Bookacameraman.com Connects Outdoor Industry Professionals
OutdoorHub Reporters 08.22.13
Attention outdoor videographers. This week, David Weldon, an outdoor film creator and camera enthusiast, will roll out the all-new bookacameraman.com. This unique resource seeks to open the lines of communication between cameramen and producers.
David got the idea for bookacameraman.com after struggling for years himself in the outdoor industry. After finally making it, he is now hoping to help others succeed. “Three years ago I noticed a hole in the industry and decided that I could fill it,” David explains. “Since my friends had taken to calling me for advice about booking help for their projects anyway, I thought why not open it up to everyone.”
An avid outdoorsman since he was very young, David always dreamed of making his hobby into a career. “My dad had me hunting with him at an early age,” he remembers. “I grew up doing every kind of hunting you can think of.”
“In the late ’80s I saw my first turkey hunting video,” David recalls “And I thought it was so cool. I fell in love with the idea of capturing hunts on video right then and there.” So, after a few years working at a post office, David decided to give freelancing a shot. But he found breaking into the industry to be a bit of a challenge. For many years, he settled for volunteering his time at various odd jobs. He often attended industry gigs to try and network, but still struggled to make the needed connections that would allow him to make a living. Finally, after 10 years of struggling, he caught a break at a Ducks Unlimited convention. Joel Strickland, the producer and creator of AdventureBound Outdoors, approached David about joining the project.
He finally had a way in. David worked with Strictland for many years, and began getting paid for what he loved to do. In 2008, he was able to start his own production company, Road Dawg Media. Now he does in all forms of production work including commercials, motion graphics, DVDs, corporate videos, political ads, and even a TV series—Drake’s Migration Nation.
Through his newest endeavor, David hopes to utilize his industry connections for other’s benefit. Outdoor industry cameramen can upload their resumes to the online database for $99 a year, and producers can review their profiles and choose the cameraman who best fits their needs. “I wanted to do a website specifically for outdoor cameramen and producers because that is what I know,” David said. “I am both a producer and a cameraman so, when we were creating the website, I tried to wear both hats and think about what I would want on each side.”
Visit bookacameraman.com to get listed or find a cameraman for your next gig.
