ABOVE IT ALL (2016) | A New Zealand Journey

A reflective film of my time in New Zealand. I couldn’t bare to upload it until I was satisfied

A reflective film of my time in New Zealand. I couldn’t bare to upload it until I was satisfied and I did the best I could in exhibiting the beauty of NZ without a stabilizer or drone. This is my attempt of something more than just another travel film, but to tell a hopefully relatable story.
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Background: During my junior year of college, it wasn’t exactly the best time of my life. I couldn’t find a balance between my physical or mental health and I was constantly making problems for myself. I wasn’t happy.
So I left.
I did it to run away from all my problems, I chose to go abroad with literally nothing to lose. But it turned out to be so much more that. Way more. It was the start of a search for the self appreciation I never had. For 20 years, I felt like I haven’t really had to the chance to be someone. So New Zealand seemed like it was the place to start.

Shot with Canon T4i, Blackmagic Pocket, and GoPro Hero
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Special thanks to:
The staff of the Education Abroad Network
The University of Hartford Study Abroad Office
Luke DiOrio
Melissa Galinato
David Bigbee
Justin Starr
Ma, Pa, Bro
The University of Otago (and Tramping Club)
Everyone that picked up a rookie hitchhiker
D.U.D.E.
The 30 million sheep of New Zealand
The Department of Conversation (DOC)
Scrumpy
My sleeping bag
Golden kiwi fruits
614 Castle St
Kea
Tim Tams
The really cool ski bum we were talking to on the way up to the ski lift and was cheering for me on his second time up, but watched me eat it
Mother Nature
Māori culture
Sweet as Whittaker's Fruit & Nut bar
Melissa's baking
Re:Fuel
Stewart's Bar
All the German and French that came to NZ to work on their English, but just ending up in a hostel room of 6 other natives
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Music by:
Ryan Taubert
Young Collective
Thomas Newman
Tony Anderson