After coming to the U.S., Sam Villegas earned a degree, a prestigious job and accolades from his employer, who said Villegas’ rare talent has led to sales for the company.
“Lost”Photo bySam Villegas
Digital marketing agency Bureau Gravity in Aurora, Ill., hosted a gallery show and artistic presentation on June 16, 2023, featuring Sam Villegas, a commercial filmmaker born in Bolivia who demonstrated his cinematography skills and described his personal journey “of coming to the states to pursue the American dream.”
During the program, Villegas showed examples of his videography and photography and discussed how he makes his work impactful. Bureau Gravity CEO Jimi Allen also presented an update on the economy around the film industry in Aurora and the development of a sound stage at his media hub TalkLab.
Villegas arrived in the United States five years ago to study film and media production at Taylor University in Indiana. He said he started getting professional freelance work as a college sophomore, which was rare among his peers. “By senior year, I won the award of best cinematographer of my whole school. It was a big deal. I was one of a few who worked outside school,” Villegas said.
He continued freelancing while searching for a full-time job after graduation. “It was a time to realize: What can I do differently to achieve more? I did research about the art of film and strategy that goes into that and landed a job” in January 2023, he recalled.
Tackform in Addison, Ill., hired Villegas as a full-time digital content creator to develop its vehicle accessory brand, so he moved to Wheaton, Ill. He must renew his visa to stay in the U.S., so his boss, Tackform owner Nick Lullo, offered to sponsor him.
“It’s very difficult hiring talent,” Lullo said. The small business owner said he sees “hundreds of resumes of graphic designers and social media designers. Most don’t have taste or vision or ability to execute like we need here. It’s been challenging. Finding good talent is incredibly difficult.”
Lullo said he sees some people with talent in one area, like copywriting, videography or design, but not in all areas of brand development. “It’s hard to find one person who can handle all that and spearhead videos and finish. Sam is one of the few people who has the ability to do that. His editing and taste is top notch. In college they learn the tools and theory but aren’t artists yet. Sam has a lot of skill with the tools but has a strong creative eye and good taste and ability to execute, which is difficult to find nowadays,” Lullo said.
Villegas showcased what makes his work so special at the gallery show in Aurora in the hopes it will lead to renewing his visa before it “runs out June 30.
“You have to prove your work and have superior work and have a lot of talent, and that’s a reason for the U.S. to keep you. I fill the majority of the boxes, but one thing I’m missing is articles about my work,” Villegas said. “Anyone can produce stuff. It’s completely different to produce something that causes people to action. Majority of my work has been production for small businesses that are selling products. Majority of the work I’ve done are advertisements that bring in sales.”
Allen owns a digital marketing agency and video production studio that donated its event space to host the presentation because he said Villegas “has an incredible portfolio. We need professionalism in the media space, especially the social media space.”
Allen said too many people in power don’t value the work of artists, which is ironic in a society where “everyone looks up to Hollywood stars.
“Immigrants come here, contribute and then get kicked out? It’s the point of his latest installation,” Allen said. “The American Dream is not de facto. People can work as hard as possible and still not get that dream.”
“Almond Eyes”Photo bySam Villegas
“Fear of God”Photo bySam Villegas
