Beyond the Desk: Michael de Vera on reigniting his love for video creation
Thu 08.26.21 / Kelly Chan
Beyond the Desk: Michael de Vera on reigniting his love for video creation
Thu 08.26.21 / Kelly Chan
Thu 08.26.21 / Kelly Chan
Thu 08.26.21 / Kelly Chan
Beyond the Desk: Michael de Vera on reigniting his love for video creation
Thu 08.26.21 / Kelly Chan
Beyond the Desk: Michael de Vera on reigniting his love for video creation
Thu 08.26.21 / Kelly Chan
Thu 08.26.21 / Kelly Chan
Thu 08.26.21 / Kelly Chan
From the colorful, mural-lined streets of Chinatown in Oakland, California, to the bright luxury hotels of the Las Vegas strip, Michael de Vera has captured all of the beauty of his travels through a lens. Khoury News sat down with de Vera, the associate director of graduate advising and student services for the Khoury College of Computer Sciences’ San Francisco campus, to explore his passion for video content creation. In this interview, he walks through his journey of becoming a creator, the messages behind his work, and how his passion projects have impacted his role at Northeastern.
Michael de VeraHow did you first get into video creation?
Throughout my childhood, I made a lot of home videos with my brothers. We would make alien movies while we were out camping and film fake news broadcasts. And my childhood icon was definitely Steven Spielberg.
Then in high school, I took a digital media class, and I wanted to continue it. For two years at community college, I started taking film courses and was a film major. When I transferred to UCLA, I didn’t want to pursue film since it was competitive, so I switched to anthropology. My passion for video continued when I traveled since I always took videos while on vacation. But only lately, since 2018, have I been trying to start upskilling, especially with Adobe Premiere Pro. Then, last October, my partner and I started a travel YouTube channel, Sole WAP (Wandering Around Places).
Tell me about your YouTube channel Sole WAP (Wandering Around Places). Why did you start it?
There were two main interests that led to this channel. One is my love for traveling. When I think about life outside of work, my goals would be to live outside the country and continue traveling. But during the pandemic, everyone experienced a lull when it came to traveling and adventuring. I knew I wasn’t alone, and I knew there were people who faced even more challenges in leaving their apartment. So, every opportunity when I went out of town or into the city, I took my Osmo Pocket camera and recorded my “wandering” videos. I thought it fulfilled a very functional purpose during the day, especially for people who were indoors and couldn’t really go outside.
The second factor was that I wanted to build up my portfolio and use this as a skill-building opportunity to engage more video content. I am revisiting my passion for video-making after deciding to pursue anthropology and then higher education.
What message do you want to send to your audience through this channel?
Our slogan is: “Get your daily dose of wandering.” It is very pertinent to last year, especially with remote learning, but I still think there’s a need for people to remember to get their Vitamin D and go outside — or at least feel like it. I want to help transport them to a different place because in the monotony of working from home, it’s good to have a break.
How did your passion for video seep into your work at Northeastern?
It started with a conversation with my colleagues about our passion projects outside of work. Then we realized we could use more video projects for Khoury College, and so far, I’ve been able to personally edit about five videos and help produce another three or four for Northeastern, including session introductions for Khoury’s State of The Culture Conference in April. Currently, I’m working on a project for orientation.
Using video for different purposes has definitely been a highlight of my experience at Northeastern because there’s this acknowledgment that you can bring your holistic self to work. It even became one of my workplace goals with my supervisor to see how I can incorporate my passions outside of work into projects at work, and I am lucky to be able to do that.
What do you like most about video content creation?
I like listening to people’s stories and how far they’ve made it, which is also the reason why I’m in academic advising and higher ed. Going to college is a big deal, and everyone has a story from somewhere. A lot of people don’t realize how valuable their story is and how captivating it could be. I think about that a lot, and this hobby helps me put people’s stories into something digestible while also valuable and inspiring.
How does this creative side of you help you as an advisor?
As an advisor for the Align program, I’m helping people who are transitioning into computer science from a different field. I have people from all walks of life with different goals – whether that’s working for Amazon, the city, or nonprofits – and I really have to think outside the box about how people can truly succeed in this program. With all that in mind, I have to be creative as an advisor.
What are you looking forward to in your journey of video creation?
Some of the video content that I’m hoping to create now for Northeastern is to spotlight resources for students by telling the story behind it, for questions like “What is the goal of orientation?” and “What are Career Peer Advisors?” It makes a big difference when there’s a short video that showcases what students will experience and it adds a human touch. That’s the main question I ask myself: How can I humanize things to relate to students, especially in a virtual world?
Also, part of what I want to do is create a video editing business, that specifically supports Black, Indigenous, and People of Color and individuals of marginalized identities who are trying to start a business and use visual media as a way to enhance their story and outreach. Whether it’s about lifestyle or services, I want to help uplift other people’s work.
Watch more of de Vera’s videos on his YouTube channel or follow his travel Instagram account for more content.
From the colorful, mural-lined streets of Chinatown in Oakland, California, to the bright luxury hotels of the Las Vegas strip, Michael de Vera has captured all of the beauty of his travels through a lens. Khoury News sat down with de Vera, the associate director of graduate advising and student services for the Khoury College of Computer Sciences’ San Francisco campus, to explore his passion for video content creation. In this interview, he walks through his journey of becoming a creator, the messages behind his work, and how his passion projects have impacted his role at Northeastern.
Michael de VeraHow did you first get into video creation?
Throughout my childhood, I made a lot of home videos with my brothers. We would make alien movies while we were out camping and film fake news broadcasts. And my childhood icon was definitely Steven Spielberg.
Then in high school, I took a digital media class, and I wanted to continue it. For two years at community college, I started taking film courses and was a film major. When I transferred to UCLA, I didn’t want to pursue film since it was competitive, so I switched to anthropology. My passion for video continued when I traveled since I always took videos while on vacation. But only lately, since 2018, have I been trying to start upskilling, especially with Adobe Premiere Pro. Then, last October, my partner and I started a travel YouTube channel, Sole WAP (Wandering Around Places).
Tell me about your YouTube channel Sole WAP (Wandering Around Places). Why did you start it?
There were two main interests that led to this channel. One is my love for traveling. When I think about life outside of work, my goals would be to live outside the country and continue traveling. But during the pandemic, everyone experienced a lull when it came to traveling and adventuring. I knew I wasn’t alone, and I knew there were people who faced even more challenges in leaving their apartment. So, every opportunity when I went out of town or into the city, I took my Osmo Pocket camera and recorded my “wandering” videos. I thought it fulfilled a very functional purpose during the day, especially for people who were indoors and couldn’t really go outside.
The second factor was that I wanted to build up my portfolio and use this as a skill-building opportunity to engage more video content. I am revisiting my passion for video-making after deciding to pursue anthropology and then higher education.
What message do you want to send to your audience through this channel?
Our slogan is: “Get your daily dose of wandering.” It is very pertinent to last year, especially with remote learning, but I still think there’s a need for people to remember to get their Vitamin D and go outside — or at least feel like it. I want to help transport them to a different place because in the monotony of working from home, it’s good to have a break.
How did your passion for video seep into your work at Northeastern?
It started with a conversation with my colleagues about our passion projects outside of work. Then we realized we could use more video projects for Khoury College, and so far, I’ve been able to personally edit about five videos and help produce another three or four for Northeastern, including session introductions for Khoury’s State of The Culture Conference in April. Currently, I’m working on a project for orientation.
Using video for different purposes has definitely been a highlight of my experience at Northeastern because there’s this acknowledgment that you can bring your holistic self to work. It even became one of my workplace goals with my supervisor to see how I can incorporate my passions outside of work into projects at work, and I am lucky to be able to do that.
What do you like most about video content creation?
I like listening to people’s stories and how far they’ve made it, which is also the reason why I’m in academic advising and higher ed. Going to college is a big deal, and everyone has a story from somewhere. A lot of people don’t realize how valuable their story is and how captivating it could be. I think about that a lot, and this hobby helps me put people’s stories into something digestible while also valuable and inspiring.
How does this creative side of you help you as an advisor?
As an advisor for the Align program, I’m helping people who are transitioning into computer science from a different field. I have people from all walks of life with different goals – whether that’s working for Amazon, the city, or nonprofits – and I really have to think outside the box about how people can truly succeed in this program. With all that in mind, I have to be creative as an advisor.
What are you looking forward to in your journey of video creation?
Some of the video content that I’m hoping to create now for Northeastern is to spotlight resources for students by telling the story behind it, for questions like “What is the goal of orientation?” and “What are Career Peer Advisors?” It makes a big difference when there’s a short video that showcases what students will experience and it adds a human touch. That’s the main question I ask myself: How can I humanize things to relate to students, especially in a virtual world?
Also, part of what I want to do is create a video editing business, that specifically supports Black, Indigenous, and People of Color and individuals of marginalized identities who are trying to start a business and use visual media as a way to enhance their story and outreach. Whether it’s about lifestyle or services, I want to help uplift other people’s work.
Watch more of de Vera’s videos on his YouTube channel or follow his travel Instagram account for more content.
From the colorful, mural-lined streets of Chinatown in Oakland, California, to the bright luxury hotels of the Las Vegas strip, Michael de Vera has captured all of the beauty of his travels through a lens. Khoury News sat down with de Vera, the associate director of graduate advising and student services for the Khoury College of Computer Sciences’ San Francisco campus, to explore his passion for video content creation. In this interview, he walks through his journey of becoming a creator, the messages behind his work, and how his passion projects have impacted his role at Northeastern.
Michael de VeraHow did you first get into video creation?
Throughout my childhood, I made a lot of home videos with my brothers. We would make alien movies while we were out camping and film fake news broadcasts. And my childhood icon was definitely Steven Spielberg.
Then in high school, I took a digital media class, and I wanted to continue it. For two years at community college, I started taking film courses and was a film major. When I transferred to UCLA, I didn’t want to pursue film since it was competitive, so I switched to anthropology. My passion for video continued when I traveled since I always took videos while on vacation. But only lately, since 2018, have I been trying to start upskilling, especially with Adobe Premiere Pro. Then, last October, my partner and I started a travel YouTube channel, Sole WAP (Wandering Around Places).
Tell me about your YouTube channel Sole WAP (Wandering Around Places). Why did you start it?
There were two main interests that led to this channel. One is my love for traveling. When I think about life outside of work, my goals would be to live outside the country and continue traveling. But during the pandemic, everyone experienced a lull when it came to traveling and adventuring. I knew I wasn’t alone, and I knew there were people who faced even more challenges in leaving their apartment. So, every opportunity when I went out of town or into the city, I took my Osmo Pocket camera and recorded my “wandering” videos. I thought it fulfilled a very functional purpose during the day, especially for people who were indoors and couldn’t really go outside.
The second factor was that I wanted to build up my portfolio and use this as a skill-building opportunity to engage more video content. I am revisiting my passion for video-making after deciding to pursue anthropology and then higher education.
What message do you want to send to your audience through this channel?
Our slogan is: “Get your daily dose of wandering.” It is very pertinent to last year, especially with remote learning, but I still think there’s a need for people to remember to get their Vitamin D and go outside — or at least feel like it. I want to help transport them to a different place because in the monotony of working from home, it’s good to have a break.
How did your passion for video seep into your work at Northeastern?
It started with a conversation with my colleagues about our passion projects outside of work. Then we realized we could use more video projects for Khoury College, and so far, I’ve been able to personally edit about five videos and help produce another three or four for Northeastern, including session introductions for Khoury’s State of The Culture Conference in April. Currently, I’m working on a project for orientation.
Using video for different purposes has definitely been a highlight of my experience at Northeastern because there’s this acknowledgment that you can bring your holistic self to work. It even became one of my workplace goals with my supervisor to see how I can incorporate my passions outside of work into projects at work, and I am lucky to be able to do that.
What do you like most about video content creation?
I like listening to people’s stories and how far they’ve made it, which is also the reason why I’m in academic advising and higher ed. Going to college is a big deal, and everyone has a story from somewhere. A lot of people don’t realize how valuable their story is and how captivating it could be. I think about that a lot, and this hobby helps me put people’s stories into something digestible while also valuable and inspiring.
How does this creative side of you help you as an advisor?
As an advisor for the Align program, I’m helping people who are transitioning into computer science from a different field. I have people from all walks of life with different goals – whether that’s working for Amazon, the city, or nonprofits – and I really have to think outside the box about how people can truly succeed in this program. With all that in mind, I have to be creative as an advisor.
What are you looking forward to in your journey of video creation?
Some of the video content that I’m hoping to create now for Northeastern is to spotlight resources for students by telling the story behind it, for questions like “What is the goal of orientation?” and “What are Career Peer Advisors?” It makes a big difference when there’s a short video that showcases what students will experience and it adds a human touch. That’s the main question I ask myself: How can I humanize things to relate to students, especially in a virtual world?
Also, part of what I want to do is create a video editing business, that specifically supports Black, Indigenous, and People of Color and individuals of marginalized identities who are trying to start a business and use visual media as a way to enhance their story and outreach. Whether it’s about lifestyle or services, I want to help uplift other people’s work.
Watch more of de Vera’s videos on his YouTube channel or follow his travel Instagram account for more content.
From the colorful, mural-lined streets of Chinatown in Oakland, California, to the bright luxury hotels of the Las Vegas strip, Michael de Vera has captured all of the beauty of his travels through a lens. Khoury News sat down with de Vera, the associate director of graduate advising and student services for the Khoury College of Computer Sciences’ San Francisco campus, to explore his passion for video content creation. In this interview, he walks through his journey of becoming a creator, the messages behind his work, and how his passion projects have impacted his role at Northeastern.
Michael de VeraHow did you first get into video creation?
Throughout my childhood, I made a lot of home videos with my brothers. We would make alien movies while we were out camping and film fake news broadcasts. And my childhood icon was definitely Steven Spielberg.
Then in high school, I took a digital media class, and I wanted to continue it. For two years at community college, I started taking film courses and was a film major. When I transferred to UCLA, I didn’t want to pursue film since it was competitive, so I switched to anthropology. My passion for video continued when I traveled since I always took videos while on vacation. But only lately, since 2018, have I been trying to start upskilling, especially with Adobe Premiere Pro. Then, last October, my partner and I started a travel YouTube channel, Sole WAP (Wandering Around Places).
Tell me about your YouTube channel Sole WAP (Wandering Around Places). Why did you start it?
There were two main interests that led to this channel. One is my love for traveling. When I think about life outside of work, my goals would be to live outside the country and continue traveling. But during the pandemic, everyone experienced a lull when it came to traveling and adventuring. I knew I wasn’t alone, and I knew there were people who faced even more challenges in leaving their apartment. So, every opportunity when I went out of town or into the city, I took my Osmo Pocket camera and recorded my “wandering” videos. I thought it fulfilled a very functional purpose during the day, especially for people who were indoors and couldn’t really go outside.
The second factor was that I wanted to build up my portfolio and use this as a skill-building opportunity to engage more video content. I am revisiting my passion for video-making after deciding to pursue anthropology and then higher education.
What message do you want to send to your audience through this channel?
Our slogan is: “Get your daily dose of wandering.” It is very pertinent to last year, especially with remote learning, but I still think there’s a need for people to remember to get their Vitamin D and go outside — or at least feel like it. I want to help transport them to a different place because in the monotony of working from home, it’s good to have a break.
How did your passion for video seep into your work at Northeastern?
It started with a conversation with my colleagues about our passion projects outside of work. Then we realized we could use more video projects for Khoury College, and so far, I’ve been able to personally edit about five videos and help produce another three or four for Northeastern, including session introductions for Khoury’s State of The Culture Conference in April. Currently, I’m working on a project for orientation.
Using video for different purposes has definitely been a highlight of my experience at Northeastern because there’s this acknowledgment that you can bring your holistic self to work. It even became one of my workplace goals with my supervisor to see how I can incorporate my passions outside of work into projects at work, and I am lucky to be able to do that.
What do you like most about video content creation?
I like listening to people’s stories and how far they’ve made it, which is also the reason why I’m in academic advising and higher ed. Going to college is a big deal, and everyone has a story from somewhere. A lot of people don’t realize how valuable their story is and how captivating it could be. I think about that a lot, and this hobby helps me put people’s stories into something digestible while also valuable and inspiring.
How does this creative side of you help you as an advisor?
As an advisor for the Align program, I’m helping people who are transitioning into computer science from a different field. I have people from all walks of life with different goals – whether that’s working for Amazon, the city, or nonprofits – and I really have to think outside the box about how people can truly succeed in this program. With all that in mind, I have to be creative as an advisor.
What are you looking forward to in your journey of video creation?
Some of the video content that I’m hoping to create now for Northeastern is to spotlight resources for students by telling the story behind it, for questions like “What is the goal of orientation?” and “What are Career Peer Advisors?” It makes a big difference when there’s a short video that showcases what students will experience and it adds a human touch. That’s the main question I ask myself: How can I humanize things to relate to students, especially in a virtual world?
Also, part of what I want to do is create a video editing business, that specifically supports Black, Indigenous, and People of Color and individuals of marginalized identities who are trying to start a business and use visual media as a way to enhance their story and outreach. Whether it’s about lifestyle or services, I want to help uplift other people’s work.
Watch more of de Vera’s videos on his YouTube channel or follow his travel Instagram account for more content.
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