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The music starts, the dancers are ready, the crowd is excited; now all that's left is for the videographer to give the cue and the camera and sound are ready to go. I was so nervous! It was the first time I was paid as a videographer for STEPS Dance Arts Center to film their fall dance production, the same annual show I danced in for eleven years. Now I'm the actual videographer! I get to film my friends and fellow dancers at a performance of The Nutcracker!
My passion for filmmaking started when I was 10 years old and on a trip with my family to the Azores where my grandparents live. I wanted to film the beautiful island of St. Jorge and film my grandparents speaking Portuguese, laughing and enjoying their time with the family who were visiting. I did it just for fun and had no idea it would lead me to where I am today.
Eight years later, I have won many awards for my short films and work part-time as a paid videographer to earn money, save for college, and cover my own expenses as much as possible.
Ballet and dance in film
My side hustle started when STEPS gave me and my skills as a 15-year-old a chance to film the fall show, one of only two shows they put on during the year. This was a big risk for STEPS and for me. I wanted to do a great job and have them be proud of my work. As it turned out, the video of the show got me paid for my services and I also made money by selling DVDs of the show to the families of STEPS dancers. This was quite a lesson in getting the equipment and items I needed to make this job successful from start to finish.
This included cutting the four-hour show down to a two-hour DVD without cutting any individual performances, burning dozens of DVDs, creating graphic covers for the DVD cases, accepting individual payments, and contacting customers who had questions.
Since then, I have continued this side hustle with other events that I have been paid for, including a wedding ceremony and reception, birthday parties, and other projects.
Celebrating through film
Filming the wedding was a particularly nerve-wracking experience. At 17, I knew I didn't have the experience of a seasoned pro, but I was confident I could do a good job. I came prepared with two DSLR cameras, external microphones, and lighting for nighttime shooting. What I didn't expect was the unexpected rainstorm that rolled in right as the ceremony was about to begin. Since it was an outdoor wedding and reception, this was my opportunity to show that I'm a pro who can solve problems on the fly. I quickly switched to a lens with extended protection as I began videoing the bride walking down the aisle. The best videos were the ones of the bride and groom when they thought no one was watching, capturing a loving look, a sweet kiss, the silent admiration. These were the moments the bride enjoyed the most when she viewed the final edited footage of her big day. Because I had planned in advance with the bride the moments she wanted to capture, I was prepared for every part of the ceremony and reception and wanted to capture the first kiss, the blessing, the lighting of the wedding candle, the first dance, the toss of the bouquet and much more.
School service through film
Over the past two years, I have also volunteered my skills to support events at my school and school district, allowing me to gain experience and expand my network of people who know my skills and abilities. This hands-on, unpaid experience included serving as the district's first-ever student assistant videographer, serving as the sole videographer and editor for my high school's theater department, and providing film editing services to create a finished product that began with raw footage from the district's career training programs. Each of these activities took place outside of the regular school day and gave me the opportunity to establish myself as the student I turn to when administration or staff have a special project they need or want my help with.
Relaxation through film
To earn even more money to help me save for college and also buy new filming equipment, I also started working for an after-school recreation program in my hometown. I originally wanted to work as a recreation worker, which would fit with my previous experience as an assistant at a daycare, but my experience as a filmmaker led me to other roles. And here I am, a 12th grader in high school working as the recreation program's videographer, photographer, and drone pilot, filming sports tournaments, student activities, and guest lectures, all while trying to create promotional materials for social media to gain positive community support for this program.
I'm so passionate about what I do that sometimes I forget to look at the clock, and before I know it, it's the wee hours of the morning and I'm still trying to meet a deadline. The demands of this type of work have made me an expert at time management, communication, and problem solving, and I still managed to maintain a 4.1 GPA last semester.
Positive impact through film
I plan to get a degree in film and television production and continue to work in videography on the side to earn money for my tuition and my growing equipment needs as I venture into more challenging projects.
In the future, I plan to pursue a Masters in Film Production to learn more about the business and operational aspects of producing a full-length feature film or television project. I believe I can achieve so much more with my skills and creativity and hope to make a positive impact through film by featuring unique, quirky and interesting characters that are entertaining, yet thoughtful and real, and depict things we can all relate to.
About the author
Hannah Martin-Borba plans to attend Chapman University Dodge College of Film and Media Arts.
Create your very own Auto Publish News/Blog Site and Earn Passive Income in Just 4 Easy Steps
