Giving it Back to Nature

Everyone loves a good comeback story. I think it’s one of the reasons this project stands out in my mind. I remember standing on the shore of Drakes Estero and trying to envision the commercial oyster operation that once occupied this area. It was hard to imagine, as signs of the ecosystem’s recovery were already appearing.

For this feature, we had the opportunity to showcase a significant project we’d supported: the restoration of the marine wilderness at Point Reyes National Seashore. On top of being a lesser-known park (my favorite element to showcase in projects), I had the opportunity to feature the park’s subject-matter experts and our organization’s president.

The fact that we had complete control of how this video came to life (i.e., storyboarding, timing, interviews, etc.) made me appreciate the final result that much more. I also had the opportunity to build a rapport and level of comfort with our subjects during the scouting day (before the shoot), which doesn’t always get to happen. The advantage is that it gave me a short-hand with them and put them at ease in discussing their expertise in front of the camera.

The footage and photos of the debris removal that were given to us by the park perfectly complemented what we captured that day. It makes the viewer realize the contrast of what once was and what now stands – it makes viewers understand the possibilities of what can happen when we give the land back to nature.

I loved getting to research, prepare for, and execute this shoot. I loved seeing the power of our organization’s work in action. And perhaps most of all, I loved seeing how our community engaged with the final product after implementing my content strategy.