About Dustin

Hello fellow adventurers and fans. Let me tell you a bit about my journey and how all of this awesomeness happened.

Becoming an independent filmmaker or a YouTuber (I hate that term) is, for most, a long and challenging path. For me, it has taken nearly a decade, with a whole variety of different paths. Coming out of high school, I wanted to be a film industry Stunt-Man, so I set my sights on this goal and gave it everything I had. I would say that I was successful - as far as failures go - but ultimately, I failed. It was clear through this experience that I no longer had that same goal as a priority, but I knew I wanted something similar. The six years following that failure culminated in difficulties and challenges, with little to no external support, but the drive and ambition never faded. I worked my way through the oil industry, transitioned into logging, then finally into the lumber milling industry, all while slowly, in the background, learning the art and process of filmmaking. It was obvious early on that I was passionate about that art form, but with no post-secondary experience, it is very difficult to pursue a professional career in the industry.

I knew that I would need to get a lot of camera and editing time under my belt to get close to industry standards, so I created my YouTube channel. At the time, the channel was just called Dustin Porter, and I uploaded my first "adventure video." This was my first attempt at producing and hosting a video, and looking back, it is cringe-worthy, but the audience did seem to enjoy it. I posted as often as I could, but while balancing life, work, relationships and friendships, the posts were once per month at the most. Nevertheless, the channel started to grow. At the time, I didn't even know that you could generate revenue on YouTube, I was just trying to gain experience, and my videos gradually began to improve. Being from a small town, it didn't take long to earn the interest of our local TV station, and I was asked to air my content on Shaw TV, BC. The folks at Shaw didn't want my TV show to be my name, so they asked me to come up with a name for the show, and I came up with Destination Adventure. They thought the name was good but recommended that I go with Dustination Adventure instead, but I did not want my name in the title. I wanted the show to be focused on the adventures, not the adventurer. This partnership was a pivotal moment for me, but that would not come into play for another year.

At this point in my pursuits, I was ready to take on some more considerable challenges. One year after my original partnership with Shaw TV, I knew it was my chance to finally zero in on my goals. I knew I wanted my next step to include filmmaking, travel and adventure, and what better avenue than cruise ships. This is where I really leveraged my partnership with Shaw TV. I hired a professional to help me build my resume, and it was not falsified, but I will admit that "Host and Producer of a TV Show" was a heavily emphasized section of my resume, I just didn't disclose that the show was only public access TV, airing for a small handful of locals. I am not one to tell a lie, but I feel no guilt over this exaggeration because two months later, I was on a plane to Florida. This was the start of a six-month contract as the first Video Producer in Princess Cruises history to be hired without a Film Degree. This may have been the proudest moment of my life, and it was most definitely the start of the most exciting and fulfilling path of my life thus far

Over the next three years, I got to travel and work in 53 countries, I circumnavigated the globe twice, and I focused all of my energy on becoming the best filmmaker that I could be. This was a dream job for me, and I loved every moment of it! Until Covid! The cruise industry was entirely crippled by the pandemic, and with that went my dream job. I spent months following that loss, in a very dark place emotionally, but my ambition never faded, so I sat down to really look at my options. I had already purchased my motorhome, and that's where I lived when not on a cruise ship. I also now had the ability to make professional-quality videos at a very fast pace and the equipment to do it, so I started to entertain the idea of pursuing YouTube as a potential career path. I started a business here in BC, registered to do a variety of different jobs and services, and the hustle began.

I started with a small engine and mechanical work and freelance video work as much as possible, trying to save up enough money to take some chances at a career path more suited to my ambitions. In the spring of 2020, I hit the road in the motorhome to take my chance as a "YouTuber". I prefer the term Adventure Film Maker, but let's not get technical. My first summer of travel was successful but by no means profitable, which was to be expected. Coming into my first winter, the borders were closed due to Covid, so I was forced to put those goals on hold and start freelance work again. By the time spring rolled around in 2021, I was ready to get back on the road, and that summer, I finally found success. I would not call it a lot of success, but the channel started to gain a small following, and I started to get my first sponsor gigs. Finally, this was my first confirmation that I could potentially have a successful business as an adventure filmmaker, and that drive continues even stronger today. This merchandise line is my way to share this amazing adventure we call life with the fans of the channel and fellow adventurers. As well, it helps to fund future videos and adventures to share with you all. I hope you enjoy it.

Peace and love, Dustin Porter

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