.
It didn’t matter which actor or actress was up going through the scenes at Jay Chapel, everyone was having fun and enjoying the process, despite how tedious and painful it can be trying to get the right shots.
However, with Jamie Lyrix Nungaray in the room, there were bound to be laughs.
Sunday’s shoot at Jay Chapel was the second episode of the anticipated TV series. The crew finished shooting episode one at a laser tag complex in Los Angeles and the crew plan more venues as the show is chugging along.
Now as the shooting has begun and the pilot is already finished, Falcon Pictures, LLC is currently talking to FOX and other networks on getting this show on television for the community of Madera and abroad to enjoy.
“Right now, we are filming and working on that, but also hope to have this on TV. This is a series, so there are more episodes down the road,” Sauceda said.
