Today we’d like to introduce you to Zebulon Thomas.
Zebulon, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My name is Zebulon Thomas, also know as #ZTFILMS. I’m an Elite Videographer originally from Ohio and currently one of the leading Glidecam Master Operators in the entire world.
I have always been inspired to be creative and be the best version of myself that I could become. With determination and a lot of hard work, I managed to come up through tremendous adversity and not let those limitations stop me from taking my life to a new level. Most people would have given-up going through some of the things I went through I would go into detail, but why re-live the story. We all have been through it in some way or another. I want the readers to know. You don’t have to live by that story, start creating a new one right now. Yes, there were times I felt like giving up, but I didn’t. In today’s world, you can turn your life around literally in a second, by making a shift in your focus and say, never again, not no more. I will push through. I am so blessed to this day because of my psychology and outlook on life to adapt, change and reinvent myself whenever needed so that I can experience life on a whole new level. This means always finding a way and ignoring all the naysayers and can’t-be-doners. This means picking yourself up, and this means if there is no doors open, you build a new door and go through it. You create an original path to the life you MUST have!
In 2008 I published my first self-help book and personal development audio coaching program. One day I decided I was going to write a book and create a life changing program to help others. That was when I found out just how awesome the internet was. I did a 24-hour pre-launch of the book and the Audio program. It was a success and I made some decent money. It was then I decided to keep adding massive value through my work and skills that would ultimately bring me the success and financial abundance I now have to this day. We live in the most extraordinary time in history. We have so many opportunities at our fingertips, so much that it is almost impossible to fail if you know how to take advantage of it all. In 2010 I shifted into YouTube as a content creator. Over the next ten years, I went on to become the best I could become as a self-taught videographer using a Glidecam Camera Stabilizer. The Glidecam Camera Stabilizer enables me to create videos without any instability or shake. I quickly became successful in the retail space by creating high-end commercial videos for brands, businesses and on my YouTube channel.
I got into creating videos because it gave me full creative control, and I truly enjoyed doing it. As I developed my style and learned how to use the Glidecam, my work started to stand out. So much so that over the years, it has attracted many from around the world who have wanted to work with me on select projects. Some of those projects include working with Mountain Dew, Imagine Dragons, Machine Gun Kelly, Adobe, Glidecam Industries, Go-Scope, GoPro, Canon and many of today’s top YouTubers. In 2018 I was hand-selected by Glidecam Industries, Inc. as one of the Glidecam Master Operators in which I now stand with my fellow Glidecam Masters, Chad Bonanno, Dude Perfect (Chad Terrell and Tim Holt ), Kidron Cannon, and Devin Graham (Link to the Masters: https://glidecam.com/masters/). My entire career was built from the Glidecam Camera Stabilizer. I have gone on to master the Glidecam and now I teach others how to do the same in my master course and all the other video training courses I offer through my online academy.
That is why I have created ZTFILMS Academy™. To show others all of the micro and macro things they need to learn in order to develop their skills and find their style fully. With the courses I have created, you now have a proven roadmap to become the best at what you do, and go on to working for brands and businesses or run a thriving video production company of your own. It all starts at ZTFILMSACADEMY.com. You can also read more about my story on the academy website to truly get the incredible unfolding of events that I was able to set forth to break into this industry in my own way.
I did all of this without having a large following. So many people are caught up in the numbers. I say you get caught up in your work and doing what you love to do so that you can live life on your terms. So whether that brings you numbers of people who you get to call your friends or numbers of views on your online content. Numbers of likes on your social medal outlets or the numbers that show up in your bank account. All of that will happen for you once you find your focus and what makes you happy in life.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Let’s talk about the glass ceiling. I have broken through a few of them. Because of my sudden success flood, I have seen a lot of loop holes all at once. I have been burned, I have had my work altered and redistributed. I have written and re-written contracts to protect me and my work. When you are in demand, everyone wants to be a part of it, and they are willing to pay for it. You have to make sure that you are adding massive value to your clients because you are only as good as your last video. This is where glass ceilings happen.
I’m in demand because I can add value, whether that’s brand awareness, scaling a business through video marketing, or telling a story to raise money for a cause. All of it has to be high-end and it all has to be spot on. There is so much more to creating video content that adds value, than just the gear you use.
You must know the psychology behind what makes a video engaging to the viewer. You have to know what’s going on in the market. Don’t be a copy of what’s out there. Instead, breakthrough with new ideas, but not so crazy that it damages the brand, business, or cause. You have to know when to release the video content and how to release it. You have to know so many micro details to play a macro game for yourself, your business and your clients.
The Obstacles and Challenges are always going to be there. How you learn to get over or around them is what will shape you and make you the best for yourself and others.
Please tell us about your work.
I’m an Elite Videographer and Glidecam Master Operator. I create high value videos for all types of brands, businesses and causes. I have created ZTFILMS ACADEMY™ to host courses that teach all the skills and strategies I have learned and developed over the past decade to create high-end videos. ZTFILMS ACADEMY™ also provides a proven roadmap. The same proven roadmap that I have used over and over again for myself and my clients to become successful and it has been applied to our courses at ZTFILMS ACADEMY™
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
I am mostly looking forward to the continued educational process of helping students at ZTFILMS ACADEMY™ learn and master their skills for launching their careers.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ztfilmsacademy.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ztfilms/
- Other: www.YouTube.com/ZTFILMS
Image Credit:
Images owned and licensed under ZTFILMS ACADEMY™
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