We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sebastian Gaines. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Sebastian below.
Sebastian, 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.
After attending three different schools in three years, switching school districts entering high school, and being a part of the ten percent of ‘out of staters’ at a university of fifty thousand students, being an ‘imposter’ is nothing new to me. I have learned to embrace being in a new environment after constantly finding myself being the “new kid” throughout most of my life. Aside from socially, Imposter syndrome in an academic and professional setting is a real feeling that I believe everyone experiences to some degree. Although cliché, growth happens through discomfort and without stepping outside of one’s comfort zone into a space where they feel like an imposter, complacency can stall or even halt growth. Imposter syndrome is less something to ‘cure’ and more something to minimize and manage. When I arrived on campus at The University of Texas at Austin it felt surreal. But stepping into the football stadium with a capacity of over one hundred thousand exuberant fans and filming my first game had my nerves at an all-time high. Previously, coming from New England the largest crowd I had filmed in front of was a mere fifty thousand fans only twice before. Experiencing my dream come to life was overwhelming and left me paralyzed in awe and out of fear of doing something wrong. After the first game, I realized every sacrifice I made and the hundreds of hours of hard work I put in led me to the exact position I was supposed to be in. I had a choice to make: Stand still in awe and let the opportunity pass by or perform and rise to the occasion and produce the type of work that got me in the position I am in. I chose the latter and have not looked back since.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I am a Cinematographer with a specialty in sports content and branding campaigns. I started my videography business in the summer of 2021 as a rising sophomore in high school. Since then I have been fortunate enough to build my brand across New England and beyond before ultimately landing in Austin, Texas working as a Student Creative Intern for Texas Football. The most exciting part about my job from the time I began is being front and center capturing the biggest plays and sometimes the biggest moments of an athlete’s or a fan’s life and eternalizing it into a replayable memory with my own artistic touch. I aim to capture the overwhelming energy of competing in front of tens of thousands or witnessing greatness from the stands through a visual representation that should feel larger than life. Additionally, seeing the reactions of friends, families, and clients when they first receive the work I have created for them never gets old for me. To know I brought so much excitement and joy to an individual whether by helping build their brand, showcasing their talents, or my personal favorite – telling their story; it gives me an opportunity to see the real impact my work has on others. Earlier this month I released my 2024 Cinematography Reel on YouTube (Gaines Visuals) and Instagram (@gainesvisuals) showcasing some of my favorite moments I captured from the 2024 Texas Football Season.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Authenticity, Persistence, and Humility. I say authenticity first since I believe the strongest partnerships and relationships are built on authentic connections and interactions. While I have improved my cinematography skills over many years when I was just starting out my work was at a beginner-intermediate level, but what kept clients coming back and what I built my brand off of was presenting my authentic self to athletes, parents, and coaches to establish a strong foundation for me and my business to flourish. Any entrepreneur or business-owner knows the important of persistence. Without it, there is no gradual progression or growth. The hundreds of nos I have received over the years were more than necessary for me to refine my skills both professionally and technically as a cinematographer in order to reach new levels of success. Lastly, humility goes far beyond career or passion advice and is not a quality that can simply be turned on or off in different facets of one’s life. Humility is a quality I was taught from a young age and has allowed me to navigate many different spaces with a consistent humbleness that allows my skillset to speak for itself rather than to be overshadowed by my pride.
Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?
My Grandad, Olin Gaines Jr. was my biggest supporter in any of my many endeavors I had growing up. Before it was filmmaking my Grandad was my biggest fan while I was running around the basketball court from a young age. He always exemplified what it meant to take initiative over your own life and be your own boss. In our final conversation this past December right before his birthday on Christmas day he reminded me and my brother just how special we were as he exclaimed in his distinct voice: “You the Star! You the Star!” While I always felt my Grandad’s unwavering love and support from a distance as he resided in Orlando, Florida I only learned the full extent of how much he loved to boast about his grandkids’ talents when I met many of his good friends from over the years at his celebration of life. My Grandad wrote an autobiography which was his prized possession and if you asked anyone who knew him they would tell you it was almost synonymous with his name the way he promoted it. Before I had even truly gotten my foot in the door with filmmaking my Grandad already excitedly shared his plans of making the movie version of his life story and having me film it. I hope to one day make his dream come true since he always helped me see my true potential in any passion I had. Every interaction with him had me leaving with my head up a bit higher than before. He was the ultimate hype man and knew how to build up a person’s confidence – something I strive to pay forward when mentoring kids whose shoes I was once in. Lastly, My Grandad was the most fashionable person I think I will have ever met. With bold matching sets, crocodile skin loafers, and a tailored hat for any occasion he always made sure to set the standard anywhere he stepped foot. I admire his expressiveness and individuality that could never be emulated and I use it as a reminder to constantly curate my own unique artistic style through my work. My Grandad had a saying for any challenge life presents and a quick-fix for any dilemma which I take with me not only professionally but more importantly in life. As I carry his legacy with his first name, Olin as my middle name I am proud to have developed his innate go-getter mentality and continue to live my life with his entrepreneurial and selfless spirit.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/gainesvisuals/
- Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/sebastian-gaines
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@gainesvisuals
Image Credits
Dylan Waguespeck, Kyle Barkle, Aric Shah, Praiya Smith, Jake Flynt
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
