We recently connected with Lucien Aleman and have shared our conversation below.

Lucien, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

It took me a long time to recognize that pursuing an artistic path professionally could be a logical choice for me, despite always gravitating toward creative activities.

Growing up, I felt most comfortable engaging in music and the arts. I played several instruments and could spend hours drawing. While my supportive mother and family members might have you believe otherwise, I was no child prodigy when it came to drawing but it was a skill I excelled at. Sketching visuals that I saw in books or television shows was something I would spend hours doing outside of the classroom; inside I would frequently doodle in my notebooks to distract myself from the lessons I was supposed to be engaged in. Still, I always kept my grades up because, despite my affinity for art, pursuing it as a career never felt like it could be anything other than a hobby. In high school, I stepped away from many of my creative hobbies; I stopped practicing the saxophone, quit piano lessons, and drawing became almost exclusively an inside-the-notebook activity.

Then, in 2014, a family-run landscaping business in my hometown approached me to redesign their company logo. In retrospect, as a 15-year-old with no formal artistic or logo design training, I had no business taking on that project. Fortunately, the owners were also close family friends and were confident that I would come up with something they would be happy with; this project was the first time I was paid for my artwork. That experience, and the joy I felt doing that work, stayed with me. It gave me the confidence to start sharing my artwork with classmates and teachers, even incorporating artistic elements into school projects in the hopes of leveraging a bump in the project grade.

Once college came I was still lost with where I wanted my schooling, and life, to head. I spent my first brief semester in a stem-focused program until Chem 1610 made it abundantly clear that it was not for me. I then switched to the architecture program because I remembered as a kid recognizing that drawing seemed to be a big part of what architects did; I had finally decided to try and lean into my strengths. Turns out Architecture History is NOT one of my strengths and after 3 semesters and a long conversation with my mother I found myself undergoing a second change of major and taking on a couple of extra summer classes to make sure I would graduate on time.

Now I was 21 years old, in the fall of 2021, living back home in the Boston area with a communications degree, a minor in architecture, and zero idea what career path I wanted to pursue. After a few months of lazy LinkedIn searching and application submissions, I was still nowhere. Fortunately, my aunt and uncle, who both work in the television and film world, had started proposing the entertainment industry as something I could explore. When they called to ask me to come to New York to work as a production assistant on a television show I had no other answer but “Yes!” During my first weekend in the city, I met director Jeremy Max through a mutual friend. He was looking for an art director for his short film, “Dream Girl,” and after a few conversations, he asked me to take on the role. I wasn’t even sure what an art director did, but I immediately thought back to that landscaping logo project from almost seven years prior and knew I had to accept this opportunity. With no formal training or background in film, I was thrown into a set environment and had to rely entirely on whatever instincts I may have had. It turned out to be one of the greatest career experiences of my life because being in a creative environment, collaborating with other artists, and working as a team to bring a vision to life was unlike anything I had ever done before.

That was the moment I knew I wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

Now, nearly three and a half years later, I have worked as a non-union production assistant in the art department on several major television shows and films and have been able to meet and work with incredibly talented people. This spring, I am preparing to apply to the computer artist category of United Scenic Artists Union and have worked as a freelance graphic designer on various jobs. Jeremy and I have a great friendship and working relationship and have collaborated on several projects, our most recent being a film I production designed, “The Second Oldest Man Alive,” which is currently making its festival run.

I feel incredibly fortunate to be working in this industry. With every project I take on, I am reassured that, even though it took me a while to realize it, this creative path is where I belong.

Lucien, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

As a graphic designer and artist who has primarily worked in the television and film industry, I have been fortunate enough to take on various jobs. As an art department production assistant, my world revolves around set design. When I started, 3.5 years ago, I was completely unfamiliar with the role of the art department in film. I was able to learn as much as I could and now have come to truly appreciate all the work that goes into making a television show or movie. My most recent/notable projects have been working as the graphics assistant for the Bob Dylan biopic, “A Complete Unknown” and Adam Sandler’s return to golf in, “Happy Gilmore 2.” This spring, I am applying to the United Scenic Artists Union with my sights set on becoming a member of the computer artist category.

The knowledge and experience I’ve gained as a production assistant has greatly benefited my work in short films. In 2024, I had the opportunity to work as the graphic designer for, “The Temptation of Loneliness,” a short directed by Nabil Elbehri. In collaboration with Nabil, I was able to create the various key design elements that he envisioned to build the world in which the story took place. Earlier that year, I was brought on as the production designer for Jeremy Max’s most recent project, “The Second Oldest Man Alive.” This project was a major accomplishment for the entire crew, but for me, it was an especially exciting challenge. I took on multiple roles (production designer, graphic designer, set decorator/dresser, and prop master) handling key scripted elements that I had to source or create myself. After a few months of prep and a four-day shoot, I was very proud of what we were able achieve. Having the chance to work on short films has been a highlight of my short time in the world of tv and film, and I am looking forward to any future opportunities.

Aside from my day-to-day as a production assistant, and my time as a designer on short films, I am always open to more extracurricular projects. While much of what I create on my own time is for personal enjoyment, I truly thrive in collaborative projects. I have been hired to create logos for various businesses/sports teams, design artwork for posters or apparel, and assist with film awards presentations. It is the nature of a freelance worker to be open to any kind of project. If anyone would like to inquire about my work, or to say hello, you can visit my website at: lucienaleman.com

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I think that as an artist any kind of positive recognition directed towards my artwork is always greatly accepted and appreciated. This could be getting paid for a commissioned piece or as simple as someone walking by my computer and noticing a screensaver I made and saying, “Hey I like that background. Where’d you get it?”

That said, there is an aspect more rewarding that I have only been able to find in the world of entertainment. While seeing my artwork on screen may be a basic part of the job in the television and film industry, it remains the most rewarding aspect for me. It’s not just about having a singular piece of art featured; it’s about contributing to a collaborative creative process. As I mentioned earlier, working on short films has been a highlight of my time in the industry because contributing to a team striving to execute a unified vision is incredibly fulfilling. Seeing something I created as part of that final, collective product only brings me a greater sense of pride.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

I think many artists and creatives would agree that we are our own greatest critics, which can sometimes be a little tough. So, my goal is to continually prove to myself that I can thrive in this industry and, by doing so, grow as a designer. As a self-taught artist and designer, I lack the formal certifications and qualifications many of my coworkers have; that was a little daunting for me when stepping into a fully creative career path. On top of that, the inherent job instability of freelance work, especially in a city as financially demanding as New York, adds another layer of pressure.

Learning to trust my own creative judgment has been a challenge, but it has also been one of the most important lessons in my career. But, so far I have been able to overcome obstacles and prove that I do have the skills to work in the industry. I have been able to maintain a relatively frequent level of employment for the past 3.5 years even through union strikes and a slowdown in New York-based productions.

There will always be self-doubt and job instability associated with this line of work; it’s unavoidable. However, I’ve come to realize that the best way to prepare for and combat these challenges is to have a desire to grow. As I move forward, I can see a growing confidence and greater trust in my instincts. With each project, I’m reassured that this is where I want to be, and the desire to continue improving as a designer will (hopefully) drive my career forward.”

Contact Info:

• Website: https://lucienaleman.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lucien.aleman/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucien-aleman