About six months ago I met up with a local photographer who was delving into the world of video.  The lines between mediums have become blurred over the past couple of years and now clients are expecting more and more due to the advances in technology and shoestring budgets.

I first met Steve Marsel at one of my local presentations.  He approached me after the crowd had dispersed and expressed his interest in color correction.  Steve’s background in photography was a huge head start towards understanding the topic and he obviously had talent.  His latest video project, On Thick Ice, explored the lifestyle and culture of ice fishing in Maine.  Steve’s intention was to submit his short 3 minute piece to a contest in which the winner would receive a pitch to the Nat Geo channel.

Growing up in upstate New York I had a soft spot for these types of stories.  There aren’t many people who have experienced ice fishing, and while I have never done it myself, I know many people who have.  It’s an interesting subculture that definitely deserves a story.

So I signed up for the project and Steve and I began to collaborate on coloring On Thick Ice.  The footage was shot on a Canon 5D MKIII and the exposures were all over the place.  The entire piece was run and gun with no chance for lighting setups.  There were some challenging scenes, to say the least.  Maintaining a consistent hue to the snow and ice was imperative for consistency in storytelling.  But we made it all work and ended up at a place where we were both really happy and proud of the final product.

Submission for the contest took place about 3 months ago.  As the entries were slowly eliminated round by round, Steve’s piece still remained.  From over one hundred applicants Steve’s piece was selected and he won the opportunity to pitch his piece to the Nat Geo channel as a reality television series.

They went for it.  Quite an impressive feat by Steve, who just started shooting video out of necessity while trying to stay relevant in the business.  His talent and storytelling shined through and he now has a great new addition to his already impressive resume.  It just goes to show that dedication, persistence, and commitment can take you a long ways.  Keep pushing forward and don’t be afraid to take chances.  Congratulations to Steve and his fantastic work.

Below is a link from a local Maine newspaper that is starting to hype the show as news slowly leaks out about the new reality series.  Keep your eyes peeled for the series slated to start in the near future.