About Us

Perla Rivera is the Chief Executive Officer and lead Producer at Machina Cinema. 

Rivera began producing films in 2007 when she co-founded the San Antonio production company Machina Cinema alongside producers Buddy Calvo and Joe F. Gallegos III. Rivera, who attended Northwest Vista College and studied business management, worked as head of payroll at Jennings Anderson Ford for 10 years before leaving to produce films full time. In coalition with Machina Cinema, Rivera has also produced several short films, music videos and other commercial projects with filmmakers in San Antonio.

In 2019 Machina Cinema, LLC was formed and expanded its scope of work to include commercial and corporate production operating under the name Machina Cinema Industrial. With this expansion, Rivera now oversees narrative projects such as feature films and proofs of concepts as well as Live Streams and Corporate Campaigns. 

Buddy Calvo is the Creative Director and lead writer for Machina Cinema. 

Calvo was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas. He attended Thomas Jefferson High School where he participated in the theater arts program and gained his love for production. Upon graduation, Calvo attended UTSA where he was seeking a degree in International Business. After 3 years Calvo realized it was filmmaking that was his true passion and he began to pursue his writing/directing career. He attended San Antonio College where he began taking courses in the Radio, Television, Film department and wrote for The Ranger.

In 2007 Calvo established the production company Machina Cinema alongside producers Perla Rivera and Joe F. Gallegos III. Later that year Calvo wrote and directed his first film “Wanderlust” and since then has written, directed and produced short films, commercials, music videos, feature films and worked as various crew on regional productions. In the fall of 2012 Calvo accepted a teaching position at the San Antonio School for Inquiry and Creativity where he taught film production and gave students the opportunity to intern on projects throughout San Antonio. Calvo is the 2014 recipient of the San Antonio Local Filmmakers Grant.

After serving as the Department Head for the SASIC Film Program, a multimedia-focused extension of the San Antonio School for Inquiry and Creativity in San Antonio, Texas, Calvo left in 2018 to focus on Machina Cinema full time.

In 2019 Machina Cinema, LLC was formed and expanded its scope of work to include commercial and corporate production operating under the name Machina Cinema Industrial. With this expansion, Calvo now directs narrative projects such as feature films and proofs of concepts as well as Live Streams and Corporate Campaigns.