IN CONVERSATION WITH VERONICA RODRIGUEZ
interview by JANA LETONJA
Veronica Rodriguez is no stranger to balancing heart, humor and high expectations. Tasked with directing Camp Rock 3, the long-awaited return of one of Disney Channel’s most beloved franchises, she faced the challenge of honouring a generation that grew up with the original films while introducing Camp Rock to an entirely new audience. A lifelong fan of Disney Channel Original Movies herself, Veronica approached the project with genuine affection for the franchise, bringing a fresh cinematic perspective while preserving its optimism, music and emotional core. Beyond Disney, she’s also carving out a distinctive voice with projects like the upcoming horror-comedy Youth Juice, proving that genre is simply another playground for her character-driven storytelling.
Camp Rock is such a beloved franchise. What was your first reaction when you were asked to direct the third film?
I got the job on my birthday, so that was the best birthday present ever. I was immediately excited to direct my first musical and then very quickly felt the weight of the responsibility to bring Camp Rock back to life.
You grew up watching Disney Channel Original Movies yourself. How did being a fan influence the way you approached Camp Rock 3?
I was obsessed with DCOMs growing up. My sister and I watched every single one. My entire youth was influenced by movies like Camp Rock and the Disney icons that starred in them. Being a true fan gives me a reverence for the original titles. I want to do right by them and their fans.
Nostalgia can be a powerful force. How did you find the balance between honoring the original films and creating something that feels fresh for a new generation?
Nostalgia might be my favourite word. I love the idea of time and relating it to the human journey of becoming who you’re meant to be. Your past makes you who you are. That’s why I will always honor the adolescent experience and the notion of nostalgia. I found the balance of bringing both nostalgia and freshness into Camp Rock 3 by channeling my current self and my younger self in all my creative decision making because both versions of Veronica represented my two main audiences, the nostalgia viewers and the new camp rockers.
Demi Lovato and the Jonas Brothers return as executive producers. How involved were they creatively, and what did their presence bring to the project?
You can’t bring back Camp Rock without Demi and the Jonas Brothers. This is their world. With Demi, we figured out the best way to incorporate Mitchie Torres into this new story. The Jonas Brothers also had a say in how we reconnected with Connect 3. They were also incredible collaborators on their new Connect 3 track, Come On Over. Demi and the Jonas Brothers’ involvement and presence gave us the blessing we needed to properly pass the torch onto this new generation of campers.
Music has always been the heartbeat of Camp Rock. How did you approach the musical performances from a directing perspective?
I wanted every musical number to feel distinct with its own voice and its own style. No performance could feel like a copy and paste of the last. But even with their distinct personalities, all of them needed to feel totally harmonious throughout the movie. I use the example of building a multi-course meal. You’ve got your cold appetizer. Some soup. A protein main dish. Maybe a pasta. A delicious dessert. Each of these courses are a part of the same meal where each dish, even with different ingredients, compliments each other allowing the meal to feel cohesive as a whole. I wanted all of the unique musical performances to work in harmony which is a metaphor for the Final Five group dynamic in Camp Rock 3. Five distinct and unique individuals who are totally harmonious when performing together.
What qualities were you looking for in the young actors beyond their singing and performing abilities?
I wanted to see them as themselves. That natural star power that only comes from being your authentic self. I didn’t want to see who they thought I wanted them to be. I am sold more on an actor from my conversation with them during an audition than I am watching them perform dialogue from the movie. Two perfect examples of this were Hudson Stone and Casey Trotter. I saw who they were and wanted them in the movie because of that.
You’ve worked across very different genres, from family comedies to the upcoming horror-comedy Youth Juice. What attracts you to stories that seem so different on paper?
I’m a gemini. I’ve got all my sides. Good luck trying to pigeon hole me into one genre. I love this year because I get to showcase the spectrum of my creative self. I’ve got the fun musical Camp Rock 3 that’s full of heart, and that was a set where I had my 5 year old daughter with me as much as possible. And then I’ve got the wild, weird and beautiful Youth Juice that’s scary, unsettling and definitely R-rated. My daughter was politely uninvited from that set.
As a filmmaker, how has your directing style evolved?
How I direct hasn’t really changed since my first short film. I’ve always been an actor’s director. I’m an artist who loves collaborating with other artists. I’ve always been extremely hands on and passionate about every detail that goes on screen. But I have evolved. I’ve evolved as my confidence has grown. I’m a female filmmaker. There aren’t many of us that get films funded. My directing style has evolved because I apologise less and I operate more confidently because I know that everything I’m doing is in the pursuit of cinematic greatness.
If you could revisit any Disney Channel Original Movie as a director, which one would you choose and why?
Zenon Girl of the 21st Century. Literally watched it last week. Still lunarious.
You’re establishing yourself as a filmmaker with a distinct creative voice. How would you describe that voice today?
I love absurdity grounded in reality. I love making weird comedy beautiful. I love the art of curating a film’s soundtrack. I’ve always known that’s my vibe, but I haven’t been able to fully showcase that until now with my independent film Youth Juice. Thanks Live Nation Studios.
What advice would you give to young filmmakers hoping to direct major studio projects while staying true to their own vision?
Fight for what you know will make the best version of your film. Someone once told me that a good studio should always want a passionate director over a passive one.
Finally, what’s the feeling you hope audiences, both longtime Camp Rock fans and first-time viewers, leave with when the credits roll?
“She’s really good.”
TEAM CREDITS:
talent VERONICA RODRIGUEZ
photography JACK BALABAN
styling LAURA SCHUFFMAN
hair KAT THOMPSON
makeup KENDAL FEDAIL
interview JANA LETONJA