Today we’d like to introduce you to John Gatoose.
Hi John, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
Growing up, I had an eye for creativity. I constantly took photos and videos of sports teams and dancers. I started off as a dancer myself, which led me to think outside the box and creating such intricate visuals that people loved seeing.
I grew up in the U.S. Territory of Guam and all you had was your name. Making your family proud was the goal for most Asians and Pacific Islanders. Although I made great leaps and bounds through dancing, finding my family’s approval was nearly impossible through this route. Shortly after, I found the love of my life who made me who I am today. I needed to find a way to support her and my future family. This is where I enlisted in the United States Air Force, which was the second-best decision I have ever made.
After 5 years of being in the military, I entered the world of competitive shooting. Instantly, I was hooked. From there, I wanted to combine my creativity and my passion for the love of firearms into one. I started marketing competitive shooting in a youthful and energetic light. The feedback was overwhelming and I had a lot of people encouraging me to pursue it even further. While working my full-time job in the military, I was slowly developing my style as a content creator in the firearms industry.
As I created more media for the competition shooting scene, friends and outdoor companies took notice. 5 years ago, if you told me that I would be working with some of the biggest stars in my sport, I would have chuckled and moved on. I have been blessed to have my work showcased by some of the most innovative companies in the firearms industry, all while barely showing my face!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It definitely has not. I’ve had to work around the military to be able to get where I am now. I have deployed five times, and each time I leave, I feel like I have taken 10 steps back. But I regret nothing because I knew I was serving a greater cause. At that moment, this felt like nothing but a hobby. As my clientele grew, it started feeling like a business. This is where I knew, I needed to work around that and hire contractors.
The biggest hurdle was my passion for the sport. Simply put, guns and cameras cost a lot of money. In order to advance, I knew I had to put competitive shooting on the back burner. That was difficult, but I knew I had to commit. I was shooting a local match every weekend, and now I am fortunate to shoot a match once a quarter. As soon as I accepted what I needed to do, the work flowed in. Now, I plan to shoot a “match” months in advance as a way to destress and do what I loved so much.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a content creator in the firearms industry. I love creating visuals for businesses within the Second Amendment lifestyle. More specifically, I am known in the competition shooting scene.
I am most proud of working with companies like SIG SAUER, H&K, Iron City Rifle Works, and Breek Arms.
What sets me different from other creators like myself, is my ability to capture the second amendment in a light that younger generations can truly appreciate. I describe myself as a wedding videographer in the tactical, militant, and competition shooting circuit.
I’ve also developed a unique dynamic style that tells a story. It’s difficult to capture competition shooting due to the safety risks. It leaves the photographer and/or videographer limited vantage points to capture what they need. I go above and beyond and set up all the angles I need to illustrate a story.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
My biggest advice for anyone getting into the industry is to always learn and progress. One of my favorite quotes is from Michaelangelo, “Ancora Imparo”. This translates to, “Still I am learning.”
Always be humble, and always understand that there are artists better than you. Once you understand this, soaking in all that you can learn from better creators will make a load of a difference.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.gatoosemedia.con
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/gatoose_media
