A Way of Life
For as long as I can remember I have loved to travel. There’s just something to submerging yourself into new cultures, places, and circumstances. Throughout my life academics were certainly not the focus! Luckily I had two parents from which I caught the travel bug. Every summer during the after-school break we would travel to a new place whether that be Vietnam, Southern Africa, or Central America; it was always an adventure with new culture and new people. You could say I learned a lot more out here than in there!
We didn’t travel lavishly at all, it would be incredibly pricy to travel by hotel with two kids. So instead we stayed at homesteads, camped, and backpacked. Through this, I was able to experience the world from an entirely different perspective which fueled a core value of natural wonder.
As a result, I gained much knowledge and learned many lessons; in essence, the best classroom isn’t well a classroom but the world itself! My preferred subject? Backpacking! In fact, we even just produced a documentary where we documented a journey walking from the Myra Canyon trestles starting in Kelowna all the way to Chute lake lodge just before Naramata!
Our Cameraman/D.O.P. for the journey! Jeremy Komlos
One of the greatest things about backpacking….. Is well you just need a backpack! Seriously! Backpacking is by far one of the cheapest and most efficient ways to travel; the most expensive part of that process is your plane ticket. Sadly though backpacking is a dying way of life. With all our phones and other technologies, people are losing their grasp of the real world and what it’s like to go and experience it. It’s true, backpacking doesn’t take much but it also takes a lot, that being a drive or thirst for adventure; to just get out there! And on top of that to see the world through a child’s eyes, as a playground, an untapped sense of wonder. In a sense re-learning what has already been taught. I can assure you though just like at the playground, you will meet countless friends along the way.
Through the platform of StandStill Productions, we hope to document many more adventures and unique experiences, hopefully of even bigger proportions! Through the magic of film, we are able to show the beauty that lies within our planet. That beauty includes all the different people, cultures, and landmarks. I have always wanted to do the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal, maybe someday we will get the chance to bring viewers on that journey! Film is a great tool. And here at Standstill, we plan to exploit that tool to showcase our world and the experiences that lie within it.
Diving the Caymans
In January of 2019 I had the pleasure of diving in Grand Cayman and experiencing my first wreck dive! I love to dive, for the ocean feels like an entirely different world (it kinda is! 77% of the ocean remains unexplored!), every time I put on that BCD and drop into the water it feels like a new adventure like I am a true explorer! Whether that be witnessing beautiful alien-like creatures such as eagle rays or eels, being mesmerized by a shark, or exploring a sunken remnant of the past.
Around three years ago, I started to document my underwater adventures and now I can't stop! Underwater filmography has truly become one of my passions, and I am taking the next steps to pursue it, in addition to video production. Which brings me to my next goal…
...which is to share the ocean's vastness and treasures with the rest of the world through the power of film. To inspire others like me to dive down and start exploring! One of my passion projects and dreams would be to document and film an underwater archeological dig, the discovery of an ancient treasure that has been buried for centuries! To shoot a movie or documentary at sea would be awesome!
What you need: Really the only thing you need is your scuba certification! The two primary companies out there are SSI or PADI. Personally, I have PADI for it’s more internationally recognized. PADI also offers a selection of underwater cinematographer courses which you can take, this definitely would be a good idea if you do not have any experience in the diving world, I myself am working towards taking some of those!
Of course, you're going to need a camera! Usually, for regular videographers, I would suggest renting, however, most rental houses and production companies do not have access to waterproof camera gear for there is not much demand. This means you're most likely going to have to go out and buy this equipment on your own! Sadly it does not come cheap! All though, you don't need much, I myself have done most of my filming simply with a GoPro. Currently, I am now working towards something a little more heavy-duty.
The most important thing you need… is your passion! You must have the drive as well as a love for the sea to be successful.