The aging bodies of DPs & videographers

QuickHitRecord

QuickHitRecord

Veteran
I've been in full-time video production for fifteen years, the last ten of which have been freelance. Gear has gotten lighter but I am not as spry as I used to be either. I'm definitely experiencing more post-shoot soreness than I did a few years back, especially on one-man-band shoots. Despite a touch of arthritis in my back, it's not a problem yet. But I can see the writing on the wall. I'll be 41 next week. Most people don't get to retire until their mid-60s. Even if I manage to make it that long without an injury or ailment, I don't believe for one second that I can stay remain competitive against the young bucks for another quarter century -- if video production is still even viable as a profession in 2050. I'm already feeling like a bit of a dinosaur at the local video and film networking events.

And yet other than saving aggressively so that I can be financially independent before I hit 60, I don't have a plan for that stage of my life. I used to tell myself that I'd need to be working on bigger and better stuff by that point. Projects with a budget for some extra hands. But at least in my segment, the trend seems to be heading in the opposite direction.

How are you all preparing for that last 5/10/15 years of work before retirement?
 
Bigger productions with larger crews don't mean a lighter work load. The hours can be long, possibly 12 or more hours a day and kit requirements can be larger and heavier.

I know a BBC staff cameraman who is still working (mostly shooting news and sport) who is in his late 70s. He uses a 2/3 Sony broadcast camera.

You should include fitness training in your routine, paying attention to flexibility. Do warm up exercises at the start of the day.
 
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Yes, I am starting to feel it at 54 but think I still have at least 5 years of kitchen sink jobs in me. (car filled to the brim with equipment) As a side note, I started learning Blender to create a pathway to provide products in that space. A lot of the experience and knowledge transfers into 3D work and being an actual 'doer' gives an edge in my opinion.
 
I was contracted a few weeks back to built a set of monitor mounts and infrastructure for a new low-budget series. Given that I have no other work lined up, I also offered to tech them on the subsequent shoot. After 14 intense days of design, fabrication and assembly I went straight into the shoot. It's the most physical gig I've had in years. It's a little stunning to me how sore I am every day--but then again, not all that surprising. One of the reasons I moved up from operating to DP 15 years ago was to shifte away from the physical side. And now I'm working as a monitor tech, running cables and humping monitor carts around! But as Bugs Bunny said, ehhhhhh, it's a livin'.

Homegroan monitors.jpghomegroan monitors2.jpg
 
Don’t forget the sound department!

The older I get (late 40s), the more spoiled I get on mixing from my cart or from a desk, and hiring a boom op. I’m not terribly keen on the days I’m harnessed up for a 10 or a 12, though I still do this regularly.
 
Regular exercise certainly helps. But I can also very much relate to Charles. After slow times, or if I've only been editing for a couple of weeks and then suddenly am shooting every day for several days in a row, I very much feel all 56 years.
To answer OP... one of the ways I "prepare" for the next 10 years... is certainly in my purchases. If it ain't lighter, somehow makes my life easier on location, or able to see an ROI rather quickly, I very much hesitate to buy new toys. For example, one of my "upgrades" this year was rolling stands... worth every penny spent.
 
I know this is a question I ask repeatedly, but it got me thinking with this thread. Considering you all are considering retiring at 50, and that I may get my filmmaking break at 50 or 60? Is it still too late to break into the film industry at that age?
 
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Besides the aches and pains and having less ability, there is another factor. You become invisible. I notice this more and more. Here's an example; We shot for 3 days and finished the project. Everyone but me was under 35. At the end of the shoot, while we were all putting our gear away, they talked about going out somewhere to celebrate. Everyone engaged with each other about this but I was in no way included in the conversation and it was almost like I wasn't even there. They never even noticed me as they went off to have drinks.

Ok, ok, I have a bad personality and I don't shower enough you say. .........

But really, it is a bit unsettling, but that's the way it is. This is not an isolated example. I've experienced more and more invisibility (exclusion) as I age.

That's one more reason you get grumpy as you get old.
 
I'm 54, I sometimes think about how long my body will hold out. So far so good. I work as hard as I can while I can. That's my motto and I'm stickin to it.
 
Paul F said:
....At the end of the shoot, while we were all putting our gear away, they talked about going out somewhere to celebrate. Everyone engaged with each other about this but I was in no way included in the conversation and it was almost like I wasn't even there. They never even noticed me as they went off to have drinks....
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I wouldn't mind that. Being left to myself. As a teenager I used to want to have myself plastered as a niche film director like Robert Rodriguez meets Yashiro Ozu and sci-fi horror Anime Animator, but after a while I just focused more on getting good images and what they are. Sure of course I don't get all the dreams I wanted like my grandmother cheering me on at the Oscar's or having the sexy actress of my dreams marry me and have kids, but you know you get to have your dreams, but dreams in different ways. Life moves on and we learn to have better dreams, and it isn't all that bad, and can in a way be pretty good.
 
I sustained a 2nd back injury loading a super heavy case of gear solo 4 years ago. the dr said I would be sleeping on a board and limited to lifting 15 lbs the rest of my life. I did everything completely wrong. Sat with bad posture editing at desk for 10-15 hours a day on a regular basis and then go lift heavy stuff. Don't let your lower back curve out while sitting. Make sure you have lumber support to keep your disks from blowing out. I was crippled for a couple months but have largely recovered now. I was given more time thankfully.

About 18 years ago I received the original back injury hanging out the back of a car shooting the following car with a shoulder mount camera going down a windy country road. Driver decided it would be good to drive as fast as he could and my back became a jib arm. Massive bump and I couldn't get out or stand for a while. Chiropractor fixed me a few weeks later.

Been working 90-120 hours most weeks since about 1998. In 2023 (2024?! years run together) I finally did too much "mousing" editing during the heaviest event season and my right hand has since been permanently hurt. I have been trying to become a left hander on as much software as I can but can't do it on Premiere (yet) after so many decades of familiarity. Plan to away from Premiere (won't do subscription) so as I learn Revolve etc I will try to start left handed.

Used to be young and strong. Could do ~30 1 arm pushups with either hand which is not easy when you are tall 6' 3", run fast, curl 50 lbs with each hand and do 100+ situps. But gave up exercise due to no time. Now I'm nothing like my former self. Weak and tired. Worn out. You sure don't recover as well or as fast with age.

I "plan" on maybe 5 more years of production and thus made some purchases I hope to be my last - final workstations, software etc. Haven't hit age 50 yet. Last few years I became focussed on making production easier with carts, lighter gear and a van I can walk in. Wish I had done some of that long ago.
Be careful with your backs
 
QuickHitRecord said:
How are you all preparing for that last 5/10/15 years of work before retirement?
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Have you done any strength work? If not, you're in luck because you're still young enough and the beginner (n00b) gains are when you make the most progress in the least amount of time (vs. advanced people making very small gains over long periods of time). Strength and v02 max training are two extremely important metrics for longevity (no idea if they're the most important)

Unless you have already, I'd be doing a beginner strength (not to be confused with hypertrophy) program, as well as zone 2 slow running. You can stretch in the background but stretching shouldn't be the focus.

As you get older though it'll be about doing sufficient work rather than flying too close to the sun. But if you have no strength background, it'd be a huge mistake to not take easy gains before it's too late. Even 6 months of strength training will increase your bone density, which can be hugely important as you get officially old then really old.

Search Stuart McGill big 3 for info on a core-related routine (10 minutes), which can be used as a warm up, cool down or part of a daily routine. Even adding these should instantly help in a few days. He doesn't have the ultimate say but just a point of reference for you.
 
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Makes me want to produce a Jane Fonda like exercise video for film makers. Imagine a bunch of middle aged sweaty men working out in tight spandex, leg warmers and head bands.
 
QuickHitRecord said:
I used to tell myself that I'd need to be working on bigger and better stuff by that point. Projects with a budget for some extra hands. But at least in my segment, the trend seems to be heading in the opposite direction.
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I've often told myself the same, and I tend to flex up and down a little bit in terms of crew size depending on the project. I also have some friends who tend to work on slightly bigger productions than me and I've had plenty of conversations about this with them.

I haven't necessarily found that I've always made more money on "bigger" productions than I have on one man band stuff. I don't always want to work myself to the bone on every shoot, but as long as I know I can still accomplish the shot list and the end product isn't going to be compromised by not having more people, I can kind of make more money doing the bulk of the work myself.

But it certainly does help to keep fit in order to do that. Production is a super physical job and I'm usually pretty wiped out at the end of a shoot day as well.

I work out between 5-7 days a week. The length and intensity varies based on the family demands I have going on, but just keeping the heart rate up regularly and stretching things out goes a long way. I'd like to keep doing this as long as I want, and not be forced out by bad health.
 
Maybe if you all have family needs and I'm on production with you all, you all can drop it on me for me to substitute for you.
 
QuickHitRecord said:
I've been in full-time video production for fifteen years, the last ten of which have been freelance. Gear has gotten lighter but I am not as spry as I used to be either. I'm definitely experiencing more post-shoot soreness than I did a few years back, especially on one-man-band shoots. Despite a touch of arthritis in my back, it's not a problem yet. But I can see the writing on the wall. I'll be 41 next week. Most people don't get to retire until their mid-60s. Even if I manage to make it that long without an injury or ailment, I don't believe for one second that I can stay remain competitive against the young bucks for another quarter century -- if video production is still even viable as a profession in 2050. I'm already feeling like a bit of a dinosaur at the local video and film networking events.

And yet other than saving aggressively so that I can be financially independent before I hit 60, I don't have a plan for that stage of my life. I used to tell myself that I'd need to be working on bigger and better stuff by that point. Projects with a budget for some extra hands. But at least in my segment, the trend seems to be heading in the opposite direction.

How are you all preparing for that last 5/10/15 years of work before retirement?
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It really all comes down to how you pace yourself. And how you look after yourself.

I was born not long after WWII. Do the math. I just finished a 3 PM call with an 11 PM finish yesterday, with a two-hour drive either end. It was a studio shoot of presenters for a worldwide broadcast of one of Australia's biggest horse trotting meets. Because of the size of the crowds, parking was an issue. Crew parking was moved half a mile from the studio. I use a modified three wheel cart with pneumatic tires to cart my kit. I had it loaded with two lighting sets, 'C' Stands, two tripods and two full camera kits with back up power etc, etc. It was a lovely Aussie 38 degree day. I will admit as I'm halfway to the studio I'm saying to myself "You must be F'ing mad continuing with this s**t!". Just couldn't wait to collapse in the AC of the studio. Sure, It will take me a good twenty-four hours to fully recover from that. You just have to deal with it. It's par for the course.

I retired years ago. But people still call me out. Producers I worked for still chase me down. Why do I still do it? It's because of all the people I've worked for, had working for me, the ones I trained. It's like an old boys club. I still enjoy the challenge and the work. That's the big difference. If I didn't enjoy the crew camaraderie and the work, I wouldn't do it.

I find a lot of it is mental attitude combined with keeping reasonably fit and eating sensibly. I don't hump Steadicam anymore, nor will I do hours of shoulder shooting. Stick me with a tripod, and I can still keep up with many shooters way younger than me. That's just experience, though.

I don't hit the gym anymore. An hour or so each day in the pool with some brisk movement and swimming just about staves off the collapsing body parts.

To be honest, I'm scared of backing off too much. Keeping working, learning new tech and still editing a fair bit keeps the grey matter working. I look around and see guys my age and some much younger who have just turned into mindless TV watchers. Guys whose minds have quit. God forbid I go there!

Video production evolves. Many of us said back in the '60s where will TV production go? I've gone from film to '60s B&W 405 line 50 Hz TV to what we surround ourselves with today, 4K and the like. You will adapt as tech moves on, fear not. I have a couple of sayings I pass on. One is:

"Learning is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today."

That has stood me in good stead for many years and has looked after me. But I never forget what Ovid said in Metamorphoses, Book XIV:

"Pointing to a heap of sand, I made the foolish prayer that I might have as many years of life as there were sand-grains in the pile; but I forgot to ask that those years might be perpetually young."

That's just the reality. You just have to choose wisely in work and pace yourself, just as in life. Just be positive and all will come to you. Good fortune go your way!
;)(y)

Chris Young
 
firehawk said:
I sustained a 2nd back injury loading a super heavy case of gear solo 4 years ago. the dr said I would be sleeping on a board and limited to lifting 15 lbs the rest of my life. I did everything completely wrong. Sat with bad posture editing at desk for 10-15 hours a day on a regular basis and then go lift heavy stuff. Don't let your lower back curve out while sitting. Make sure you have lumber support to keep your disks from blowing out. I was crippled for a couple months but have largely recovered now. I was given more time thankfully.

About 18 years ago I received the original back injury hanging out the back of a car shooting the following car with a shoulder mount camera going down a windy country road. Driver decided it would be good to drive as fast as he could and my back became a jib arm. Massive bump and I couldn't get out or stand for a while. Chiropractor fixed me a few weeks later.

Been working 90-120 hours most weeks since about 1998. In 2023 (2024?! years run together) I finally did too much "mousing" editing during the heaviest event season and my right hand has since been permanently hurt. I have been trying to become a left hander on as much software as I can but can't do it on Premiere (yet) after so many decades of familiarity. Plan to away from Premiere (won't do subscription) so as I learn Revolve etc I will try to start left handed.

Used to be young and strong. Could do ~30 1 arm pushups with either hand which is not easy when you are tall 6' 3", run fast, curl 50 lbs with each hand and do 100+ situps. But gave up exercise due to no time. Now I'm nothing like my former self. Weak and tired. Worn out. You sure don't recover as well or as fast with age.

I "plan" on maybe 5 more years of production and thus made some purchases I hope to be my last - final workstations, software etc. Haven't hit age 50 yet. Last few years I became focussed on making production easier with carts, lighter gear and a van I can walk in. Wish I had done some of that long ago.
Be careful with your backs
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+1. That back advice is paramount. Very, very important. I suffered a period in younger life, ignoring messages from my lower back. It's never been the same since. Every lift or odd movement I do these days is calculated with my back in mind. (y)

Chris Young
 
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