In an exclusive interview with MEGA, filmmaker Kayla Abuda Galang revisits the creative process behind her winning short film, When You Left Me on That Boulevard
The movie industry has always been a melting pot of creativity where talented individuals bring their unique visions to life. Filmmakers are one of these creative professionals who can paint pictures with light and sound, and bring depth and emotion to characters. Filmmaking as an art form can be a challenging path for some creatives, but a director and writer who loves committing her truth and emotional memory to film is Kayla Abuda Galang.
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“I’ve never really considered filmmaking’s significance to me as a profession so much as a way of just living and doing and being,” she affirms.
The accolade
Celebrating Kayla Abuda Galang’s recent win and the whole team behind When You Left Me on That Boulevard is a sacred act of recognition. According to Kayla, receiving the Grand Jury Prize from a prestigious film festival is a nice validation for her craft as this is her first big swing outside the “DIY and run-and-gun filmmaking space.” The moment she heard the title of her short film in an online announcement, she wasn’t glammed up and she slept only for three hours, but the celebratory atmosphere in the room was high. “When our title was called, my team sort of had to lift me out of my seat. The whole time, I was just delusional because I was so tired, but surprised and stoked,” she recalls. Until now, Kayla is still processing the win, but at the same time, trying not to think too hard about it.
The creative process
Visual storytelling and a director’s approach towards a film play a crucial role in a filmmaker’s creative process. Giving us a walkthrough of her initial vision for her winning short film, Kayla shares that she really wanted her movie to feel like a memory. “I staked a lot in the performances, photo-like shot compositions, and immersive sound design.”
Seeing the film’s great influence on her Filipino and American culture, Kayla openly admitted that as an independent filmmaker, she thinks of her films as “hazy little retellings” of her experiences and emotional memory. That’s why it was inevitable to feature her Filipino-American cultural experiences in her works. For When You Left Me on That Boulevard, her tone featured the diverse characteristics of her family members—a real-life portrayal of how jarring, campy, and warm her relatives are, especially on her mom’s side.
The cast and crew
The way a director communicates their vision and interprets a story can greatly impact the film’s overall tone, mood, and style. But it is also important to remember that movies are collaborative art forms, and there is always a team behind the scenes working to bring the story to life on a big screen.
From the director and actors to the cinematographer, sound designer, and each crew member, Kayla took the time to honor everyone’s creativity. Evidently, the collaboration between all of these individuals resulted in a harmonious and cohesive output, with each person contributing their skills and talents to make the film come to life. “Everyone just claimed their characters so naturally, and it was exciting to see them be humans outside of my head,” she exclaims.
“All in all, I really think the key to the creative process was finding people to have unabashed fun with. We all had a lot of fun building the world and characters together.”
Kayla Abuda Galang, on acknowledging her team
The visionary filmmaker
The filmmaker’s viewpoint reflects a growing sentiment in the U.S. film industry, where there is increasing pressure to produce films heavily focused on identity, politics, and diversity. However, Kayla believes in a more nuanced approach where these issues do not have to be the centerpiece of every film. Instead, it’s about telling relatable character-driven stories. “I want to turn my focus toward simple, relatable character journeys and take people on a little ride!”
Empowering her vision more after her win at Sundance Film Festival, Kayla will continue playing her role in the short filmmaking space because, according to her, it is a special and challenging platform. “I’ve been playing with a few short ideas that are still pretty tender, so I’m keeping them close to the chest,” Kayla shares. Currently, she is revisiting a feature script of a coming-of-age comedy film set in the mid-2000s of southeast San Diego with a working title, ‘06-’07. She is also exploring another feature called On Earth as it is in Heaven, which will meditate on familial grief in present-day Houston.
The filmmaker’s perspective
The independent filmmaker stressed the importance of making films that are true to oneself and not solely for validation when asked about the advice she can impart to aspiring filmmakers. Kayla also mentioned their own experiences of feeling brand new and intimidated as they navigate the industry, especially given the challenges that crews and workers face. Despite these challenges, Kayla Abuda Galang remains committed to creating films that genuinely speak her vision. Together with her team, Kayla hopes to stick to their truth as they gain more resources and reach a broader audience.
Photos from KAYLA ABUDA GALANG
