Hi All,
2020 was a strange year, and as we all know not in the best way possible. For me it meant a lot of disappointments that ultimately (hopefully) led to a positive shift in course for my career and goals. New limitations on my Australian visa in combination with the abrupt halt to my career as an expedition guide and my acceptance into a Master's program in New Zealand have led me to the decision to fully pursue a childhood dream of mine: to become a professional wildlife filmmaker. I decided to create this blog to keep track of my journey moving forward, and to document the steps I take, challenges I encounter, and adventures I have along the way. With no formal experience as a filmmaker I expect this to be a long and arduous pursuit with no shortage of setbacks and failures along the way, and in no way do I expect things to unfold quickly. My hope, however, is that one day I will be producing media that contributes to the conservation and understanding of the wildlife I love and feel deeply connected to, and that this blog will keep a record of the experiences that lead me there.
This is where I'm at right now:
*I have been accepted into a Master's of Science Communication (Science and Natural History Filmmaking) at the University of Otago, but unfortunately had to defer a year due to New Zealand's strict border closures. My start date is now in February, 2022, which feels a long ways off.
*I have finally made it back to Australia after 9 months in Seattle struggling to find a flight back, and have just completed my mandatory 14-day state-sanctioned hotel quarantine at the Sheraton in Sydney. I was lucky enough to make it back to Victoria despite the VIC/NSW border closure just days before I was released.
*I am staying on the Mornington Peninsula with some friends, and have taken up temporary work as a dive instructor in Portsea while I get my bearings back.
*My plan is to focus the next 5-8 weeks living here and practicing with the various camera equipment I recently purchased, including a full underwater setup that I am very excited about (I will make a separate post about gear for anyone interested). Depending on state border limitations, I hope to relocate to the north towards the end of the Austral summer where I can search for new opportunities.
*I intend to keep up with this blog (at least intermittently) and post a variety of content including updates on my progress, media I create, cool wildlife encounters, stories and adventures, information on gear, and anything else that might be interesting.
Considering the state of the pandemic it is very hard to make any sort of predictions about where I will go next, or what types of opportunities will open up to me. I am excited and optimistic about the adventure ahead though, and for better or worse look forward to documenting the journey ahead!
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