Meet Alexander Puga

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alexander Puga.

So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Originally, I was a singer and actor. I was doing that since I was five years old. I knew at a young age that I was meant to be an artist. All my notebooks growing up lacked math equations and scientific theories; instead, they were filled with sketches, stories and designs. Instead of watching football or basketball games, I’d analyze movies and watch fashion shows. It wasn’t until my sophomore year of high school when my class schedule got messed up and I was placed into a TV production class that I was introduced to the world of filmmaking. I owe a lot of what I am now to the program at my school, primarily because my teachers always encouraged us to experiment and grow in every aspect of filmmaking. I quickly became enthralled with the process—whether I was writing a script, shooting a scene or editing the film. By my senior year of high school, I was fortunate enough to find success at film festivals and competitions with my work being recognized at an international level. Now, I’m studying film at the Savannah College of Art and Design and starting over again. I’m currently experimenting a lot with my work and finding my niche in this industry. With my first year done, I can say without a doubt that I’m pleased with the work I put out. I’m fortunate to have found a group of creatives that I look forward to working with for the rest of my creative career.

Has it been a smooth road?
My biggest critic and definitely the most annoying roadblock I face is myself. I tend to put myself down a lot. Holding myself to high standards, I always want to push my work to be better. To an extent, I believe it’s healthy for every artist to play devil’s advocate with their portfolio but sometimes the results can be hindering. There are times when I’ll get in my head, halting my writing process, causing me to choke on a set or even turn down offers that intimidate me. The latter tends to happen a lot due to my social anxiety, but my new mantra has been “Fake it until you make it.” My mental health has always been something I’ve dealt with. It’s something that I’ve made a priority to work on. When I’m spreading myself thin is when I experience these lows and finding a balance between furthering my career and staying healthy has been my mission as of late.

Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
It’s a bit tricky to define what my business is since I’m still figuring out the kind of content I want to ultimately create. On one hand, I am a one-man show: writing, shooting, and editing my films. On the other, I am also a freelance videographer and editor getting contracted or collaborating with other creatives to help their visions come to life. One week I’ll be working on a short film, the following I’ll be shooting a music video or shooting an interview for a documentary in the morning and running to a fashion film shoot in the afternoon. At the end of the day, I don’t stick to one form or genre of film. I believe that is something that has allowed me to stand out. What sets me apart is my drive and determination. Because of that I’m constantly challenging my abilities as an artist and always pushing myself to take on any challenge no matter how difficult. Finally, I’m proud of how much I’ve grown as a filmmaker.