Peter Bragiel has had a camera practically attached to him since before Youtube was founded. Since then, his camera has taken him around the world, from Belgium to Tunisia, and beyond. The Travel Video Awards spoke with him about working with brands, getting the shot, and more.
How did you turn travel filmmaking into a career?
After college, I knew I didn’t want a traditional career so I decided to take seasonal jobs, and in turn, I was able to travel for work. I also had an affinity for filming, so I captured as much as I could during this time. Once Youtube came out, I was already filming and editing some comedy music videos and realized that it was a perfect platform for my travel content. Because of the timing, I happened to be one of the first travel Youtubers. I guess, I was happy with what I was creating and continued to do so, and eventually was able to monetize off videos and seek out various opportunities. It kind of snowballed from there.
What unique challenges does travel filmmaking present?
One thing is that there’s really no downtime. You have to be camera ready to capture anything at any given moment. Another is balancing “getting the shot” versus being respectful of the people, culture, and environment while you are filming.
