John's mentorship journey.

Building his confidence and clarity for a sustainable career

John has been rocking out since he was a kid. From the moment he could pick up an instrument, he was hooked. Music was his way of communicating when words just didn’t cut it, until he became intrigued by the camera during a music video shoot. 

Soon, he was filming anything and everything—from paintball tournaments to car racing.  He picked up contracting gigs here and there, honing his skills behind the camera.

But passion alone didn’t pay the bills. John struggled to find steady work and often doubted if he could make filmmaking a sustainable career. He gave up a lot in his life to make it work, including his independence, and moving back into his parents' house.

After years of this, it was make-or-break time. John needed help to turn his passion into consistent work. He tried a few different education programs, but it was a disaster. They were impersonal, focused on sleazy sales tactics, and left him feeling worse. He almost quit filmmaking altogether, hating the idea of misleading people just to get ahead.

But he didn’t give up. He found Muse’s mentorship program and knew this was different. Right from the start, the team zeroed in on John’s strengths and tailored their plan for him to his goals. This fresh approach reignited his hope and gave him the confidence to keep going. For the first time, John felt he was on the right path.

The mentorship gave John tools he never had before, like pre-production and story-finding processes that made projects less of a guessing game. Each coach played a unique role in his development. 

John’s whole outlook shifted. He learned that success wasn’t about waiting for work to come to him, but about actively seeking it out. He discovered how to pitch himself as a filmmaker and highlight his unique creative edge. This newfound approach helped him build relationships and offer more value to clients. "It's not about work coming in by itself. It's about the ability to put in the work," John stated, showing his newfound understanding.

And then, the hard work paid off. In just one week, John landed three jobs, ending a long dry spell. No more hesitation, no more holding back—he was charging forward with confidence. 

Looking ahead, John is no longer dreading the future. He’s pumped to continue this journey, knowing this is just the beginning. The best is yet to come, and John is ready to continue running full speed ahead.