The music starts, the dancers are ready, the audience is excited; all that’s left is the videographer to give the cue the camera and sound recording are ready to go. I was so nervous! It was my first time getting paid to be the videographer for STEPS Dance Arts Center to film their fall dance production, the very same annual show I danced in for eleven years. Now I am the actual videographer! I get to film my friends and fellow dancers in a performance of the Nutcracker!

My passion for creating films began when I was 10 and on a trip with my family to the Azores Islands, where my grandparents live. I wanted to film the beautiful island of St. Jorge and capture my grandparent’s on film, speaking Portuguese, laughing and enjoying their time with family who were visiting. I was just doing it for fun, and had no idea it would lead to where I am today.

Eight years later, I have won many awards for my short films and work on the side as a paid videographer to make money to save for college and pay for my own expenses, as much as possible.

Ballet and Dance through Film

My side hustle began with STEPS taking a chance on me and my skills as a 15-year old to film the fall performance, one of only two performances they host during the year. This was a huge risk for STEPS and for me. I wanted to do a great job and have them be proud of my work. As it turns out, the video of the performance led to a payment for my service, and also for me to make money selling DVDs of the performance to families of the STEPS dancers. This was quite the lesson on how to gather the equipment and items I needed to make this job successful from beginning to end.

This included editing the 4-hour show down to a 2-hour DVD without cutting any individual performance, burning dozens of DVD’s, creating a graphic cover for the DVD cases, accepting individual payments and following up with 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.

Celebration through Film

Filming the wedding was an especially nerve-racking experience. At 17 I knew I didn’t have the depth of experience as a seasoned professional, but I was confident I could do a good job. I came prepared with two DSLR cameras, external microphones, and lighting for night shots. What I didn’t plan for was the unexpected rain storm that hit just as the ceremony began. Since it was an outdoor wedding and reception, this created an opportunity for me to show I was a professional who could problem solve on a moment’s notice. I quickly switched to a lens with an extended protector as I began the video of the bride walking to the alter. The best videos were those of the bride and groom when they thought no one was looking, capturing a loving look, a sweet kiss, the silent admiration. These moments were the ones the bride enjoyed the most when watching the final edited footage of her big day. Having planned ahead of time with the bride, the moments she wanted to capture, I was prepared for each part of the ceremony and reception, including capturing the first kiss, the blessing, the lighting of the unity candle, the first dance, the tossing of the bouquet and so much more.

School Service through Film

Over the last two years I have also donated my skills to support events in my school and the school district that have allowed me to gain experience and expand the network of people who are knowledgeable of my skills and abilities. This hands-on, unpaid experience included serving as the very first student assistant to the District videographer, serving as the sole videographer and editor for my high school’s drama department, and providing film editing services to create a finished product that began with raw film footage of the Career Technical Education programs of the district. Each of these activities were conducted outside the regular school day and have allowed me the opportunity to establish myself as the go-to student when administrators or staff have a special project that they need or want my help with.

Recreation through Film

To make even more money to help me save for college but also to buy new film equipment, I also began working for an afterschool recreation program in my hometown. My intent was to work as a recreation staff member, which would fit with my prior experience as an assistant at a Daycare, yet my experience as a filmmaker has led to other duties. So here I am, a senior in high school serving as the videographer, photographer, and drone operator of the after-school program, filming sports tournaments, student activities, and guest presenters all in an effort to create promotional pieces for social media to build positive community support for this program.

I am so passionate about what I do, I sometimes forget to look at the clock and before I know it, it is the wee hours of the morning and I am still editing to meet a deadline. The demands of this type of work have led me to become the expert at time management, communication, and problem solving while still earning a 4.1 GPA last semester.

Positive Impact through Film

I plan to pursue a degree in Film and Television Production and continue to side hustle with videography to raise funds for my college tuition and expanding equipment needs as I venture into more high-profile projects.

As I look to the future, I plan to pursue a master’s in film production to learn more about the business and operational aspects of making a full-length feature film or television project. I am confident there is a lot more I can achieve with my skills and creativity and hope to bring positive impacts through film, featuring the unique, the quirky, and the interesting characters that entertain, yet are thoughtful and real, representing what we all can relate to.

About the Author

Hannah Martin-Borba plans to attend Chapman University Dodge College of Film and Media Arts.