FROM THE PUBLISHERS OF
“Our Town-Our Paper”
LAGUNA BEACH & NEWPORT BEACH COMMUNITIES CoastalRealEstateGuide.com
APRIL 14, 2017 | VOL. 7, ISSUE 15
ONE ON ONE WITH J.J. BALLESTEROS
Documenting Laguna By Gina Dostler A real estate broker, J.J. Ballesteros of The Ballesteros Group, stepped into the role of film producer along with his wife Andrea and filmmaker John Barrett to make a film about Laguna Beach. The premier of “Everything Laguna Beach” will be shown at 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 25, at Skyloft restaurant, 422 S. Coast Highway. It is a labor of love and a dream come true for Ballesteros, who has brought the vibrant hometown feel of Laguna Beach to the silver screen.
JOHN BARRETT, DIRECTOR EVERYTHING LAGUNA BEACH
Q: What inspired you to make a documentary of everyday life Laguna Beach?
A: The city itself. We believe it is one of the best cities in the world and feel so blessed to live here. We noticed some of the shops were going out of business and wondered how this could possibly be happening in our great city. Could it be they need exposure? I began thinking about a video to highlight those deserving shops that make Laguna Beach so special. From a real estate perspective, my wife Andrea and I feel some homebuyers may overlook Laguna because they don’t understand the charm of this town. We really wanted to paint a picture that depicts the feel of Laguna, something you only seem to completely appreciate once you live here.
Q: Did you shoot some of the videos? A: I love video. I knew the shots I wanted to take and decided to hire local director, John Barrett, a filmmaker, photographer and drone pilot, to do the filming. He was born and raised in Laguna and I knew he could help me capture its charm perfectly. John worked with MacGillivray Freeman Films, a local 70mm IMAX film production company, to produce the film “National Parks Adventure.” When we met and I told him about my dream, he fell in love with the project and agreed to come on board. He knew the vision I wanted to portray and truly made the city come alive in a way that hasn’t been illustrated before.
Andrea and JJ Ballesteros with their children Cruz, 7,
Q: Is “Everything Laguna Beach” targeted to reach people seeking a home in Laguna? Or is strictly for tourists? A: It’s not a movie promoting tourism, but it does combine aspects for visitors and those interested in living here. We networked a lot and had conversations with many of the locals asking questions such as, “What is your favorite art gallery? Or favorite place to have a glass of wine?” These along with some of our personal favorites hopefully add the personal touch you feel in the video. We alluded to the amazing school system as well. Most importantly, the film speaks to the culture and artistry of the community. The art extends to the real estate as well. Every home here has its own personal flair. It is a reflection of the personalities of those who live here, attracting home buyers, second home owners, developers and some of the world’s best architects. The film shows how Laguna Beach is truly a small town of people who work together to preserve their precious community and the place they are proud to call home. Capturing the town’s essence, the film “Everything Laguna Beach” was made to reach visitors and potential home buyers.
Q: What was the most challenging aspect of filming? A: My wife! She’s actually the one
top, and Christian, 3.
that pushed me to do it. I had pondered the idea for a year. She’s the one that got the ball rolling for me, encouraging me to do it. Regarding the film itself, it’s not always easy to get people to understand your vision. So initially getting people to understand the video was a bit of a challenge. Once we put the trailer out last August, people saw what we saw and finally understood our vision and a light bulb turned on. The trailer and vignettes we have been releasing have a combined 160k views on Facebook. Things gained momentum after the release of the trailer and we were then able complete all of the shots we wanted. Q: The film is also helping people out in other ways. A: All along the way, since the inception of the idea, we made it clear we wanted to raise money for Laguna’s local non-profits with this project: Laguna Food Pantry, Friendship Shelter, School Power, and Project O, which is about protecting sea life and keeping the ocean clean. Our goal is to raise a minimum of $20,000. Q: Name three things you love about Laguna Beach. A: The people, culture and comContinued on page 2