Life & Work with Aser Santos of Los Angeles County

Today we’d like to introduce you to Aser Santos.

Hi Aser, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My name is Aser Santos Jr, and in the last 10 years I have made a career for myself in the film industry, and I’ve recently made the decision to leave it.

Ever since I was young, I’d always loved filmmaking. From making stop motion animations with my parents’ mini DV camera to following Film Riot After Effects tutorials in middle school. Being behind the camera has always been a part of my life, and after a short stint in college that was cut short due to mental health issues, I found myself on small sets as a 20 year-old while searching for my path. Instagram DM’s, Craigslist ads, Facebook groups, all the things our parents told us to be weary of was the way I started my network in the early days. I started as a grip intern, then quickly gravitated towards camera department as a camera intern, then 2nd AC, 1st AC, and eventually camera operator and DP.

Life moved so quickly, one day I was dropping out of college, the next I’m working on Nickelodeon spots as a 1st AC, then operating steadicam for jobs with Nike, Bad Bunny, Carlos Santana and other name-droppable talent.

It really was an intense run of life changing and career defining moments.

Then covid happened.

But that wasn’t the end.

A few quiet months following the world shutting down, then things slowly came back in a slightly different way. At first things were smaller, but eventually things began ramping up close to how it was before. This was also when I started my production company, JUNIVIS. A friend had said, you have the gear, you know how to do it, why not start your own company? So I did.

Then began a journey of networking differently with clients, directors, record labels. It was fun, and some jobs required me to direct and produce, or direct, produce and shoot to make things work, which at the time I didn’t mind because I loved it. Soon things began to scale, and I had to let go of the responsibility of being on the creative side of things to focus on the business and numbers. Client management, keeping on top of accounting, trying to get the best deals I could with stubborn location reps. All of which I didn’t mind doing for awhile, especially because it meant I could hire my friends, curate a low stress environment, and play professional make believe.

What I didn’t realize was that it was the beginning of the end for my life in the industry.

As things got bigger and bigger, it became more overwhelming, and I very much was still handling a lot of the business side of things myself. Then before I knew it, I was feeling very similar issues I was feeling when I was in college. Anxiety, depression, panic; it was very familiar, but this time I felt it a lot deeper.

What I believe triggered the mental health issues in college was the expectation my whole life, as a 1st generation Asian American, to go to school, get a degree, get a good job, then take care of my family when I’m older. Growing up with a familial culture so collectivistic, but being exposed to individualistic culture in the US and having a naturally entrepreneurial mind; the two did not mesh. The friction of two identities I had that seemingly could not co-exist was something I never thought of managing, and feeling pressured to be in a space that did not feel right for me weighed heavy.

So, that led to the difficult decision of dropping out. And that decision parallels this one.

As I grew and kept moving up the ranks of the film industry, I had slowly lost sight of why I wanted to be in it in the first place. I always enjoyed storytelling and creating beautiful images, but as that was stripped away from me (by my own doing), and I solely focused on the business, the familiar feeling of being in a place no longer right for me began to set in. The anxiety, depression, panic, it all came back and was, and still is, pretty debilitating. Through lots of therapy and self reflection, I decided to leave the industry.

I spent my entire 20’s hustling, working, and part of that grind culture caught up. I was burnt out and feeling the latent effects. Among other physical health issues that arose, I decided to prioritize myself and my mind.

I am very fortunate to have a supportive family that was happy to have me back while I reassess my life.

Back pedaling a bit, in the midst of all of that, I had also started a small side gig designing and fabricating furniture with a focus on woodworking.

I’ve always enjoyed working with my hands, and woodworking became my way of being creatively intentional while the business of film consumed what had previously been my creative outlet. The action of designing and fabricating, while also documenting it on video became a place of peace.

So, now that I ended one chapter of my life in film, I had to decide what was next. Naturally, I realized that woodworking would be it.

Armed with the knowledge of my first business venture and more awareness of my own tendencies, I started a new journey.

I am currently taking woodworking classes and working towards obtaining both a furniture making and furniture design certificate. Woodworking for me has been an activity that has helped redeem some autonomy in my decisions. The conscious decision to stay creatively involved while balancing business, documenting my work and telling stories with my own language, and prioritizing my mental and physical health are some of the values I take into this new world.

The two aren’t apples to apples, but being able to create a product for clients specifically for their space and their needs while infusing my own design language gives me the same feeling as filmmaking did. In a way, I am healing my own creative being and inner child by listening to what my body and mind consistently warn me of. All while being able to create for others and service them in a way that may bring even a 0.1% improvement to their daily lives. The potential for that is all I need to feel fulfilled and doing some kind of good in the world.

I’m aware I am in a very privileged position to be able to take a step back and reset my life, after being in an already very privileged industry, and I am forever grateful and humble for it. That said, I will always be open to dialogue about the idea of following a path that feels more aligned with anyone. Some may have more challenges, some may have less challenges, but the conversation is always a starting point, and I think it’s important to have these conversations often because we as people are everchanging. What aligned last year may not align this year, and being able to self reflect on values is so important during our limited time experiencing life.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Note: I spent a lot of time in that first prompt detailing the story so I will answer the following a bit more promptly.

The road to becoming a woodworker has been a very unexpected path. From making the difficult decision to leave my career in the film industry and end my production company’s services to fighting off the feeling of “what am I doing with my life” every other day, it’s a constant struggle. But in the end, I am glad to have a direction, and the more I learn about the design industry, the more I remember what it was like when I first entered the film industry. There are genuine people that enjoy their craft, and being around that kind of energy is invaluable.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am an aspiring furniture maker with a focus on wood products. One of my most popular designs is a standing ash-tray inspired by one of Seth Rogen’s “Houseplant” products. Being able to have a base idea, then iterating constantly is a very fulfilling creative act. I am still iterating now as my design language changes, and new versions will be created as I develop as a designer.

From dining tables to keepsake boxes, I try to explore my creative voice and see what I gravitate towards while also keeping in mind the function of each piece. The beauty of commissions for me is being able to create an object specifically for a client’s space or needs, and infusing my own taste onto it. Collaborating with someone is one of my favorite parts of the process; having a jumping off point and setting certain constraints makes the creative box defined enough to see the direction, and find creative ways to get out of it.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
Some of the joy with woodworking is being able to document the build process, and on certain projects, I love being able to put it together and almost make a documentary of it. I almost use the longer-form videos as a video diary. Documenting my progress as a woodworker, while also adding some context as to why I do things, where I am in life, and sharing my story. The power of art for me has always been in the idea that it has the potential to make a tiny change in someone’s life, give their day a 1% better moment, or make them feel seen. For those reasons alone, I will always create throughout my life, whether it be filmmaking, making furniture, or some other form of art that I have yet to discover for myself professionally or personally.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://juniperwoodla.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juniperwood.la
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@juniperwoodla