Creating and Living With Purpose, On Purpose
How Dustin and Julia Dagamac are shaping what it means to be a multipassionate creative
Written by Sofia Mercado
Some people find themselves pursuing a linear path, chasing one dream, one goal, and one definition of success. Society often feeds us the need to choose just one path, as if having multiple interests is confusing and fulfillment is derived from a singular form. However, for creatives and multipassionates, the idea of choosing just one path can seem confining, as it reinforces the need to ignore certain parts of themselves to conform to the world around them.
But what if being multipassionate is more than doing many things, and instead a culmination of intentional efforts that coexist for a much greater purpose? For couple Dustin and Julia Dagamac, it’s exactly that. As the creative minds behind Mutthouse Media, a media and video production company, their commitment to creating a space for multipassionate individuals is an extension of their individual experiences.
For Dustin, creativity stretched beyond a single medium. Getting his start in the creative industry came early, with a background in Multimedia Arts, he gained technical and theoretical experience when it comes to graphics, editing, and photography. But after gaining experience and working for notable media companies in the Philippines, he decided to take a risk and dive headfirst into freelancing–a position that allowed him to lean into his curiosities beyond a single title. “I jumped from place to place. And then I found that freelancing was a little bit better for me,” Dustin reveals, “I think at first it was a hard decision to make at first.” Today, he’s a cinematographer, colorist, and the CEO of Mutthouse Media, with a career journey marked by his love for learning and acquiring new skills in the process.
Julia’s journey, on the other hand, is a contrast to Dustin’s. Before becoming an account manager and producer for Mutthouse Media, her earlier career was in corporate. Graduating with a degree in Behavioral Science, she first worked in brand management and marketing, a job she loved dearly. But as she journeyed forward, she found herself being redirected into the creative industry. Rather than seeing this shift as a setback, she embraced it as a unique opportunity for growth. “I come from a different industry, and I can be discouraged right now that I’m being redirected more into the creative industry, but I’m not losing who I am. I’m not losing myself. It’s just translating in a different kind of role.”
For Julia, the journey is non-linear, and her intersecting passions are her strength. “You don’t have to be linear, no matter what industry you’re in. There’s a space for everybody, and it’s all about you trying to grow in your skills,” Julia shares. “I am passionate about a lot of things. And before I thought that was a weakness, but now I realize it’s my strength.”
Together, the couple runs Mutthouse Media, a company that does more than creative projects. It’s a place where creativity and storytelling are met with purpose, and multi-hyphenates belong.
“My advocacy for Mutthouse is really for multi-passionate people, Dustin explains, “So we work with a lot of creatives, a lot of freelancers, even people who have full-time jobs.”
But beyond their youthfulness, filmic projects, and successful corporate collaborations, one thing is clear about how Mutthouse and the people behind it: purpose is their anchor. “Especially in the latter years, we’ve had the same vision in terms of like Mutthouse,” Julia shares, “purpose comes first. ”
For them, purpose is the starting point, not an afterthought, because being multipassionate is not just about pursuing your passions; it’s also about acknowledging how they work towards the vision you have for yourself. “If you have a purpose for yourself and you have a vision for where you want to be, then it becomes easy,” Dustin explains. ”Because all of your passions, all of your skills, all of your education, start working in tandem for the goal that you have.”
Today, being multipassionate is an act of defiance against a culture fixated on niches and labels. Younger creatives harbor a strong desire to “make it” in the industry. And for younger creatives, there’s a fire that burns in hopes to “make it’ in the industry. When asked how one can manage to juggle so many passions and roles, the couple acknowledges that passion fuels the drive; they’re quick to emphasize that it’s one’s purpose that sustains it.
“I think when you’re starting out, it’s so easy to just think about your skills and just think, ‘oh, this is fun’,” Dustin shares. “But your purpose should be able to align with your passions and not your passion aligning with your purpose.”
And it is also in that alignment, Mutthouse has found its rhythm in working against the grain, resisting the brutal tendencies of the creative industry. “Aside from advocating for multi-passionate people, I kind of treat it as my ministry in a way,” Dustin shares with such certainty, “we want to be those, the salt and the light in the industry.”
Dustin and Julia’s journeys–as a couple and as individuals–are a testament to the significance of understanding your purpose in the creative industry. Their story is a powerful reminder that being multipassionate is not about doing or having it all. It’s about doing each thing with purpose, on purpose. By embracing their diverse interests, they have carved a path that aligns with their higher calling–one that leaves an impact and makes a difference.