Film Simona Vackova

My friends and family have always known that I'm a person with high aspirations. But aspirations matter little unless they motivate hard work and action. I don't think I surprised my parents the day I announced I would become a filmmaker. They glanced at each other and smiled politely. What they did not realize was that my passion for filmmaking wasn't just a phase and that I wasn't just dreaming about making it my career.

Just a few short years later I found myself pacing back and forth within the confines of Raw Productions studios. My pacing, I soon realized, was the aftermath of caffeine consumption and sleep deprivation. But I was sleep deprived for a reason-it's hard to find enough hours in the day while filming a new reality TV show. I always had something to do, whether it was using my interpersonal skills to secure locations or get people to sign talent release forms, or using my video expertise to capture candid moments on camera or edit footage on Final Cut Pro. It was only the second week of our thirteen week shoot, and our team had already run into several roadblocks. I was stressed out, tired, and anxious-but somehow, I loved every minute of it.

My extensive video background earned me the...