Today we’d like to introduce you to Noel Duarte.
Hi Noel, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’m an aspiring Videographer / Social Media Influencer out of [Huron, CA] , a small town 45 minutes away from Fresno, CA.
Ever since I was young, I have always had a creative eye & mind. It was around 7th grade where I started having a passion for photography. As I got older, I transitioned from photography to videography. Social Media started being popular in my era in the early 2000’s such as MySpace, Facebook, and Instagram. So I found it as an opportunity to showcase my talent.
Fast forward to my later years in life, I used to work with my father in agricultural field work, so I started filming on the weekends. As time passed, I quit my job to pursue what I love doing & I started taking videography more seriously.
Friends, family, even followers from social media would love my photos & videos I would post.
It was until I met DJ Kayrich in Mezcal Lounge in Fresno, CA where everything changed. I filmed for him & Don Benjamin. Afterward, Dj Kayrich had asked me “ Hey, wheres your camera? “ I was filming from an iPhone. Soon after that happened he advised me to get a camera & a laptop, So I did. He mentored me and strategically got me to film celebrity events he DJ’ed / Hosted. He wanted me to become something greater.
As time passed, I got really good at videography and started getting more clientele, it was around 2018-2019 were it really started to get busy and interesting. I started getting fast at filming and editing, Building a name for myself. Started connecting with people from all over California.
I’m an innovative – versatile videographer. I film from local businesses to organizations, brands, weddings, quinceañeras, dog shows, and real estate to celebrities.
I love creating overall. I love being a professional at what I do and seeing my clients happy & amazed by the videos I create. I like to envision what the client is asking for and execute and make it into a reality.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Everyone wants to be a videographer until you got to put in the work. I’ve gone through so much, but It’s always a learning experience though. It’s been a roller coaster.
In this type of business, there is no shortcuts. You have to learn everything whether you learn it from someone or YouTube. Ever since I started being a videographer, I have been mentored by certain people or literally use YouTube / google as a tool, and learn step by step.
As a videographer, you have countless hours of filming then post-editing. Your always on the go. One thing I learned is always have backup external hard drives with your work on it. Sometimes work gets lost but if you have a external hard drive backup, you should be fine. Always be a “student of the game” , There’s always room to learn new techniques & strategies to grow as a creative. I also learned through the years that “less is more”. Sometimes as a creative, we want the perfect videos whether it’s for our own social media or for clients. We spend countless hours trying to have the perfect video, but sometimes the simplest videos is your best work.
I’ve gone from filming whether it’s in Fresno or Los Angeles , drive back home then post edit. Sometimes I don’t even get sleep, just to have a video ready by the following day. It really just shows how much dedication & passion I have as a videographer.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a videographer / social media influencer. I am very versatile when it comes to being a creative. I feel like I specialize in recap videos for one. I’m known for the turnover time when it comes to completing video work & also clients know me for my personality. I am proud of the fact that my ambition and drive has gotten me through so many doors and I continue to grow and learn through those experiences.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Everything has risks, so of course, I have faced risks and will always continue to face them as time passes by. Some of my greatest accomplishments came from taking risks and having faith in myself. My biggest risk was leaving my full-time job working in agricultural field work to pursue a dream & begin a career as a videographer, the rest is history.
Thank you for listening to my story.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @stunnagram_
- Youtube: Noel Duarte Films
