Making Media That Matters with Guillermo Barraza

"I wish people would just know that their fear is what is stopping them" A misfit. A filmmaker. A disruptor for good. Guillermo Barraza is building a future where creators know their power—and how to use it responsibly. This episode is sponsored by my new book BRANDJITSU, helping you find, shape, and share your story with the world. In This Episode Michael Dargie welcomes Guillermo Barraza to the studio—filmmaker, founder of the Homegrown Arts and Media Collective, and passionate advocate for ethical media creation. From growing up in Calgary in a traditional Latino family to building a brand-new platform for mentorship and media literacy, Guillermo shares a raw and compelling journey of purpose, burnout, resilience, and reinvention. What began as a film festival to help underdog creators has grown into a non-profit collective aimed at helping young people—and new grads in particular—learn how to create and consume media responsibly. The show dives into his belief that everyone is a media producer now, whether they realize it or not, and the stakes have never been higher. We talk about what it means to be the minority, how travel changes everything, and why fear of the unknown might be holding you back more than you think. Guillermo shares the trials of job hunting, the accidental magic of film festivals, and the turning point when he watched his four-year-old instinctively start vlogging—and realized he had to do something. This episode is a rallying cry for rebels, misfits, and creators who know there's a better way. Quotable Quotes "I've always shone in destabilization. I'm always the one throwing a monkey wrench into things." "My purpose was never more solidified than when I saw my four-year-old daughter instinctively start vlogging." "All knowledge is essentially self-knowledge. What you don't know is where you grow." "Lean into your ignorance—there's invincibility in not knowing what's ahead but knowing you can handle it." "I wish people would just know that their fear is what is stopping them." Episode Highlights Homegrown Arts & Media Collective | Mentoring the next generation of ethical creators Four-Year-Old Vlogger | The moment that changed everything Firelight Film Festival | A love letter to underdog creators Calgary Life | Growing up in a city of sovereign quadrants 130+ Job Applications | The journey that pushed him to build something new Early Travel | Realizing Calgary El Salvador isn't all there is Rubber the Movie | Weird cinema and why it matters Tennyson & Bruce Lee | Unlikely combo, deep philosophy Existential Crisis at 27 | Learning who he is by becoming who he wasn't Comfort Food | Mini-Wheats, cereal stress eating, and Italian tomato sauce Favourite Films | Godfather Part I, Dead Man, Mission: Impossible as cinema history Cuba Cigar Quest | Street smarts, Santa Claus, and the ultimate hustle Advice for Rebels | "Head down, get through it." Links from the Episode Homegrown Arts & Media Collective *Under Development* (http://wearehomegrown.ca/) Guillermo on Insta (https://www.instagram.com/weare.homegrown/) Guillermo on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/WeAreHomegrownYYC/) Guillermo on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/we-are-homegrown/?viewAsMember=true) Get Your Copy of Michael's Book: "BrandJitsu™: Move Your Brand From 'Meh' To Memorable" Indigo | Barnes & Noble | MichaelDargie.com