Exploring Your Creative Capabilities and Finding Your Voice with Nathan Aurellano
Balay Kreative Growth Grantee Nathan Aurellano still has yet to find his voice as a filmmaker. But in the meantime, he’s trying things out. He encourages other artists to simply make something that means something to them, even if they don’t have it all figured out.
On Saturday, December 10, he will be presenting a community screening of his latest project “Floating” — three stories of characters in their twenties exploring existentialism, masculinity, and culture through their conversations with one another.
In an interview with Kurt Ison, Nathan discusses the ongoing quest to develop his voice, conveying messages through conflict, and how Balay Kreative has supported his creative journey.
Profile by Anne Lizette Sta. Maria
“If you don’t keep making stuff and finishing stuff then you’ll never know what you can make or what you have the capabilities to create.”
As a child, did you always know you wanted to be a filmmaker?
I originally wanted to be a writer, but I was drawn to film because of the way in which the medium can help you escape the day to day.
How did you develop your voice as a filmmaker?
I’m still developing my voice as a filmmaker. I think that, in order to become a very good storyteller, you have to just try things all the time. One of the most important things about being an artist is just completing projects. In doing so, I’m still trying to find my voice. But once I find it, I will let you guys know.
Can you talk a little bit about your current project?
“Floating” is a collection of short stories about young adults, adrift in their own lives. They find meaning and connection with one another through conversation and within their own personal relationships.
How has being a Balay Kreative Growth Grantee helped you grow as an artist?
Balay is an excellent organization because it has allowed me to network with different organizations such as Community Artists Stabilization Trust — the CAST Building over at 447 Minna. It’s allowed me to get mentorship from excellent Filipinx artists as well as to really cultivate my talent as a filmmaker. They’ve been extremely supportive in helping me out every step of the way and I would not have been able to make my project without them.
What kind of statements are you looking to make with your films?
The statements that I would like to make with my films are to promote a sort of diversity within the cast and within the things that you do not traditionally see in stories on TV or in film. With my films, I want to create a sentiment through them. I want to create a sort of presentation of life being lived. I think that, as of now, I’m still working on creating more of a story through the internal conflict of each character. I think one of the things about being a minority is the fact that you are always in conflict with some of the spaces that you’re in. So even though there might not be something displayed on screen that initiates conflict, you can get that sentiment just through the presentation.
What would you say to aspiring Filipino artists? Why is it important for Filipinos to create?
What I would say to my fellow Filipino artists out there is: make stuff and make stuff that means something to you. Your greatest art or the greatest we’ve ever seen, we haven’t seen yet… because you haven’t made it. If you don’t keep making stuff and finishing stuff then you’ll never know what you can make or what you have the capabilities to create.
Want know more about Nathan? Be sure to follow @balaykreative and subscribe to our newsletter to hear about her future artwork! Check out our interview with his below.