Finally Focused NY to LA: Episode 4 Director Terence ‘MF’ Thomas
It all started with a Canon T3i….
Coming a long way from the boondocks of Brooklyn’s well-known Coney Island area, black director, and cinematographer Terence “MF” Thomas has made quite a name for himself.
For this episode of Finally Focused the experienced lensman tells us how he’s gotten to where he is today and how he’s achieved success within the video industry.
“I wasn’t thinking about being an artist. I was just thinking about getting out the fu–in hood…”
Terence “MF” Thomas
That first camera…
From the first time, he touched a camera Thomas was hooked. At 20, he made the executive decision to quit his 9 to 5 but before he did, he racked up enough money to buy his first camera, a Canon T3i.
With one of the hottest cameras on the market, at the time, Thomas would practice until he perfected his eye, taking around 2,000 photos daily while traveling throughout various NYC neighborhoods.
Rapidly MF became an apt capturer of beauty and a justified camera wielder. Soon enough he would be asked to take his photographic talents to video. Word got around that MF had the visual juice, thus taking him to new heights within the industry.
And his well-rounded resume proves it. A three-year stint as a creative director at Elite Daily and stretch at Overtime to working on his own NYC production house Manuall Focus Media, Thomas has accumulated four NY Emmy Awards for his amazing work.
With his head to the sky, Thomas looks to use the pressure of his success to create more impactful content. Additionally, he’d love to pass on the skills and tools he’s learned throughout his creative journey with hopes of opening up a film academy, one day.
His advice to up-and-coming photographers, directors, and cinematographers?
Stay creative. Stay hungry. Stay passionate. Just go out there and shoot…
Terence “MF” Thomas