kanta the film
kanta the film
creative direction. branding. marketing. crowdfunding.
KANTA is a Filipino-American horror film about identity, metal, and the monsters we carry inside us all.
when director Nick Stinson pitched me a coming-of-age monster movie about a guy that’s half Filipino processing his identity through music, i was hooked. there is something so universal about learning to accept yourself…all parts of yourself, even those scary parts you push off.
our tagline
the tagline was birthed from flipping our fears into something active. instead of running from what makes you different, own it.
our wordmark
inspired by the Tikbalang's long terrifying nails, i hand drew our logo as if the Tikbalang was carving out the film's name into a tree in the forest where our story takes place.
baybayin
elements
before Tagalog there was Baybayin, a pre-colonial Filipino script. these beautiful letterforms spell out “KANTA” and are used throughout our design system to pay homage to the rich history of the Philippines.
two beasts inside me
purple and red clash on screen to showcase the war inside Joseph, our titular character.
tension-driven look & feel
over the course of the film, Joseph’s anxiety drive the visuals. camera movements get shakier in frantic moments and eyes express true fear.
the tikbalang reimagined
the tikbalang is a monster in Filipino mythology that preys on your darkest fears…even accepting who you are. this half-horse half-man beast cannot be killed, but instead tamed. our film takes this legendary creature and gives it a bit of a metal twist. this character is currently being developed by Carla Grace Fajardo, our head of SFX.
fully funded
Seed&Spark selected KANTA for their 2026 AAPI Renaissance Rally, powered by Gold House. we fully funded our project and were selected as finalists thanks to this opportunity and our community.
community fundraising
we created community-driven crowdfunding targeted at local filmmakers and those interested in indie film in SF and the Bay Area. we packed out a metal bar in SF's Mission District for a night of networking, fundraising, and educational moments centered around KANTA.
coming
early 2027
we are currently in pre-production with plans in place to shoot this summer. more updates to come :]
director
nick stinson
production
laeli ella
mike soleta
julia li
director of photography
nikolas welchel
creative direction
alexis lynn ellis