Today we’d like to introduce you to Oluwaseyi Thomas.
Oluwaseyi, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My passion for the film/video world stemmed from my overall interest in the very big world of entertainment. Before finding my place behind the scene, I tried being an entertainer in the performance side of things. I tried music and acting but those did not come naturally. There wasn’t a drive or the patience to breakthrough. During my transition from Nigeria to the United States of America at age 15, I developed a new interest in mass communication and this is when I began to think outside the box. I was introduced to storytelling, I started writing and with time, I wanted to see a visual representation of the things I wrote. This was such a fun experience because as an immigrant holding on to my previous views of life while trying to adapt to my new views, I felt so compelled to show people how I see things. I remember buying my first camera in high school, It was a camcorder and it was perfect. It was perfect because it looked good, it wasn’t a phone camera so I looked cool. There was no regard for specifications, I just wanted to make movies with it. I did my part by exploring visual storytelling during my time and also pursued it educationally. After making mini music videos and a skateboard video in high school, I went to film school for college.
Long story short, film school shook my world because it was then I realized there was so much more to filmmaking and there is a lot more to explore. It is not just about having a camera and filming wherever permitted with whoever is available. It was departments on departments on departments and I might have a different love. I went through the process and accepted that the camera department is really where I belong.
After acquiring my Bachelor’s Degree in Film and Master’s Degree in the Entertainment business, things didn’t take off like I hoped they would. Not that I thought I would be in Hollywood right after school. I just wasn’t aware of the nature of employment in my industry. I was forced to work any unrelated job I could find so I could pay bills, those student loans weren’t a joke and they weren’t too forgiving. I worked at the bookstore, a barely surviving photography studio that eventually shut down, and then ended up as an overnight baker at Panera Bread. After three years of being all over the place, I decided to make a drastic change because I wanted to spend my life doing what I liked to do. My main strategy was to find good people that do what I want, make myself useful to them while I learned from them. In this process, I sharpened my skills and was able to create my map by breaking down their footstep. I applied every knowledge I gained day by day and after years of doing this, I am now in a position where I work video production full-time. From music videos to commercials and weddings occasionally.
I attribute being where I am today to staying true to myself and being realistic about where I am in life. I gathered all my experiences from when I was unsuccessful in the performance aspect of entertainment, when I wondered how I was going to make money in my field without a job, when I worked as a baker at Panera Bread when I quit a job with guaranteed pay to pursue a gig to gig lifestyle when there were no gigs, I gathered them all, I prayed and I made moves because what I realized is that they were all a matter of action.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
It has not always been a smooth road due to things out of my control and frankly, things within my control. We live to learn and we learn to grow. In my early stages, I made big decisions, impressive ones and I also made terrible decisions out of desperation. These are still obstacles I could potentially face today and might face tomorrow but now I have past experience to look back on. There were moments when I doubted myself, times I applied for positions and was rejected without a chance to prove myself. Sometimes when I was guaranteed, I wasn’t equipped to carry on the job for financial reasons with absolutely nothing to turn to. All this took a mental toll because I found myself wondering if there was a possibility of a breakthrough and sometimes my conclusion was no. I learned to snap out of it and I am grateful I was able to keep that going.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
In video production, I specialize in camera and lighting but am happy to oversee projects from planning to deliverables. When brought onset, usually and preferable as a Director of Photography (Cinematographer), I am responsible for the overall visual style, the story told by the camera movement and lighting. I am very proud of how much my skill has developed over the years, how often I analyze my methods, and never scared to break out of my comfort zone when it comes to elevating a project. What sets me aside from others is, in all simplicity, my style. My style is to have no set style because as much as we love to create a strict formula, no two videos are the exact same so I refuse to copy and paste.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
One of my favorite things about Orlando, FL, is the pace in regards to life flow. I consider myself at peace with any routine I create in this city. I believe there is little to no drawback at all. As little as the art scene may be, it is still present and I respect that but I really wish the city created a space where art would flourish more.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@oluwaseyithomas.com
- Website: oluwaseyithomas.com
- Instagram: dp_ot
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OTperspectives
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC847SWkcVRXGVqszlPZ644g
