Being the subject of dramatic video content is nothing new for Jess. Her internship with the New Zealand Winter Games provided the opportunity for her to learn the skills needed to be behind the camera.
Jess’ interest in video and film started while she was on the international freeride skiing circuit.
“In 2020 my main sponsor, Head, was producing a series of YouTube episodes which I was lucky to be involved in, while I was in between international competitions. The cameraman, who doubled as the film director, producer and editor, invited me to film with them. I was asked to do this again in 2022, while I was still competing on the Freeride World Tour. My involvement has snowballed since then.”
However, it wasn’t until a conversation with Jess’ HPSNZ Performance Life coach, Carol Goodlass, that being on the other side of the camera came into consideration as a realistic prospect.
“Carol had seen some of the films I was in and asked if I’d thought about learning to do the filming. That was huge eyeopener,” says Jess.
“I was around people all the time who could help, I’d learned a lot of mountain skills as well as my skiing experience so it seemed a no brainer to combine all these skills and add in filming. It meant I could still be involved in the industry and doing something creative.”
Step in New Zealand Winter Games communications and media manager, Britt Hawes, and friend and lead social media content generator on Winter Games, Jason Beacham, and Jess’ internship came together.
With the opportunity to join the videography and photography team for the Games, Jess embarked on a fast track, self learning programme to get certain skills before the internship started.
“There was lots of YouTube viewing; I bought a super flash Sony camera and pushed myself through self-guided learning.
Jess also undertook one on one lessons with Jason where she learned editing skills and camera competency using existing footage.
“Working on the Games was a bit of baptism by fire. I had to work in a team to create a product and was immediately filming alongside really experienced people such as the live stream crew. We all had the same end goal – to create something special by supporting each other to get the end result.”
Britt has nothing but praise for the contribution Jess made to the team, both in the pre-event phase of sorting terabytes of footage to create bespoke content through to event content that had to be turned around really quickly.
“As a former snow sport athlete who had also been through the internship process, I knew this opportunity would be great for Jess to help kickstart her career in this industry,” says Britt.
“I was keen to have an athlete who understood the sport and, in particular, I wanted a woman’s eye in what has been a traditionally male dominated space.
“Jess’ exceptional skiing ability meant she was able to capture follow cam footage, following the athletes through the World Cup Slopestyle Course carrying her camera, which was pretty impressive.”
Britt has nothing but praise for Jess. “She was so good, picked things up very quickly and had an amazing work ethic. She slotted right in and was a really valuable team member. I’d have her back in a heartbeat.”
For Jess, the internship experience has reinforced the creative space she’d like to work in. “I want to be more involved in the storytelling side but know I also need to keep honing my filming skills.”
Jess says that she will find every opportunity to continue filming while she’s overseas this season and she’d love to do her own filming project back in New Zealand.
And she would love to do another Winter Games NZ. Something that must be music to Britt’s ears.
