When Kewen Soares dos Santos first stepped onto a film set, he didnt know exactly where hed land. What he did know was that he wanted to learn it all.
Ive always been someone who puts myself in other peoples shoes, he says. So when I decided to get into film, I wanted to understand every part of a set. What it really takes to make a movie.
That curiosity has guided Kewens early career, shaping him into a filmmaker who wears many hats: director, assistant director, grip, and production coordinator. Hes worked on music videos, short films, features, and commercials. And through each role, hes been quietly building something deeper than a resumehes been building perspective.
Learning By Doing
I wanted to be a producer and director who actually understands what each department goes through, Kewen explains. Working as a grip, AD, coordinatorit all taught me whats really needed to make a film happen and how to treat your crew and cast with respect.
That philosophy came into focus on Salt and Heartbeat, two of his most personal directorial efforts. Having just come off coordinating American Kindness and Lake Jesup, Kewen stepped into the directors chair with a deep appreciation for logisticsand a whole new way of planning.
When I directed Salt, I already understood the production side. That made it easier to communicate with my crew and keep the plans grounded. By the time Heartbeat came around, I had even more experience problem-solving and overcommunicating with department heads. It helped us stay prepared and flexible, and that really shaped how I direct now.
Directing with Empathy
Kewen speaks with quiet conviction when it comes to directing. Its where his writers soul meets the collaborative energy of set life.
Ive always loved working with actors and diving into the emotions of a scene. Supporting roles taught me a lot, but directing lets me tap into the creative side I connect with most.
Still, its not about controlits about collaboration. On Heartbeat, Kewen invited his editor into the process early, even before the shoot began.
I showed him the shot list and shared my vision for the final cut. I asked for his input on how we could make post smoother. That kind of conversation makes the whole process better. You cant make a film alone.
Switching Gears
Balancing the creative and the logistical is no easy feat. For Kewen, its an ongoing process.
Honestly, I feel like my brain is split in two. When I put on my director hat, Im in creative mode. When Im producing, its logistics. But theyre always talking to each other. Thats how you make a film actually work.
He credits his time working as a grip with deepening that balance. It gave me a whole new respect for G&E. Their work is precise, problem-solving, and essential. It also reminded me Im meant for production because even while holding a stand, I found myself drawn to thinking about logistics.
Letting the Work Lead
Across all his projects, one throughline remains: the story tells him where to go.
With short films, I usually start with the script. Thats the foundation. But with music videos, its the song that drives me. The concept comes from how it makes me feel. Sometimes the two blur. A song inspires a short film, or a visual idea becomes a video. Its fluid.
Kewen is drawn to emotional, human stories. Drama feels closest to life for me. I want to explore how emotions shape who we are. And I let the story decide the aesthetic. I dont stick to a fixed visual styleit changes based on the heart of the project.
Choosing the Path
Like many early-career filmmakers, Kewens calendar is a mix of passion projects and collaborative gigs. Saying yes and staying focused is a constant balancing act.
Im always creating and writing, even when Im working on someone elses set, he says. But when I choose outside projects, I say yes to the ones that inspire me. Working with people who love storytelling helps me grow.
When asked which project challenged him the most, his answer is immediate: Heartbeat.
That film carried a big piece of me. Breaking the story down in pre-production, reliving it over and overit was hard. But thats the magic of storytelling. Now it doesnt belong just to me anymore. It belongs to whoever watches it.
Building the Long Game
Kewens approach isnt flashy. Its steady, reflective, and built on experience earned one job at a time. Whether hes hauling gear, managing call sheets, or directing a scene with raw emotional weight, his goal remains the same: to help stories come to lifeand to make space for the people who tell them.
This industry is about collaboration. Thats what Ive learned most of all. Respect the process, trust your team, and stay open. Thats how you grow.
By: Carlos Eduardo Medeiros