Being able to work with Rudy Mancke was an experience I will never forget! His wealth of knowledge and confidence in front of the camera was something that amazed me every hour that I spent with him. As an aspiring journalist, I am always looking for ways to improve my craft, and being in Mr. Mancke’s presence taught me some invaluable lessons. One major thing that I learned from him was to treat every person with respect. Whether they’re your director, photographer, intern, or producer, each person is just as valuable as the other. He took the time to talk with me and teach me small lessons about nature in between each of our scenes. Although he was clearly a seasoned naturalist, he never made me feel inferior about my lack of knowledge concerning nature; he instead taught me with patience.
In addition to soaking in information, I was able to hold the scene-changing cards for the producers. When it’s time for the producers to edit, these cards will help them to easily identify where a new scene is. This was a small task in the overall project, but I was grateful just to be there. I can’t wait to see the final product when it airs!