Steven Santini

In passionate pursuit of the joy of life, Steve Santini is a videographer,
technologist, and green entrepreneur with a home base in the community of Ocean
Beach (OB!) in sunny San Diego. Living footsteps from the Pacific Ocean, Steve
is constantly inspired by the natural aesthetic and the eclectically divine
human canvas of Southern California. Growing up at the foot of the Berkshires
in Western Massachusetts, Steve was constantly escaping into the
mountains to ski, fish, camp, hike, climb, and jump into gorges filled with frigid water. From age eleven to age eighteen he worked on a farm each summer building a connection to the land and a strong work ethic that has propelled him ever since.

When he was 16 the Meadows Outdoor Amphitheater opened thirty miles from his
hometown of Westfield, MA. There he spent many nights surrounded by friends lost in the amazing symphony of sound. While he was captivated by music and invested considerable time strumming the six-string, the wiring in his brain did not lend itself to
musical creation. So he became a vagabond audiophile following bands like the
Dead, Phish, and Dave Matthews across the majestic landscape of New England.

Despite his propensity to selectively attend class, his insatiable curiosity for
all things quadratic and his addiction to science earned him a scholarship to
attend Virginia Tech in idyllic Blacksburg, VA where he studied Civil
Engineering, Systems Engineering, and Spanish. Go Hokies! After spending too
much time in the library trapped in his left brain, Steve decided to take the
show on the road for a six-month solo backpacking adventure through Europe. In
Europe he encountered a profound appreciation for art, photography, architecture, cinematography, and the beauty of humanity. Whether it was running with the bulls in Pamplona or staring at the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel for hours, this experience had
an indelible impact on his life. He wrote his first screenplay on the Eurorail,
basing his characters off the people he would travel with or meet on the
trains.

He also was given the unbelievable opportunity to work on the film crew for the
2001 Discovery Channel World Championship Adventure Race in Switzerland. After
completing the show, he was offered a job working for the production company in
LA, but he was unable to muster the courage to follow his dreams. Or maybe he
was too addicted to the travel experience to realize his dream was staring him
in the face.

After finally returning to the United States, Steve moved to San Diego and found
a job working for a technology consulting firm. His experience "in the real world"
was extremely positive. There he acquired a broad skillset, worked with great people, and used advanced technologies to solve real-world problems. At some point in the middle of Super Size Me in 2004 he realized that he had to learn cinematography. He had good stories, good ideas, but technology was demolishing the attention span of everyone around him. Or maybe he just talked too much. That's when he bought a shiny new Panasonic SD DV camera and made his first surf/travel documentary "The Road Traveled". Fast-forward to 2010 and the birth of Infinite Perspective Productions, a solo venture into the wilderness of entrepreneurship.
Armed with a toolbox of treatments, ideas, gadgets, and an open heart, Steve now spends his time chronicling the trials and tribulations of independent musicians in his self-produced web series "UnSigned". When he is not behind the
lens or in his studio, Steve is usually surfing Sunset Cliffs, flying his
friends while practicing acroyoga, developing green engineered systems with
open-source technology, building community, and still hacking away on the
guitar. He is overwhelmed with gratitude by the love of family and friends and is deeply rooted in his desire to make the world a better place.

Life is rich, life is full, life is a one-way ticket so embrace every moment. Namaste.
 

Interview

Tell us a little about yourself personally and creatively/personally.

I love life. I love people. I have a profound feeling that this is a one-way trip and I want to be immersed in the dance. I have spent a lot of my life in a cerebral place, distracted from the absolute joy that is all around us. I was caught up in the grind. Not that I don’t still grind, but I have a deeper appreciation for the value of connection with people.

What first got you interested in film?

I feel like I have always known that film has a unique power to connect and emotionally impact people. When you think about some of the formative experiences in your life, it’s likely that at least some of them will surround movies. For instance, when I saw Robert Redford in “The Natural” is was just in awe. I wanted to be a baseball player so bad. Literally I think that is one of the main reasons why I played. So in that way, “The Natural” changed my life. When I expand this idea throughout the course of my life, I realize that a portion of my belief system is based upon movies. And that is a profound realization.

What are some of your favorite American films? Foreign films? Television shows?

My brain is so filled with creative thought most of the time, I have a hard time holding onto ideas from the past. I think in terms of the present and recent past. I thought “Get Him to the Greek” was comedic genius. Not to mention, Russell Brand is an amazing actor. If you want to experience the emotional power of film Deniro’s “Everybody’s Fine” just tore me up. I was crying like a baby at the end of that. “The Secret Before Their Eyes” is a recent Argentinean film that just blew me away. One of the best twists ever. Ever! Great characters, storyline and the cinematography was stellar.

How would you describe the film "scene" where you live?

Um, to borrow from the surf genre, pumping! Yes. San Diego is just vibrantly independent and creative. There is amazing music, art, film, photography all over this place. You really just have to venture out. Get out of your comfort zone, explore your city for the first time again. Be free to discover and support the local community of artists. They deserve it and they need it.

What advice do you have for anyone interested in trying to succeed in your city?

Move to LA. Haha. Just kidding. Get connected to people by participating in the local community. You have to immerse yourself to succeed. Don’t be afraid to ask people for assistance and be prepared to offer something in return. Community is so important. We cannot get anywhere by ourselves. We need each other.

Who or what do you cite as major inspirations (they do not have to directly relate to film) for your work?

Truly, I am inspired by people who doing it for the love of the craft. Whatever it is. Music, art, film, non-profit organizations. These passionate people are the ones who are driving a consciousness shift in our society. I am also inspired by lovers, meaning people who are filled with love and just graciously embrace everyone around them. That is the energy that I am drawn to.

What do you consider the elements of a good film? A great one?

Dramatic storyline that captivates and moves a wide audience. So cliché and generic of a statement, this is. Smooth flow of action and dialogue during scenes. Is every scene powerfully contributing to the arch of the storyline. Each scene must have drama or the film has no emotional momentum. I love subtlety and layers within the plot. Foreshadowing and innuendo in the dialogue. Good cinematography is really key, but that kind of goes without saying. Mastery of the time dimension. Non-linear sequencing is a favorite of mine. I like new ideas. Give me something that I have not thought of before. That’s part of the real draw, where are we going as a society or as a culture. I really appreciate character development. All good characters have depth and certain unique traits/characteristics that really draw you in. And once you are invested in what happens to characters, the story can take you anywhere. These things combine to transport you into the storyline. You feel enveloped and time just stands still. That is a great film.

What sort of things do you study and consider when watching a film?

I try to focus on how am I feeling. Is the movie not only capturing my attention, but also my emotional being? My feelings tell me if I am really being taken on a ride. And I love it if, I really have to concentrate on what is happening. Practicing concentration is so important in life. I think I learned that in part by watching movies. That and yoga!

Where do you hope to see yourself in ten years?

Looking back and feeling fulfilled that my efforts have in some small way impacted the world positively. Looking forward with continued inspiration, new ideas, and hope for the future.

What advice do you have for anyone interested in pursuing a film career?

Dream big. Be convicted in your ideas. Let them set you on fire. People will be drawn to light. Step out on faith and take a risk. Value people. Think about what you can do to help them achieve their goals.