Kal Karman on Southeast Asian Creativity and Exploring Real-Life ‘Avatar’

Kal Karman, born and raised in Silicon Valley, was programming in BASIC in the sixth grade and playing with CAD software for fun, assembling phone circuits out of pure curiosity. His early passion for design and experimentation led him into the world of filmmaking.

Kal's career began assisting a cinematographer at Industrial Light & Magic, where he worked on films such as 'Episode I: The Phantom Menace’. Interested in exploring different facets of the industry, he went on to work as a script supervisor, writer, editor, assistant cinematographer, and even attended an acting academy.

Today, Kal is a director and stills photographer whose work bridges fashion, film, and tech. He has worked with brands including Gucci, Armani, and Nivea, merging European artistry with American energy.


As part of the ‘Portraits of CREATVAsia’s Associates’ series, Othello Khanh, managing director of The CREATV Company, reflects on getting to know Kal and interviews him on his love for Asian creativity and insights into the future of the industry…

Ever since I started The CREATV Company, I’ve made it a point to personally receive producers and directors seeking advice on working in Vietnam. I followed this practice after a producer I ignored ended up working for the competition – he let me know, and I’ve been grateful for that lesson ever since.

When it comes to directors, I’m especially drawn to those who are well-rounded – people who can direct, shoot, or edit. Over the past 30 years, I’ve met many such talents. So when Kal reached out a few years ago, I knew I wanted to meet him. That meeting was delayed for years due to the pandemic, but we finally connected in Saigon earlier this year.

My first reaction was: this is exactly the kind of person I like to work with. Great showreel, taste, and with a distinct European touch and American energy. It percolates through his work for companies like Bvlgari, Armani, and so many more.

Post-covid, our setup became leaner – no sales team, no commercial crew, no EP. I told him, frankly, “We’d love to work with you, but you handle sales. You’ve got a rolodex of 600+ companies. We’ll prepare a company profile to support you, but the selling to clients is your field.” Kal was open to it. This would allow us to do client direct, and allow us to put more of the budget on screen.

Then he opened his laptop and showed us a Porsche spec ad – created entirely with AI. I don’t fully understand the technology, but I see its potential. We shook hands.


Now, just as our collaboration begins, I’ve already sold a client a direct AI project with Kal as both director and creative director. Details are confidential, but I can share that while the client has the tech, they lack the artistic and cultural understanding. Their team can generate any image or animation from a prompt; our role is to guide the creative input – just like a real-world production.

Whether they use a camera, a microphone, or nothing at all, I enjoy working with creative people. This project embodies that philosophy.

I can confirm there are no coincidences. Over to Kal…

CREATV> You have a diverse and impressive career. If you had to pick just three top highlights from the past year, what would they be?

Kal> Meeting Othello and the whole family at the CREATV office for sure was one of those highlights. Everyone stopped for lunch together, eating vegetarian against their wishes to make me feel at home.

Another highlight would be a tour of Manila’s production offices. One producer took me scuba diving. It looks like ‘Avatar’ down there. Finally, I had the good fortune of shooting three TVCs back to back in Jakarta and was able to squeeze in 10 days in Bali for some yoga.

CREATV> Who are some of the most interesting people you have worked with and shot?

Kal> We directors get ‘plugged into’ existing ‘production families’, as we bounce around the world. The warmth and generosity of those families is what I remember, much more than the actual film we make together. Seeing how they balance work and family life is the most interesting, or how the production assistants radiate with curiosity.

And those I’ve shot? The ‘real people’ I shoot are the most fun. They need camaraderie from me to be able to feel comfortable. One told me his life story as we walked to the next set up.

CREATV> How did you start working with The CREATV Company and what were the key draws that made you want to collaborate with them?

Kal> Their name kept coming up as I spoke with other colleagues in Vietnam. They were shooting more long-form projects, which attracted me. Then, when I met them, it was clear that they had a strong company culture and deep artistic roots.

CREATV> You’re currently based in Southeast Asia. What do you feel is unique about the creative in this region and why do you love working here?

Kal> I first shot over here, maybe fifteen years ago. Small companies that worked from home are now huge companies with all the bells and whistles.

While South Korea and Japan seem impenetrable, foreign directors are welcomed in Southeast Asia. We all learn from each other. My blood is half European and half Asian, so somehow it’s natural for me to live a chapter of my life over here. I felt at home in Italy, and now I feel at home again in Southeast Asia.

CREATV> How does your background in editing, writing and acting influence the way you direct?

Kal> Murphy’s Law tells us that what can go wrong will go wrong. And pre-production is all about finding those weaknesses before they explode in our face. So, I guess, as a director, I rely on those layers of experience to stress test an agency brief. And if our team has figured it all out, then we get to have fun and improvise with our actors on set.

CREATV> Will you be attending Cannes Lions this year? If so, what are you most looking forward to and what role do you feel festivals such as this have to play in the wider industry?

Kal> Festivals like Lions are key to highlight great creative and up and coming talent… and most of all, give us a place to party!… which is perhaps the most memorable and important aspect: networking while tipsy.

CREATV> How do you see the industry evolving over the next few years? What key trends or evolutions are you most excited by and why?

Kal> I lived in China for a few years before covid, and when I got back, things had changed radically. A third of the producers I knew left the industry completely. Big companies I worked with were gone, and not coming back. I saw a huge studio cut up into little TikTok streaming boxes – each filled with a green screen and a dancing teenager.

LED volumes with Unreal Engine are popping up like mushrooms. It’s scary when an AI prompt can conjure up any shot. It’s a disruptive time, to put it mildly. These new tools need to be wrangled and integrated into a new production workflow. We have to find the opportunity and adjust quickly.

CREATV> How do you envision growing in the year(s) to come and how do you envision your alliance with CREATVAsia being part of that?

Kal> This is a time when many will exit, and others will evolve to meet the moment. Together with CREATV, I hope to grow into long-form, while also boosting TVC production services – whether I’m directing or supporting other directors.

Vietnam’s gamma of unexpected locations, talented crew, and low costs continue to make it a growing production hub. In Europe, there’s always a season where shoots go down to Capetown. Well, in Vietnam, it’s almost always sunny and there are plenty of locations that look like Europe.

Add in long white sand beaches, or a big studio to build your set. Plus, the equipment and talent are here, etc. I’m optimistic for the next year. I imagine it to be an integration of new digital tools with tried and tested artisanal filmmaking and creativity, which can leverage both.