Well, it might sound a bit dramatic, but maybe it is. I just feel that I will never reach that point where I can end my current career and take the time off and start new path in my life. It makes me sad, but I don't see how can I make it. First-world problems perhaps... So, I have been doing the same work for the last 17 years. I am a web designer, UI/UX expert, and front-end developer (to some level). I have been working as a freelancer since the beginning. Now I am turning 43. I have 2 small kids and good life. But, I feel that it's time to move on. I have felt that way for some time. What I like to do is make films. Not those kinds of films. Regular. With stories. Be a director and cinematographer. I like photo/cinema gear. I often think about doing some storyboards etc... But, I have no time to do it. It would mean I have to train myself and learn a lot, a lot, a lot. And practice even more. All the time. Full time. Have no income. Fail and fail and fail. Then try to get some paid jobs... hmm. So, today I listed a lot of my photo gear. 10 beautiful vintage lenses. With soul. They are not getting my attention. Am I making a big mistake? Can I postpone the future? Can you postpone life? Or... restart, reset. Don't look back... do it now today! Anyway, I just felt I had to vent it. Maybe you guys have some inspirational stories to share
Sounds like exciting times. Always put your loved ones first and involve your partner in the decision, if you have one. As a stranger, my advice and support should mean less than that of those closest to you. Good luck!
I say go for it. Your skills can keep you afloat working part time until you’re at a comfortable level. When my father was 40 he quit working higher end retail and finished his bachelors degree and got a masters in psychology to fulfill his dream. We had to suck it up for a few years when money became real tight but kids barely notice that and we’re all proud on what he accomplished and how much happier he became. You’ve got to find what brings you happiness and it will spread throughout your friends and family
If the day job is leaving no downtime to pursue personal development then step one is “right-sizing” the day job’s encroachment into personal time. Then, with clear guardrails around work vs personal time, you carve out dedicated time to go balls-deep into filmmaking without sacrificing the day job’s income stream. Put your work on YouTube. Examine the results. Fine tune from lessons learned, and keep making films. Rinse and repeat. You’ll learn if your dream is destiny.
You sir, are in the right place at the right time. Social platforms are on speeding trains toward video formats, long and shorts. High quality videos pay ridiculously well. I’m sure you are already eyeing this space. I’m just repeating what you already know. Can you share what you’ve already completed? We can hop in and up that view-count.
Interestingly enough, I'm trying to realize my dream of being a front-end / full-stack developer and also have two small kids. Worked in tech my whole career but never doing development like I originally was interested in. Decided it was do or die time over 2 years ago because I was so unhappy. Found a new job but it's been rough and now recently laid off. Lots of grinding, working on side projects, learning new tech, studying all the time, etc. In fact I should be doing all that crap right now. Ah well. Keep the dream alive! Do shorts on YouTube or whatever you can! Don't let the bastards get you down!
Do what the mrs says. Ultimately she’ll have to support you whilst you bring in no income experimenting on a new career. Alternatively go buy a watch and forget about it.
Hey, I sort of work in film (mostly doc-style branded content these days) and would be happy to chat with you. My general 2 cents here: it's never too late to reinvent yourself and take on new challenges. But, film production is definitely the sort of thing that seems more glamorous from the outside. Films are expensive and stressful to produce. And, if you're thinking of features, being a director or DP an is an extremely coveted position that is very hard to obtain. It's much easier to get consistent work in more specific technical roles 'below the line'. I would suggest: - see if there are any good film programs or certificate programs available in your area. Somewhere where you try out the challenge of the art form with support and guidance? - or, even just signing up for some photo classes? That could be a good fun challenge that's connected to filmmaking but with easier barrier to entry? - are there film adjacent careers where you could employ your UX skills? Maybe a change of context would reinvigorate you without having to take such a huge career risk? Good luck figuring things out. I know it may sound cheesy, but I've found Ikegai helpful for situations like this - it may help you find other options for your future other than seeing a binary between your current work and a very specific, hard-to-obtain job (film director / DP)?
It’s unfortunate the number of people I know who say similar things as yourself (including myself) They have some type of talent they would love to turn into a “business” but the realities of bills and 9-5 keep us locked in. If you can find a way to make it happen that your family can get behind my vote is go for it. “Work life balance” sounds nice to say and looks good on paper but it’s just words to me. For 3 years I was out the door every morning as my wife “worked from home” I still resent that pandemic I had no fun so many did. Go for your dreams if you can we only get one shot at this.
My feeling is the result of my own situation. I had done watch and clock repairs for 20 years, when I took a job managing jewellery stores for a national chain. I worked as a jewellery store manager for 20 years. By the 15th year of working for them, the writing was on the wall. I knew I would not be retiring from the management job. In 1985, I decided to work up my watch and clock repair aptitudes into a formal business. I spent the last 5 years working for them, but also working for myself. By 1990, I was making more working for myself than I was making, working for them! The store I was managing was being closed, and I was offered continued employment at a 40% salary reduction to work as a sales person in another store. Or they would pay me my salary for a year, if I resigned. I tripped over my tongue when I told the area manager I had just quit! In short, never turn you back on a money making skill when you make a change, and DON’T sell your tools,
Sadly, I think most people reach the end of their lives without realizing their dreams. Fulfilling a meaningful dream entails hard work and sacrifices, something we all struggle with and most don't have the courage to pursue. That's what sets successful people apart from the rest. If you want it, go for it. Along the way, things often start to fall into place when the momentum is underway.
I have a degree in stage/film. I also took electronics classes. I was lucky. The school had a good department. I met the right people and got an aprentiship at Sprocket systems (A division of Lucasfilm that did the post production.) This work was moonlighting evenings and weekend. During the day I did customer service for one of the first computer retailers. How I met people. This was in the early 1980s and they were getting 10,000 resumes a day. Most willing to work for experience. I was there becouse I was good at making computers work, and had a knack for cleaning the dust out of the KEM editing machines. I had also built my own 8mm computer controlled camera stand using a Timex sinclair zx80 as a processor to fire the camera and do the mocap on the animation stand. There is still an animation stand burried in the back yard I got surplus. I actually wanted to be a disney animator, So I was always working on little animated snippets. There came a time though when I had to choose. So I chose to work at apple (working with laser printers, which could be used to make the cels used for animation.) I still keep a web domain, In case I ever do become inspired to return to doing this sort of thing. I also have spend many hours days and years restoring an old Kodak film scanner (the same drivers are used to digitize cine film) It was finding parts for that what lead me into collecting some film cameras, and from that back into working on watches. It was hard to give up the dream of being a filmmaker. It felt like convincing other people to tilt windmills. Highly competitive, and everyone wants to second guess the other person. Most of the people in the biz got there by luck and accident. They are good at what they do. One has to be the best of the best. Most of the work is like plumbing or similar skilled trade. Some of the most boring days I ever spent were on film shoots. Or in the editing suites. Watching the same thing ad infiantium. It seemed like there was months and months of things not happening. Then there was a film. I guess it was what ever we were working on. Then one had to find another job. Apple was not that different in a way. Every 18 months the world changes. So keeping up with the latest is always a challenge. Filmaking evolved around the time of WWI. By people who did not want to be in the army. On the other hand they structured it with the same chain of command. Director is the general. The DPs and CInematographers are the majors. It is the enlisted folk who chose them. The people who really make films are accountants who are good at spending other people's mony. The products are investements like any other. One of my teachers worked with Roger Corman. My teacher said no one would ever see his film which starred Jack Nicolson (his first) He also made the prediction that with 1000 channels of television there would be a time when anyone could make a film. He was wrong about the first and sort of right about the second. Back in the 1950s one did not have to pay actors or anyone else. So a lot of B movies got made. Then the labor laws changed. Why there are so many lawyers and accountants now involved. No film ever makes a profit, so share is profits are always zero. One can however aquire a pre production share which is why there are no profits. These pay dividends like any other stock or bond. Someone (It is said to be Walt's brother Roy) figured out that if films were not seen one could borrow money against them. This made them rare and collateral for the loan. Every now an then (Roy used 7 years) one would take the film out of the vault and show it. The Disney brothers were also silent partners in Farnsworth's television invention. They had lost the rights to Oswald the rabbit, who became Mickey mouse with inflated ears. Mickey was the first image ever sent by television in 1926 or 1927. Disney also created the ABC TV network in the 1950s to pay for Disneyland. Later they did sell out to Sarnoff and moved to NBC for color. Eventually ABC took back the mouse. It can be seen that films jump between the streaming channels even licenced to the competitors. This is how they make money. Old films (widgets) are the collateral used to borrow money to make the new films. If a film tanks at the box office. They get an old war horse out and make it available again. Sometimes I think the real way one makes dreams happen, is to not mistake luck for skill. There are also things that happen what make one question free will vs pre destination. A lot of what we do has great impact on the world. Especially when one works with someone like Steve Jobs. Small things can make huge changes. It only takes a single grain of rice (or wheat.) to tip the scale. But all the grains need to be moving in the same direction. (Now I am wondering how many grains of alum does it take to rust out a single screw in a watch plate. Or how much longer it will take before I can put my watch back together.
I am going to put forward a different idea here, and some (maybe many or all) may disagree but beware of the hedonic treadmill. It is wonderful if we can find work that pays enough to family obligations needs and also provides deep emotional fulfilment. But there is the “I will be happy when” only to find after getting to the when another appears shortly afterwards, Sure our working lives are different from the Heuer Autavia I bought many years ago (I spent months, chasing and lusting, only for it to fall flat within 48 hours of first wearing)! But for me right now, I try to find happiness in the relationships I have, and my interactions with others rather than what I do for work day to day. I’m 52 with a 7 year old daughter, and maybe I have chosen to settle and accept rather take a big gamble with my career. Some people could say I took the weak and easy route, and I am OK with that, Everyone’s situation is different and I have respect and admiration for those who can make the jump. But I think what is most important for me is to live each day without resentment for the financial demands my family put on me. Going through life with a feeling of “if it weren’t for you I could…..” was no way for me to live.
I’m at a similar stage. I’m 40, with two young children and have been in my current field for 12 years. The pay’s reasonable, I’m very good at it and I find it interesting. However I’ve had a promotion every few years and have found the ‘corporate bollocks’ more frustrating over the last few years. I’ve slowly realised that if I’m not careful I’ll end up in my 60’s still in this area of work thinking “this wasn’t the plan, how have I ended up here”. I’ve spent the last few years building some cash reserves and plan to move on in the next 12 months starting an entirely new career working for myself. Ultimately that’s what helped me decide. If I’m 70 and about to retire, when I look back on my career will I be satisfied. As things stand now I won’t, so it’s time for a change and I need to have the confidence and courage to make that change, without being reckless with my families immediate future. Make a plan. Then do it.
Thinking and writing aloud: well, it's no good saying you want to be an opera singer while running a pig farm for twenty years, by then pigs will be your style. (Quentin Crisp - words to that effect) “There is perhaps nothing worse than reaching the top of the ladder and discovering that you’re on the wrong wall.” - Joseph Campbell You're a free agent, get with the family and work together on it You will always live to your income more or less. Find a local film making group, local education courses. Make the time - if you want something badly enough you will find a way to do it. I did and others will as well. IIt doesn't have to be all or nothing. Yes, and buy a cool, affordable watch to celebrate your new beginnings and every time you think did I do the right thing, look at it and say...for sure...and get back to it. Enough of the platitudes. Respect! ps. I know of a number of members on the ΩF who have done similar, some married members with young children leaving good jobs and going back to school. It was tough, but they rarely look back in anger Can't say we aren't positive enablers for happiness here on the ΩF
to put it simply, life is for living, the most important thing is family, everything else is secondary but you need to find a happy space to do the former, there is always a way to make it work.
I qualified as a lawyer when I was 27, the owner of the small practice died when I was 31 and, with my sister, I took it over. Lots of good things about being self-employed; you take time off and holidays when it suits, you come in and go home similarly and you can choose your colleagues. The downsides, apart from getting the work in (and worrying about that and cash flow) include worrying about bank and accounting issues, tax and regulatory issues, premises, staff problems, clients ….. etc. And it always seemed to be me who had to call out a plumber for the busted boiler or who discovered that we were out of loo roll and had to go out and get some. The buck always stops with you and by the time I was 60, I’d had enough. Luckily (or happily) I had professional skills which meant that I could carry on working (I needed to) as a consultant and a fee-paid civil servant until I was 70. The current legislation meant that I had to stop at 70 despite not wanting to (I was enjoying it). With hindsight, I think I would have had a better time if I’d worked for someone else. I wouldn’t have spent time worrying (see above) or getting loo rolls.
51 and have been making knives every spare moment I get for the last 2 years. Have been up late gluing scales on the kitchen bench at 11pm several times. Just started back doing shift at work, working 12 hour shifts… been getting too many requests for knives than I can handle.. but enjoy it. Follow your passion and do the double job. Nothings easy… rope the kids into a movie that means they have fun and gets you what you want, practice and exposure. Do really want me to link the story of the mouse in the milk that churns it to butter…..