Being Behind the Camera

“The one thing that you have that nobody else has is you. Your voice, your mind, your story, your vision. So write and draw and build and play and dance and live as only you can.”

– Neil Gaiman

So I’ve been thinking for the past few days about how in the midst of everything that is happening, I am learning so many valuable lessons. I took a cool TV production class this semester where I worked diligently churning out news packages every week. They’re basically segments about a particular issue going on in the community in two minutes or less. I was exhausted, but I got over my fear of breaking a camera or ‘not doing something right’ with the equipment. I remember not believing in my ability to film, even when others were confident about me. I didn’t believe them and I felt like my life was falling apart because everyone seemed to be doing a great job. They seemed so sure of themselves, scoring internships, and working so hard. What was I doing? I was just getting my feet wet. I was always on the camera, but not really operating it. Things like ‘focus’ and ‘rule of thirds’ were foreign concepts to me. Now I can assemble a camera on a tripod and get the audio working within five minutes. Now I’m used to carrying the equipment around without feeling like I’m going to pass out. (Okay I still feel that way sometimes, but it’s a little more bearable.) Thank God for my professor Nancy Karibjanian. She wasn’t the only one who helped me, but she was instrumental in why my packages and content got better. I easily transferred her tips on news coverage to my blog because I also vlog. The same elements are used, they’re just there in a different form. She used to be a news anchor on WHYY and you can always see the passion in her eyes when she describes what a good package looks like.

I remember watching a TV show and one of the actors would post on their social media account saying something like, “I’m directing my first episode tonight!” At the time, I thought I would never have the experience to be a director. I’m noticing more and more that organizing a video, editing a script, and working with the people being interviewed is part of what directors do.

I’m striving to make this blog the best it can be. As owner of the blog, I want to learn all parts of the business. Being behind the camera is a refreshing experience. You get to capture the daily lives of people and record the things around you. It’s literally recording memories. Some people document home videos while others record national events. I prefer doing vlogs and local news packages because the content is so intimate. I want to record bigger events one day, but I never want to lose touch with events going on closer to home. Being able to work beyond the modeling and writing aspect is so important to me. Working on different angles and combining the shots when editing to form a sequence looks like magic, but it takes critical thinking and creativity to accomplish it. One of my favorite techniques is while the person on camera is talking, I layer video of them doing something related to the concept of the video on top of their voice tracks, capturing them naturally. The video cuts from them talking to me to the activity they are doing. Sometimes they don’t know they’re being filmed when I do the cutaway shots and that’s when some of the best moments are captured. I enjoy sharing my techniques with people and explaining the concepts of video. My friends and I help each other out and it’s truly a blessing to be able to swap skills and input.

The next step is to monetize the blog. Learning by watching how other bloggers maintain their blogs is not only motivating, but it’s priceless information. Following your passion is so important because it’s a freeing experience. You’re able to make your own schedule and set your own rules. You don't feel forced to do anything. Peace just floats in your mind and then you see that peace transform into the work you put in on a project. The process can be brutal sometimes, but the finished project is what everyone sees. Sharing the finished project is an incredible feeling. I’m enjoying the journey.