Robert dos Santos knows a thing or two about creating a joyfully abundant life, on and off screen. We spoke to the lawyer-turned-international-award-winning-director about his process and relationship with creativity.
When did you know you wanted a career as a creative?
Robert: From an incredibly early age, probably around 7 or so, I knew I wanted to write and make stories. The funny thing is, I probably only allowed myself to be a creative about a few months ago, even though I have been in the creative industry for many years now.
Being pushed into becoming a lawyer by my parents and the world made being a creative seem like an impossibility and something to be looked down on. So even though I had always known I wanted to be a creative, it took me a journey through law and life to understand that I had no choice but to do this.
If somebody asked you what you do for a living, what would you say?
Robert: Director.
How do you stay creatively energised?
Robert: That is so incredibly important as I have only learned about this recently. As a lawyer, you would be chastised if you left the office before 19:00 so you would feel guilty if you hadn’t gotten your billable hours in. It was a difficult move into the creative space because I was ingrained with this need to be productive all the time.
The most important advice I ever inadvertently received was that “a creative can have an extremely fruitful and productive day and have absolutely nothing to show for it”. I would often feel bad because I had sat at a desk and stared at a blank screen for hours. I would go home feeling terrible because I had “done nothing” all day. I wasn’t taught about the “creative process” at law school so I had to bump my head enough times ‘till I realised there must be a better way of doing this.
Now I know that a large part of my work is in making sure my cup is overflowing. I think about my creativity like loading up a bow. You do the things you need to do to foster a creative energy, which is like pulling back the bow, and then you kind of agitate yourself into a space where you create, which is like releasing the bow.
To stay creatively energised, I do things that make me happy.
What would you say to another creative who is perhaps feeling creatively drained or needs inspiration?
Robert: Stop.
How has collaboration impacted your creative process?
Robert: Film is a collaborative medium. You cannot get anything done without a team. So the creative process is collaboration. While the ideas start with me, they become the team’s when I give them to them. It is up to all of us, through discussion and collaboration, to make something together. I am the happiest when I am part of a ragtag team of creatives out to change the world and lead us on some adventure. And in the end the work is no longer mine, but ours, and I love that.
What are you most proud of?
Robert: That I am happy.
What's next for you?
Robert: I have just received an offer from a streaming platform to develop and co-produce my first feature length film. I am currently directing a commercial for the world’s first virtual reality dating app (how wild) based in Los Angeles so as soon as that is done I will make the leap into features.
Robert dos Santos has won and been nominated for multiple international awards. Some of these include the likes of the Los Angeles Film Awards and the Stockholm Short Festival. Keep up with the latest from him on his website, www.robertdossantos.com, or on Instagram @rob_dos.