JROTC ALPHA COMPANY RAPPELLING

In JROTC, I am a company commander, and part of my role is maintaining morale. When our company went out to rappel, I brought my drone and camera gear to create something my cadets could be proud of.
 

I wanted this video to feel epic and give them a sense of accomplishment. I used multiple lenses, including a 14mm and 40mm, and incorporated drone footage to make it feel higher quality and more professional.
 

We ran into a few challenges—limited battery, storage, and weather—which meant I had to work with less footage than planned. To compensate, I used a variety of angles and added interviews to help build the story and keep the video engaging.
 

My favorite moment is at 1:17, where the drone circles a cadet rappelling down the wall. That shot taught me that stillness can be more powerful than constant motion. Instead of relying on shaky, high-energy footage, this moment felt clean and intentional, and it changed how I think about pacing.
 

If I were to redo this project, I would simplify my approach—using a tripod more often and focusing on cleaner shots. I would also spend more time on color grading, as I was new to it, and the final result came out muddier than I intended.