Boris Thomas Interview Expanded: Many Passions for Building God’s Kingdom
By M. Todd Manuel
FWIS Contributing Writer
As a follow up to last week's story, I was able to connect with Boris Thomas for a part 2 interview style.
Manuel: How long have you been doing videography?
Thomas: I have been doing it for approximately 3 years... The actual birth of this business happened during covid when the pandemic hit. So, obviously, at that time, I wasn’t able to really get out because we were all locked down but afterwards the vision came to me during that time as far as the need for people to be able to advertise because there was a lot of businesses being shut down. I found it to be beneficial to help other people and in terms of shooting videos for advertisement purposes. We can help other businesses advertise so that they can promote their business and/ or services.
Manuel: You seem to have many passions, when it comes to video production what do you think that your inspiration came from for that?
Thomas: I've always had a passion for camera work. I had past experiences that caused me to detour in life. This detour prohibited me from pursuing my dreams in a more efficient way. I don’t have a degree in videography, but most of my experience has come from being self-taught. For several years I operated cameras for Pastor Payton at Come as You Are Community Church.
Manuel: So, you talked about camera work, and other businesses that you have had, can you let me know more about them?
Thomas: I've always been business-minded, self-driven, and a motivated person. This is not the first time I've had a business. The first time I started a business was when I was 22 or 23 years old, when I was out in California. It was there when I published a magazine called Universal Music Connection. The Universal Music Connection offered and sold advertisement spaces and provided articles and information for recording artists. And in addition to publishing the magazine, I was also a mobile barber. I gained that experience from my childhood. Every Christmas my family would bless me with a pair of clippers.
Manuel: Where do you see your video company going in the near future?
Thomas: I know this is something that God has placed inside of me. I primarily shoot commercials for businesses, who use social media platforms to promote what they do. Some clients place our videos on websites or use them for other types of advertisements. We also offer special occasion video recording for birthdays parties, baby showers, church events and funerals. We are expanding those services to also implement live streaming in the near future.
Manuel: What is your inspiration for all your passions, what keeps you going?
Thomas: Building God’s Kingdom; that’s my goal! Videography is the tool to achieve that. Ultimately, my desire, dream, and goal are to write short Christian films, leading up to full-length cinema films. The films create more positive and uplifting cinema entertainment. We want there to be good, wholesome films that are entertaining and enjoyable. For Christians we can watch films aligned with the word of God. Sharing the skills I have developed with others is also important.
Correction For Readers:
My first interactions with Mr. Thomas illustrated the person Boris is, a forgiver and a gentleman at heart. As a journalist, my interactions with our interviewees, spotlights, and the people of this community are a great honor. My interactions with Boris Thomas were nothing short of that privilege, and his story is one that I hope is an inspiration to you, as it has been for me.
To correct our last –May 12, 2023--issue, Boris’ last name is not Johnson, it is Thomas, and he is single. Boris Thomas is a Fort Wayne resident that has lived in several states, has pursued many projects, and now has a profitable business that works well and complements his full-time work at General Motors.
Videography is Boris’ most recent business venture; he has been a licensed barber, a minister, magazine publisher, church supporter, and entrepreneur over his lifetime. Boris has done much of his work being self-taught as a creative thinker, father, and leader at church.
Boris’ past is not perfect, and he credits God for the change he made several years ago: “I was able to reverse the challenges that I had created, because of the grace of God...” says Thomas while describing how he decided to change his life for the better, getting it back on track after stepping off course.
Thomas has developed a skill in videography after volunteering as a cameraman at Come as You Are church here in Fort Wayne, IN, and was one of three video men who helped run the church’s video services. And once the Covid-19 Pandemic hit, Boris Thomas followed his instinct to meet a need that he saw: businesses needing to advertise and reach customers through video.
Mr. Thomas developed many of his skills by self-teaching. Boris Thomas believes that his family is well worth pursuing his God-given ambitions. He is a visionary that wants to build a team of innovative people and lead others toward building God’s Kingdom.