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August 2, 2026
The Power of Corazón: When Rejection Meets Passion with Bert Lopez
Overcoming rejection took director Bert Lopez 10 hotel “no’s” before his big break. Here’s what changed everything.
Overcoming Rejection: What Filmmaker Bert Lopez Learned
Overcoming rejection isn’t about avoiding the word “no”; it’s about what you do after you hear it for the tenth time. That’s the lesson at the center of a recent conversation with San Antonio filmmaker Bert Lopez, whose journey from VHS home movies to faith-based feature films runs directly through years of closed doors.
Bert’s directing career started in high school, when he borrowed his mom’s VHS recorder to shoot a short film for an English class assignment. There was no editing software just pause, record, pause, record. That scrappy project got shown to the entire school faculty. It was the first sign of a pattern that would define his career: start small, get told no, keep going anyway.
The 10 No’s Before the Yes
Years later, while location-scouting for a single scene, Bert was turned away by 10 different hotels. He explained the project, offered free exposure, and still heard rejection after rejection. The 11th hotel manager said yes and became one of the film’s biggest champions.
That kind of persistence isn’t unique to filmmaking. Anyone building a business, writing a book, or launching a creative project will recognize the pattern: the number of rejections rarely predicts the outcome.
Why Unforgiveness Blocks Creative Work
The more unexpected insight from Bert’s story is about forgiveness, not persistence. He describes carrying unforgiveness as living in a mental prison — one that blocks creative output the same way writer’s block does. Releasing old resentment, he says, is what actually unlocks the potential to finish the next project, the next script, the next chapter.
The Takeaway
Overcoming rejection, in Bert’s experience, required two things working together: relentless follow-through on the outside, and letting go of old grudges on the inside. Neither one alone was enough.
His newest project brings this theme full circle. Written and directed by Bert Lopez and Rogelio Cirillo, Anxious Mark—Life of Emet premieres September 5, 2026, and yes, our very own Daniel Gomez is in it! We couldn’t be more excited to see him on screen. Save the date, spread the word, and don’t miss this one!
Hear the full story, including Bert’s advice for anyone facing their own string of no’s: https://tinyurl.com/Daniel-Gomez-Inspires
“No—You hear that word 90% more than you hear yeses… The nos sometimes come from the people closest to you. For the last 20 years I've been told my dream is far-fetched, but the passion in me drives me… So when business people tell me no, [I say] my loved ones tell me no, and that hasn't stopped me. You're not gonna stop me either. I go knock on another door. One of them's gonna open, and they're gonna say yes.” —Bert Lopez
Episode Highlights:
- 01:50 Meet Bert Lopez: From VHS Tapes to Movie Director
- 03:04 The Drive-In Theater That Sparked His Filmmaking Dream
- 05:00 Shooting His First Film on a Borrowed VHS Recorder
- 08:30 Hearing “No” 90% of the Time in Film Production
- 09:59 10 Hotel Rejections Before Landing the Right Location
- 14:25 Passion Over Skill: Where Real Grit Comes From
- 16:40 Inside Anxious Mark: A Faith-Based Anthology Film
- 21:14 The Forgiveness Lesson Bert Learned While Writing
- 23:00 Why Unforgiveness Locks You in a Mental Prison
- 28:37 What to Expect at the Anxious Mark Red Carpet Premiere
Resources:
🌐NEW BOOK by Daniel!!
- The Millionaire Mind Language: Words that Create Wealth
- Accept the Upgrade: You Deserve It
- The Brain Changer: Change Your Brain Change Your Results
🌐Course and Events
- Join the Sticker Shock Speaking Academy with Daniel Gomez
- Become a paid speaker, publish your book, or launch a podcast. We can help you! Give us a call: 210-663-5954
🌐Freebies
- Go to danielgomezglobal.com to get your FREE assessment of your business and set up your free 45-minute discovery session
- Get daily millionaire affirmations from Daniel Gomez.
Just text “MILLIONAIRE” to 210-942-5059
Connect with Bert:
Eriberto “Bert” Lopez, born in Laredo, Texas and raised in San Antonio, discovered his passion for acting in high school where he directed and starred in short films. His career began with a debut at the 48 Hour Film Festival alongside Ruben Rodriguez, and since then he has built a strong reputation as an actor, producer, and director in independent films, feature productions, and large‑scale theatre dramas.
Bert’s notable credits include lead and assistant producer roles in Undercover Santa (2015), co‑lead alongside Damian Chapa in Mexican Gangster Venganza (2023), and lead actor in Tamale Season (2023). He expanded his creative reach as executive producer and co‑director of My Rocking Chair (2024), director and executive producer of The Detour (2026), and executive producer of Anxious Mark (2026). His earlier work spans films such as From Charlie (2010), The Best Gift (2012), My Westside (2013), and AVER (2017), as well as producing at the UCLA Film Festival in 2018.
With decades of experience both on stage and behind the camera, Bert Lopez continues to deliver authentic performances and visionary direction, shaping compelling stories that resonate with audiences worldwide.
Watch Anxious Mark—Life of Emet, a film written & directed by Bert Lopez and Rogelio Cirillo, coming soon on September 5, 2026.
Quotes:
04:23 “So many people get an idea, and they never act on it.” —Daniel Gomez
07:14 “The whole high school got demolished and rebuilt, but that building where God gave me the dream was still there.” —Bert Lopez
08:34 “No—You hear that word 90% more than you hear yeses.” —Bert Lopez
11:58 “The nos sometimes come from the people closest to you. For the last 20 years I’ve been told my dream is far-fetched, but the passion in me drives me… So when business people tell me no, my loved ones tell me no, and that hasn’t stopped me. You’re not gonna stop me either. I go knock on another door. One of them’s gonna open, and they’re gonna say yes.” —Bert Lopez
14:35 “You can learn skill set, but the passion needs to come from within.” —Daniel Gomez
23:16 “When you walk with unforgiveness, you can’t write a script. You get writer’s block. Your brain only has a certain capacity. If you walk with hate, unforgiveness, all these things, you can’t write a story. You’re like in a prison, and you’re not free.” —Bert Lopez
27:55 “Love is not earned.” —Bert Lopez (from Anxious Mark—Life of Emet film)
