Wesley "Wes" Rodriguez is a Latino, bilingual writer, director, and cinematographer based in Los Angeles, CA. As a first-generation Cuban-Guatemalan American, he grew up as an only child in a tightly-knit household in Naples, Florida where he spent his time at the intersection of his imagination, virtually as a video game nerd and in his backyard as a Boy Scout. As a cinematographer-director, his atmospheric and high-concept visuals inform his narrative work by fusing existentialism, nostalgia, and childlike wonder through science-fiction and comedy. 

Under the mentorship of Werner Herzog, Wes directed Palante, an award-winning short film shot on location in Cuba. Shortly after, Wes founded Pa'lante Pictures, a Latine production company focused on empowering and uplifting voices in the Latino community through genre storytelling.

Beyond his career as a writer-director, Wesley’s work as a commercial and narrative cinematographer has been exhibited both domestically and internationally. Most recently, Wes served as the Virtual Production cinematographer and technical director for AMC Networks' live and interactive Twitch Channel, FearHQ. 

Wes is a GFS LA Frieze Award Fellow, NALIP Latino Media Market TV Writing Fellow, and a DGA John Frankenheimer Fellow. He earned an M.F.A. from the USC School of Cinematic Arts and holds a B.S. in Media Production from the University of Florida. 

He has also taught film and mentored underrepresented youth in East LA through the Latino Film Institute's Youth Cinema Project under the guidance of its founder, Edward James Olmos. 

Currently, Wes practices mindfulness and martial arts at the Shaolin Temple Los Angeles and is an avid hiker and photographer. 

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