In this episode of You Win or You Learn, I chat with Cape Town-based filmmaker Thomas Sandell about his incredible journey in the world of filmmaking. From building DIY cable cams as a teenager to documenting some of the world’s top mountain biking events, Thomas shares how passion, persistence, and a bit of serendipity shaped his career.

We dive into his early days shooting BMX and downhill with a borrowed handycam, how he landed his first job with Monster Energy, and the full-circle moment of finally filming the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup—nearly a decade after he first dreamed of it.

Thomas opens up about what it means to stay creative, the pressure of freelancing, burnout, and learning to see world-class athletes as humans first.

🎧 Watch the full episode for an honest and inspiring conversation about filmmaking, growth, and chasing what you love.

📌 New episodes every month – Subscribe for more stories like this!

Thomas Links : https://www.instagram.com/thomassandell_/

In this episode:

00:37 What YWOYL is about.

01:22 Who is Thomas Sandell.

03:23 Starting with film making.

16:54 Getting a job with Monster.

20:54 Mountain Bike World Cup dream actualising.

28:43 Dealing with nervousness.

32:12 Trust in the process.

35:35 Clients are just other humans.

38:49 Goals

44:33 Working smarter not harder.

46:20 Biggest Challenge

49:29 Staying Organised

54:38 Advice for aspiring film makers.

01:02:10 Learning to let go

01:08:15 Personal Projects

01:09:43 Work Life Balance

Links

Instagram : http://www.instagram.com/dylanhaskin

Website : http://www.dylanhaskin.com

Subscribe https://bit.ly/2H4LSmW

Work with me : contact@dylanhaskin.com