This was my first time filming in St. Petersburg, Florida. I have been to Florida a couple times before, so I had already experienced the weather in Florida. Boy was I wrong. I was filming an interview and b-roll at the marina. It was very hot that day.
Shot on Canon C200
Out of nowhere, the rain started to trickle in. Then without warning rain came pouring. I was trying to get all my gear covered quickly as the rain kept coming. Fortunately, I was already done with my shoot, but since I was filming outside of a boat, all of my gear was left exposed to the elements.
I managed to cover up my camera (Canon C200) in the nick of time. The tripod was wet, but that was okay in mind. Slider made it to its case. I never realized how unpredictable weather in Florida could be considering the last time I went, it was one of the hottest days of my life.
The rain had definitely set a tone on how the rest of my trip was going to play out. I realized that as soon as the clouds came it was only a matter of minutes before rain would pour with fury. It was definitely a lesson for me when it came to planning for future trips.
From that moment on, I made sure to pack a cover for my camera in case there would be instances like this. Lesson learned.
It is crazy to think that I have been a mom for 6 months. What’s even crazier to think is that I worked throughout my pregnancy. As a female filmmaker and cinematographer it was very important to keep working and filming till I absolutely couldn’t anymore.
Due to having been diagnosed with gestational diabetes, the goal was to reach 39 weeks before being induced. I walked several miles a day in order to keep my blood sugar down, had daily insulin injections, and had to monitor my glucose levels.
At 35 years old and being my first pregnancy, I was terrified. I absolutely hated needles, getting blood work, going to the doctors, and eventually pushing out a baby.
Most of all, I was terrified that I would have to give up my career and dream. I’ve had many people tell me that once I have kids, that I wouldn’t be able to do what I do now. I was also told that once I’m pregnant, I would not have the energy to do anything.
37 Weeks 2 Days Pregnant
I set out to prove everyone wrong. I was working, driving, walking, exercising all up till the day before my labor.
Everything I had feared slowly went away. I was worried I wasn’t going to be able to film, and oddly enough I had a lot of energy to do so. In fact, when I was moving, Bradley was sleeping. It was only when I tried to sleep, which is when he would move around.
Being pregnant, poses some challenges as a camera operator. Your body is a lot heavier than you are used to. Add a camera and gear that’s more weight. I had gained 20lbs during my pregnancy, and the belly was starting to get in the way. It did make a good camera rest at times.
I just took my time and moved a lot slower just to make sure I didn’t fall or anything. I had a lot of supportive co-workers and friends who helped me. Aside from having to pee a lot and then having to wear a mask, it was routine as usual. I did find myself getting out of breath at times since I was getting heavier.
38 Weeks Pregnant (1 week left before I was induced)
I think working kept my mind busy on the inevitable. It help me focus on one task at a time. I had a goal to make it to 39 weeks and deliver on February 20, 2021. People thought I was crazy and kept saying that you know your baby could come sooner.
I was determined to have the baby on the 20th, the day of my induction. Oddly enough, the morning of the 19th I went into labor. I didn’t realize it at the time, I went along with my tasks for the day, finishing up work and errands.
It wasn’t till early in the afternoon, I couldn’t handle the pain anymore and we decide to go to the hospital earlier than our scheduled time.
Long story short, I went into labor and delivered my son on February 20, 2021. Everything happened according to schedule and my plan. I can’t believe I did it. Looking back now, I’m so glad I kept going and not letting things get to me.
I was able to have the pregnancy that I always wanted and still continue to film doing what I love.
I had one of the most memorable experiences filming at a children’s orphanage in Cajamarca, Peru. Every year I go on a medical mission with the Osborne Head and Neck Foundation.
I have the opportunity to document and film the amazing surgical team do free head and neck surgeries for people in third world countries. It is a life-changing experience to be able to document first hand these amazing stories.
One particular event that was memorable for me was when part of the OHNF team split off to renovate and restore a recreational room of a children’s orphanage.
On a personal note, I was getting some establishing shots with my drone (DJI Phantom Pro 4 Obsidian), and a couple of the kids came out just to see what I was doing.
A couple people told me that this was the first they have ever seen a drone. It was pretty cool actually to be a part of an experience that they never had. You never really know how you are going to impact people big or small. And at the time I didn’t really think about it. I was just doing my job and something that was routine for me.
But for these kids, it was something completely special. I thought a lot about that time and how special it was for me too. Sometimes we lose track of things, because we are stuck in a routine. I forgot how amazing and cool it was to be able have the technology where you can fly a drone to take pictures and video.
I remember back when I started filmmaking, you would need a helicopter of some sorts and a camera to be able to obtain and capture aerial footage. Now, this technology is available for even the consumer.
I forgot how excited I was when I got my first drone. I couldn’t wait to be able to capture video on another level. Here I am years later, it all became routine to me. Though I was excited to film in a new country and a new location, I forgot that feeling until that day.
The kids made me excited again. Just seeing their reactions brought all of the feelings I had. I realized that for these kids, this is something they don’t have access or even see first hand.
It made me appreciate a lot of the little things that I may have overlooked. I feel like as filmmakers, we sometimes remove ourselves from living in the present, because we are too occupied trying to capture the moment.
I was able to be a part of that moment, and ever since that day, I don’t forget.
2 1/2 years ago, I went to Lake Arrowhead to shoot establishing shots with my DJI Phantom Pro 4 drone. I bought this drone specifically because it has crash collision detection.
Aimee in Lake Arrowhead
Little did I know that would not be the case. I was flying my drone and out of no where, the controls would not respond to me and it’s like it had a mind of its own.
I had a fly-away drone and I’m in Lake Arrowhead and all I could do was hope and pray that it landed safely without injuring anyone.
Lake Arrowhead, CA
It was one of the scariest experiences of my life flying a drone. You feel so helpless and have no idea what to do, and all you can do is wait till it lands.
My drone end up landing somewhere in the middle of the woods. It was a hike to get there. My friend Lyn went out there tracking it on the GPS left on my remote.
Lyn Pacificar and I after finding the drone
At the time we didn’t know that was a GPS, we were just following the dot on the screen and hoping it would lead to my drone. When I got it back, my drone was completely destroyed. The battery broke off and the camera gimbal was barely hanging on.
Destroyed DJI Phantom Pro 4
I was devastated. I went home and sent my drone in for repair at DJI, knowing that it could be about a month before I would see her again. Well, I got really lucky. I got a brand new drone within a week of sending it in.
They couldn’t really figure out what caused the fly-away so instead of trying to fix it they just gave me a new one at no cost. I can’t tell you how happy I was to have my drone back and let alone have a completely brand new one.
I had the opportunity to travel to Oregon in August of 2019. I stopped by the Multnomah Falls to get some establishing shots for the docuseries that I been working on. I was really excited because like nearly 10 years earlier, I had passed by this very same waterfall when I was out in Oregon for a shoot.
It is absolutely crazy how life takes you full circle sometimes. I woke up early so I could film right before I headed back home to Los Angeles. The parking situation can be rather tricky. I was lucky that I was able to get some parking especially since I would be carrying some gear with me.
I took my Canon C200, Benro Tripod, and my Sony A6300 for stills. I had to walk a bit under the over pass and it was a little challenging since all the gear was heavy. Anyway, I made it. As soon as I laid my eyes on the falls, I was absolutely blown away.
Canon C200
I did my research, so I knew exactly what I was looking for. I set up my tripod on the bottom of the bridge. I used my Canon 24-70 2.8L lens and I shot at a 4/5.6 split with an ND filter. I shot at 60 frames at 50 shutter speed.
Sony A6300
Once I was done, I decided to take some stills for fun on my Sony A6300. I had to slow my shutter speed so I could obtain the milky effect on the waterfall. It took certainly a couple tries to get the camera still enough.
As you can see with color differences, the Canon C200 is more dreamy and cinematic whereas the Sony A6300 has a lot more contrast and more vibrancy.
Multnomah Falls is probably one of my favorite places I have ever filmed at. I highly recommend checking it out. I hope some day to go back and be able to go on the bridge this time.
Yesterday, I had the opportunity to attend the “Celebrate Under the Stars Event at the Television Academy. It is the first event I was able to attend after a hiatus due to Covid-19.
I attended with my very good friend Lyn Pacificar. Lyn is a Filipino shamanic healer, Filipino Cultural practitioner, artist, and the owner of a company of that creates spiritual products called Herbalaria.
Katuuran Lyn Pacificar
I met Lyn during one of the most difficult times of my life. I had lost my job and was currently on unemployment struggling to find work as a filmmaker. Lyn happened to be taking dances classes at a studio that I went to. Something about her intrigued me.
I found out what she did and I bought one of her body scrubs that contained white sage to help purify and cleanse me of all the toxic energy I was going through at the time.
I remember Lyn inviting me to her birthday party without really even knowing. I knew her for about a week and she was so kind to invite me to he birthday. Now years later we joke that it’s our friend anniversary on her birthday.
It was an emotional time for me because I could remember over five years ago when I had express my concerns about unemployment to Lyn. I remember her giving me her moldavite solstice oil and here I am 5 years later, traveling the world making documentaries.
Moldavite is regarded as a stone of change. It essentially helps take out things that aren’t serving you as well as move things rather quickly. Of course, you do need to put the effort in place. So I took her oil, and within a week, I got multiple job interviews including the current job I work at today.
Meeting Lyn has changed my life and words can’t express how amazing it was to share this experience with her all these years later. She’s been there on some of the most pivotal moments of life and so it was just a breath of fresh air to be able to look back at far I came.
Having been an active member of the TV Academy’s documentary programing peer category for about three years now, I look forward to this event. I remember many years ago, when I lived across at the Academy Village apartments, I would see these events being held. I remember just watching as people entered and I used to think how lucky they were to be able to attend. I always wished that some day I would be able to attend one of those events.
Here I am, nearly 15 years later, I am having the opportunity to not only attend events at the TV Academy, but I am also a member. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be at this point. If only I could tell my younger self to not to worry, that some day you will be able to attend one of those parties.
I am very humbled and grateful that I have the opportunity to work doing what I love. It is an absolute blessing to wake up each day and know that little girl who had silly dream of being a filmmaker, can say it’s not a dream. This is your reality.
Shot by Aimee 