Meet Dean Gibson: Filmmaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dean Gibson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dean, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I wouldn’t be where I am today if I didn’t take risks. Up until I graduated college, I lived a pretty average lifestyle, I hadn’t made any significant life changing decisions and I was basically living in my comfort zone. Shortly after graduating, I had realized I was stuck in my hometown working a job that wasn’t really beneficial for my long term goals. One day, I had a rare opportunity to move to a completely different state with two people I barely knew to pursue my career as a freelance photographer and graphic designer. Of course I was nervous and really had no idea how I was going to be successful considering I didn’t have a business already built. I had limited resources and I had never lived anywhere other than my hometown. Atlanta, Georgia was somewhere that I had only visited one time before calling it home. I knew this was a big leap for me but I had faith that I could make something of myself in a bigger city. I thought, “Whats the worst that could happen? I’m only 5 hours from home and I can always go back if this doesn’t work out.” My sink or swim mentality has forced me to get out of my comfort zone and helped me reach new heights with my career. Five years have gone by and I still have my head above water. I transitioned out of graphic design and mainly focus on filmmaking focusing on shooting weddings, commercials, and a few music videos on the side. I plan to continue building my name and focus more on short films, documentaries and eventually feature films that have an impact on society. My goal is to use my craft as another form of communication to show people that life has many obstacles but you are ultimately in control of your destination. Coming back to the original question, “What role has risks played in my life/career,” it has completely changed my life. If I never took that leap of faith then I would still be in my hometown working a job that doesn’t soothe my soul. I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to travel all over the country shooting for various clients and I may not even be creating films at all considering I didn’t pick up that skill until after I made the move. I have learned a lot about myself and others along my journey. I have learned how to have an open mind about different cultures and different beliefs. I have learned to have an open heart to everyone I encounter because you never know their life story. I have became a better man and have more appreciation for life in general because I stepped out of my comfort zone which led me to find my purpose.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am an Atlanta based filmmaker that focuses on storytelling. I mainly shoot weddings and commercial work for now but I am transitioning into more film and documentary work this year. I try to make everything that I shoot feel real, or authentic. I don’t like to fabricate since I like to embrace reality and focus on how I can bring a vision to life. I have put a lot of time and effort into perfecting the craft and pushing myself to the limit with my art. I have learned several lessons along the way and one major lesson that I learned is not to trust everyone you meet. Coming from a small town background I had always been taught that your word is bond and to be a man of your word. I took those values with me when I moved but I quickly learned not everyone was brought up that way. I now know the power of contracts and have a better sense of judgment when it comes to meeting new people, take everything with a grain of salt. I want people to understand that this career choice was made to help others, whether its by shooting content that helps their brand or shooting content that helps their mindset. I am big on mindset and the thought of educating others on how to train their mind excites me. It is easy to get caught up in emotions and feelings but there is a lot more to life that you can only see when you have a clear mind and pure soul.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If I had a friend that came to Atlanta I would encourage them to check out Stone Mountain. I recently discovered the beautiful landscape that you can see when you hike to the top of the mountain and its breathtaking. Another place I enjoy visiting is Lake Lanier, I love the water and the lake is a peaceful place to relax and take time to replenish your energy. I eat out more than I should and I am big on great breakfast. A few places I would recommend is Bantam + Biddy, Hen Mothers Cookhouse, and the Nest Cafe. These are all spread out and not necessarily in Atlanta but I am not afraid to make a little drive for some good food. Another place I would recommend is downtown near the Beltline. I don’t visit the Beltline often but when I do go it’s usually a good time. The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I think the whole youtube community is most responsible for my success. When I was in college my friends and I would jokingly call it “Youtube University” because we would get an assignment for class then have to go teach ourselves how to accomplish the objective, so where did we go? Youtube. If I didn’t have that platform to study, I probably wouldn’t know half of the skills that I know today. I would also like to give credit to my mom and dad, they have always supported my decisions even when I had no clue what I was doing. They gave me the support I needed to have confidence in myself over the years and I respect that. I would also like to give credit to my other half, Sara. She is one of the main reasons that I was able to have success in Atlanta, she took me under her wing and taught me how to shoot weddings which is my main source of income. The wedding industry has allowed me to travel across the country and gain experiences that will last a lifetime. I am thankful for that.

Website: dgdoesit.com
Instagram: realdeangibson
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCr4nfUcc4IClSJ6hYG8CvZg

Image Credits
Sara Shaikh