Meet Juan Abad: Owner/Video Producer of PlanetOther Films

We had the good fortune of connecting with Juan Abad and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Juan, what role has risk played in your life or career?
If you were to ask someone I know personally how I dealt with risk in the past, they would tell you I’m one of the most risk-averse people you’ll ever meet. I’ve spent most of my life avoiding opportunities simply over the fear of failure, rejection, and success. Yet, I would find myself laying on my bed, staring at the white, popcorn ceiling, in the desert town of Lancaster, CA where was born and raised in, wondering why I was not where I wanted to be in life. It’s the classic “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result”. I knew my inactivity was hurting my chances for a more fulfilling life/career. But the thought of risking anything was too overwhelming for me. Leaving the 2 part-time jobs I worked at for 6 years and leaving the Antelope Valley was something I felt was impossible. It took me a very long time to question those thoughts and began seeking answers.

Since then, I officially started my video production business, PlanetOther Films, back in 2018 and found a new full-time video editing job during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Risk” was now a welcomed part of my vocabulary. Risk is essential for not only small-business growth but personal growth as well. It has played an important role in my self-confidence. Something I was lacking years prior due to my depression. Risk has taken me to a part of my life that I didn’t think was possible. All I had to do was jump into it. Was it scary? Yes. Was it worth it? Absolutely.

Of course, risk is a game of chance. Not everything will end up playing in your favor. It took me a long time to fully accept it, but it’s okay if something doesn’t work out. You quickly realize it’s not the end of the world. You learn how to adapt to the situation the best you can and find an alternative solution. Sometimes the alternative plays out better than what you originally intended. But you will never know that until you try. And I think that’s the main role that risk plays in my career and life. You’ll never know what is possible until you make the first step. I encourage everyone to make that first step.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
PlanetOther Films is a video production business in the Antelope Valley. We specialize in promotional video content for B2B, B2C, and non-profit organizations. We also create music videos for that extra splash of creativity. In addition to those services, we produce some in-house video content to highlight or promote a person, community, or cause that we feel should be shared with others.

One thing I’m most proud of is the support I’ve received from others. Not only from my friends but the clients I’ve worked with in the past. It’s reassuring to know there’s a group of people who see the potential of my business and fully support it. As someone who has struggled with depression and self-doubt (at times still do), I think that is a crucial thing to have. Probably the best feeling ever.

I think I can speak for every small-business owner and say it was not easy to get where I’m at right now. The lack of available resources, time, self-confidence, and constant episodes of depression was a big deterrent for success. Not only for my business but my own personal life. As a result, I pushed away a lot of opportunities and life experiences that happened to knock at the door. After years of working on my mental health and sharpening my skillset, the journey has begun to be much more easier and enjoyable. My only regret is not taking care of myself sooner. But at least now I feel like I can achieve whatever it is I want to achieve.

The biggest takeaway from running a small-business for several years is to simply jump in and do it. Speculating on the unknown factors and the “what could go wrong?” scenarios will only feed to the self-doubt. Thus, losing time that could be used to create something you will be proud of. Not to say there is a problem with being prepared. But at some point you have to ask yourself “if not now, when?”. “Now” is the perfect time.

At the end of the day, I’d like people to think of PlanetOther Films synonymous with “dedicated, reliabile, and collaborative”. We are not only creative-focused, but client-focused as well. We take a lot of pride in our work and we definitely want our clients to know that.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
This is actually a difficult question for me as I don’t go out much for recreational time (changing that very soon, haha). But I’m a big fan of movie theaters, punk shows, and interesting bars/nightclubs. The ArcLight was a fantastic place to watch movies. Sadly, they have recently closed down. Bar Sinister is a goth-themed nightclub that is pretty interesting. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea. But I think people should visit it at least once to experience the atmosphere. Punk music is basically in my DNA. So, naturally, I’d take someone to experience the chaos of that (assuming there’s a good turnout and pit). Of course, you can’t go wrong with food trucks and hanging around the Santa Monica Pier after sunset, haha.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
These sections are always the most difficult to write as I wish to shoutout everyone I know. Here’s list of people to who have been extremely influential for me:

Joseph Cabral, thank you for being the mentor I didn’t know I needed. You’ve shown me that even with the knowledge and skillset I currently have, there’s always room for improvement. I still haven’t stopped learning.

Brain Armstrong, thank you for showing me what passion, great work ethic, and a dream can manifest into. I wish I could accomplish half of the things you’ve accomplished.

Mike Zarate, thank you for being the friend I’ve always wanted. It’s very difficult to maintain friendships with our busy schedules. But you always find time to check up on me.

Desiree Robedeaux, thank you for helping me realize my value as a person and friend.

Shoutout to all of the coffee shops, haha.

And everyone else who I have the pleasure of knowing on a professional and personal level.

Website: https://www.planetother.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/planet_other

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manofmanyframes

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/planet_other

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/planetotherfilms

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/planetother-lancaster

Other: Personal site – https://www.juanabad.com