JBER videographer captures the action

  • Published
  • By Air Force Staff Sgt. Cynthia Spalding
  • JBER Public Affairs
MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. --  The behind-the-scenes scrutiny of documenting combat training came to life as Airman 1st Class Armando Aparicio Jr. donned his flight gear and video equipment to join the 210th and 212th rescue squadrons for their combat skills training in Southern California March 15.

"People see me out videotaping and they say 'Gee that's an awesome job,' but they don't realize how much work they don't see that goes into making the action recorded into a production," said Aparicio, a videographer with the 673d Air Base Wing Public Affairs Office. "Capturing the footage is a small part and it's probably my favorite as well."

On March 12, he received short notification the rescue squadrons were going on a training mission to California. Coordination and schedules were made and amended as timelines changed depending on aircraft departure availabilities throughout the week.
He was required to take everything he needed for field shooting with him. Coming back to Alaska wasn't an option.

"It's a lot of gear that we carry," Aparicio said. "We have different lenses, battery packs, laptop, charger, cleaning equipment, the camera itself, and a tripod is just my equipment. Then, while I am flying, I have to wear the required flight gear too. As much as I hate having to carry so much stuff for a shoot, it all has its role."

While the doors were locked open and the rotor blades were flinging dust and dirt into the air, Aparicio sat in the back of an HH-60G Pave Hawk combat search and rescue helicopter, assigned to the 210th RQS, recording brown outs, take-offs and landings. Of course he was strapped into a harness, but when moving around and having to stabilize a camera in a high speed moving helicopter, the task often becomes a bit more difficult.
"Getting a shot from a moving helicopter is pretty difficult," said Aparicio. "Balancing myself and the camera, was the hardest part in getting the shot, but with some practice, documenting the training became more my focus than having to worry about balance."
He said documenting the training is more than just getting footage in the air, it's also about making people comfortable with having the video camera around. When it comes to cameras, its often difficult when people act weird or camera shy. This can inhibit getting the best job done as well as hindering the training taking place because the person isn't able to fully focus on the mission at hand. Coordinating when and where to be at the right time to get the right shot is just as difficult.

"You'd have either the option of getting on the flight or staying on the ground to see the action this way or that way," Aparicio said. "But then you'd have a team going to do a mass-casualty extraction while another one would be recovering a simulated explosion. Everyone is doing something and, as a videographer, you want to get it all but you can only be in one place at one time. Most of the time, you have to rely on the leadership who's coordinating to help you decide where you're going to get the most action."
Work doesn't stop once the training is complete, Aparicio said. Keeping the equipment clean and sorting through hours of footage are all on the list of things to get done. Aparicio said he had more than five hours of footage from spending an entire week with the RQS and those hours required review and editing.

There are still the multiple interviews and script writing that takes place. The script is used to narrate the broadcasting portion of the job which is then released to a database where local news stations and any media source has access to use it.

"The most important part of completing the final product is when I can answer the question 'Is this something we can use?' with a 'Yes,'" Aparicio said. "The primary mission is to document their training so they can use it for further training. The plus side is when I can share what it is our Airmen do, or what any service member does, with the rest of the world."

JBER videos can be found at www.jber.af.mil.