We had the good fortune of connecting with Shalyn Delhaes and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Shalyn, how do you think about risk?
The biggest risk I ever took was at 18, just after graduating high school in Germany. It was a pivotal moment when my dad received a job offer in the U.S., presenting me with a daunting decision: to leave my home country behind and venture into the unknown. Despite the wrenching prospect of saying goodbye to friends and family, I saw this as my golden ticket to pursue my dream of filmmaking in a country of greater opportunities. With a heart full of uncertainty but determination, I embarked on this journey to Ohio with my parents, knowing that America offered a fertile ground for my aspirations.
Upon arrival, I found myself navigating through a maze of unfamiliar customs and a language not native to me. It thrust me into an entirely new life filled with new faces and uncharted territories. But it was also a transformative experience, one that taught me to adapt swiftly to new surroundings and embrace change with open arms. Despite the risks, I took the plunge, applying to film schools across the country, determined to turn my passion into reality. And in doing so, I discovered a strength within myself that I never knew existed. This risk, though daunting, was undeniably worth it, propelling me closer to my passion and broadening my horizons beyond measure. Today, as I look back, I am grateful for the courage that propelled me forward and the opportunities that awaited on the other side of fear.
Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
As a queer filmmaker, my focus lies in crafting narratives that illuminate the experiences of the LGBTQ+ community. My journey into this passion began with the production of my independent short film “Boysenberry Night.” This project was pivotal in revealing my dedication to amplifying the voices of underrepresented groups on screen.
The story deals with a High School play of Romeo and Juliet, but both characters experience gender dysphoria and secretly wish to play each other’s roles. The story is rooted my co-writers/directors/producers personal experience as a gender-questioning artist, along with my passion for sharing this perspective that is rarely seen in mainstream media. We’re both members of the queer community and have the desire to reach out to others feeling similar emotions and to promote freedom of expression. We believe that our queerness offers us a unique perspective that leads to the creation of beautiful, and essentially queer filmmaking. We feel this generation of filmmakers can create change for a more accepting and liberated world through abandoning harmful labels and welcoming the ambiguity of sexuality, gender, and queer identity. This is a story we needed growing up and we want to reach out with open arms to help others who have felt silenced.
When starting the project, we were unsure if people would understand or relate to the characters and the story. Come time for casting we asked those auditioning to share whether or not they identified with the roles and any experience they felt comfortable enough to share. We made connections with so many actors that expressed how they felt seen and understood when reading the script. They emphasized its ability to evoke those complex emotions of dysphoria and struggle to explain how you are feeling to the ones you love. People cried during the auditions, they thanked us for writing something that they had never seen in the media before, and this connection we all felt meant more to all of us than the film itself.
It wasn’t until that moment that we fully realized how important representation is, how important it is to tell your story even if you fear being misunderstood because it is likely that someone out there needs to hear it.
In my latest endeavor, “Dandelion,” a production supported by the American Film Institute (AFI), the narrative unfolds in the midst of the gay rights movement of the 1970s when multiple advocacy groups began popping up in cities all across the country. One, “Youth Advocates” in Seattle, was set up to quietly match queer foster kids with openly gay adults in the area using government funds. The film follows Margaret, a queer teenager who needs a new home and undergoes this process.
Regarding challenges along the way, the journey as a filmmaker is often riddled with unforeseen challenges and obstacles that test both creativity and resilience. One such instance stands out vividly in my memory during the production of, again, my independent film “Boysenberry Night.”
The night before our eagerly anticipated first day of shooting, our carefully laid plans were thrown into disarray when our sound guy unexpectedly pulled out from the project via an 11 PM email. Compounding the issue was the fact that he was also our sole source of sound equipment, having agreed to provide his own gear for the shoot. In a frantic scramble, my partner and I found ourselves facing a critical decision-making moment. With no time to spare, we reached out to every contact we had, desperately seeking a replacement sound technician and equipment. Through sheer determination and the power of our network, we miraculously secured the necessary equipment that very night, hastily arranging contracts and logistical details in a race against the impending shoot.
However, the trials didn’t end there. On the third day of filming, amidst the chaos of our lunch break, news of a looming tornado warning sent shockwaves through our production team. Faced with the daunting task of prioritizing the safety of our crew against the pressing demands of our tight schedule and minuscule budget, we found ourselves at a crossroads. Ultimately, we made the difficult yet unequivocal decision to prioritize the well-being of our team, opting to send everyone home safely via Uber rides.
Yet, this decision came with its own set of consequences. With half a day lost, we were forced to hastily reconfigure our shooting schedule for the remaining day, meticulously orchestrating every detail to ensure we captured the essential footage while avoiding overburdening our already exhausted crew. It was a lesson in adaptability, teamwork, and above all, problem-solving under pressure.
Through these trials, I learned invaluable lessons about the importance of swift decision-making, effective collaboration with department heads, and the indispensable art of creative problem-solving. Each hurdle became an opportunity for growth, shaping not only the trajectory of our production but also honing my skills as a filmmaker. In the end, “Boysenberry Night” emerged as a testament to our resilience and unwavering dedication to our craft, proving that even in the face of adversity, the indomitable spirit of filmmaking perseveres.
Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Favorite Activities: – Rollerskating at ‘Moonlight Rollerway’
– Thrifting at ‘It’s a Wrap’ (Costumes from TV Shows & Movies for sale)
– Watching a movie at ‘Cinespia’ (Open-Air Cinema)
– Going to the ‘Luna Luna – Forgotten Fantasy’ Exhibition
Favorite Cafés/Restaurants:
– ‘All Time’ & ‘Alcove’ in Los Feliz
– ‘Aroma’ in North Hollywood
– ‘Bob’s Big Boy’ in Burbank
– ‘ChiChi’ in K-Town
Favorite Flea Markets:
– ‘Rose Bowl’ in Pasadena
– ‘Silverlake Flea’
– ‘Los Feliz Flea’ (Lovely view from the top)
Favorite Bookstores:
– ‘Book Soup’ (Authors often come in to do public readings and sign books!)
– ‘Mystery Pier Books’ (First Edition Bookstore)
The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to dedicate my shoutout to Paloma Carpio-Marion, Laavanya Hunt, and Cedric Christophorus, three of my international friends and incredible filmmakers, who know the challenges very well of being international in the U.S., but who have helped me immensely in going through the process of applying for my artist visa. They are some of the most hardworking people I know, as they have experiences firsthand what it is like to have to jump through several more hoops than our American counterparts and work twice as hard. I deeply admire their dedication and perseverance and look up to them in many ways.
Website: https://shalyndelhaes.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shalynvfm/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shalyndelhaes/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@shalynsfilms
Other: IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm13526292/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk