My story begins in the dim back room of Grandmother's house, where a small boy could be found poring over his new discovery, the leaning yellow towers of National Geographic magazines that stood like ancient monoliths of imagination. Photographs that demanded a second and third look. Accounts that stretched the mind like a child stretching out a slingshot. But as this little boy read and re-read the stories within, those far-off lands and exotic colors seemed somehow within reach, as if one could shake hands with the Afghan shepherd on page 47, or stroke the pink feathers of the flamingo in issue 88. As I grew up, those memories of the yellow-bound afternoons never left me, but continued to fuel my desire to travel the world for myself.
Three years ago I took a trip to the Amazon, where I spent time with the Sateré-Mawé people of Brazil. With the blessing of the tribe, I picked up a video camera and began capturing the stories that were all around me. Little did I know, this simple act altered the course of my entire future. Suddenly it wasn't enough for me to travel to all the places I had read about in my Grandmother's house. I wanted more than anything to be part of creating the stories I pored over as a child. Through documentary filmmaking, I long to give back what I have been given. I want to be a story teller to the next generation, inspiring young minds to explore, understand and cherish this amazing planet for themselves.
*The music in this video is composed by Josh Stamper and used with permission.
