Rahela Jagric is an international filmmaker, with her passion for stereoscopic filmmaking leading her to work in cities including Auckland, Berlin, London, and New York. Over the course of her award-winning film career, she has been selected to attend the Kyoto Filmmakers Lab in Japan, received a fellowship from the reputable German Filmmaking program Nipkow, and attended the reputable Russian Drama Theatre in Lithuania.
Most recently, Rahela was selected as an artist-in-residence for The Ingmar Bergman Estate on Fårö Island in Sweden, where she completed the screenplay for her next short film.
Rahela’s unique combination of craft and creativity has allowed her to develop skills in every major facet of production, including working as a script supervisor and assistant director on feature films, TV dramas, and commercials.
While Rahela is currently based in Slovenia, thanks to her strong and irresistible impulse to travel, she is always looking to join exciting and challenging international projects.
Below we feature one of her amazing videos from her time spent in Chile. Enjoy!
BT: Filmmaking is an obvious passion of yours, when did you first know that you wanted to create movies?
Rahela: I’ve been involved in filmmaking since as long as I can remember. My father is a cameraman, mostly working on documentary films and image videos, so filmmaking has always been very natural for me. Being around him helped me develop my skills, which I later applied on my own projects. I also studied film directing, which has deepened my passion for filmmaking.
My second passion is traveling. When I see something impressive, I just feel the urge to film and share the moment with everyone who cannot be with me in that specific moment. I just wish I could make a living by combining these two passions of mine.
BT: Are you always behind a camera when you travel or do you sometimes take time away from the lens?
Rahela: When traveling, my priority is to explore and find a connection with the people and places. So filming is just another way of approaching the journey. There are always some spontaneous moments that happen along the way, so I always carry a camera with me. You never know when something unexpected can happen in front of your eyes. I want to catch these moments in order to share them with others in the hope I can inspire them to travel as well.
BT: Of the places you have traveled to, which has been the most interesting to film and why?
Rahela: I’d say Chile because it has such a diverse landscape; from glaciers and volcanos to the desert, not to mention amazing food, wine, and my favorite pisco sour drink!
The people are so proud of their country and it shows on their faces. Everything is so colorful! The streets, the clothing, the buildings, and the culture are all vibrant and full of life and all that combined makes it even more interesting to film.
BT: Apart from your camera, what’s the most important item in your daypack?
Rahela: Food of course:) We have a saying in Slovenia that an empty potato sack can’t stand in an upright position.
BT: We have compiled a guide on How to Create Compelling Videos, do you have any tips you can add to this?
Rahela: Take your camera with you everywhere you go, because many times the best moments happen unexpectedly. Don’t forget to take a hard drive with you, so you’re not limited by the amount of footage you take. The magic happens in editing and you’ll be happy to see the amount of footage you took.
Natural voices are always a great addition to your video and should be recorded at the location rather than in post-production. Finally, use music that will increase the emotional impact of your video.
BT: Video is starting to surpass photos as the new medium when traveling. What advice would you give to someone looking to create travel videos?
Rahela: Firstly, know what you’re camera is capable of. Then observe, explore, and be brave in approaching your theme. You don’t need to have a complete script before the shoot but try to have at least a slight idea about the story you want to tell with your video.
Have fun while shooting and traveling, as this will always show in the video. Try to be innovative in your style, either while shooting or later on in post-production.
BT: Finally, where are you off to next?
Rahela: We will start where we left off the last time – in South America. Starting in Bolivia, then Peru, Ecuador, and finishing in Galapagos. I really want to see the giant tortoises and film them. Aren’t they the most adorable and photogenic creatures?
Big thanks to Rahela for taking the time to chat with us today. You can find more of her projects on her website www.rahelajagric.si
