Cristobal Montiel

Comedy writer. I have been doing it for a while, but I want to take it to the next level. I wasn’t born with a calling, it took me a long time to figure it out. I wasn’t even sure I wanted to be in the entertainment business in the first place. A defining moment that steered me towards writing was getting accepted into film school. Back then I wanted to be a movie director. I kind of regret not being a little wiser to take advantage of all the resources I had at my disposal at that time. I wish I had made hundreds short films and written thousands of scripts, but I was young and enjoyed having fun.

I’ve always been an avid TV viewer. I remember watching ‘Different Strokes’ back in Mexico during the 80’s when I was a little kid. I was a huge ‘Knight Rider’ fan. But it wasn’t until the 90’s, when I came across two shows that changed my life: ‘Saturday Night Live’ and ‘Friends’. I was lucky enough to watch them in English. I was a fan of that great generation of comedians like Dana Carvey, Phil Hartman, Jon Lovitz, Jan Hooks, Rob Schneider and Mike Meyers to name a few. I admired Chandler Bing’s sarcasm perfectly delivered punchlines. The ‘Late Show’ with David Letterman was also an inspiration. I admired the way they made people laugh and how clever they were. Their jokes still hold up to this day. I still watch all the shows and sitcoms that I can. Back then, I didn’t know I wanted to be a writer, but there was something about those shows and what they made me feel that I found fascinating. I would do impressions for my family and friends and make them laugh and it was the greatest feeling in the world.

After college I didn’t become a famous director like I once dreamed of. Instead, I went on to have jobs as a PA and AD and I was kind of demoralized, even though I really enjoyed doing it. I knew I wanted to do something more creative. I was obsessed with comedy. I wanted to make people laugh. So, I started writing sketches on my free time. One day, back in Mexico, I discovered a new talk show. It was very similar to the talk shows in the US and it was actually entertaining to watch. I did a little research, found who was producing it and asked if they had any openings for writers. After reviewing my material and being assessed, I was offered my first job as a writer. I was on staff for one season and then we got canceled. But after that experience, I knew that the only thing that I really wanted to do for a living was writing. I have been a freelance writer ever since, and it hasn’t been easy to say the least. I’ve worked in many different projects, reality shows, tv specials, cooking shows, web series, advertising, etc. I’ve been unemployed for many months throughout this time. I’ve had to work in other industries, but I always find the time to write. Still, all I dream of, is being able to write for a show, like the ones that I watch and hopefully have the opportunity to create one someday.