Today we’d like to introduce you to Cameron Dillehay.
Cameron, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My story is no different than anyone else who has experienced similar successes within their field, and considerably indistinguishable to many of those who applied certain attributes towards a dream and formed it into a reality. I can vividly recall the moment in which I realized that videography was my passion – My prepubescent 13-year-old self, mesmerized with the GoPro after it had taken the internet by storm, was astonished at how people could travel the world, show it to other people, and evoke emotion through a digital image. That following Christmas, after months of begging, I was given a GoPro Hero 3+ Black Edition in which I would use for the next year serving as the prelude to my videography career.
Quickly after, I realized how video technology turns obsolete, as well as how technically and creatively intuitive camera settings are in producing a desired image. As I had effectively jumped head first into this new endeavor, I quickly learned the correlation between the camera, the editing software, and one’s creative intuition and how it related to the final product. For example, my camera progression related directly to my software progression. When I first started with my GoPro, I used iMovie since it was free, and I lacked knowledge regarding editing. Shortly thereafter, achieving the creative limits of iMovie, I invested a lot of time and effort into the Adobe Creative Suite (Mainly Premiere Pro & After Effects CS6). During that same time period was when I had decided to invest in a real camera (Sony a7s ii), one that I could actually adjust things like; ISO, Aperture, color profiles, etc… As you would probably assume, my career had started to explode.
All of those nights studying software, camera techniques, and other creatives until 4am had paid off. Within the next two years, I would be traveling across the world, visiting new places, meeting new people, and doing what I love while getting paid. Now people of all kinds ask me why? or what is my motive or purpose? Although this is usually a difficult question for most people, for me it is very clear – I am a “Visual Philanthropist”, one who helps people see. In a world which now revolves around social media, there is a vast amount of unseen talent that only requires one video to change their life. I have filmed things and places that I would have never of imagined in 100 lifetimes – Things like Jiu-Jitsu Tournaments, dancers, college-football games, NFL players, rap artists, music festivals, fraternities, sororities, and so many other things in which I probably would have never of experienced. Everyday I am beyond grateful for the things I have been given in life, and most importantly, I have learned what hard work and dedication can do in turning a dream into a reality.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I firmly believe that there is no success without hardship. In this industry specifically, I have had many experiences – With the majority of my projects resolving into good relationships and final products, there have been a few instances in which have been bad, but have also given me the experience to become better. For example, within the first one or two months of purchasing my Sony a7s ii, I was contracted to film and produce a music video for an independent artist. The initial shoot went well, we had chartered a sailing boat as a part of the video and it was an amazing experience while it lasted. I had obtained all of the necessary footage, spent the next week over the course of twenty-five editing hours, and finalized my project.
At this time, I had yet to comprehend the importance of keeping the raw footage on your computer, and not on an external hard-drive. Whilst exporting the final project, for some unknown reason, I decided to unplug my external hard-drive which had all of the footage on it. Immediately after, an error screen popped up. Little to be known that I had just in one small action, corrupted my project file, and simultaneously corrupted my hard-drive. So effectively, I had lost all of the acquired footage, and all of my editing hours with a single, unintentionally, and uneducated decision. This could have so easily been prevented, but my lack of knowledge at the time allowed it to happen. I’m sure there are more people in this industry who have encountered this same mistake, and I’m confident that it may continue to happen. I hope by talking about this unique situation, I can save some colleagues a mini “heart-attack” -So they can learn ahead of time and not when money and time are on the line.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about CDP – (Cameron Dillehay Productions) – what should we know?
When I initiated my pursuit of videography, I never had intentions of it becoming a monetary pursuit. It began solely as a teenage hobby of mine and unintentionally transgressed into a fun and convenient source of part-time income. My company/brand specializes in visual and creative arts with the motto of “Visual philanthropy”. We help people capture their visions and ideas within this art, and provide unique and proprietary solutions. If you had to ask many of the people I have worked with what I am known for, it would most definitely be my age. I can vividly remember every occasion where people were astounded with the fact that I was 17 at the time, then 18, and so on and so forth. People would be like “are you serious”? I have always been amazed at how societal standards have confirmed us into using age as an excuse for things such as irresponsibility, and immaturity. Anyways, here at C.D.P, we really try to turn dreams into a reality, and thats always our number-one goal.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
In life, most people will agree on the statement that history repeats itself. This is relevant in almost every aspect of life, whether through certain events, people, or emotions. This analogy applies towards how people who grow from their mistakes become successful, whereas people who let their mistakes overwhelm them, quit. Most people who see success only see the rewards, not the thousands of hours, countless mistakes, and the millions of reasons as to why they should have quit. In my opinion, and contrary to popular belief, I would say that “Motivation” is the least important characteristic for achieving success. Although I can’t condense the entire list of characteristics that will lead to success in this article, my top four most important character attributes would be the following; patience, discipline, consistency, and adaptability. My father is a Marine, and I have been raised according to these virtues, and if there’s one thing he has taught me in life is that motivation will fade, but discipline won’t.
Contact Info:
- Phone: (830)-328-0976
- Email: cameron@cav.tv
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/camdillehay/
Image Credit:
Cameron Dillehay
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