Patrick Stephen was first introduced in this paper in 2014 when at the age of 17 he was awarded a grant from Peterborough Economic Development’s Summer Company program for young entrepreneurs in 2014 for a photography/video business. That year he developed a three year business plan- this young man thinks ahead! Don’t imagine this means he is a linear thinker, he anticipates a natural progression in his business but he is open to a circuitous route. That’s why he is headed to Cambridge this month to pursue a degree in Architecture instead of video or film production.
In the first year of his business plan he expected to focus on photography before venturing out into video. He explains that one of his big breakthroughs came when he found a notice on social media from Neil Morton, co-founder of PtboCanada, seeking help creating video. Patrick did not have a polished video sample ready to send, so he asked to send Morton a sample in a week’s time. His submission was posted within minutes. He was hired! Morton says “I commissioned him to do a ‘PTBOCanada Love’ video for us earlier this summer promoting Peterborough and our social media channels after earlier showcasing his work in a video he did on spec for me which received thousands of views on YouTube. Patrick blew me away with what he delivered. He has a terrific eye for detail, motion, landscape, architecture and storytelling — and has a world of talent. I have no doubt he will go on to extraordinary things. I view him as this amazing filmmaker telling stories in a compelling, unique way. He truly listens to what a client says, and then brings their vision for a project to life.”
This remarkable young man brings a unique combination of the creative and the pragmatic. Don’t ask him to shoot a wedding video, though. He prefers working with businesses, where he applies his craft to the development of media solutions that showcase what each business has to offer using high quality imagery to provide a professional yet artistic impression.
His love of architecture is clear in his work- in his brother’s engagement photograph the focus is on a bridge. Despite his commitment to architecture for the next five years, he is not convinced he will ultimately practise in the profession- it might be a way to further extend his photography and video business which he will continue to develop as time allows. He has already lined up enough projects for next summer to cover his tuition. Expect to see him again next summer, camera in hand, taking pictures that capture the essence of his subjects. KG
