Yuma, Arizona - I spent some time earlier this year filming Marines for a documentary set to be released in a few years. It was, hands down, the most intense shoot I have ever been involved in. I’ve spent some time dangling on ropes thousands of feet up, but in those situations, I’m in control for the most part. However on this shoot, between standing on the edge of a C-130 filming aerial refueling, to flying around in a Huey watching my Combat Camera counterpart throw up the entire length of the helicopter ride while simultaneously trying to film 70mm rockets and .50 caliber machine guns annihilating targets, I felt very much out of control. Even so, it proved to be a difficult, yet extremely rewarding project.
Not only did I get to test the physical limitations of my stomach and the equipment I used, but I gained a new respect for the intensity of the training that most Marines are put through. It was definitely a once in a lifetime experience that i’d like to experience more than once in my lifetime.