Today we’d like to introduce you to Daniel Thompson.
Hi Daniel, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
As far back as I can remember, I’ve always been attracted to movie’s and film production. My mother suffered from a disease known as fibromyalgia for the majority of my childhood, so we spent a great majority of our time watching movies together. When I was ten years old, I noticed a black case on my fathers bookshelf and asked him what it was. He told me that it was a camcorder, which could be used to record videos. I was immediately intrigued by the idea that I could make my own “movies”, however he wouldn’t allow me to use it. Despite his answer, I began to sneak into his office after school and take the camcorder outside to make videos with my friends. He quickly caught onto me, however, considering he could see all the footage on the camcorder from when I would use it – (I was clearly a smart kid). Eventually, he ended u giving me the camcorder as a gift and it was full steam ahead from there.
What began as little “home movies” with the neighborhood kids in my adolescence, and “music videos” with my teenage friends, soon led me to filming high school homecoming weeks and taking other classmates senior portraits. My high school would actually allow me to set up a TV during lunch periods and sell my “homecoming highlight videos”, which is where I got my first taste of business. I still find it incredible that they allowed me to do that. During my Junior year of high school, a good friend of mine asked if I would be interested in filming his sisters Wedding day. I remember being so nervous, but I accepted the offer and filmed my first Wedding in the spring of 2009.
Once I graduated high school in 2010, I moved to Saint Louis and attended St. Louis community college. I took an advanced filmmaking class, and quickly realized that I was learning more by “doing” than I was by attending class. Needless to say, I left college after two semesters and immediately dove into the world of Wedding film and photography. Between the years of 2011 and 2018, I worked a variety of different jobs while filming weddings on the weekends, learning more every year and creating relationships with vendors and couples all over the state. In 2019, I was voted Missouri’s 2nd best Wedding videographer, and it was then that I decided to dive into my business full time and leave my current employment. In 2020 I won Missouri’s best Wedding videographer, and in 2021 I won Missouri’s best Wedding videographer again, in addition to Missouri’s 2nd best Wedding Photographer.
I would have to say that determination, a love for creativity and the ability to connect with people from all walks of life is how I got to where I am today. Aside from this, I have to thank each and every client that I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. With so many options out there regarding a videographer or photographer, people have choices, and their choice did not have to be me. However, they trusted me and my craft, and for that I’m forever grateful.
I’ve had a passion inside me for this line of work since I was a child, and I never let that waiver. I’m always open to learning, I’m always welcoming to new challenges and I put my clients first. It has truly been such an incredible journey thus far, and I cant wait to see where it takes me in the future.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The second I graduated high school, I knew I wanted my independence, and I moved out of my parents. At the time, I had just been accepted to New York Film Academy, however we didn’t have a lot, so I knew that it was going to be up to me what my next steps were. My first apartment was in low income housing, and I worked at a local fast food restaurant. It was actually that very job that allowed me to transfer to a location in Saint Louis and continue growing my craft in film and photography. I won’t say that it was easy during that time, but it taught me so much and really put a fire in me to desire more. We all experience struggles in life, I just think that’s part of being human.
There were a few years in the beginning where the majority of my meals came from whatever restaurant I worked at, paid for by the tips I had made that evening. I would say it was around 2016 when things really began shifting, and my business started to provide me more of a decent income. I think as business owners, we all have our own struggles, especially if your attempting that in your early twenties. However, I truly feel I’m better for the struggles I endured, and I’m still thankful for every experience and opportunity I ever had during that time. The best way to appreciate success is to experience living without it, and then put in the work to obtain it.
As you know, we’re big fans of Daniel Thompson Film & Photography. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
I like to think that I cover a wide variety of services, however my main source of income is definitely Weddings. I’ve worked in this industry for the past 13 years, and I think that has really given me an advantage as far as knowing the in’s and out’s of what makes a Wedding day flow, and how to capture it in the best way possible. Outside of Weddings, I work with families, Seniors, Commercial work for businesses and so on. My company truly sees such a wide variety of opportunities when it comes to work, and that really does keep things interesting. I think I’m very blessed in that sense.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
I would have to say there are a lot of people that have played a role in where I am today. I had teachers in High School that really supported my work and pushed me to follow it, as well as very supportive friends and family along the way. I have to truly thank the clients, though. The clients I’ve had over the years have been so incredible, and I’ve made so many friendships along the way. They’re the reason I’m still here, and I never forget that.
Contact Info:
- Email: daniel.dtfap@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/itsdanielthompson
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/dtfap
- Twitter: twitter.com/daanielthompson
