Rafael's love for film began in elementary school, where he shot his first film in 2nd grade with his father's 8mm camera. It was a short film about astronauts that discover a strange new planet. Growing up east of LA, Rafael stayed out of trouble by break dancing with a crew, dj-ing, and playing basketball, but it was ultimately Rafael's writing ability and creative visions that opened doors to a career in filmmaking.
After attending UC Berkeley and receiving Berkeley's highest award for art, the Eisner Award (Maris), Rafael continued his studies at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts Graduate Film Program, as a Dean's Fellow. During his time at Tisch, Rafael received a regional Student Academy Award (The Playroom), a Coca-Cola Refreshing Filmmaker's Award (Must Be Love), a nomination for the DGA's Best Latino Student Director, a Sloan Foundation Production Grant, and was a 2-time finalist for the Richard Vague Award for his script, Mullet, as well as a Wasserman Finalist for his film 6ft in 7min.
Thus far, Rafael's films have won many awards including Best Short Film and Audience Choice Awards, and have screened in prestigious film festivals worldwide. Currently, Rafael was selected as a Film Independent Project Involve Fellow, and accepted into Film Independent's Director's Lab. His upcoming projects include his first feature Mullet, 6 ft in 7 Days, the feature version of his short comedy hit about a boy with an artificial heart who's batteries are running out, Junction, a Texas murder mystery love triangle, and The To-Do-List a top secret romantic comedy.
Rafael served as editor on Brown is the New Green: George Lopez and the American Dream, a documentary that aired on PBS in 2007(Winner Best TV Doc, 2008 Imagen Awards). While in school, he was also an intern assistant editor on Spike Lee's 25th Hour.
