At Work on the Trail

It takes a special type of person to spend a summer doing back-breaking work in the middle of nowhere. For those who choose to join youth service corps, it is a summer spent away from friends and family, away from the trappings of modern society, and consumed by hands-on maintenance projects in national parks.

It’s a revealing experience.

Corps members emerge with stories of the trials and tribulations endured in the backcountry. They emerge with a stronger sense of self, forged through the job training, teamwork, and tangible accomplishments in which they engaged.   

This feature is one of my favorites because of the story we were able to tell – it is undoubtedly an inspiring one. It’s also one of my favorites because of how the project came together.

The bulk of the crew’s work took place in the backcountry of Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park. That presented a challenge as getting to them would’ve taken several days of hiking with camera equipment and the necessary crew. Knowing that the location and limited resources were hurdles we needed to clear, we started formulating a plan B.

The trail crew had been given cameras at the beginning of the summer to capture their work and experiences out in the park. We decided to utilize the footage and photography they captured as the b-roll for our feature. Then, at the end of the summer when the work was wrapping up, I traveled to the park to conduct on-camera interviews to help weave together the story we wanted to showcase.

I remain enchanted with the final product. Knowing what we had to work with, understanding the resources we had available and the time constraints of the project, remembering how inspiring the program participant and leaders were – it was an unforgettable combination.    

I loved getting to produce this piece. And I was excited to see the success and engagement the clip received as a result of my carefully planned and executed content strategy.