From Stage to Screen: Elvis Maleko on Creating The Aloha Within

Please tell us a little about yourself. How did you become interested in filmmaking? Tell us about your previous projects, before making The Aloha Within.

I was raised in a family of Polynesian performers, under the stage lights and the adrenaline of a live audience. Being in live entertainment, such as musicals, traveling luau shows, etc., It eventually led me to film and tv production. Whether it be acting or even behind the scenes work, I loved every bit of it. Even at a young age, I always loved the camera and making short films. While nothing spectacular, I often made short films for my family to watch. It was always a dream to make a professional short film.

Which filmmakers would you say have had the greatest influence on your work?

Pertaining to this short film, quite honestly, this may sound a little weird, but John Landis and Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” video short had always been on my mind during this project. Not so much the camera angles or anything, but the format of story telling and how music would fit in some sort of way, all had an impression during the process.

Where did the idea for The Aloha Within come from? Please tell us about the idea behind the film. What made you want to tell this story?

During my 25+ year career in live entertainment, I would often reflect on how life’s struggles and hardships took hold of me as a performer. Whether it be a tragedy of a loved one, or a heartbreak, or whatever, I would always say to myself, “Wow, this would make a great film.” I would think about the emotional change that happens from the dressing room to being onstage. It wasn’t easy. In a Polynesian Luau show, we are always promoting happiness. It’s difficult to show happiness when one’s spirit is being challenged by life’s trials. Dealing with these emotions was something I completely understood and something I felt was a great basis for storytelling.

Could you tell us how long it took to write the screenplay, how many times you revised it, and how long it took to arrive at the version you ultimately filmed? And how closely did you follow the screenplay during production?

It took about 5 months to write with 4 rewrites. The 4th month in is where we reached the final version. I worked closely with the lead actor Rex Tiumalu and on-screen talent Sabastian Carujo in rehearsals for about three months. We went over character development a few days a week to get the lines correct. I showed him films of emotional beats and what I wanted to capture. Rex would often contribute his take on the character, which allowed me to rewrite lines that would fit better in the final cut. From that point, we stuck with the final version of the script for the entire film.

The process of coming to terms with grief is an important theme in cinema. How closely do you think the experience of grief is connected to cultural and spiritual roots? Can culture and art offer meaningful support to someone who is grieving?

While I’m not an expert on all cultures, I do believe culture can teach us a lot about ourselves. I think culture can be a link to our own perspectives in life and even strengthen our own spiritual growth. It doesn’t matter which culture we are raised in. Many cultures have traditions that deal with grief and specific ways of mourning. It can also teach traditions of community, love, and celebrations of life. They give a sense of value, worth, and even happiness. Many cultures contribute to this part of identity that [I feel] many people are in search of today. However, it’s the responsibility for each individual to discover for themselves.

Could you tell us a little about how you divided the responsibilities of making the film? We’d love to hear a little about your creative processes, the process of working together, and how you approached the collaboration.

Director Robert Massetti over at Fear Film Studios is always busy with his own horror film projects, so I was honored for him taking the time to contribute his directing skills on this specific task. He took on the challenge of camera angles and cinematography, while I dealt with the dramatic dialogue beats and cultural aspects of the project. Robert stated that he was apprehensive at first because this film was a drama rather than a horror film, but when the finished project came out, I believe he was happy with it.

How long did the shoot take, and how much time did you spend on post-production, including editing and sound? What about some of the challenges you faced when making the film?

It took 5-6 months in pre-production, 2 months to shoot, and 4 months of post-production. One big challenge I faced with this project was, the timing of everything on the shoot and the patience of putting it all together. The timing of getting everyone’s schedule together was difficult. Getting the entire cast, crew, and dancer talents together was extremely difficult. Especially when you have a specific date set for the location. I had an actress pull out at the last minute, so I had to replace that person as fast as I could. Then there was the nightmare of costumes; especially the Polynesian cultural ones. I thank my family and close friends for helping on that part. Yeah, there were times when I’d be sitting in my apartment stressing out, but it all turned out fine.

What were the advantages and disadvantages of working within a confined space? Did the limitations of the setting affect the way you approached the filmmaking?

The short film is actually meant to feel enclosed. That intimate enclosed space represents the main character’s mindset, while the open space of the dancing scenes represents the culture and support system assisting in the main character’s mindsight.

We filmed in a church building recreation hall. The dressing room was actually created on the theater stage of the hall, so there was plenty of space to shoot. I created a dressing room with a bunch of curtains I ordered online, some clothes racks, and a vanity mirror. The dressing room set itself was mobile. I planned it that way in case the Co-Director needed to move into certain angles to get any shot. Here’s a fun fact, the dressing room scenes and the cultural dancing scenes of the film are the exact same location.

Tell us about the feedback. How was your festival experience, in terms of screenings and awards?

We are truly grateful for our short film traveling across the world to different festivals and receiving recognition by many. Our short film is based on emotions that are universally felt by everyone at some point in their lives. It also shares a little bit about our culture, but more importantly, it [hopefully] allows someone watching to take a look into their own culture as well. Many festivals have recognized this, and for that we are truly grateful for this opportunity to share our short film with everyone.

Tell us about your next projects. Do you plan to work together on another project in the future?

Yes, I love to help Director Robert Massetti on his projects in any way I can. We both love film making. It’s in our blood. We love telling stories. He is working on a horror series at the moment, and I have a few short film project scripts in the works, as well as a much bigger project with some industry professionals who are helping to bring these narratives to life. We are excited to continue this journey.

Finally, is there anything else you’d like to add that we haven’t touched on?

There is a connection to our Polynesian wrestling family.

In the film, everything is connected in some sort of way. Every piece of dialogue, every hand motion in the dancing, to everything that is displayed on screen. On the surface, the story is very simple. However, the rabbit hole can go as deep as you want, with its interpretation. There are easter eggs in the short, from my uncle’s picture who is a WWE Hall of Famer, to the Dwayne Johnson’s toy figurine on the dressing table. These are not just family, but people who made an incredible impact on the Polynesian culture and entertainment itself.