We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Mente Bezuneh. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Mente below.

Mente, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What do you think it takes to be successful?

You’ve got to have patience. Success is different for everyone. Some people hit that “sweet spot” quickly, others take more time. Either way – be patient and learn from everything you do. Don’t fall into the trap of success equals a certain dollar amount, either. If you’re focused on the money then you’re spending energy away from your passion, and that’s counterintuitive. If you’re good at what you do and put everything you have into it, the money will follow. If you’re patient and focusing on the right things, then odds are you’ll have more fun along the way. It’s like an equation: patience + passion = play.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I’m a storyteller by nature, and my story is all about patience. I remember writing poems in high school back in Ethiopia, reading them to friends and loving the process behind creating the story. Then I started filming our school trips and editing the videos into highlights, piecing bits together to tell a story. That’s when it hit me – I wanted to tell stories for a living.

Unfortunately, there was no film school at the college level in my country. So I decided to drop out of high school and pursue my dreams of filmmaking on my own. My thinking was: why would I waste time in high school just so I can get a degree for college – with no film school to even go to? Yeah, my parents were not happy. I was academically a good student and they were hoping I’d be a doctor or a lawyer or some sort (For some reason, that dream still hasn’t manifested.). This is where the patience part kicks in. Patience and practice.

I stuck it out, finished high school and eventually went to a university where I studied journalism and communications. Looking back, I’m glad I didn’t drop out; I was just a kid. I didn’t know what I was saying and if I’m honest, it was my impatience taking control without even considering my level of talent. So many of the essentials of my craft were learned in college, sculpting me into a better storyteller and an even better business person, an aspect I didn’t know to consider when I wanted to drop out.

My story evolved in a way that allowed me to take bits of what I was learning and piece them all together to drive my own career in a way that made me happy.

Ultimately, I want to be the adult I needed when I was a kid. I didn’t have much guidance growing up, especially when it came to art. I was figuring things out at my own pace and my own time because I had no other option. There are definitely things that I could have learned more quickly (and easily) if I had a mentor…or, let’s be honest, things I should not have done at all, for that matter. But through it all, I learned that it’s not about the speed, it’s about the journey. It sounds cliche but it’s a cliche I had to experience firsthand to truly understand how important it is. Because I chose the seemingly harder route of being patient, a longer path toward my goal, I got to experience incredible things I couldn’t have even dreamed up – and I’m a storyteller for a living! I’ve also met people and developed relationships that I would not have had otherwise, so it’s been a great journey that I’m grateful for.

What I want potential clients to know is that there will always be professionals who are more or less expensive. It’s absolutely an important factor, but try not to let that be your driving force in choosing an artist to memorialize your special moments. I take special pride in being your partner and becoming part of your story in an important way. Together, we will tell the story that looks and feels like you, something you can be proud of and connected to. It’s more than a business transaction, you’re not a dollar sign. People don’t realize that this experience works both ways: as much as I’m a part of your story, you become a part of mine. I have a lot of clients who have become great friends and have played an important role in my own life story.

If I could go back to high school me, I would tell him to absolutely chase his love for storytelling, and to remember that we each play a part in each others’ stories. So, treat every experience as a chapter to be proud of.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

To me, there’s nothing better than being behind a camera, setting up a scene, experimenting with frames, compositions and playing with the latest industry gadgets.

I love shooting films and telling those stories, but they are a hobby, not a profession for me. It can be difficult to make a living with independent productions. However, I like to stay close to the art and that means devoting my spare time toward that outlet. I’ve joined several industry organizations that have the same focus as I do, and together we create the kind of art we want to watch. It’s important to find a team that will inspire and push you to grow and develop. We’ve created several short films that take mental energy, time, money, sweat, some hysterical laughs and a lot of Ethiopian coffee to finish. But once the final product is on that screen in front of me, all I see is a sacrifice well made. It’s devotion and commitment to a craft that tends to deliver immeasurable results, so you really have to love the process.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Don’t put money before art. Some projects have big budgets, others have tight budgets and quite a few have none at all. Don’t let dollars define your creation. Honestly, the fun challenge of this profession comes from thinking creatively within the budget given. It’s an integral part of the process. So I give 110% of my time, energy and passion into every single project regardless of the resources available.

This is a craft I’ve devoted years of my life to. I left my home country for more opportunities with this art. I spend my own money on so much for each project. I do all of this because at the end of the day, it carries my name and that means something to me. Every project is personal because I know it means something precious for the client, too. And in the end, treating every single project with pride and a high attention to detail has paid off for my craft, my business and my relationships with people along the way.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.mentopiaproductions.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentopiaproductions
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mentopiaproductions
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mentopiaproductions
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/mentopiaproductions

Image Credits
Mentopia Productions, Tony Yeh, Makenzie’s Design