You’ve been a photographer and music video artist for many years. What made you want to make the transition into feature filmmaking? 

I think the film happened because of a combination of depression and inspiration. I was doing music videos for a while but the market has changed so much in the past few years that I didn’t really manage to create new connections with artists I felt strongly about, so I got a bit stuck. I wanted to work with music without feeling under scrutiny or being labelled, so I just wanted create something I had more control over that would hopefully also allow me to explore certain themes in a deeper way.

What were the difficulties of funding and filming a feature film? 

I couldn’t get funding so I ended up moving there for five months and finding ways to make the film without being dependent on others. I found a camera that was practical for me to use without a crew while doing all the sound and technical aspects. I was there alone which obviously minimised the cost, so I basically got my husband, Boaz Yakin, to act as producer and finance it with me. It had a very tiny budget and it was very challenging because I was there filming during a 115 degree heatwave, but endurance is fun.

What was it about Bombay Beach that made you want to film it? 

I really wanted to make a documentary with dance and movement without the subject being dancers, so it would give me an opportunity to me to explore certain themes through it. I discovered Bombay Beach when I was shooting a music video for Beirut [who scored Bombay Beach] and I was just taken by the place immediately; I’ve always loved ghost towns but I’ve never seen any place like Bombay Beach. It’s kind of a post-apocalyptic place between worlds and I found something very wild about it and the people, and I felt that if I could capture that, I could capture something socially about America. I could also bring the idea I had about dance and music to a place that is dreamy enough to contain it without being foreign.

You’ve spoken about trouble with funding and creative freedom, what advice would you give to aspiring creatives?

Find a way of doing things without depending on other people. I shot my film on a digital camera that cost $600, a $1,000 adapter and I edited it on a laptop – so obviously you can do these things on your own these days. You don’t have to make a feature film right away, you can make a short film; there are so many film festivals that show them and it’s such a great way to meet new people, like producers and filmmakers, so you can start thinking as a filmmaker. My biggest advice to people who want to make films is to make films. Be proactive and don’t wait for people to come to you.

Bombay Beach is out in cinemas today. Have a look at Alma's other work – including her music videos – on her website.

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