A metaphorical spotlight shines on Coppell High School senior Issac Mercado. When Mercado is mentioned in conversation, people tend to smile.
Mercado has long been a lover of the performing arts. As president of the Cowboy Theatre Company Drama Club and involvement in theater since freshman year, Mercado has had his fair share of roles.
Mercado seems to be most known for his genuine demeanor.
“He’s just the type of person to walk into a room and light it up,” sophomore Makayla Arnold said. “Everyone kind of gravitates towards him.”
Mercado is an executive director for KCBY-TV, where he feels he truly rediscovered his passion for videography and filmmaking.
“Issac is extremely creative,” KCBY-TV adviser Irma Lazos-Kennedy said. “Nothing is a challenge to him, which is something I love about him. He can take a concept and run with it.”
Kennedy also sponsors the CHS Film Club, where Mercado is president.
“Issac has charisma, people follow him,” Kennedy said. “I know he makes good decisions, and is someone I trust. Knowing that enabled me to support him when he wanted to start Film Club.”
Throughout Mercado’s childhood, he always loved movies. He was fascinated by the way something captured on a screen could have an effect on people. Mercado found comfort and inspiration through what he was watching, such as La La Land, and work by director Greta Gerwig.
After joining theater in high school, he became inspired by his fellow classmates and began writing screenplays of various genres for fun. Ultimately however, the ideas were simply too good to remain as ideas.
Mercado has written and directed multiple short films. Last year, his short film, Happy Birthday Sid, won an award for Best Comedic Actor at the Texas Thespians Festival and advanced to Nationals.
Another film, Traitor, inspired by the music of American singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo, is Mercado’s longest short film, running at more than 45 minutes.
The idea for this film came about during a phone call with Mercado’s close friend, senior Sid Gunasekaran. The two were brainstorming ideas for a short film and joked about ways to add humor to the plot.
“At the time, Olivia Rodrigo was trending,” Mercado said. “So we were like, ‘how funny would it be if Olivia Rodrigo came in?”
After completing the final script in October 2022, Mercado recruited actors for the project, turning to his peers and classmates in theater.
After the main cast was put together, they started the filming process in November 2022 with Mercado directing every scene.
Traitor was officially shared with the public via YouTube on Sept. 7, the day prior to the release of Rodrigo’s latest album GUTS.
The finished project is a dynamic story about a high schooler, played by 2023 CHS graduate Jude Taylor, depicting his journey of being wrongfully accused of a crime.
Sprinkled throughout the short film are references to Olivia Rodrigo’s hit album Sour.
Senior Chloe Kryzak first met Mercado in seventh grade at their individual middle schools, but reconnected in high school, bonding over their mutual love of theater.
“He’s very positive, he’s very funny,” Kryzak said. “But I think something he’s especially good at is making everyone he encounters feel important in the conversation. He opens people up.”
After high school, Mercado wants to pursue a career in filmmaking, and plans on doing whatever it takes to accomplish his goals.
“I think the pursuit of an artistic path is so admirable to me as a person who’s also an artist,” Kryzak said.“I just love to see people who are not afraid to pursue their dreams. I hope Issac wins an Oscar.”
Follow @CHSCampusNews on X.
