Lodi's Corey Sienega is not only an influential producer in Hollywood, she was also recently named one of the 25 most powerful Hispanic women in the film industry by "Billboard" and "The Hollywood Reporter." (Courtesy photo)

Corey's Commanding Career

Lodi's Corey Sienega has been working in film for 16 years, now, at age 39, she has been named one of the most power Hispanic women in Hollywood.

In her Burbank office, between rescheduled meetings, a barely there lunch hour and a ringing phone, Corey Sienega admits work can get busy. But sometimes, when she's sitting between unread scripts piled around her office and living room, she gets that little surreal reminder that it's all happening. She's made it.

"I still have a hard time saying with a straight face that I'm a movie producer," said the 39-year-old Lodi native who is refreshingly friendly and energetic for someone who has worked in Hollywood since she was 23.

For 14 years, Sienega been producing partners with David Kirschner of David Kirschner Productions. She has produced "Miss Potter," "Secondhand Lions," "Frailty," the "Child's Play" sequels, "Seed of Chucky" and her most recent film, "Martian Child."

Beside her film credits and I-actually obtained-the-career-of-my-dreams award, she now has something else to brag about when she visits her mom in Lodi. The half-Irish, half-Latina was named No. 16 of the 25 most powerful Hispanic women in entertainment by "Billboard" and "The Hollywood Reporter."

A parade of photographers and cameramen filled the plush Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel on Oct. 9 as entertainment executives, celebrities and influential people were honored at the first Hispanic Women in Entertainment breakfast. No. 1 on the list is Nina Tassler, the president of CBS Entertainment. Actresses Salma Hayek, Jennifer Lopez and "Ugly Betty's" America Ferrera were also celebrated.

"I was definitely surprised," Sienega said. "My first reaction was this is proof that there aren't enough Latinas in the entertainment industry."

All together outgoing and modest, Sienega says the pressure of the entertainment industry hasn't been as much about being Hispanic as it has been about being a woman.

Among the films that Corey Sienega has produced are "Secondhand Lions," starring Haley Joel Osment, Michael Caine and Robert Duvall. (Courtesy photo)

Whether it comes to being a business-minded producer in front of long-time film executives, or being on a horror film set with Romanian men, she is always aware of how she presents herself as a professional woman.

"It's probably tougher to be a woman in Hollywood," she said. "Because I am younger than my producing partner, someone might think I'm his assistant."

It's obvious that she's doing more than filing and answering the phones. With "Martian Child," opening in theaters Nov. 2, Sienega did everything from reading the original short story, hiring screenwriters and even pitching the story to a line-up of movie studios.

Starring John Cusack and his real-life sister, Joan Cusack, "Martian Child" is the heart-wrenching story of a widower who adopts a boy claiming to be a martian. The Hugo and Nebula Award-winning short story by sci-fi luminary David Gerrold first found Sienega 10 years ago. She and Kirschner fell in love with it and immediately knew it had to be told on the screen.

"It's really a father-son love story," Sienega said. "It was a beautiful fantasy story."

Born and raised in Lodi, the Lodi High School graduate gained a film foundation at San Francisco State University's film school. After studying film as an art form, she says she moved to Los Angeles with zero industry contacts, only a dream in her heart and a tattered copy of Julia Phillips' "You'll Never Eat Lunch in This Town Again."

Her first job in Tinsel Town was in the literary department at Susan Smith and Associates, where she found the right producers and directors for stories.

A year later, she accepted a job with Meg Ryan's production company, Fandango Films.

But it was in Kirschner — the producer behind "Hocus Pocus" and "Miss Potter" — that Sienega found a friend, business partner and mentor of 14 years. It is with her current production company that she plans to try other areas of filmmaking.

A one-time magazine film writer, Sienega has aspirations of writing and producing her own movies. She has a few projects brewing now, including a romantic comedy and a fantastical comedy in the vein of "Beetlejuice."

Though she's not crusading for the Hispanic race, she is excited to start making movies in which the character's diversity enriches the storyline.

Sienega also produced the thriller "Frailty," starring Bill Paxton and Matthew McConnaughey. She has also produced "Miss Potter," starring Rene Zellweger. (Courtesy photo)

"I like the idea of having gender, race or sexuality be an element of a character, not the defining element," she said.

In one of her upcoming movies, "Disappearance of Trout," two of the main characters are Latino vampire truck drivers. Another drama in the works is about the Miami Dade Community College chess team and includes a cast made up of Cuban refugees and Cuban immigrants.

"I do think there are wonderful stories to tell that will appeal to everyone and star Latinos," she said.

And what does the powerful, smart, creative brunette think about the Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohans of Hollywood?

"I think the desire for fame at all costs is bad," she said. "I like to work with actors who care about their craft and what they do."

Even though her unofficial motto is about working hard, she works hard on fun projects: Particularly the horror flicks like the "Chucky" movies.

"I'll forever be indebted to 'Chucky,'" she said, laughing at the fact that her first producing experience involves bloody puppets.

Contact reporter Lauren Nelson at laurenn@lodinews.com.

Corey Sienega's tips on how to break into the film industry

In the years since graduating from Lodi High and pursuing a career in the film industry, I have received much good and bad advice, made countless mistakes, and fortunately a few good decisions along the way, too. While there are no guarantees for success in any field, here are a few things that I feel are worth passing along to aspiring young Lodi high school filmmakers looking to pursue a career in Hollywood:

1. Go to film school — or just go to college. While USC, UCLA and NYU are the film schools mostly closely associated with the film industry, my feeling is that it doesn't matter where you go as much as that you go. Film school will give you a background in film history, the fundamentals of the craft of filmmaking, and also more importantly, it will put you in the company of other passionate, inspired and inspiring young people. If you have or can possibly create the opportunity, get an education while you follow your filmmaking passion. And study more than just film: you never know where it might lead you and it will certainly better prepare you for the next chapter in your life.

1a) Further to the above, if you are interested or inclined to pursue a law degree, it will serve you well in the business of movie making as many career paths will be opened up to you such as becoming an executive at film studio, an agent or attorney to writers, directors and actors, or working in the complicated world of film financing.

Her most recent film is the upcoming "Martian Child,"starring John Cusack as a man who adopts a young boy who claims to be an alien. (Courtesy photo)

2. Pursue a mentor. On the road toward becoming a producer, I worked for five people before I met the producer that would become my mentor, friend, and for the last five years my producing partner. I valued each experience of working as an assistant to three literary agents and two production executives, and learned much from them — both things I wanted to emulate in my career and what I definitely did not. However, when I met my current producing partner 13 years ago, I felt inspired not only by his success but by the decent, creative, and hard-working person he was and is. I worked very hard to gain his respect and trust and in return was given many opportunities to grow in my career. But even the most talented person can't make it all on his own. Seek out a mentor who will inspire you and give you opportunities. You will learn something from every job, but if it seems that your hard work is not being rewarded after a reasonable investment of time on your part, be thankful for the experience and move on. If you are being given opportunities to grow, however, do your best to deserve it and try not to be distracted by seemingly more "glamorous" flirtations. It has been my experience that loyalty is rewarded.

3. Be tenacious. Tenacity is as important as talent: one is really no good without the other, but talent can be honed only if you stick with it long enough to find out how talented you are, and for others to recognize it, too.

I called a writer/director friend of mine to ask for his best advice for aspiring filmmakers in high school and he said "tenacity." I think he's right no matter what kind of career you are looking for in Hollywood, but especially as a writer, director or actor, as these are worlds filled with exponentially greater rejection than success. That's just the nature of it. There are many, many more people pursuing these jobs than working in them. And much of it is out of your control. I would add to my friend's advice: love it, and don't pursue it for the money. The odds of you making money as a writer, director, or actor (or producer) are abysmal. So you better love it and be tenacious enough to pursue your passion despite this fact. (If your parents are reading this and looking at you with furrowed brows, refer them to my first bit of advice and they will feel better. Use this: "Don't worry, Mom/Dad. College might lead me in a completely different direction anyway.")

4. Be inspired by the world and people around you. There is more to the world than movies and television. Even if you go to college, it's important to pursue more than simply film classes. The most talented, fascinating, and successful writers, directors, producers, agents (and people in general, for that matter) that I have met have a wide sphere of reference, knowledge and interests. Filmmakers are storytellers and a broad education and varied interests will help you tell better stories that will appeal to many kinds of people. Learn about history, art, politics, sports, your community. Travel. Interested people are interesting people. There are a few quotes I love that come to mind:

Rene Zellweger stars in "Miss Potter," one of the many films Corey Sienega has produced. (Courtesy photo)

"If you're bored then you're boring." - from a Harvey Danger song a few years back.

"Read, every day, something no one else is reading. Think, every day, something no one else is thinking. Do, every day, something no one else would be silly enough to do. It is bad for the mind to be always part of unanimity." — author and Rhodes scolar, Christopher Morley

And to paraphrase Stephen King from his fantastic book, "Stephen King: On Writing" that I recommend to all writers (even those who don't like King's writing): I consider myself first a husband, then a father, then a man of my community, and then a writer — because without those things, I would have nothing to write about.

5. Move to Los Angeles. You can make movies or write anywhere, but the business of movie making is in Los Angeles. If you can, try to come down in the summer and do an internship (or several) at a production company or for a company or individual from whom you can learn. These will probably be unpaid but may qualify for school credit. It is important to connect with people in the industry and it will also demystify the movie business a bit for you before you make your way to Hollywood, as so many have before you, to pursue your dream of becoming a filmmaker.

And the best piece of advice I have ever received was from another student that I met in film school: if you are going to do this, work hard. This advice has been serving me well so far and hopefully will continue to. And incidentally, I married the boy who told me that, which is also working out very well.

Lodi native Corey Sienega has produced films including "Secondhand Lions," "Bride of Chucky," "Frailty" and "Miss Potter." Her latest film, "Martian Child," is set to be released on Nov. 2. Sienega was recently named one of the 25 most powerful Hispanic women in Hollywood.