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About

Hi! I’m Eladio. I grew up in Venezuela and moved to the United States to attend college at the age of 18. After graduating from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) with degrees in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science in the year 2000, I bid farewell to the cold New England winters and relocated to my new hometown in sunny San Diego, California, where I currently live.

My origin as a visual storyteller can be traced back to one day in October 2007 when I signed up for an after-work introductory photography class hoping to learn how to take better pictures with the point-and-shoot camera that I owned at the time. Little did I know that soaking up basic concepts like exposure and composition would spark my innate sense of wonder and set me on a path of artistic self-discovery that would flourish over time. In June 2016, almost a decade later, I received my first jury award at an international photography competition, validating countless efforts to refine my craft.

Eladio Arvelo attending 20th year class reunion at MIT.

My filmmaking debut came almost simultaneously in October 2016 with “Voyage to the Sea of Cortez”, a 5-minute scuba diving video that screened at a popular underwater film festival. After working as an engineer for almost 20 years, that short film spring-loaded a leap of faith to pursue my artistic interests full time, so I set up my own film production company and named it Eclectic Aspirations. The goal: to combine my storytelling skills and love for traveling to shine light on inspiring human stories from around the world.

Eladio Arvelo scuba diving in the Sea of Cortez. Self-portrait.

I have created two award-winning documentaries to date, with a third currently in post-production. If there’s a common thread to my films, it’s that they all deliver cinematic experiences that explore uplifting themes, whether it be adapting to the gentrification of a beach community (Jewel of the Pacific, 2018), finding purpose through entrepreneurship (Vietnam: Fast Forward, 2021), or protecting marine environments for generations to come (Wealth Untold, 2024).

Today, I’m passionate about creating edifying media productions that leverage my eclectic blend of artistic creativity and technical expertise. I’m equally comfortable collaborating with a team of creative individuals, or single-handedly driving the entire production process from concept to final delivery. I’ve been told by colleagues that they enjoy my easygoing nature, immaculate reliability, and effective communication skills.

Award speech at 2022 Borrego Springs Film Festival. Photo credit: Alicia Wszelaki.

I have explored over 30 countries and counting, so I’m an adventurer at heart. In addition, I’m also a PADI-certified Master Scuba Diver, FAA-certified Drone Pilot, and PPA-certified Professional Photographer.

Thank you for visiting my website! Please join my subscriber list (below) to receive occasional updates, and let me know how I can help with your own projects. You can contact me anytime at info@eladioarvelo.com