Today we’d like to introduce you to Jonathan Monegro.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
In 2010, it all began with a dream. During my senior year of High School, I discovered my love for music and filming. I would always carry a camera around school, capturing moments. After that, I went to college and started studying computer science just to make my parents happy. Until one day, I told myself, I’m, going to follow my passion & dreams, which was filming. Once I made that decision, everything changed for me.
During my first years of learning and taking filming more seriously. I came across professionally made concert and music festival videos. I told myself I want to do that. I want to capture people having the best time of their life. I developed more love for filming live events that I began to go to concerts for fun and filmed each experience. By doing that, I learned a lot about video editing.
2013, my dream was to travel around the world filming these big festivals and work alongside my inspirations. During this time, I won a contest to work with the most sought-after video production team at ultra music festival, which is one of the most popular festivals in the USA. I was surrounded by all of the people I’ve looked up to for so long. After that, I felt I had a lot to improve, so I decided to create my own production company and find my own clients to work with and take my videos to the next level.
Throughout this time, I was going to school for filming, working at a part-time job and running my own business, which was something I never had any experience with. Throughout my journey, I began to perfect my craft and posting it on social media. Then the people that I looked up too they started to hire me on small jobs. When clients saw my potential and my talent. I started to get more opportunities and job responsibilities began to be more important because the clients trusted me. I was doing video editing, creating recap videos of well-known festivals around the world. At this point, I dropped out of school since I wasn’t really learning much and quit my part-time job to focus only on my career.
After being stuck in the computer, I decided to perfect my skills in the ground, filming and capturing those special moments at festivals. I bought my dream camera that are used in Hollywood to create movies. This opened more doors in my career as Camera Operator. Other video production companies will hire me to help them film the festival. Im grateful to have been able film at all the top electronic music festivals in the world. Ultra Music Festival, EDC VEGAS, TOMORROWLAND, LOLLAPALOOZA.
One of my goals was to direct my own video team and create inspiring content for music festivals around the world. Every year I would send out proposals to festivals with great ideas but somehow I wasn’t able to make a deal. I even contacted a lot of people and everyone said NO. I understand if I didn’t get that dream gig/job that I really wanted to do, it meant I wasn’t ready for it. That I wasn’t really ready even though I thought I could really execute the job and had awesome ideas. Everything in life will happen at its own time.
After so many fails, now my first music festival client is Lollapalooza Chicago. One of the biggest festivals in the USA. God will always have a plan for you at its given time. Throughout my journey, I met so many amazing people around the world so far and have had so many amazing opportunities to travel the world and film. Every day I’m thankful for what I have created and what’s to come in the future.
If you want to do something in life, become friends with that person that is successfully doing it. You learn so much from surrounding yourself with people that are 10x better than you. This is how you will also reach your goals faster. Don’t be afraid to dream big. Nothing happens overnight; everything in life is a process. The process won’t be easy but if you are positive and have a clear vision on your goals, you will get there. You can do anything and get anything in life just be positive, tell GOD what you want, and work hard to reach your goal.
If you don’t know what to do in life trust me, its ok. That means something really special is out there for you and will come at the right time. Don’t be afraid to ask GOD for guidance to find your purpose in life.
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?
Anything that is worth it will of course come with challenges and struggles. Nothing in life is easy. I started from the bottom. Went through a lot of sleepless nights, a lot of rejections. Everything I know today I had to teach myself. I didn’t go to school for filming. I had a passion inside of me to learn and keep growing and this is how I got to where I am today.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I specialize in creating and directing videos for live events such as corporate events & music festivals. Clients use these videos to promote their events on social media. I’m known for my raw talent and my dedication I put into each project to be the best.
I’m most proud of myself for not giving up on my dreams and kept pushing and finding new ways to do things better or improve them. Also, being able to film the top electronic music festivals in the world. What sets me apart is that I go above and beyond in every project so my clients are happy also doing whatever it takes to capture the best moments at live events.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Success for me is freedom. Freedom to do anything you want, go anywhere you want at any time you want without worries.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monegroo/?hl=en
- Youtube: https://vimeo.com/user5519284
Image Credits
Mehmet Çakmak – Vlad Rosu – Jordan Pulmano – Julian Cassady
