How did you transition from another career into film/video?

Aaron Koolen

Aaron Koolen

Well-known member
Hi guys. Thought I'd pop this rather serious question out here as it's probably the biggest thing on my mind at the moment so wouldn't mind some other perspectives as I don't know any people in "the biz" to consult.

I'm a software engineer for a big software company (Symantec) - my job is secure and I'm paid VERY well. I'm 35 now (well, OK, tomorrow I am 35) and over the last couple of years, development just hasn't cut it for me like it used to. My need for creative expression and desire to work with others (development is lonely) are taking over and I know I need a change. I've been dabbling in video stuff for a couple of years off and on, made a teeny bit of cash, met some people and enjoyed it, but now I'm thinking of embarking into it fulltime.

I know there are others who have transitioned from another successful career into video/film stuff (Barry G was a software engineer also I believe), so I'm after any advice you guys can give as to how you transitioned into it. We're a one income family (me) for the next couple of years so the reality is that I need to still pay bills (I do realise though, that I'll probably be earning 1/3 of what I do as a developer)

There are quite a few options, but I'm trying to get an idea how the industry works a little so I can make a more informed decision. So:

Did you start at the bottom with whatever job you could get? Give up your job and took anything?
Did you just make stuff with every waking moment you had while at your job until another, good job came along?
Did you go freelance and manage it with your 'real' job and then oneday made the plunge?
Did you buy lots of toys, chuck the job in and go self employed videographer?
Did you concentrate on just making a good reel in your spare time to get a job?

And of course, did whatever one you chose, work out for you ;)

Any advice or experiences greatly appreciated.

Cheers
Aaron
 
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started at the bottom making $10 an hour as a runner for a motion picture advertising company. worked my way up to editor, then went freelance as a producer/editor and this year started my own company by stealing my former employers' clients.
 
g0ldenb0y55 said:
If you don't mind Aaron, how much do you make at Symantec?
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Thinking of going for a job with them? :)

I don't want to be too specific but I have just entered low 6 figures recently which is about 3x the average salary. Remember, I'm in New Zealand.
 
The question for many who have been in this industry for more than 15 years isn't how to move up, but move out.

If your in New Zealand making anywhere near $100K, I'd strongly recommend you stay put and start doing some independent production on the side.

The starving artist crap is waaaaaaaaay over rated.
 
Aaron Koolen said:
I'm a software engineer for a big software company (Symantec) - my job is secure and I'm paid VERY well. I'm 35 now (well, OK, tomorrow I am 35) and over the last couple of years, development just hasn't cut it for me like it used to. My need for creative expression and desire to work with others (development is lonely) are taking over and I know I need a change. I've been dabbling in video stuff for a couple of years off and on, made a teeny bit of cash, met some people and enjoyed it, but now I'm thinking of embarking into it fulltime.
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Hi Aaron -

I was a NASA robotic software engineer until recently... and I know how you feel! Imagine a job like yours, but where the typical project takes about 20 years to a sense of satisfaction... and where most programs are canceled before that!

So yes, audio recording and video production give me a sense of creative satisfaction that can be hard to find in software development. However, the juicy salary as has been said was really nice for buying equipment and funding projects.

Anyway, what I did: worked my butt off for four years, building a client base for audio and video production at night and on weekends while working the full-time job, to the point where I felt it was pretty survivable; lined up a part-time teaching gig at a local college, waited for an opportune moment, and became a full-time recordist and videographer.

It's scary, dude, especially when your benefits and such are cut off. If you're thinking of buying a house, or raising children. But it would be much scarier if I hadn't already been running the business - as a business, not a hobby! - for a few years before this.

So, I'd say - stick it out a little longer, see what kinds of contributions your family can make (either in other jobs, or in assisting your video business), and just start doing it. You'll know soon enough when and if you're ready to drop the steady paycheck... and when your family is ready for it, too!
 
I agree. I'm in a similar position as yours and it seems to me it would take years (if ever) to even begin to be successful in the video/film business. I have decided to keep my day job and indulge my passion in my spare time. I agree with ChuckS about the starving artist scenario!
 
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Dabbling sometimes gets people in trouble. It's easy to dabble when you have a secure income and you have friends telling you how great your work is. One thing leads to another and you want to pursue your fun hobby as a career, but how prepared are you? I have been a freelance photographer all my working life, I know my business inside out. I have no fear when I go on assignment. I'm confident in my abilities to run my business and produce a quality product on time no matter how difficult the deadline. If I were to give this up to pursue my love of film, I know I'd be dead in the water. Not because I have no talent but because it's uncharted territory for me and I'd be competing with filmmakers who know their business like I know mine........with all the secret in's and out's.

The time to make a career change is when you're sure you are doing the right thing. If you have to ask here then it's probably not the right time yet.
 
I do software consulting as well. I just took two months off, and now, picking up clients again, I decided to cut back to about 15 hours a week, while really focusing the rest of my time on my filmmaking skills.

And I'm still not sure how much I want to get into the movie business at all outside of doing my own work. I've worked on enough sets and I know enough people in the business that I don't find many jobs in the film industry any more exciting than writing software. And the idea of doing weddings or industrials or what have you doesn't thrill me any more than software does.

I am WAYYY too old to start out as a PA or whatever. So for the foreseeable future, I am just going to keep plugging away on my own stuff, and work on perfecting my skills.

Not sure if any of that helps, but I've known more than a few people who got into the movie business doing electrical, or sound, or whatever, and their day jobs doing those things are so grueling that they often have neither the time nor the energy to work on "their own stuff," or their dreams. So right now, I prefer to leverage the amount of money I can make in software to buy the spare time to learn and grow.
 
Thanks all, this is really great information and insight. Just what I need. Keep it comin!

ullanta said:
Anyway, what I did: worked my butt off for four years, building a client base for audio and video production at night and on weekends while working the full-time job, to the point where I felt it was pretty survivable; lined up a part-time teaching gig at a local college, waited for an opportune moment, and became a full-time recordist and videographer.
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Ullanta, how did you manage to do video/audio stuff during nights and weekends? Did you specialise in a specific area or industry where weekend stuff was more acceptable? I ask because some research into corporate stuff has sort of shown me that weekdays is pretty common for shoots etc.

ChuckS: I know what you mean about the starving artist thing being overrated. I agree, and I've done that before many years ago when I was a games programmer working for myself earning nothing, loving what I do. Nowadays I have a house I want to keep and a wife I need to help while she studies. I think you may be right that I need to wait a little while.

Marlene: I totally understand what you're saying. Dabbling has in a sense been part of the problem. If I had of kept my day job but a couple of years ago started to work my arse off to try and do more serious video work in my spare time, I might now feel in a better position and the decision would be easier.

Desperatecomfort: May I ask how you got into software consulting? Did you always do it, or did you move from some other area into it? I have briefly thought that if I could move into consulting from what I do now I might have some more flexibility. Also, like you mentioned, just dropping my job for some other job in the industry (running, sound whatever) that wasn't "filmmaking" might end up being just as bad.

Cheers all
Aaron
 
Aaron Koolen said:
Desperatecomfort: May I ask how you got into software consulting? Did you always do it, or did you move from some other area into it? I have briefly thought that if I could move into consulting from what I do now I might have some more flexibility. Also, like you mentioned, just dropping my job for some other job in the industry (running, sound whatever) that wasn't "filmmaking" might end up being just as bad.

Cheers all
Aaron
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What's funny is I started out my professional life as an actor. I was a professional actor from about 18-27. Then I got into software. But being as I am not capable of holding down a 9-5, I split off in 2000 and went independent. It was easy then because there was sooooo much work. Since then, I've managed to build up enough relationships and skillsets to keep going. I haven't really had to look for work for about 3-4 years now. It comes to me. But it's like the others have said on here about building production companies. It takes a long time to build a software consultancy to that point.

Consulting can offer more flexibility, but if you are just diving into it, it might more likely take the form of 3 months work, 3 months off, than the steady thing I've been able to get going.

The downside, in the US is the taxes are much heavier and I have to carry my own health insurance, etc.
 
desperatecomfort said:
What's funny is I started out my professional life as an actor. I was a professional actor from about 18-27. Then I got into software. But being as I am not capable of holding down a 9-5, I split off in 2000 and went independent. It was easy then because there was sooooo much work. Since then, I've managed to build up enough relationships and skillsets to keep going. I haven't really had to look for work for about 3-4 years now. It comes to me. But it's like the others have said on here about building production companies. It takes a long time to build a software consultancy to that point.

Consulting can offer more flexibility, but if you are just diving into it, it might more likely take the form of 3 months work, 3 months off, than the steady thing I've been able to get going.

The downside, in the US is the taxes are much heavier and I have to carry my own health insurance, etc.
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Thanks mate.
Aaron
 
I am living the classic "walked out of my cubicle"/"got a loan" story at the moment. Due to circumstances beyond my control, higher education outside of my A.A. was not an option for me. I've been a musician since the age of 9. Studied sound engineering in College and then went on to a career in non-profit management. I'll be 35 in August.

Long story short, i've always loved video. Shooting, editing, weddings, grads, then corporate videos and freelance contracts. Carrying C-stands, tagging along on shoots, asking questions, making mistakes. 15 years later I've taken out a rather large loan to get me "the toys" needed to earnestly compete.

Right now, my wife, 18 mo. old son and I are a single income home in L.A.
We're taking a risk, a carefully calculated risk. I have my mentors and allies. The focus will be Documentary films by night, Videography by day. It will take some time to build a new reel and broaden clientel but as long as the bills get paid and we are fed I don't have to live extravagantly.

Let's just say I had a physical last week, my Cholesterol is good and my Blood Pressure is down.
 
Good stuff keynstring. I think that adds another vote for what most people have said. Know your stuff first, work at it and when you feel ready, you're ready.
 
The only other things I could add are:
There's always room for growth.
There's always something new to learn.
Nobody can do what you can.
There's always somebody better.
There's always somebody worse.
A turtle won't make progress until it sticks its neck out.

Enough affirmations for today from me.
 
I'm transitioning from my day job to working freelance video/post etc. Right now I'm still young (24) and I'm doing a lot of freebie work to enhance my reel, etc. Here are the two things I've learned over time:

1. Make connections, network, whatever you want to call it. Knowing people and being involved with the local community will pay off, trust me.

2. Knowledge is power. To add to this, applicable knowledge is power. Reading books, reading this forum, etc. are all well and good, but you need to actual use that in real projects and put it through the paces. Just knowing won't get you anywhere, knowing and doing will.

That's my take on the subject in a nutshell. Just got to take that leap of faith, but keep things in perspective.

Good luck!
:thumbsup:
 
Aaron Koolen said:
Thinking of going for a job with them? :)

I don't want to be too specific but I have just entered low 6 figures recently which is about 3x the average salary. Remember, I'm in New Zealand.
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Lol... just curious to see what type of cash flow you would be leaving when you switch over. :) Personally, I would wait and generate more income until I felt comfortable enough to venture out. When I say more income, I mean MORE $$$$$! More than just a safety net.

Anyways, I wish you luck with whatever road you take my friend.:)
 
Update?

Update?

I know I'm pulling up this old as hell thread, but I would be interested in knowing where you (Aaron) ended up with your hobby/career 5 years later?
 
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