Table of Contents
Three Key Takeaways
- Karla Espino’s sketch comedy pilot explores the chaotic mind of a 30-something Latina navigating love, family pressure, and singlehood with humor and vulnerability.
- The film blends traditional sketch comedy formats with thematic cohesion, creating a unique narrative experience that feels both random and connected.
- Collaboration and community were vital to the project’s success, highlighting the power of independent filmmaking fueled by passion, authenticity, and shared vision.
Karla Espino, an award-winning Puerto Rican writer, director, and comedian, brings her sharp comedic voice to life with The Funkee Sketch Show, a fresh Latina-centered sketch comedy pilot. As writer, director, editor, lead actor, and executive producer, Karla crafted this project with a dedicated team including Creative Producer Dani Adaliz and Director of Photography Ernie Prieto.
Selected for HollyShorts, the show blends sharp humor with relatable themes of sex, culture, and loneliness through a uniquely female and Latina lens.
Q&A Interview
What drew you to make The Funkee Sketch Show? Why this story, and why now?
When I got to be in my 30s, I noticed how much content is geared towards teens, 20s, and older generations. Which is odd because 30s feels like the decade that really requires some figuring out especially as a single person. Finding a job, a relationship, the clock is ticking, everyone’s horny as hell— in my head I’m still 15.
Having crushes, creating delusional narratives about men I met 10 seconds ago, following my curiosity—except now I’m getting pressured by my Abuela about finding someone who will love me and marry me before she dies. I’d express these “crazy” thoughts and feelings to my friends and they’d be like, “OH GIRL, SAME.” So, naturally as a comedic filmmaker, I was drawn to make a visual representation of what a lot of women (and the like) experience in their mid-adulthood when it comes to sex, love, and singlehood.
“It’s my homage to boy-crazy Karla in her teens and, honestly, anyone experiencing self and societal pressure.”
A way to combat loneliness and show vulnerability in order to encourage others to do the same. And laugh at ourselves!
What surprised you most about the filmmaking process this time—creatively or logistically? Was there a moment on set or in post that completely changed how you saw the story?
Sketch comedy was not something new to me but creating a sketch comedy show was. I wanted to follow the format of traditional sketch shows like Key & Peele or In Living Color but at the same time wanted the sketches to feel cohesive and come full circle. It was important to me that it felt random and unexpected but also gave viewers a sense of continuity and completion. I decided the way I could accomplish this feeling was by creating themes per episode, that would stray a little out of the circle but still connected somehow.
And what surprised me most about the process was how easily that all came together. There were definitely production issues and plenty of stressful moments/lack of budget, but overall it felt like something that kind of created itself. I’d been ideating for a long time about a show and when I finally sat down to write it, it felt like an ah-ha moment. The sketches are also based on actual situations (exaggerated, of course) that have happened over the years so I had plenty of time to develop and evolve the ideas before adapting them to digital.
Is there a moment in the film that feels the most you—something only you could have made?
In all honesty, the show as a whole is a Karla branded bullseye thanks to my team. My Creative Producer, Dani Adaliz, and DP, Ernie Prieto, were INTEGRAL in the creation of this pilot and really helped me shape shots and pitch alts. The cast (my friends) brought their A-game. And the entire crew was immensely supportive. My community as a whole really showed up for me and that is exactly aligned with who I am. Someone who strives to bring people together, create something special, and provide a space for everyone to live out their passion. But I think that’s something literally anyone can do, I just make it my mission.
What was the hardest creative decision you made while making this film?
There were 2 decisions I’d say stick out the most. The first was making a firm decision that no one could play my mom except my actual mom. When we first started pre-production on the pilot I sent her the script and told her I’d fly her out to LA from the east coast so she could act in it with me. When the time came, I was broke. I discussed with Dani (my Creative Producer) for a while about finding an actress in Los Angeles but ultimately she offered to help me pay for my mom’s airfare to come. When it came down to it my mom insisted on paying her own way and turned it into a full week visit. I think if we had decided to go with someone else, it wouldn’t have been the same. And acting in that sketch with my mom was really special! Even if she was roasting me the whole time.
“I just want people to see the levity in tough situations and know they are not alone.”
The second hardest creative decision was choosing the right music and interstitial graphics. I’m not a graphic designer or visual effects editor and I didn’t actually know what I was looking for. All I could offer up to people helping me were “vibes.” I only knew what I didn’t like. Finally I took it on myself and deep dove into libraries of shapes and colors. I refused to settle for something I didn’t feel fit perfectly. And it was no one’s fault, I just couldn’t communicate what I saw in my brain. Eventually (like 2 days before finishing a cut to submit to SXSW) I finally found my brand identity, and when I found it, I KNEW. The main title music was provided by a talented friend of mine, Kenny Gray, who opened up his entire catalogue to me and one I picked fit perfectly.
What do you hope audiences take away from your film?
Laughter! We take ourselves so seriously as adults. I have SO MUCH ANXIETY. It’s been crippling at times. Adulting is hard and in a city that makes it practically impossible to survive, it’s easy to lose sight of the things that make life fun and beautiful. I just want people to see the levity in tough situations and know they are not alone. If I can, I’d like to quote Joy from Inside Out 2 in her darkest hour when she says, “I don’t know how to stop anxiety. Maybe that’s what happens when you grow up, you feel less joy.” I’ve caught myself thinking this. But it’s a false narrative. No one should ever give up their joy and I hope by making people laugh I can bring a bit of it to their lives.
How has this film shaped or shifted the kind of stories you want to tell next?
Creating this show has definitely helped sharpen my focus moving forward. For a long time I’ve been doing live performances and short form videos. This process was so fulfilling and felt so aligned that I knew right away I’d continue developing situational comedy content centered around a woman of color and her diverse world. Representation has always been important to me and completing this pilot has inspired me to move forward in telling more stories about my life as a woman, Latina, and human being in this country and on this Earth.
What’s a tool, technique, or resource that really helped you during production?
Just because you don’t have money doesn’t mean you have to do everything yourself. Ask for help. Reach out to your community. Be authentic about your mission and people will want to come onboard, if they are the right people. Ernie, our DP, provided his RED camera and all of his gear, which was EXTREMELY helpful.
Dani, our Creative Producer, provided her insights, time, and home as a location. Most of the cast and crew donated their time and energy. As a director and editor I mark up my scripts with the exact shots I want to use in the final edit and I focus on that first and foremost. But collaborate with your team and don’t be afraid to reach out to people who have more resources than you.
Independent filmmakers often rewrite the rules out of necessity. What do you think is the greatest strength of independent filmmaking, and how did you lean into that on this project? Is there a lesson or breakthrough you’d share with others navigating this path?
As independent filmmakers we literally get to create whatever we want. Develop your vision, believe in it, and find a way to execute it. That’s not to say things won’t shift or change. Compromises will be made. It just means we have the ability to create what we truly want. What makes our hearts sing.
“Not everyone will love it but YOU should love it.”
That’s been my breakthrough. Finding and choosing a team that supports and understands me (took years!!!) so that making decisions feels good and in my favor instead of against me.
What does it mean to you to have your film selected for HollyShorts?
Having The Funkee Sketch Show selected for HollyShorts means a lot. Sometimes I’m convinced that sketch comedy is not considered a real art form when it comes to the festival circuit - and it gets challenging when submitting because, which category does it fit best? Being able to premiere my pilot at HollyShorts is affirming in my journey as a filmmaker and comedian. I’m so excited and honored to be able to share the show with a broader audience at a reputable festival. Imagine I won an Oscar? Lol, I'm not THAT delusional.
How do you hope being part of HollyShorts will shape the life of this film?
My hope is to revive the sketch comedy show world a bit and maybe find some collaborators who can help continue its production, financially. There are so little Latina comedy shows out there so if anything at all I’d love for people to keep seeing it and enjoying it.
Where do you see this film going next?
As of right now the pilot is in the festival circuit but the goal would be to find a place for it to stream online. Additional episodes have already been written and are in pre-production, so finding a production company (cough cough Comedy Central Originals) to pick it up and fund it would be ideal!
“At the core of all my work is a desire to feel connected."
Cast & Crew
- Karla Espino — Writer, Director, Editor, Lead Actor, Executive Producer; award-winning Puerto Rican filmmaker and comedian, member of the Alliance of Women Directors, and 2025 Mentor Latina Directors Fellow.
- Dani Adaliz — Creative Producer and Actor; award-winning actress, comedian, and director with credits including SXSW premieres and memberships in The Alliance of Women Directors and Film Fatales.
- Ernie Prieto — Director of Photography; University of Miami graduate with extensive experience in films, commercials, and documentaries, fluent in English, Spanish, and German.
- Anna-Alicia Bass — Production Designer.
- Supporting Cast includes Eric Owusu, Ryder Tam, Hannah Canetti, Brendan Gaffey, Lucé Tomlin-Brenner, Luz Espino (Karla’s mother), Johnny Turner, Alicia Marie Agramonte, Brennan Lee.
