We were lucky to catch up with Alberto Jaen recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Alberto, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about the things you feel your parents did right and how those things have impacted your career and life.

Well, I actually got into advertising because my father worked in it, and he used to take me to commercial shoots. I remember one with a beautiful, orange light—they called it the ‘Miami light.’ I don’t know why, I must have been 10, but it stuck with me. Who would have thought that later it would become my home for many years… and indeed, its light is incredible.

I think I’ve been lucky to be born into a family where both parents are very creative, passionate about art, and always discussing new ideas. My siblings and I always got help with our creative school projects, and our parents were constantly coming up with new ideas, whether for the home, weekend activities, or cooking. I believe my father instilled in me the value of hard work, willpower, and work ethic. Whatever we did, it had to be done well. And my mother is all about patience, public relations, and staying calm. As you age, you realize how important calmness is—it helps you think better, make better decisions, and move forward with intelligence. There were always guests at our house. Plus, my mother is a very good and creative cook, so there were times when you’d always find people coming over for lunch or dinner. The three of us turned out very creative: my brother is more business-focused, and my sister is into theater.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m originally from Madrid but have been living in the USA for the past 15 years, residing in Miami, New York, and currently in Los Angeles. With over 22 years of experience in advertising as a writer, I’ve had the opportunity to collaborate with some of the best in the industry, earning more than 30 international awards. I honed my skills in conceptualizing and producing campaigns. While this experience has been immensely rewarding, a passion for storytelling has always burned within me. I’ve discovered a profound love for storytelling that extends beyond the confines of the advertising industry.

In recent years, I’ve directed this passion towards writing movies and series, successfully managing various projects. I recently took on the role of Associate Producer in the feature film ‘VERA,’ by Sergio Vizuete, a co-production between Miami and LA. Additionally, I wrote and produced the short film ‘LIGHTS UP’ (currently in post-production), set to be launched next year. The script alone has garnered over a dozen mentions in national screenwriting festivals, so I hope the final film won’t disappoint. To me, the most significant lesson learned is understanding that knowing what you want and pursuing what you love involves taking what I regard as a beautiful risk, where you just have to leap… and somehow, things fall into place for everything to unfold as they should.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I’m interested in people and their reactions to certain situations. Humanity is complex, and I’m captivated by that complexity. Discovering that there are no absolutes and that we all exist in shades of gray. We are shaped by our circumstances and the people around us. I believe everything we read should serve a purpose—offering a unique perspective, a fresh vision, or perhaps shining a light on something that needs to be addressed. It all comes down to creating empathy. I know it sounds cliché, but I want to change someone, or many, for the better. To make others think, to walk in someone else’s shoes, to experience, if only for a moment, a situation or story in a way that won’t leave them indifferent. That’s why I believe every script or idea should have the power to stir things up, to shift perspectives, to reveal something worth knowing to the audience.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

You play with the idea of creating something from nothing, something that doesn’t exist yet, with a thousand ways to bring it to life—and you choose the one that feels right for you. And when that choice involves risk when your approach makes someone think when it stirs an emotion or allows someone to escape their troubles for a moment and dive into the story you’re telling… at that moment, everything makes sense.

On the other hand, creating isn’t a 9-to-5 job. You never know when the good idea is going to come. It’s unusual, but there’s an immense sacrifice in writing—in finding the right words, the angle you want. And when you finally achieve it, everything clicks. You feel complete.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.albertojaen.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/albertojaenla/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alberto-jaen/
• Other: https://www.lightsupshort.com/

Image Credits

Rubén Martín
Santiago Betancur