Career
Santiago is the director of the production company Crema Batida Films, and also has credits as a second unit director for the Puerto-Rican film Manuela y Manuel (2007). Santiago is best known for his work directing music videos for the Puerto-Rican band Calle 13. Santiago is cousin of René Pérez (Residente), the band"s lead singer.
The first video directed for the band was "Calma Pueblo", the lead single of Entren Los Quebec Quieran in 2010.
The video presented Calle 13 as terrorists dressed as nuns and was deemed as "violent" by Judy Cantor-Navas of Billboard magazine. Santiago, commented about the concept of the video, which uses nudity as a representation of freedom: "We wanted the lyrics and the visuals to be strong.. we wanted it to be real, but still have a positive message to the show the union of people who fight to produce art" The video was recorded in Milla de Oro, San Juan, Puerto Rico, and was intended as a tribute to the work of American photographer Spencer Tunick.
Santiago also directed "Muerte en Hawaii" for Calle 13. In the music video, Residente is joined by model Jimar Freshold, as they run for their lives on a beach with a "shocking ending".
Crema Batida Films also were responsible for the production and direction for "Como Curar" by Zion & Lennox, a music video about a virus that infects women.
The budget for the video was estimated at United States$100,000. Santiago directed "Huérfano de Amor" for Don Omar featuring Syko, the second single of Don Omar Presents: Meet the Orphans in 2011.
