How many of us picked up our first camera because it was a way to make a buck? For most videographers, the hustle of media production work gradually evolved from a passion for filming into a business formula based on our strengths, reputation, and market necessity, but fun was the kickstarter.
One of the most important practices for any aspiring photographer or videographer is to conceptualize and execute personal projects. It follows that visual creativity is a product of your own experience, and time behind the camera makes you a better shot. But just as important, personal projects are rewarding, and they become the work that others remember and appreciate the most. Fun is what inspired the creation of a recent hurricane storm surf edit we called “Don’t Worry, Mom. We’re Fine.” The title is a nod to surfers everywhere whose mothers (like my own) called for periodic weather reports and their explicit instructions to avoid the water under any circumstances.
Dodging the wind and rain, missing out on the best waves of the year, second-guessing (insert your favorite camera manufacturers)’s legendary “weather-sealing,” borrowing gear and unsuccessfully keeping lenses, sensors, quads, and lithium-ion from the elements were all challenging. But fun? Absolutely.
Here are a few suggestions from one of my favorite personal projects of 2015.
1. Do a little preplanning.
For my team, this involved checking the weather and surf reports, coordinating and posting our locations on social media, and keeping in touch with the talented local surfers who were on the pulse of the best waves. This paid dividends. Unlike previous efforts, our subjects knew our location. These sponsored surfers had a vested interested in lining up their rides with our cameras and were excited to be filmed riding South Carolina’s best waves of the year.
2. Find help.
The power of collaboration is truly amazing. In my experience, working with others always yields better results and generally makes production easier. In this case, having a production assistant and a local resident with a high-rise Jeep to navigate the flooded streets were invaluable. Bouncing from location to location with a local, we were free to plan shots and manage gear in the pouring rain without worrying about logistics. And simply having a second shooter allows you to capture twice as much footage, which, in a hectic and time-sensitive environment, is clutch for the final edit.
3. Improvise.
Setting out to film Hurricane Joaquin, we knew South Carolina was about to get hit with the greatest surf of the year. Our intention was to document the swells and capture our friends getting the rides of their lives. But the reality was pouring rain, grey skies, hurricane-force winds, long periods between set waves, and very little cover.
We dealt with lens spots, water intrusion, and fogged glass. We soaked though a countless number of beach towels. Salt spray, sand, and pouring rain create pretty much the worst combination for sensitive and temperamental camera equipment. By the second day, we were hustling gear and batteries from a nearby house and working under a pop-up tent that periodically dumped buckets of rain. It was challenging and frustrating to lose some amazing clips due to sensor spots, water, and condensation. But at week’s end, we were pleasantly surprised by what we captured.
4. Tell a story.
Photo by Lindsey Graham
One of the most important elements of videography is storytelling. It wasn’t until after filming the week’s torrential weather and massive waves that our theme became apparent. Good footage is great, critical even. But without narrative, soundbites, and some thoughtful styling, your hard-earned footage may not stand on its own. Whatever the job, do your best to bring a human element into the production. It’s a law of social media: you’ve got to show your personal side for others to find it enjoyable.
5. Don’t worry about the gear.
Many people spend a lot of time talking about gear, but the truth is that the quality of your gear probably shouldn’t be a major concern starting out. Do the best you can with what you’ve got. (You can also check out my guide to getting into DSLR video on a tight budget.) Shooting during foul weather requires you to take some precautions. We didn’t. Conditions and budget forced us to make do with the best gear we had. In this case, that was a pop-up tent, some beach towels, and a lot of running around. Full disclosure: “Don’t Worry, Mom” was filmed with the Panasonic GH4, Canon C100, Nikon D800, and DJI Phantom 3 Pro.
The takeaway is that outside-the-box projects are ultimately the most fun and rewarding and are what people remember. For me, this happened to showcase one of my favorite hobbies, surfing, in the context of some really extreme weather. After the excitement of publishing our humble edit had settled, sharing the video with the people that made it possible and seeing their reactions was really satisfying. In the end, a homegrown surf edit was a complete professional afterthought. But, again, you can’t put a price on fun.
