Am I Too Old for My Profession?

No. I’m not. I almost lost out on a job because of my age. They literally admitted it. Here’s the reality:

I don’t drink, I don’t smoke, I train every day, I’m currently building two houses with my bare hands, I cold plunge and hit the sauna every morning, I meditate, and I follow a strict carnivore diet. I take a ridiculous amount of vitamins. I’m in the best shape of my life. Age isn’t the issue. Other people’s insecurities and lack of credentials are the real issue.

I’ve been a cinematographer for 18 years. I’ve worked with Netflix, the Dallas Cowboys, Helicopter for a Heroes, filmed pro bull rider Josh Frost, toured with comedian Steve Treviño, filmed his Netflix special, and created with a number of popular influencers. And Kim Kardashian posted about me. This is just over the past 5 years. My resume is stacked. Compared to the guy that said I was too old, my resume has dollar signs and his is the dollar menu.

Before I moved to Texas, I launched, and ran a successful production company for 15 years. It was the first of it’s kind, and still talked about to this day. It’s been almost 20 years and I still get calls for help from actors. I still have the same number. I was the first company to offer regular filming for actors. Filming for yourself, or as I called it, “Self_producing” was laughed at. Now, you’re laughed at if you don’t do it — but none of that matters when you’re interviewing with a hater.

I met the founders, the investors, and finally a “videographer.” This was the only interview I was actually nervous about. First things first. In a nutshell, a cinematographer crafts a story. A videographer often knows more about equipment, but they usually film weddings and court depositions. If you’re out there filming, and crafting actual narratives, get the terminology right.

I’m not someone who goes around criticizing other artists. But this is relevant: his work lacked depth, lacked skill, and clearly lacked experience. Within minutes of meeting him, I knew exactly what was going on. You ever meet someone and instantly feel that dirty ego energy?

I got the job, but later learned he wanted to pass on me solely because of my age and because of my current house build. I’m building from all recyclables because I’ve always been passionate about cleaning up waste, and I thought it would be cool. I bought a second piece of land, to build the traditional way. I can afford to do this because I’ve been successful in my career. I’m currently shopping for my 3rd piece of land in Canyon Lake.

The age issue happens more than people admit. A lot of so-called “creatives” and “influencers” don’t want to hire people with experience because experience threatens them. They claim older pros are “set in their ways,” but that’s projection. That’s ego. That’s insecurity waving a red flag. I can see their perspective, but I don’t agree.

Here’s the truth: Being talented isn’t enough. Being successful isn’t enough. What gets you hired is understanding people — their motives, their fears, their tells. Body language says everything. You only learn that through years of trying, failing, succeeding, getting rejected, and showing up anyway.

My advice? Roll with the punches. Stay professional. And remember: anyone who questions your ability because of your age is almost always less qualified than you. Don’t volunteer your age in interviews. Don’t list jobs older than five years unless you absolutely have to. And most importantly…Avoid the guy who relies solely on their gimble.

One more thing that I think is important; your gear. I’m a firm believer that you can create amazing work with your phone. That’s all you need to showcase your creativity. Your phone and an idea is all you need. But there’s something to be said when your professional cinematographer has top-notch equipment. If he or she can afford the best gear, it’s because they were paid their value and could afford to scale up. Avoid those that lead with gear. Hire those that lead with ideas.

Thanks for reading. Send me a message and we can discuss how I can take your content to the next level.