Meet Phil Carter of Grosse Pointe

Today we’d like to introduce you to Phil Carter.

Hi Phil, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I have had a camera in my hands for as long as I can remember, mostly because I kept borrowing my dad’s and grandpa’s whenever they would let me.

I officially started my business in 2017 after buying my first real camera. Real in the sense that it had enough confusing buttons to make me wonder if I knew what I was doing, and enough magic packed inside to make me realize I had found the thing I was meant to chase.

When I filmed my first wedding for money at 21, I was hooked almost immediately. It felt like storytelling had always been living somewhere quietly inside me, just waiting for a camera and some editing software to bring it to life.

Since then, I have had the chance to travel around the world telling people’s stories. Along the way, I have met some of my closest friends, the kind of people who understand the strange thrill of filming someone’s most important day while also desperately trying not to cry behind the camera. There is nothing quite like delivering a film and getting a genuine heartfelt message of how seen and celebrated, and loved they feel through a piece of art that was crafted with care.

Building this business has been one of the best adventures of my life. It has been a journey full of failures that taught me, successes that surprised me, and countless moments that made me feel lucky to do what I do. Nearly a decade in, it has grown into something beautiful, built on a lot of heart, a little chaos, and an endless love for telling real stories.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely has not been the smoothest road. There have been plenty of moments where I thought about throwing in the towel and finding a nine-to-five job, something simple and predictable. What kept me from doing that was the freedom to keep creating and the stubborn need to keep my creativity muscles moving.

One of the hardest points came when my wife and I moved to Colorado for a few years. I was not sure if I could transfer my business out there. For a little while, it felt like starting over in the dark. But with the help of some incredible vendors and photographers in the area, a lot of networking on social media, and some much-needed fine tuning of my website, I started to find my footing again.

It took a lot of hard work and more late nights than I can count, but it taught me something important. I realized I was not limited to the state I lived in. This could be a national thing. It could even be a global thing. I could tell stories wherever life took me.

The money has come and gone at different seasons, but the one thing that has never left is the drive to keep creating. That has been the constant, even when the road has felt uncertain.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a filmmaker who specializes in telling real, honest stories. Most of my work revolves around wedding films, but not in the traditional sense. I am less interested in perfect poses and polished highlight reels and more interested in the tiny, in-between moments that tell the real story. A laugh that gets cut off halfway. A hand that reaches out instinctively. A moment when someone forgets there is even a camera around.

I am most proud of the fact that the films I create feel personal. They feel lived in. They are not made from a template or built around a checklist. Every story I tell looks and feels different because every couple, every day, every love is different.

What sets me apart is that I do not just show up and capture what happens. I listen first. I pay attention to what makes people light up, what makes them feel seen. I care about preserving memories the way they felt, not just the way they looked.

In a world that moves fast and rewards what is trendy, I am proud to create something slower, more lasting, and hopefully a little more meaningful. Something people can hold onto for the rest of their lives and say, this is not just what it looked like. This is what it felt like. It is my taste that sets me a part. My life experiences, my taste in music, my taste in movies, my genuine caring personality that sets me apart.

What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
If I had to boil it down, I would say the most important quality behind my success is that I care a lot. I care about the people I work with. I care about telling their stories honestly. I care about the work itself and about making something that feels meaningful, not just beautiful.

Caring can make the road harder sometimes. It means you think about every detail a little longer and you feel the weight of getting it right. But it also makes the final product better. It makes the experience better for the people who trust me with some of the biggest moments of their lives.

At the end of the day, I think people can feel when something was made with real heart behind it. That is the part that lasts.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Philcarterfilms.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philcarterfilms/
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@philcarter524