FarFrom Studios Founder Jude Galang on Fatherhood, Creative Direction and Finding Balance
Photo: Zane Qureshi
Tell us a bit about yourself:
My name is Jude. I grew up in Sydney. I moved to Adelaide twice, the first time in 2010 and the second in 2021. I am the owner & co-founder of a production and creative agency called Farfrom Studios.
What is Farfrom Studios?
At the moment, Farfrom Studios is a video production company. We specialise in visual production. We work with local creatives, musicians, visual artists, and small businesses that specialise in anything from clothing brands to fitness companies and everywhere in between.
Why did you choose the name, Farfrom?
I grew up as a first-generation immigrant, and growing up in Australia, I never really found a place in my community just because I was westernised. With my Western friends, I struggled to find a place in that community as well because I was Asian. It was just finding a group of friends that I resonated with, who were also first-generation Asians and westernised immigrants. So the name Farfrom comes from the immigrant mentality where we've moved from one country, but we never forget where we are from. It's wanting to push far and forward, but staying humble and never forgetting your roots. That's the philosophy we linked to Farfrom and everything we do, just to keep us grounded.
How was your experience growing up as an immigrant in Australia during the 1990s?
I grew up as a first-generation immigrant, and growing up in Australia, I never really found a place in my community just because I was westernised. With my Western friends, I struggled to find a place in that community as well because I was Asian. It was just finding a group of friends that I resonated with, who were also first-generation Asians and westernised immigrants. So the name Farfrom comes from the immigrant mentality where we've moved from one country, but we never forget where we are from. It's wanting to push far and forward, but staying humble and never forgetting your roots. That's the philosophy we linked to Farfrom and everything we do, just to keep us grounded.
That was the 90s/early 2000s. Now that you are a father and have two wonderful children, do you think Australia has progressively gotten better?
I think it depends, honestly. I think Adelaide is still a bit behind. Some areas still feel predominantly white. I know Sydney has changed; it's very multicultural now. I feel like my kids are grounded. We can sort of share our past experiences with them and articulate that better to them, so they have more understanding of what they are going through. I think Adelaide is still changing, but it has a bit further to go.
What got you into cutting hair and becoming a barber?
I grew up always being very creative. My mum was a musician. I used to draw a lot, got into music for a bit, and when I moved to Adelaide in 2010, I started dancing more. My wife was a dancer, and her brother and her friends were too. I jumped into that creative scene where I danced for about 6-7 years. When I moved back to Sydney, I kind of stopped dancing, stopped doing everything creative and tried to find a 9-5 job as my kids were getting older and I needed to put some money into the family. My wife Krishelle had started studying makeup artistry while we were in Sydney, and I could see her enjoying doing something creative and getting paid for it. So I thought I hadn't done anything creative with myself for a few years, and I thought, hey, I enjoy cutting and styling my hair, and it was something I always wanted to try out on other people, so I picked up some clippers and started practising. From there, I jumped into a barber-shop/streetwear creative space in Sydney called Four Walls, and I was mentored by a barber called Rat, and I just kept perfecting my skills. So that's how I got into cutting hair.
When did you realise you wanted to create Farfrom Studios?
We moved back to Adelaide in January 2021. Before I moved back, I was mucking around on my phone with this gimbal, just making short edits for the creative space Four Walls. When I was living in SA before, I was close with a guy called Luke Fran, and he was doing some video work for a while. Like I said, I had been doing these little edits, and Krishelle was doing her makeup work, doing a lot of editorials, TV shows, etc. So basically, when we moved back, we thought, why don't we start this creative production agency using Luke and Krishelle's skill set and my knowledge in business marketing and put it together to start something new? Then we used the name Farfrom and we sourced a few other creative friends doing photography, and videography, and that's how it came about.
Recently, Farfrom Studios has done an array of live performances with local acts such as Estee Evangeline, Lonelyspeck & Claz. If you guys collaborate with any artist in Australia or internationally, who would it/be & why?
Locally... I grew up in Sydney, so it'd have to be like One Four and that sorta scene, in the short term. Internationally, though, it'd have to be like J Cole, Kendrick, that'd be the dream. Those artists helped me in my younger years, and I listened to their mixtapes. So it'd mean a lot to collaborate with them.
What are your top 3 favourite spots in Adelaide?
This is gonna sound old, but I love Brighton Beach, I don't know why I just like going there. Adelaide has really beautiful beaches, way better than Sydney. The old man in me again, I like Hahndorf. The last spot would be... home. I have a young family, so wherever they're happy, I'm happy.
When did you realise you wanted to create Farfrom Studios?
We moved back to Adelaide in January 2021. Before I moved back, I was mucking around on my phone with this gimble, just making short edits for the creative space Four Walls. When I was living in SA before, I was close with a guy called Luke Fran, and he was doing some video work for a while. Like I said, I had been doing these little edits, and Krishelle was doing her makeup work, doing a lot of editorials, TV shows, etc. So basically, when we moved back, we thought, why don't we start this creative production agency using Luke and Krishelle's skill set and my knowledge in business marketing and put it together to start something new? Then we used the name Farfrom and we sourced a few other creative friends doing photography, and videography, and that's how it came about.
What's it like running a business with your wife and mates?
It's great! They know me well, and they keep me accountable so that's the first benefit of it all. Since they know me they know and understand my vision and where I'm coming from. So it is really good. I've known them all for a long time and I trust them.
You had your very first event & grand opening titled "Known To Do The Impossible" early last year. How was that experience for you guys?
It was crazy. We weren't expecting that many people. About 300-400 people came through the day. We opened our doors at 2 pm and closed up at 9ish. It was cool, I think it was successful because we were trying to preach local Adelaide talent and what the city is capable of. However, it was super hot and we didn't have any aircon, our landlord kept promising it, but it was super spicy in there haha. Also, COVID restrictions had just been lifted, so it was good. Everyone had a good time, and it is a memory I’ll cherish for a long time.
The title of your grand opening event was inspired by the song Scenario by A Tribe Called Quest, you also have a lot of hip-hop music playing throughout the studio. Would you say rap and hip hop have had a big influence on you?
Yeah, 100%. It's the culture I grew up around. I grew up around a lot of Islanders, Filipinos, and Asians, and hip-hop spoke to us while growing up. Things that artists like Nas and Jay-Z were speaking about, we could relate to, especially growing up in Sydney, it's a concrete jungle. There wasn't much to do, so you'd get up to some shady stuff. But yeah, hip hop spoke to us as a youth. These rappers and MCS gave us someone to look up to. Being ethnic, we didn't have a lot of our people to idolise, but African-Americans and their music resonated with us. So yeah, that shaped my youth.
What's the best piece of advice you've ever been given?
Something that's stuck with me a lot at the moment has been, first of all, being present in the moment. I know that's generic, but to add to that, really appreciate the good times in the moment because they're not gonna last forever, but also understand that the lows don't last forever either. I think there's a line that J Cole says that's like " seen a baby cry then seconds later she laughs the beauty of life, the pain never lasts". So yeah, enjoy the good times while you've got them, because I feel like I have always been the person who sees something but stays humble and disregards that moment, and then I keep working. So, where I'm at right now, every time I gain a bit of success, I sit in the moment and appreciate it.
Where do you and Farfrom hope to be in five years?
We hope to be a credible and respected production agency that provides high-quality storytelling and what our clients are looking for.
Finally, what can people expect to see from Farfrom in 2023?
We are looking to open up another bigger studio space early in the year. Keep your eye out for that. Working more on our production and working with more local businesses. More Farfrom Live videos as well.
