Daily Inspiration: Meet Angelo Guevara-Malavé

Today we’d like to introduce you to Angelo Guevara-Malavé.

Hi Angelo, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I grew up in Central Florida, where my childhood & adolescence were shaped by watching cartoons and music videos, exploring the outdoors with friends, festive gatherings with my parents’ friends, and capturing as many moments on a camera. Experimenting with cameras and storytelling would snowball into my desire to make creativity a part of my life and career. Today, I produce, direct, and edit branded work and narrative stories and run my production studio, GUMA Studios.

I always enjoyed meeting people and seeing them let their guard down when they talked about things they were passionate about. Every December, my parents would take my two sisters and I to Venezuela, where most of our family lived. It was a month-long celebration, filled with love, laughs, music, dancing, hikes, and my favorite part… the food. During that time I would make my rounds around the community and neighborhoods, making time to catch up with the locals. I loved to capture these moments on camera– when people were candidly and authentically themselves. Although the rest of the year was spent back in Florida, we always stayed closely connected with everyone in Venezuela and carried that same familial embrace within our community in the States.

I knew from a young age that it was important for me to celebrate life as much as I could, because the present moment is fleeting and I never want to live with regret tomorrow. I fell in love with storytelling for this reason. A pencil, a canvas, a camera, an image– these tools helped me document feelings. Through schooling and my professional career, there was never a doubt that I wouldn’t live a creative life. My very first love was drawing and my second was moviemaking; always watching my parents’ DVD collection and sticking around until the end to see behind-the-scenes looks at how they made E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial or The Terminator. I’d spend time writing and sketching short stories, filming videos with my sister, Isabella, and our friends, and playing around in the edit to bring the idea to life.

I have since carried that same spark and eager curiosity into my films and scripts, capturing the various communities of people I’ve met along the way, as well as the different kinds of joy and pain that we all go through, or the least can relate to. I had studied and worked as a financial analyst in a corporate environment, but could not stop myself from daydreaming and making mini movies in my off time.

In 2021, I moved to Atlanta to intentionally build a career in filmmaking. The leap was risky considering it was during the pandemic. There were times where I doubted myself and felt like I had made a mistake, but I kept pushing forward, challenging myself, and honing in on my skills. When I wasn’t on set, I was at home editing, and soon focused on building a niche in post-production work, producing edits for agencies and brands. Through GUMA Studios, I now lead projects from concept to execution alongside a growing community of collaborators. Everyone has a story to tell, but may not always have the team behind them to make their story become a reality. I try to keep an eye out for little stories on my travels and for anyone in the great city of Atlanta ready to tell their story– all while enjoying time with my incredible wife and muse, Clarissa, and our beautiful pup, Chiqui.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The struggles are real, there’s no question about it. When you are freelancing, you have to be very organized with your time, anticipate what’s next, and consistently build relationships. There were years when the work was steady and you learned to live with the normal ebbs and flows, but eventually work slowed and many of the references and connections I relied on had to step back from offering opportunities. I came to understand how vulnerable freelance life can be. While the highs were high, the lows got low.

I had to take time to understand what I was really seeking and reprioritize who I dedicated my time to and the kinds of projects I would accept. During that time, my wife helped me sort through my thoughts and take practical steps each day to move forward with clarity. I realized art was not freedom anymore, but a box I had put myself in. I had not clearly defined what being an artist meant to me. I already was one, but I had tied it to success, money, and career milestones, and that idealized version of myself was quietly working against me.

I have since returned to simple creative practices: time in nature, quiet mornings, switching off devices, reading, journaling, doodling, taking photos, and picking up a camera to film small moments. These were all things I did as a kid, when curiosity lived around every corner. As an adult, they have refilled my cup and remind me that those intimate moments with yourself, others, and with nature are the art of living– and that way of living breathes directly into the work I create. When on a GUMA project, I encourage others to practice these tools so everyone can bring a more honest and present version of themselves onto set.

I’ve learned that the road will never be smooth, and that the future I once imagined has evolved into something more grounded– meaningful work, a creative community, and everyday joy. The best practice for me is to keep setting goals, take a step each day, listen closely, and build stories and projects alongside others.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My work lives at the intersection of producing, creative direction, and post-production; developing concepts into fully realized visual projects, from branded campaigns and indie artist music videos to narrative films. Through my studio, GUMA Studios, I lead creative teams and oversee projects from development through final delivery. My work centers on stories about community, identity, climate justice, and social accountability. You can see more of our work at madebyguma.com.

I bring over ten years of experience producing and editing work for major brands including T-Mobile, Invisalign, and Realtor.com. I’ve also worked on purpose-driven documentaries such as “I HATE YOU BUT IT’S KILLING ME” and “SLAVER” by M.O.S.T., a series exploring the resilience of women affected by human trafficking. Beyond client and brand work, I’ve directed music videos for Atlanta-based artists such as TOLA. and myfriendCharley, and produced independent films that have screened at Atlanta’s historic Plaza Theatre and the Tara Theatre through community events with Cafecito Productions, Oye Fest, and Atlanta Film Society’s Locals Only showcase.

Through the nonprofit Generation180, I was selected as a fellow for their Climate Cultura program, working alongside a cohort of talented Latino artists in Atlanta to learn about real actions and incentives that support climate solutions through storytelling. I produced two films through the program– a visual poem titled “the ant and the tree” and “RESPIROS DE AMOR,” a telenovela-inspired comedy about toxic relationships and air pollution. Both projects reflect the playful and experimental spirit of my visual work, along with the deep intention behind every word, theme, and shot.

What matters most to you? Why?
It matters to me that I make time for joy and share it with the people I love. There is a lot of pain and suffering in life, and coming to terms with that is often the first step. For me, the way forward is noticing what there is to be grateful for and the beauty you can find in a simple doodle, an old bolero song, a small jig after finishing work, or finding your lost wallet right where you left it. Maybe it’s your wife’s contagious laugh, your dog’s tail wag when she sees you after a long day, your mom’s encouraging calls, your sisters and their goofy quirks, your dad’s dry humor, or the funny text exchanges with longtime friends. You can find it in a stranger’s smile or the sun rising in the morning. That, to me, matters and is worth fighting for.

It’s important that we prioritize one another’s wellbeing and work toward the progress of our world, so future generations can more easily discover that joy. I strive to capture this exact feeling and carry it into every project I choose to create.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.madebyguma.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madebyguma/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angeloguevaramalave/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@madebyguma
• Other: https://www.madebyguma.com/angelo

Image Credits
Andres Gomez
Diana Lopez
Angelo Guevara-Malavé
Luke Dupuis