Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Brandon Johnson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Brandon, thank you so much for taking the time to share your lessons learned with us and we’re sure your wisdom will help many. So, one question that comes up often and that we’re hoping you can shed some light on is keeping creativity alive over long stretches – how do you keep your creativity alive?
Being a creative in the space of photography/videography is very tough. We are constantly overanalyzing our work, second-guessing our pricing, and thinking what we can do better. When I was first starting in this field, I would spend way too much time comparing myself to others as opposed to bettering my work. I now focus on making my next video shoot better than the last. Forever learning from my mistakes and utilizing those experiences to make me a better videographer and business owner. I find myself looking for inspiration in many different places now. For example, I watch movies from a totally different perspective now. I focus much more on story and composition during a movie and think I can incorporate what I see in front of me into my own work. I also have been big into film for a while now and I love it. Unlike our digital cameras that have the capability to take basically an unlimited amount of pictures and videos, film is different. For film cameras you only get 30-40 pictures per roll of film — and about 3.5 minutes of video per roll. The limitation of film has really helped me be more intentional when shooting.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
My name is Brandon Johnson, owner of Memory Films. I am a destination wedding and corporate videographer based in Atlanta, GA. Memory Films was created in the fall of 2020 and has since scaled to now be voted one of Atlanta’s Top Wedding Videography Companies. I have been shooting video professionally for 6 years now and have now grown a team of videographers that have over 20 years of experience together.
Being a wedding videographer is a job that carries a lot of stress. Good stress! We walk into a wedding day with a huge responsibility of forever preserving the biggest day in a couple’s life. It truly is an honor like no other and something we do not take for granted. This is not the job to cut corners or rush through. We treat each wedding like it was our own and develop a luxurious experience for our couples.
We are excited to now offer photo and video packages to our couples. My goal has always been to provide my couples with a seamless experience and the biggest takeaway from past clients was they wished I offered photo packages as well. Earlier this year, I partnered with an amazing photographer and friend (Maggie K. from Stepping Stones Photography) to now offer photo and video packages for our couples. More information about that can be found on my website!
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Self-discipline, empathy, and compassion. This is definitely not the usual 9-5 job. There are days that I work 16 hours, and then there are some that I don’t work at all. It’s all about balance — but it is important to have discipline instilled within yourself because as a business owner, you are the boss. There is no one making you work, the success of your business ultimately relies on you. And that’s a harsh reality. You decide if you sink or swim. For some, that may be a bit of a difficult shift to make. Also, empathy and compassion are so necessary in this field. I film 20-30 weddings a year, and I, myself got married back in 2018. From my perspective, I have just about seen it all when it comes to a wedding day. But it’s my job to fully invest in my couples and ensure they get the exact same luxury experience for this once-in-a-lifetime day even if this is my third wedding this week. I owe that to my couples. I make it known that I really do care and they aren’t just another paycheck for me.
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
Taking breaks is so necessary. I love getting outside to run or play with my kids any chance I can to prevent burnout. But even before that, I am a huge advocate of setting realistic goals. I start each day by setting a bunch of small goals to complete throughout the day. Most get completed but ones that don’t roll over to tomorrow. I give myself grace and remember I’m only human and I’m only one person. I’ve found this helps me not get overwhelmed, especially as the business continues to grow.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.memoryfilmsatl.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/memoryfilmsatl/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/memoryfilmsatl/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNRN5Nl9_x5aKp-srsCISRw
