After rejection from every film school he applied to, AJ Bleyer accepted that his dream of becoming a director was over. But that setback opened the door to a career beyond anything he could have planned for. In this talk, AJ shares how redirection can be a hidden gift, why confidence isn’t built on certainty, and the importance of being kind to yourself when feeling lost. Because often, the best way forward isn’t the path you planned- it’s the one you never saw coming. Trying to marry his passion for cars and cameras, AJ began shooting automotive videos with his high school friends. His work caught the attention of local car dealerships, and at the age of 22, he left his job at Apple to pursue filmmaking full-time. He founded Advent Films and quickly became a trusted shooter for many of the world’s most prestigious brands, including Ferrari, McLaren F1, Aston Martin, NASA, Red Bull, Riot Games, Amazon, and more. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx