LATINO HEAT'S HOLLYWOOD IMPACT; INDUSTRY NEWS WITH AN EYE TOWARD PRIDE.

Byline: Yvette Cabrera Daily News Staff Writer

Growing up in the late 1960s, Bel Hernandez remembers watching the long-haired blondes on ``Brady Bunch'' and wondering why Latino actors were so noticeably absent from the small screen.

``I just felt like we (Latinos) were invisible,'' said Hernandez, a 42-year-old former actress. ``I always felt like the white or Anglo person was better because I never saw us on TV.''

That void was the impetus for creating Latin Heat, the nation's first Latino entertainment industry trade publication.

From a tiny office near Burbank's Media City Center, Hernandez launched the publication with fellow actress Loyda Ramos after protesting the casting of a non-Latina for a feature film on acclaimed Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. With the donations contributed by the Kahlo protesters came the first issue of Latin Heat - two pages of typewritten statistics and news updates that were mailed to 25 readers.

Five years later, Latin Heat hits the newsstands in full color, has 10,000 subscribers and has spawned a yearly Latino Entertainment Industry Conference that attracted 600 participants in September - twice as many as last year.

`Filling a void'

As the only comprehensive source on Latinos in entertainment, Hernandez and editor Elia Esparza are even tapped for referrals by casting directors and producers looking for Latino talent.

``People respond to us and want to work with us in that way because they understand the potential of the publication, they understand the need and they understand that it's filling a void,'' said Hernandez, who is publisher and editor in chief of Latin Heat.

Michelle Satter, director of feature film programming for the Sundance Institute, has subscribed to Latin Heat for a year. She said it helps her keep track of filmmakers and actors who she otherwise might overlook.

``It certainly fulfills a need for me to be more informed about writers, directors and films that have gotten made and issues that are important to the Latino community,'' said Satter from her Santa Monica office.

``We're looking to discover new talent,'' said Satter. ``It's a great way to get a sense of the scene.''

Joseph Julian Gonzalez, a 33-year-old composer who scores feature films, said he taps into Latin Heat as a resource for jobs.

``Latin Heat has been really wonderful,'' said Gonzalez. ``In fact, when I get the publication, I make a list of what's going on (with Latinos in the entertainment industry), and at some point my manager goes over the list - you really can't get that from Variety or the Hollywood Reporter.''

Latin Heat takes coverage of Latinos one step further. For instance, while major trade publications have written countless features on television producer Aaron Spelling, Latin Heat's fall feature on Spelling applauded his longstanding policy of hiring Latinos for his hit shows.

``The difference is that we care because we know that Latinos lack the publicity,'' said Hernandez. ``Whereas the Hollywood Reporter and Variety, they're not aware of all of the talent, and only until recently, where movies like `Mi Familia' and `Selena' have highlighted all this talent, are they going `Oh! Let's see.' ''

The word is getting out. In Latin Heat's early days, Hernandez had her list of five paid subscribers etched into her mind. Today, not only has her base ballooned, it also has diversified with production companies as big as DreamWorks SKG, New Line Cinema and Miramax signing on as subscribers.

A yearning for more diverse coverage of the entertainment industry became apparent when Latin Heat advertised in national Latino magazines this year.

``I have gotten so many calls from filmmakers in Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee who didn't know about us. And over there, they feel alone,'' said Esparza. ``They're like, `Now I have something that will keep me tapped into what's going on in Hollywood (with Latinos).' ''

Empowering publication

Co-founder Ramos remains a publisher emeritus, but she left Latin Heat to continue her acting career. Hernandez opted to stick it out with her infant publication.

``It was so much more empowering to me to be doing what I was doing rather than run down to a casting office on the possibility that I might get this Crest commercial ... or go for a role where I'd be doing a maid or a prostitute,'' said Hernandez.

Though the publication is still struggling on a meager budget, Hernandez and Esparza, who had previously worked in marketing, said they don't mind the hardships because already they see the positive impacts of their work.

``Our efforts and what we do in this community will change the face of all Latinos in all communities,'' said Esparza. ``Because if we are able to make more films and get more Latinos on television, then that's the mainstream effect.''

In a recent issue, Latin Heat ran a feature on director Gregory Nava, who has produced films, such as ``Mi Familia'' and ``Selena,'' that were cast entirely with Latinos. And these days, actors such as Salma Hayek, Jennifer Lopez, Edward James Olmos, Jimmy Smits and countless others are household names.

``We have taken it into our own hands and said `OK, we're going to make the difference,' '' said Hernandez. ``We're going to give the young kids that are coming up what we didn't have. We're going to give them pride, a sense of self-esteem.''

CAPTION(S):

2 Photos

PHOTO (1) Bel Hernandez is publisher of Latin Heat, a Burbank-based publication that focuses on Latinos in the entertainment industry.

(2) Latin Heat, which started as a two-page newsletter five years ago, has grown into a full-fledged magazine.

David R. Crane/Daily News