Jonathan Latona is an Award Winning Filmmaker and Actor based in Los Angeles, CA, with over 15 years of experience in the film industry. Specializing in cinematography, Jonathan has a diverse portfolio encompassing roles as a writer, director, cinematographer, editor, and producer. His expertise spans a wide range of projects, including short films, music videos, live events, and feature films.
Jonathan’s debut feature film, DOUG, garnered critical acclaim, winning multiple awards for Best Film, Best Cinematography, and Best Actor at prominent festivals such as the Film Invasion LA and Sherman Oaks Film Festival. His work reflects a commitment to artistic excellence and innovation.
WATCH DOUG ON YOUTUBE
His most recent short film, SUGA BABE, was a finalist in the 2022 International Zhiyun Mobile Film Competition, further showcasing his evolving talent and creative vision.
WATCH SUGA BABE ON YOUTUBE
In addition to his award-winning work, Jonathan is currently engaged in several new film projects, including DESTINATION: HOLLYWOOD and M.I.A., which are currently in post-production.
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DESTINATION:HOLLYWOOD Official Poster
Trailer One
Trailer Two
HOLLYWOOD DOES NOT WANT YOU TO SEE THIS MOVIE
The title may have you guessing. You might be wondering “what does it all mean?” Who would be crazy enough to go there, what does it mean to be part of Hollywood? What is Hollywood? Ive heard of a Destination Wedding, but.. Destination:Hollywood?
The film began with the title. And Then…
“FADE IN:
EXT DESERT—DAY”
We see the open landscape. A town surrounded by the desert in the middle of nowhere. A place where artists thrive, and dreams have the potential to come true. Hollywood continues to be a magical place: almost a dome blocked by the vastness of the desert before you arrive in la la land. A Town of Dreams, capable of making dreams a reality or horror out of nightmares. Then again, is it just a town, or a large commune? That is for you to decide.
DESTINATION:HOLLYWOOD began as an art project. Starting with the first scene, I wanted to see how far we could go with a film that played like a Twilight Zone episode, but was also an Anthology: Two Shorts in One Narrative, featuring Hollywood in the background. The first few drafts highlighted the strangeness of the town, using locations I could NEVER afford, unless I stumbled upon locations that already existed, and asked for favors. After numerous revisions and a moment of clarity, a sudden spark of inspiration struck:
Why don’t we shoot everything on the streets of Hollywood, as opposed to inside buildings in Hollywood? Why not make Hollywood a character?… Whenever you see Hollywood its always the Exterior of Hollywood, including the iconic signs, streets, buildings and hotels. Hollywood as a character exists on the exterior, with the persona developing around the idea that people can arrive to live their wildest dreams and become Stars. This is the enigmatic force surrounding Hollywood, capable of making the American Dream a reality.
I’m obsessed with writing stories revolving around Hollywood as a character. My first micro budget feature film, DOUG, focused on the ego of an aging Actor looking to reignite his career, despite years of burning bridges. DESTINATION:HOLLYWOOD felt very punk rock from its inception, despite the jazzy undertones of my first micro budget film project. This decision alone sparked creativity long enough of two stories to come to life: One, addressing the homeless issue and how particular cities deal with the situation, and the other focusing on Influencers living their lives on good ol’ Hollywood Blvd and going on an hallucinogenic trip they’ll never forget. The trick to these stories was developing it enough for those who don’t live in Hollywood to understand that those who do live in Hollywood are delicate creatures, despite the thick skin needed to reinforce their decisions to “make it” as artists in this town.
Both stories are a work of fiction that waver in some reality.
As filming began, we soon realized this challenge: it is conceptually harder making a film featuring improv performances and slice of life moments; allowing Actors to live in the moment and improv their scenes makes it more freeing, but also more challenging. They’re living in the moment, but constantly leaning on instinct & intuition. I wanted to alleviate pressure and make it a film project for everyone involved. The script had very loose dialogue and moments set in stone that we couldn’t ignore, which became difficult to shoot at times but we managed. I wanted the film to have a cathartic artistic experience, rather than having moments (such as perfect dialogue) that felt too scripted. The only moments we couldn’t omit were the ones that gave the story a sense of identity. Sounds easy, right?...
Despite the fact that many audiences are not receptive to the idea of an improv film, some filmmakers, like Joe Swanberg, create movies primarily through improvisation. While these films require careful refinement and focus, they often turn out to be quite engaging. In my case, it’s remarkable that DESTINATION: HOLLYWOOD exists at all. The film had a promising start; we began shooting immediately after completing DOUG and began scouting for festivals. We kicked off on a sunny September day, and the initial days went smoothly. However, as winter approached, scheduling difficulties increased. We continued filming the second storyline, capturing footage on Hollywood’s streets at night. Some weekends were productive, while others were less successful or faced with mixed crowds—not the energy we previously faced.. We explored various parts of Hollywood during the coldest months. Filming was paused for the holidays and resumed only after I had edited some scenes to gauge our progress. This period was marked by considerable experimentation and slow progress, with only an hour or two of filming each day. This was all happening back in 2019, before we even entered 2020.
One of my Actors, Matthew James Hartley, had plans to go to his roommate’s wedding in India around late January, 2020. Upon his return, Matthew was sick as a dog—weeks before the public learned anything about Covid-19. This was my first encounter with Covid. I had to play the waiting game and continue to plan for more filming. In the meantime, I released my first micro budget film, DOUG, and had a private screening for friends, family and those who worked on the film. It definitely made me excited to shoot more DESTINATION:HOLLYWOOD.
By mid March, Matthew was ready to get back out there and into the movie. Our final day filming the second storyline commenced on the final weekend before the Pandemic Lockdown. It was the final weekend that everything felt “normal” before people were vaccinated. The streets were alive for one last dance. We were able to capture the final moments from most of the exterior walk about involving our Actors, and then that Monday the entire world shut down.
Nobody could have predicted the mess! Nobody could have anticipated the world would be shut down due to a global Pandemic. Absolute insanity ensued, as most people didn’t know what to do as the world was looking for answers. Meanwhile, I used this time to be productive and edit my film, beginning to go down a very long rabbit hole to make this film come to life. It took me all Pandemic, but once Summer time commenced, not only did I have the second storyline in the timeline—simplified and ready—but I also had a strong indication of where we needed to go with this film. Very slowly, it began to take a life of its own and started showing me what we could do: making it more of an Anthology, rather than a traditional Narrative.
Summertime marked filming our first storyline—which would live side by side with our second storyline—shot in a different time of year. The first storyline involved different Actors, different style of story. Slow and more focused on the actual streets and its inhabitants, how the Homeless are looked at and treated on the streets. The first storyline focuses more on the day time events of Hollywood. We never come across the characters from the first storyline. This was my first instinct, as it was much easier to schedule after getting into the shenanigans with my first group of Actors.
Unlike films like KINDS OF KINDNESS, which use the same actors for multiple storylines, DESTINATION: HOLLYWOOD employs a different cast for each storyline. This choice highlights the sense of isolation in Los Angeles, where passing strangers often feel like fleeting encounters in a vast, impersonal city. Hollywood, despite its small size, can seem overwhelmingly large, with the same faces rarely appearing twice. This surrealism is integral to DESTINATION: HOLLYWOOD, enhancing its appeal and encouraging viewers to embrace its absurdist elements. By prioritizing this surreal approach, I aimed to offer a more engaging experience that invites contemplation, rather than focusing on whether a supporting character will reappear. This creative freedom allowed me to explore diverse storylines without conventional constraints.
Filming on the streets of Hollywood provided me with significant creative freedom. We operated with a guerrilla mindset—no permits, no insurance for non-essential equipment rentals, and all gear was personally owned. We minimized costs by filming on the streets and sourcing wardrobe and props locally or from our own supplies, embracing a true indie approach. I was fortunate that my actors contributed their own resources: Matthew dyed his hair blonde for the role, despite his regret, Jon Michael Lawrence utilized his wig collection, and I purchased a mannequin that endured the rigors of our filming process. The mannequin’s head falling off was a testament to the intense conditions we subjected it to.
DESTINATION:HOLLYWOOD was by far the most challenging, yet also most fun I’ve had making a film in a long time. It brought me back to my film school days where problem solving and creative freedom were paramount. I never realized I made a Dogma 95 film until I began editing and realized its a Warhol film. Various waves of inspiration surround DESTINATION:HOLLYWOOD that I find it truly a gift it even exists at all. Truly Lightning In A Bottle. That’s how precious I was being with the material. It wasn’t ready for release until now, when I’ve thought it through long enough and watched it long enough during the editing process not to get tired of the film. Years later, I am proud to say that we are looking into festivals and proper distribution so that people can watch an Art Film in a brand new light.
With its run time 21 minutes under the traditional 90 minute Indie narrative, this film feels more like a featurette than a traditional feature. Nevertheless, I believe its the perfect length. I understand that everyone’s life is precious; we all have things to do at any give time of the day. I wanted people to be able to watch something bold, leaving you with a certain feeling after viewing that would gauge whether you liked the film or not. Its not a film you can judge right away, but definitely something that can be viewed several times and have a different effect.
Films Its Similar To:
Twilight Zone (Tv Series)
Atlanta (Tv Series)
Kinds of Kindness
Mulholland Drive
—Jonathan Latona
Director/Producer, DESTINATION:HOLLYWOOD
310 970 2480
johnnyboyfilm@gmail.com