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Miguel Martinez-Reyes

6,505

Bold Points

5x

Nominee

4x

Finalist

1x

Winner

Bio

I am a student who desires to be a professional filmmaker after graduation. I want to share stories about those who need their voices heard since the film industry lacks enough representation. I also plan to make stories from my own experiences and interests. Film is one of the most vital forms of art, and I want to be part of that art. I am diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, but that doesn't stop me from being a successful college student! While life can be more overwhelming, I am still bold enough to pursue my college education as a filmmaker, regardless of my ASD. It has not been easy, but I am thankful for my family and friends who have supported me on my academic journey. I wouldn't be where I am without them.

Education

The University of Texas at Arlington

Bachelor's degree program
2021 - 2025
  • Majors:
    • Film/Video and Photographic Arts
  • GPA:
    3.3

Crowley High School

High School
2017 - 2021
  • GPA:
    3.7

Miscellaneous

  • Desired degree level:

    Bachelor's degree program

  • Graduate schools of interest:

  • Transfer schools of interest:

  • Majors of interest:

    • Film/Video and Photographic Arts
    • History
  • Not planning to go to medical school
  • Career

    • Dream career field:

      Motion Pictures and Film

    • Dream career goals:

      Filmmaker, Writer, Photographer, Director

      Sports

      Soccer

      Club
      2014 – 20151 year

      Research

      • Film/Video and Photographic Arts

        Crowley High School — Researcher
        2019 – 2020

      Arts

      • UT Arlington's Film & Animation Mavericks

        Film/Video
        2023 – Present
      • Crowley High School Theatre Department

        Acting
        Oz, Curtains, It's A Wonderful Life
        2017 – 2021
      • Crowley High School Theatre Department

        Theatre
        The Addams Family, 9 to 5
        2019 – 2021

      Public services

      • Volunteering

        Crowley Recreation Center — Helper
        2019 – 2020

      Future Interests

      Advocacy

      Volunteering

      Philanthropy

      Entrepreneurship

      Anime Enthusiast Scholarship
      For me, the best media are the ones that not only have well-rounded characters that you engage with but also have a theme that is woven into the plot and characters. Because those are the stories you remember and inspire you to become a better person for it. Currently, the anime I am the most captivated with is Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury because of that. The main theme of Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury to take from is that despite your worst mistakes, you have to keep moving forward. It is the thing that almost every major character does. Suletta has to move forward and have her autonomy, even if she has nothing to gain, she is content with making her own choices. Miorine has to move forward instead of trying to run from her problems, and not be closed off from others. Guel (or Bob) has to move forward from his ego, and guilt (or sins as he puts it), as he matures to become a better person. Moving forward is a scary thing, but it's how you grow as a person. I plan to take the message to heart and apply it to the challenges I have in my life. On top of the strong message, the rest of the series is also fantastic! The first season is a nice introduction to the world of Gundam. As mentioned above, the characters are great. Suletta and Miorine's relationship is so well-developed, in no small part thanks to VAs Kana Ichinose and Lynn. The worldbuilding is intricated with its anti-war themes regarding corporations. The animation is stellar, giving intense action sequences. The music is marvelous, it balances drama and whimsy. Despite not being perfect, Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury is a well-crafted show that knows what it wants to be and say.
      Heather Lynn Scott McDaniel Memorial Scholarship
      It is almost difficult to explain my adversities as they are invisible to the naked eye. I am on the autism spectrum, which makes me different from other neurotypical people in how I think and act. I would not necessarily say that my autism is my adversity, but rather how the world does not accommodate people on the spectrum, including me. Being on the spectrum can be hard articulating your words, especially in social situations. Anxiety can be difficult for me to make friends, let alone collaborators for film courses. Sometimes my classmates and I struggle to find a starting point due to their different interests from mine. But I need help to work; I would fail if I did. Luckily, we were all film majors, so I had a topic to start conversations. I am building my confidence and being part of a group to support each other's work. It has been challenging, but the key is to keep trying because not trying would result in nothing. Another thing about being on the autistic spectrum, when it comes to school, my brain thinks differently than others. My school had minimal accommodations as I was on the low end of the spectrum, treating me as a 'normal' student. So for schoolwork in high school, I worked at a slower pace, which made AP classes difficult. The problem was not that I could not learn new things, but that I took my time in some concepts like English and math. But unfortunately, I had a rough year taking AP Economics. Since schools in Texas require students to learn new topics quickly, and I wanted to stay caught up in my courses, I had to up my focus. I was determined to pick up my pace, and thus I graduated high school in the top 10%. When it came to college, I had to adapt how I learned things again. And it is working out so far. There are moments when I feel alone as the only person on the spectrum I know. Over time, I learned that being different does not mean I can not solve my problems; I look for different solutions. After college, I want to create films based on my experiences and help others facing similar challenges. None of my obstacles has stopped me from continuing my education, so why should it now? The Lord gave me tribulations to overcome for a reason, might as well do so to become the best version of myself.
      I Can Do Anything Scholarship
      Simple, the dream version of my future self is overcoming and accepting my neurodiversity so I can help other people like me accept themselves too.
      Bold Legacy Scholarship
      A legacy is significant because it represents what a person was and their impact on this world. They tell stories about the lives of people who made an impact, both good and bad. If I were to have my legacy, I could be conceited and say I would like recognition for my successes in life, but I wouldn't want my legacy to be a list of things I did. I'd want my legacy to inspire others to become the best version of themselves and that anybody can make a positive impact. I am not a perfect, flawless being. I would consider myself to be a mess right now. I don't think I'll stop being a mess, but I want to strive to be a mess that makes a positive impact. The world we live in is not a perfect, flawless planet. There are so much awful things happening right now across the globe that it overwhelms me, and I feel guilty if my only accomplishments in life would be doing cool stuff that only benefits me. I'd want my legacy to be about someone who was very flawed and with disadvantages that prevented me from doing things that other people can do. I'd like to show that despite all my flaws, I managed to use my career as a filmmaker to advocate for the rights of LGBTQ+, neurotypical, and people of color while also doing activism if it means I'll risk my career. Lastly, I want my legacy to represent that anybody, regardless of their flaws and shortcomings, can still make a positive influence on the world.
      Bold Career Goals Scholarship
      I have so many problems with the film industry to the point that I want to work there to stick it to it. My ultimate goal in life is to become a successful filmmaker, but how can an autistic person like me make it to the ranks of Speilberg or Villeneuve? Well, definitely not by not sitting around and watching tv. Despite having autism, I plan to continue my bachelor's degree in Cinematic Arts at UTA to help launch my skillset in filmmaking. Of course, that means I also have to make films on my own time, which means yeah, I won't like how bad and amateurish they'll be, but that's how I can get experience. You may ask, 'but what's so special about being a filmmaker?' Film is an expression of not only one's self but an expression of the world they inhabit. Good representation is still lackluster in the entertainment industry, especially for neurotypical people. There aren't many neurotypical folk in the film industry. So whenever a movie or show features an autistic character, most likely the character is mishandled because of the lack of actual neurotypical people collaborating on the project. Consequently, people are misinformed and enforce toxic stereotypes of neurotypical folk. I want to be someone who can help bring people like me to work on projects that'll represent who we are as a group of people. After graduating college, I continue my journey on being a professional director and meet other creative people who also want to make a difference in the entertainment industry. Will the film industry be full of turmoil and pain? Yes, and I'll be waiting.