UW Cinema and Media Studies Alumni
Writer/Director of "I Watched Her Grow."
Upcoming Project: "Diwita"
"I went full force into film. I've made a film that won awards across the United States and internationally. And then, I'm making this short film, which as won awards, and it hasn't even come out yet, and it's been a whirldwind. I've been a producer, I've been an AD, I've worked with Microsoft and Amazon, and it's been insane, and it's really because of CMS. I wouldn't really have been able to do any of it without CMS."
What had brought you to Cinema and Media Studies?
"So, when I came to the University of Washington, I did not study anything arts-related. I originally came to the University of Washington to study urban planning and landscape architecture. That was my intended major. For two years, I took nothing but architectural studies and landscape architecture. It was so fun, and I really liked it. But then, halfway through my sophomore year, during the pandemic, I had this assignment for my landscape architecture course. They asked us to make any creative project that we wanted, just as long as it was about something related. What I decided to do was, because I thought it was fun, I made a documentary about the history of Japanese internment camps in Washington state. There was a scandal at Bellevue College, where a mural that was created by a Japanese-American artist was vandalized, because in the description of the plaque, it had a bit of history regarding the relationship between Bellevue and Bellevue College. The founder of Bellevue directly funded the Japanese internment camps in Washington state. And because of that information, I guess, whoever vandalized it was considered damning, and they didn’t want that connection to be made to that person, and because that person’s descendants are still alive in Washington, and incredibly wealthy, and are significant donors to Bellevue College, they defaced the mural. It was awful. And so I made a short documentary about that, and the fallout of this destruction of art in an academic setting, and what it means to remember the past. I showed it to my class, not expecting much. I just thought it was a really interesting project to do. I ended up making my professor cry. That was not my intention, but I feel like, just hearing how people connected with something that I’d made, that was a short documentary film about a subject that I felt was really important and deserved to be highlighted. It was like a light bulb moment, you know that feeling where something switches off in your head, and it’s like, ‘Huh. I didn’t know I could do that.’ And I didn’t know that I would be so fulfilled by it and enjoy it so much. Between the end of my sophomore year and, beginning of junior year, I made the switch to CMS. I got introduced to so many professors, like Professor Groening, then Professor Bean, so many people. And they encouraged me to keep going, and they were a huge reason why I stayed in the program. Even when it was really hard, their belief in me and wanting to continue to do this work, to not only foster my knowledge for myself, but also use what I’ve learned to help other people, has been really awesome.”
I understand that you double-majored in Creative Writing, correct? Do you feel like that benefited your pathway into film?
“You’re absolutely correct. I feel that double-majoring in CMS and Creative Writing was instrumental in not only furthering my education at UW but also preparing me for the professional world afterward. It taught me so much about not only how to be a better writer, but also being a better filmmaker. I feel like I wouldn’t have been able to be as successful as a writer or a filmmaker without the other major. I feel like having both worlds encapsulated in my education has really opened up the doors in terms of the opportunities I’m able to get after school. It helped foster community, and I made friends in the program that I still keep in contact with. Having both majors has been instrumental to everything I’ve done post-college.”
You've done a variety of work following your graduation, including directing your debut fil 'I Watched her Grow' which has been received very well. Is there a strong connection between what you learned in CMS and how it applies to what you do now?
“Absolutely. One of the last classes I took with Steve (Groening) in CMS was Paranoia and Cinema, and we watched a lot of films that had to do with political intrigue, the relationship between the self and the other, which is everyone else, and how to find your place in the world is watching you and perceiving you as a person, like, ‘What does it mean when you feel like the entire world is watching you and perceiving you as a person?’ That whole class was so fascinating to me, because I feel like I learned so much. Not only about film, but about so many concepts I wouldn’t have learned otherwise. I still have my notes somewhere. That was the quarter immediately before I made ‘I Watched Her Grow,’ and I feel it impacted so much of ‘I Watched Her Grow’ became or how it came out, because that film deals a lot with paranoia and also with the anxiety that comes from complex trauma that’s been unaddressed for years, the psychological effects it can take on a person who is not able to really fully articulate how this trauma affected them. And also how that trauma affects their relationships with people. I do remember when I was writing the script for that film, I was referring to my notes that I took in Steve’s class, and other CMS classes I took. I was looking at different concepts and was like, ‘How do I apply this in this film?’ ‘How do I master the art of revealing information?’ And being in touch with the audience so that they feel like they’re a part of this film, too. Because I feel like sometimes when you watch films, there’s this feeling of the film talking down to its audience. I wanted to respect the people watching this film and wanted them to truly be able to relate to it. And get whatever they can from it."
And right now, you’re in the midst of fundraising for another film. Tell me more!
This film is called Diwata. It’s approximately a twenty-minute short fantasy, drama, and live-action film. It centers on a Filipina immigrant grandmother, named Lola, which means grandmother in Tagalog, one of the main languages of the Philippines, and that’s how she’s referred to by her family. And specifically, her granddaughter. It centers the relationship between Lola and her granddaughter, who dies at the age of fifteen when she drowns at the beach. The rest of the film is Lola’s journey through grief and guilt. She has turned eighty years old, and she feels like she’s at a point in her life where she hasn’t done anything. She’s only lived for other people, and after her granddaughter dies, she doesn’t really have anyone else to live for. The name of the film, Diwata, is a mythical creature that comes from pre-colonial Filipino mythology. Depending on the myths, they can come in different forms, but typically, they’re nature spirits that are incredibly powerful. Sometimes they can be derived from the dead spirits of children, other times they’re gods from ancient folklore. They are very much detached from humans and demand sacrifices. When her granddaughter comes back as a Diwata, she’s kind of split in the middle; she’s not quite human. They have until sunrise to reconcile their relationship with each other and their past, because when the sun rises, her granddaughter is basically called back to the sea, and she disappears forever.
How’s the process of pre-production going for you?
The process of pre-production has been the most complex thing I’ve ever done, just putting all the pieces together. We recently had casted the three main actors, who are all amazing. One of them is, like, really big in the Philippines, and I didn’t know that when I casted her. I only found this out from my grandmother, who called me the day after it was announced. We’re making sure that all their paperwork is finalized, making sure that the cast and crew are safe, and making sure that the cast and crew are paid, which is what crowdfunding is. We were able to receive a grant from 4Culture, which is like an arts organization in Seattle. We are so grateful to have their support, and we were finalists for other grants and film festivals, screenwriting competitions across the country. It’s the recognition and just the general interest from the community. People being passionate about this story being told has meant a lot to me, especially from the Filipino community, because Filipinos and Filipino-Americans typically don’t get a ton of representation in film and media. And if we do get representation, it’s typically not told by us in the community. It means a lot that so many people are passionate about this very, very small, independent film about the Filipino community coming to life. I’m really proud and grateful that people are excited to see it. Because I am too.
And finally, do you have any advice for current CMS majors?
Talk to your professors, please. When you have the chance, because they have so much insight about where to find internships, how to get started in indie filmmaking, they probably have connections that you have never heard of or thought of. Also, make sure to make films within your community, with your fellow CMS majors, as much as you can. Experience is everything, and there’s no way, really, to get experience except to just go out and do it. It’s slowly changing, but there’s not a ton of film in Seattle. I’m so happy working with people that are actively trying to change that, and they’re awesome. But you guys are the future of film in Seattle, and if you guys want to do it, then you should just do it. Don’t be afraid of failure. You’re going to fail as filmmakers, you’re going to fail, and it’s gonna hurt. But after, it’ll make you stronger, and it’ll help you move forward and become a better filmmaker and a better person. So, take advantage of any opportunities that you get, and make sure to lift up each other because once you get to the other side, you’re gonna realize how cutthroat filmmaking is. You’re gonna want to have people in your corner, people that you can trust and you can support. You want to grow and learn from them, because the whole point of this film is to be able to lift each other up. If we don’t, then there really isn’t any point in any of this. You know? We don’t make great films otherwise.