TULUNGAGUNG – Bagus Setya Puji Saputra has turned a simple smartphone hobby into a full-time creative career, carving out his name in Indonesia’s fast-growing visual industry. What began as casual video recordings during his teenage years has evolved into a professional journey shaped by consistency, adaptability, and a sharp understanding of visual trends.
The 25-year-old creative, who grew up in Sobontoro Permai Housing Complex in Sobontoro Village, Boyolangu District, never imagined the Covid-19 pandemic would change his life. While many saw 2020 as a year of uncertainty, Bagus used the quiet months of online learning to take his passion seriously.
At the time, he was studying at UIN Sayyid Ali Rahmatullah Tulungagung. With lectures shifting online, he suddenly had more time to experiment with content creation.
“I started with just a phone camera,” Bagus recalled. “Back then, I filmed and edited for fun. I even borrowed a friend’s laptop and used Filmora to edit.”
During his school years at SMA Negeri 1 Kedungwaru, he often recorded simple moments with friends. The footage ranged from casual skits to everyday snapshots. None of it felt like a business opportunity at the time.
That changed in early 2020. A friend offered him a job as a content creator for a beauty clinic in Tulungagung. Without hesitation, he accepted.
The opportunity opened a new chapter. What once felt like a pastime became a reliable source of income. Over time, Bagus and several colleagues launched their own documentation vendor service.
Today, they handle wedding and pre-wedding shoots, graduation events, and traditional ceremonies such as pitonan and tedak siten, which remain popular in Tulungagung. Their client base continues to grow as demand for professional visual storytelling rises.
As technology advanced, Bagus sharpened his skills. He moved beyond basic editing software and now works with tools such as Adobe Premiere and DaVinci Resolve. However, he believes technical ability alone does not guarantee success.
Understanding audience taste, he said, matters just as much. “People now prefer dynamic visuals. Weddings used to focus on calm slow motion. Now we use fast cuts, freeze frames, and creative shutter effects. Still, I keep the color clean and natural,” he explained.
For Bagus, color defines identity. He consistently maintains a clean and clear visual tone across his projects. That signature style helps his work stand out in a competitive market.
Interestingly, he finds product shoots more challenging than large events. Beauty products, he said, require precise lighting and careful composition to make them look alive. Meanwhile, documenting toddlers during traditional rituals tests his patience, as key moments happen in seconds.
Outside commercial projects, Bagus nurtures his artistic side through Tiba-Tiba Cinema (TTC), a local creative community. The group produces short films, including one titled Merah Muda, which participated in a short film competition organized by Radar Tulungagung.
Despite his growing portfolio, Bagus measures success in simple ways. He feels proud when clients use his photos as profile pictures or share his videos on social media.
At 25, he understands that building a reputation takes time. He encourages young creatives not to wait for expensive equipment before starting.
“Just start,” he said. “Smartphones today are powerful enough. The hardest part is not buying gear. It’s staying consistent. Building a name takes years of experience.”
Through persistence and adaptability, Bagus Setya Puji Saputra proves that creative careers can grow from humble beginnings into sustainable professions in Indonesia’s expanding creative economy.