We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Tom Walsh a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Tom , first a big thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights with us today. I’m sure many of our readers will benefit from your wisdom, and one of the areas where we think your insight might be most helpful is related to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is holding so many people back from reaching their true and highest potential and so we’d love to hear about your journey and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
As a freelance cameraman in my younger day’s I would sit and watch all of my footage after every shoot to convince myself I have done a good job and that I had the upper hand for a comeback if I spotted any issues. I did stop doing this, however, after a shoot in Japan when I recorded over the last part of an important interview and some b-roll that I traveled halfway across the globe to shoot, I delivered the footage without saying a word upon my return and got nothing but praise from the producers. I guess i learnt that if you over shoot and over deliver on things then luckily for me in this case, there was more than enough to tell a great story and from that situation on, I had confidence in myself even if I make a mistake. So, for me to overcome imposter syndrome.. like anything in the arts, you are always learning and developing your own style and ways of doing things, regardless of how long you have been doing it. Be confident in what you do, back yourself! If you doubt yourself, then others might also.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I’m Tom Walsh, a cinematographer with 24 years of experience, fortunate to have my work featured in award-winning productions around the world. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of contributing my creative vision to series like The Casketeers, Coast New Zealand, Snack Masters, Eating Media Lunch, and Race to Survive. My career has taken me from the stunning landscapes of New Zealand to the vibrant sets of Hollywood and beyond.
My journey in the industry began over two decades ago with an unforgettable start as the “togs undies guy” in the 2005 Trumpet television commercial. That experience set the stage for a career that continues to fuel my passion for storytelling through the lens.
Most recently, my wife Kimberley Crossman and I started our own production company, Pretty Tall, as well as a social media agency, Pretty Social. We love working together and lending our storytelling abilities to amazing brands we’re passionate about.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Looking back on skills on how i got ahead in my career, I would say that it would have to be the time I spent in hospitality.. I think everyone starting off in life should spend at least 6 months working in this area as a training ground for challenges life will throw at you, regardless of the field you choose in life. There are so many situations you will have to deal with in hospitality that you will in dealing with people in the path you choose, people skills and service is the most important thing for me in what I do.. nobody wants to work with an asshole, and job opportunities won’t usually open up for them in my line of work. If you have great customer service, a great product like any cafe or restaurant, you should have a successful business that has continued growth and customer support.
Someone said to me earlier in my career that you are only as good as your last job.. I constantly try to raise the bar on every production I am involved with to constantly do better on the last one.. because if you don’t, then you really are letting yourself down and going backward.
What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?
The most impactful thing my parents ever did was denying me a new snowboard. I grew up in a ski resort town in New Zealand, and as a 10 year old (back in 1991), that was all I ever wanted. My Dad said if I wanted to play golf, he would buy me a set of clubs, but if I wanted a snowboard, I would have to work for it. So that is what I did, I got a job in the weekends washing dishes for the local food court and was earning $3USD an hour and saved every cent. It wasn’t long before I had enough money to buy the cheapest 2nd hand ex rental snowboard available. That was probably the best thing my Father could have done for me and to this day I feel it was probably a mistake for him as he most likely just wanted me to play golf and not be one of those reckless snowboardig punks, but it taught me so much within myself that if I wanted something in life.. it won’t just get handed to you. (some of my wealthy friends, yes) But you got to get after it and achieve it anyway you can, and that often requires hard work. It also taught me to look after my things, as I had to work bloody hard to get them. I love my Dad so much for this valuable lesson in life. RIP Dad.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @the__tomwalsh
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/search/results/all/?fetchDeterministicClustersOnly=true&heroEntityKey=urn%3Ali%3Afsd_profile%3AACoAAAfhQakBnJS1p2QbdRE2Bm17e-P8IiLBbsg&keywords=tom%20walsh&origin=RICH_QUERY_SUGGESTION&position=0&searchId=a5c03b50-5b80-411b-bdd3-7305fb600066&sid=L(D&spellCorrectionEnabled=false
Image Credits
Kath Gould and Raul Javier Guerrero Jr.
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
