About Este Em Project

East Los Angeles. 1998.  Emily Castellanos navigates her way through the extreme melodramas of Eastside adolescence, supported and exasperated by her close knit, loving, ever-annoying family. We tour the neighborhood, hang out with friends, cheer small victories, and recoil in horror at the choices she makes. Her journey is complicated by the reading disability that makes school a challenge.  

Consisting of 32 original episodes, 4 of which are fully developed into the emerging content screenplay format, ”Este Em" looks beyond the stereotypical portrayal of East LA as a graffiti-scarred landscape beset by crime, violence, and economic challenge to celebrate a rich world of original, distinctive characters, exploring their vibrant humor, flavorful cuisine, visual styles, and musical expression through the lens of our protagonist’s in-process understanding of her world. 

Created by TOM CASTELAZO and JORDAN KORNZWEIG 

Stories by TOM CASTELAZO

(from the original 2018 novel Este Em).

Screenplays by JORDAN KORNZWEIG 

Producers: 

SHELDON CHAU (sheldonchau@gmail.com)

JORDAN KORNZWEIG (jbzweig@gmail.com)

TOM CASTELAZO (tjc@tomcastelazo.com)

Intern:  

VALENTIN HERNANDEZ:  production details, audience surveys, image generation. 

Lookbook Illustrations

CARLOS DURAZO. 

Designer: 

SERENA CASTELAZO

RUNNING TIME: Season 1

32 episodes 

10-15 minutes each  

PLATFORM: Objective is to reach NEW TV, Comcast, Alibaba, Disney, other emerging short form providers, perhaps in animated form.