When Kewen Soares dos Santos first stepped onto a film set, he didn’t know exactly where he’d land. What he did know was that he wanted to learn it all.

“I’ve always been someone who puts myself in other people’s 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 Kewen’s early career, shaping him into a filmmaker who wears many hats: director, assistant director, grip, and production coordinator. He’s worked on music videos, short films, features, and commercials. And through each role, he’s been quietly building something deeper than a resume—he’s 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, coordinator—it all taught me what’s 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 director’s chair with a deep appreciation for logistics—and 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. It’s where his writer’s soul meets the collaborative energy of set life.

“I’ve 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, it’s not about control—it’s 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 can’t make a film alone.”

Switching Gears

Balancing the creative and the logistical is no easy feat. For Kewen, it’s an ongoing process.

“Honestly, I feel like my brain is split in two. When I put on my director hat, I’m in creative mode. When I’m producing, it’s logistics. But they’re always talking to each other. That’s 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 I’m 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. That’s the foundation. But with music videos, it’s 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. It’s 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 don’t stick to a fixed visual style—it changes based on the heart of the project.”

Choosing the Path

Like many early-career filmmakers, Kewen’s calendar is a mix of passion projects and collaborative gigs. Saying yes and staying focused is a constant balancing act.

“I’m always creating and writing, even when I’m working on someone else’s 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 over—it was hard. But that’s the magic of storytelling. Now it doesn’t belong just to me anymore. It belongs to whoever watches it.”

Building the Long Game

Kewen’s approach isn’t flashy. It’s steady, reflective, and built on experience earned one job at a time. Whether he’s hauling gear, managing call sheets, or directing a scene with raw emotional weight, his goal remains the same: to help stories come to life—and to make space for the people who tell them.

“This industry is about collaboration. That’s what I’ve learned most of all. Respect the process, trust your team, and stay open. That’s how you grow.”

By: Carlos Eduardo Medeiros