What our Klamath River Valley Shoot Taught Me
There are many reasons why I love working with GMS Media. GMS works with a variety of clients, the crew is talented and fun and we’re given creative freedom to complete our part of the project.
At the the beginning of every job I ask myself:
What will I see?
Who will I meet?
What will I learn?
Some jobs are special because of the nature of the work. Others are special because of the adventure. This job had both. We would be traveling to Southern Oregon to meet farmers in the Klamath River Valley.
Food is a primal need. There’s something magical about working on primal stories. For most of us, finding food is taken care of by a quick trip to the supermarket. I was excited to be meeting the farmers, exploring their land and experiencing what it takes to bring food from the ground to the table.
Our production office was the bottom floor of a working farmhouse. The atmosphere was inspiring. We would meet in the morning to confirm what we were shooting, head out to separate locations, then meet back at the office to share the footage and insights. It felt tribal. Primal. We relied on each other to gather the raw materials we needed to tell this story:
Video production
Still photography
Interviews
I was teamed with editor Ben Edwards and his dog, Luke. Ben is a master of his craft and a pleasure to be around. He’s insightful and happy to share his knowledge of building a story. Luke was pure joy. For the first portion of the shoot, the three of us explored the landscape with a drone. All cameras bring new perspective by framing the world the way the photographer sees it. The drone enhances the view by allowing us to explore a perspective we don’t normally have.
The job reminded me that there is something special about filmmaking. You’re given access to restricted locations and the opportunity for magic happens. We were filming on a nature preserve, slowly flying over a waterway when a flock of birds flew right by the lens. It felt like the opening scene of an adventure movie.
Ben, Luke and I explored nearby towns as we interviewed the clients. We were invited into their world as they shared stories of what life has been like in Klamath.
On the last day, as we were capturing the final beauty shots of the farm, we were able to fly the drone so the client could see their land from the air. To see the beauty beyond the ground. These are the moments that stay with me.
I saw vast farmlands, food processing facilities, quiet towns and nature preserves.
I met people who’ve spent generations bringing food to our tables.
I learned about storytelling while I learned about the cycle from seed to harvest.
What I’m left with is the kindness of the people we met.
We are truly lucky to be able to do what we do.
Written for the GMS Media blog