Wesley "Wes" Rodriguez is a Cuban-Guatemalan-American writer, director, and cinematographer who tells stories about identity, transformation, and the unexplainable magic that binds us across time and space. Raised in the alternate dimension of Florida, he now lives in Los Angeles, crafting comedic, sci-fi, mystical, and genre-bending narratives that ask: What makes us who we are? And what happens when reality starts to crack around the edges?
Under the mentorship of Werner Herzog, Wes directed PALANTE, an award-winning short film shot on location in Cuba. Shortly after, he founded Pa’lante Pictures, a Latine production company dedicated to empowering and uplifting community voices through genre storytelling.
Wes also directs vertical micro-dramas— performance-driven series tailored for mobile audiences—where he often balances both Directing and DP responsibilities, merging his cinematic eye with nimble, character-centered storytelling.
As a cinematographer, Wes’s work spans commercial and narrative projects showcased internationally, including freelance branded content for major clients such as Alienware and Intel. His recent experience as Virtual Production Cinematographer and Technical Director for AMC Networks’ interactive Twitch channel FearHQ highlights his innovative approach to emerging technologies, seamlessly blending cutting-edge virtual production and live-streaming techniques with immersive, character-driven storytelling.
He is a STARZ #TakeTheLead Writers Intensive Fellow, a GFS LA Frieze Fellow, Hola Mexico Tomorrow’s Filmmaker’s Today Fellow, DGA John Frankenheimer Fellow, and a NALIP Latino Media Market TV Writing Fellow. He earned his MFA in Film and Television Production from USC and holds a B.S. in Media Production from the University of Florida. Previously, Wes mentored underrepresented youth through the Latino Film Institute’s Youth Cinema Project, guided by its founder, Edward James Olmos.
Beyond filmmaking, Wes practices mindfulness and Shaolin martial arts and is an avid hiker, conservationist, and cat photographer.