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Meet Inés de los Santos of 5 Feet Tall and Cinefila en RD in Burbank

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Inés de Los Santos.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Inés. So, let’s start at the beginning, and we can move on from there.
I’m from the Dominican Republic, a country where the Film Industry has grown A LOT in the last years… but this was after I said out loud that I wanted to be a filmmaker.

When I was seven years old, my godmother took me to watch Harry Potter and the Philosopher Stone, and that was it. Since that movie, I knew I wanted what I wanted to do. Not that I wanted to become a witch, just something a little bit crazier: a filmmaker. And after that, I don’t remember a moment of my childhood and my teenagehood where I wouldn’t be recording moments or doing short films with my sister and her friends. I was always writing a short story, or a monologue, or narrating stories out loud (as if I were talking by myself).

I was the “creative one” of the family: the person who dreamt to have a career that technically isn’t a career and it’s more a lifestyle, and it was difficult to make others understand that I didn’t imagine myself working for a corporate office for the rest of my life. For years, my parents were convinced that my love for filmmaking was just a stage, a hobby that I would get over as soon as I realized which career I wanted to study, and many people thought that I would dedicate my life to education, economies or laws (because, apparently, I love to argue) until everyone noticed the projects I was getting into and the results I was getting from them.

I did a bachelor in Mass Media, worked in a newspaper and in a Marketing office, but still, I was always finding time to work as a freelance filmmaker, writing scripts for friends and myself, and studying about cinema studies. It wasn’t until 2017 when I finally came to LA and start living the best time of my life. After writing several scripts and worked in more than 20 sets, I don’t see myself anywhere else but working for the Entertainment industry.

Has it been a smooth road?
Like any other career, it has its ups and downs. In the beginning, my main struggle was getting used to only speaking English, especially when I started working as Script Supervisor (which is now one of my main skills). But besides that, nothing else has been an issue. I’m so grateful to see how smooth my projects move forward; not only those that I’m hired for (in the case of being Scripty or Producer) but also every time I start a personal project, like the development of my web talk show “5 Feet Tall.”

So, as you know, we’re impressed with 5 Feet Tall and Cinefila en RD – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
I have two businesses:
– 5 Feet Tall, my new baby. This is a YouTube channel that I’m managing with my Puertorican sister, Andi Mendez. It’s a web talk show where every week we present topics related to our culture as Caribbeans and what it means to be Caribbean women in Los Angeles; it’s divided into segments: sketches, interviews to guests, and challenges, and most of the times, we’re laughing at each other, and having a great time showing our identity and the perks of being Hispanic/Caribbean.

-Cinefila en RD, my film blog. It’s my personal space where I share my reviews about movies, film events, and my journey living in California as a filmmaker/producer/writer; I get to meet people from the industry and attend events (thanks to Cocalecas.net and Ruben Peralta). I’ve had this blog since 2015, and I’ve reached the point that I have a relationship with my readers, who not only read me but also share their opinion with me and ask for my opinion about movies or film styles.

Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and the least?
What I like the most is the vibe that this city gives, and of course, the number of passionate people that you can find in here. Everyone has the same goal: create, entertain, and send a message to an audience, and it doesn’t matter the type of movies you want to create, you’ll always find someone who wants to be part of your crew or your cast, even if it’s a last minute call.

But also, the fact that I have expanded my wanderlust experience thanks to all the spots you can find in LA: I’ve visited museums and places that have taught me to see the world from a different perspective. And I’ve met amazing people that had contributed to making this city feel like home.

The only thing I dislike the most is that I can’t find legit Dominican food in here… and this is very disappointing.

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