Torrin Joshua: Digital creator capturing one life at a time

This week's episode with Torrin Joshua was so refreshing. I've always had the utmost respect for photographers and videographers given the effort they put into capturing special moments. But in conversation with Torrin, I realised creating content digitally is more of an art than a science and requires the ability to story tell. It requires listening to your client's needs and their vision then being able to execute that through media production. Torrin went as far as to say, not all clients will know what is best for them or what they want. So it is his job to deliver on an incomplete vision which is difficult and requires a level of expertise. Watch the full video below to find out exactly how he amassed this skill and experience.  

Q: How do you find a mentor or someone who can coach you to become a better digital creator i.e. photographer, videographer, editor?

Torrin: Step out and ask around. It’s easier than you think.

In today’s day and age, all you have to do to contact someone is send them a quick DM on Instagram. The number of people in the last year I have contacted in the industry through DM’s to start up conversations, and relationships and ask for advice is crazy.

For some reason, people feel like it’s weird or awkward to do so, but the way I see it when someone asks me for advice through DM’s, I’m always down to talk, call or meet up for a coffee and connect. The industry needs people connecting so that we can all stay educated. So, whether it’s a simple DM expressing your interest in their work and getting to know them more, or similarly an email, all that matters is that you give it a go and contact them online.

Just be genuine, professional and not creepy and see where it goes from there.

Some people may offer mentoring for free, and some may require payment but regardless, you need to contact them first to find out (Whether in person or online).

Q: What is the next film you are working on and what impact are you hoping for?

Torrin: The next big film project I hope to be working on this year is a documentary about artists with crazy stories that inspire their art.

For example, one story I’m going to explore is the story of a homeless man I met in Manchester Picadilly train station who is basically a piano prodigy. He sits and plays the piano in the station after all the trains are done for the day and plays the most amazing pieces you’d hear.

There’s more depth to the story about how he even ended up in his position on the streets, his marriage, and a bunch of crazy things that I can’t wait to share. You’ll have to tune in to find out more.

The main impact I want to achieve from it is providing people like him with the platform to be heard when most people would just overlook him on the street without giving him the time of day. Stories are what make the world go around and connect us as humans, I wanna be able to voice them through what I do as much as possible.

Q: Name three things all aspiring social media managers need to know?

Torrin: Firstly, figure out systems and processes that will make your life easier. A lot of the job is just replicating things for multiple clients. There are a lot of small tasks that can be optimised to make your life easier. Once you figure out what those are for you, put them in place and then you’ll be able to take on more clients and be more effective.

Second, you have to love the science of social media. It’s not just about posting random things and seeing how it does, there’s the strategy behind it and science to reaching the people you need to reach and building the community for the business. Fall in love with that and then you’ll provide the best service to the clients you serve.

Lastly, establish boundaries and separate work and downtime. Once social media starts to become your job, your relationship with it will change. You’ll find yourself scrolling less for enjoyment and more to learn- it might not be as fun anymore. So, I’d suggest having an account that is specifically only for entertainment purposes and then having another that you use for research. The worst thing you can do is merge the two.

Listen to the full episode on a platform of your choice: https://linktr.ee/valuablepodcast