A pessimistic teenager girl reconnects with an old friend. This encounter results in a life-changing experience for her.

Interview with Writer/Director/Editor/Animator Ariana Bolaños

Watch Afterglow here:

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

It was my graduation film, but also, the short film contains a plot that’s been stuck in my head since my teenager days. This short film contains various life experiences. I lost one of my high school friends, and later, my brother because of cancer. Making Afterglow was just one of the ways of coping with everything. I decided to tell people through my short film to follow their dreams and live without regrets before it is too late.

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

This film contains a message that everyone needs to hear at some point in life: Just do it, do that thing that you can't stop thinking every day. Wake up, tomorrow can be too late.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

I think it has the perfect balance. There is no doubt that my short film is extremely personal, but at the same time, the theme has the power to empathize with audiences of all ages. It is very casual, but still, it contains a very complicated and dramatic situation. Super simple, yet super deep. I think any person around the world, can identify with Afterglow.

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?

It evolved a lot. The first versions of it were super long, with more back story and more teenage drama flashbacks. It was all over the place. The moral of the film was kind of loose. It was there, but the cinematography of the script was not capturing it completely.

It was missing the Latin American overall mood as well. We as Latin American people sometimes tend to go for the American dream. We always produce things in English, and we always talk about themes related to the outside. I think right here we have all the necessary tools to create great content, no need to look further. I wanted to show how a casual day in Costa Rica is like, so I chose the most casual environment ever: a bus stop.

Also, it is thought to be happening around 2005. In the first versions, it was thought to be placed in present, but because the characters get far away and don't know from each other for some time, it was a bit harder to believe in it in the smartphone era, where you can find anyone through Facebook or Instagram easily. So it was finally placed in 2005, a little too soon for Facebook to exist, but not too late for them to have cell phones (flip phones, for this matter).

What type of feedback have you received so far?

The most common feedback I've received is that the voice acting sounds too amateur, or that it doesn't fit the characters.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

Not that much, at the bottom of my heart I knew the voices were never perfect. I recorded the voices I think four or five times, with different casts. In the end, I ended up acting the female voice myself. I think that gives it an extra personal touch, but I am well aware I am not a voice actress. Lack of experience in recording voices had to do a lot with it too. I recorded the voices with university equipment in a tiny room in the university, so you can imagine how that went. Zero budget, lack of experience in technical audio stuff, lack of experience in voice acting, well…

What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?

Most importantly, I want to share the message. And I want the world to know what I do. I am planning on doing more animated content, so I want more people to reach it and know who I am.

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?

Most importantly, I want to share the message. And I want the world to know what I do. I am planning on doing more animated content, so I want more people to reach it and know who I am.

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

I would like the people to be inspired by it, and to start working on their dreams.

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

This is funny, but because I let a kind of an open ending there. Did Manuel die? I'll let you guess ;)

Also, how many hidden/ subliminal messages or special details can you find? There are a couple in there.

Would you like to add anything else?

First of all, sorry if my short film made you cry a little bit. It was totally my intention, but I am still sorry.

I hope it opens your eyes somehow if you have a dream and you are doubting. You can do the thing.

(And also, if I have wonky English it is because I write before I think... Oh yes, and because English is not my first language).

What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?

I am working with two big animated projects which I cannot say anything about, sadly.

As an independent artist, I am in the first stages (and a bit artistically stuck I must say) of a videogame with cinematics. I want to tell a story but to also let the audience participate in it by playing. I promise some feelings, and some kawaii stuff as well. You know, classic me. (And maybe, expect some cats... Many cats, lots of cats!)

Interview: May 2020

We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela

Afterglow

A pessimistic teenager girl reconnects with an old friend. This encounter results in a life-changing experience for her.

Length: 4:11

Director: Ariana Bolaños

Producer: Jose Rodriguez

Writer: Ariana Bolaños

About the writer, director and producer:

ARIANA BOLANOS is the writer, director and animator of the short film and graduation project Afterglow. She graduated with honors. She writes since her teenage days and now works as a director on animated web series for clients around the world. Also, she is now a teacher in the same university from where she graduated.

JOSE RODRIGUEZ is the Academy Coordinator the Univeridad Veritas and teacher.

Key cast: Ariana Bolaños (voice of Liliana), Lucas Peinador (voice of Manuel)

Looking for: producers

Instagram: @ari.art.13

Hashtags used: #afterglow #3D #animated #hope #dreams #sunset #costarica #shortfilm #toon

Other: YouTube, Vimeo

Funders: Self-funded