We had the good fortune of connecting with Nathan Navarrette and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nathan, how do you think about risk?
I think risk-taking is the very essence of success, without it you are just doing what is expected of you. Regardless if you achieve or not, taking risks is necessary to be successful. I don’t measure my success by whether or not I have accomplished what I set out to do, I measure it by how much I did to reach what I was striving for. Taking risks led to a career as a creative and has helped me meet so many talented and amazing people. Swallowing the fear and inhibitions drastically changed the trajectory of my life; you have to realize that there’s never a worse result than the regret of never trying.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I have two main jobs as a professional working in film. During the week I teach Audio/Video for Richardson ISD. It is a highly rewarding job and I love being able to impart my passion for film onto the younger generation. I am learning more than I could ever teach.

On the weekends, evenings/nights, or during any breaks I have I shoot music videos, films and commercials for the studio I’m a part of, ZebraTail Studios. It is an amazing team of creatives in the DFW area and we are always pushing the envelope on the content we create.
In my personal time I am writing a short film and feature film that I would like to tackle very soon. I am also finishing up my final student film for release at the beginning of 2023. So I try to stay as busy as I can with my goals as a creative.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If I had a friend coming down for the weekend I would definitely take them to a lot of cool food spots. We would have to hit Gen or Woo Mee Ok for Korean BBQ first. For something more simple I’d have to take them to Maple & Motor for an amazing burger, and for something a little more fancy Perry’s Steakhouse is a great place to dress up and feel important haha.

There’s a lot of great spots for drinks in DFW but Meddlesome Moth has some of my favorite cocktails and a great vibe, I would also have to treat them to Apothecary which is more of an occasion.

We could visit the Perot Museum to feel like a kid again and see a unique movie (and step back in time a little bit) at the Texas Theater. If it is basketball or football season, I would have to ball out on a Mavericks or Cowboys game, those are unforgettable experiences. There’s a lot of cool places in DFW if you know where to look!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My biggest shoutout would go to the team at ZebraTail Studios! They have fostered my creative growth more than anything in my career, without them I would not have gained near the amount of connections and creative endeavors that I have today. I would also love to mention the support of my brothers, Johnathon and Noah. They inspire me to be exceptional everyday.

Website: www.ZebraTailStudios.com

Instagram: instagram.com/thedirectorofcinematography

Twitter: twitter.com/TheNavarrette

Youtube: youtube.com/ZebraTail

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