Today we’d like to introduce you to Evan Schell.
Hi Evan, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
After graduating from UC Santa Cruz with my undergraduate degree in environmental studies and film and digital media, I moved back to San Diego where I began freelance videography and photography work. Since then, I have worked on projects for a multitude of commercial clients, media outlets, and colleges including San Diego State University and CSU Long Beach.
The majority of my videography and photography work is related to my passions like surfing and art. Through visual storytelling, I strive to document and share stories about surfers, artists, musicians, and environmental education programs being developed here in San Diego.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Freelance work is always an ebb and flow of challenges and rewards. I think that distractions are ever present and that sometimes being critical of oneself can lead to some of the biggest hurdles to overcome. I have always been extremely hard on my self and over the few years I have done a better job of reducing the amount of stress that I put on myself when things get difficult.
Finding ways to step away and recalibrate through other creative outlets is essential for ensuring that you don’t burn out. I have been extremely fortunate over the years to have been able to meet a lot of supportive and helpful mentors that have offered me a lot of guidance and advice to help me get through inevitable challenges.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Growing up, I found that films and visual experiences created a compelling and inspiring form of learning that resonated with me. Today the work that I specialize in is filming and editing short films about individuals, brands, and events. Through the films and projects that I create, I strive to present audiences with a personalized perspective that is nuanced to the client’s needs.
Offering new perspectives and sharing unique stories about people in and outside of my community brings me a lot of joy. I am very diligent about the impact that short films and photography can have on people and society and because of this, I aim to evoke a range of feelings including curiosity and familiarity through my work.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
I think that the last year and a half has created a huge shift and reorientation across the board. The ongoing global pandemic has really forced people to reevaluate and take stock of what is important.
In terms of videography and photography, I think that people are a lot more aware of how much visual media we consume and in some cases rely on in order to get through a day. I think that a lot of clients are realizing how vital videographers and photographers are for ensuring that people are kept up to date with what is going on in the world. Already there has been a big boom in inquiries, projects, and shoots being green lit in order to make up for all of the ones that were rescheduled or cancelled last year. I think this is going to lead to a pretty busy next few years for videographers and photographers alike.
Contact Info:
- Email: es@evanschell.com
- Website: www.evanschell.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/theslipperysaltwaterchronicles
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/evanschellvideophoto
