Wounded Warrior Project Logo

I definitely love the Wounded Warrior Project and other non-profit organizations that focus on helping veterans.  I look to volunteer through mentoring, helping guide veterans to different new career tracks, and I also provide steep discounts for freelance video production and editing for non-profits.  I’ve even provided services on trade for some local companies, gladly trading my video production and web services for restaurant tabs, pavers, and even a new roof!

As a former veteran I know how difficult the transition to civilian life can be.  I know what the business and labor market is like here as well.  Though I made it to the final interview round, I didn’t make it.  I ended up with a job that paid a lot more but the lingering regret that I was rejected made me sad.  Who was missing out more, them or me?  Who could I have helped and made a difference in their lives if I was chosen?

I certainly hope the person who got the job brought with them a passion for helping veterans that for me is there but strangely I see no outlet to help veterans with my skills as a senior video producer, editor and animator AND a senior software cloud engineer.

Jacksonville and Northeast Florida is a challenging job market

I work remotely for an amazing company, but far outside of the Jacksonville, Florida market.  Coming to Jacksonville from a different state, I quickly learned a lot about the employment marketing in Jacksonville but I won’t share much of my observations here but only feel I must stress that it is challenging to find work here.  Jacksonville and North East Florida in general is a highly-competitive labor market which underscores the real challenges veterans who end up in this market will encounter.  I know first hand what Jacksonville is like but after 10 years here I must say it’s a nice place to live but I’m not sure you’re going to work here!

Some dare to complain about the speculation, angel-investor, equity-backed, old-money, tight-knit, old-thinking business environment I’ve encountered throughout the Jacksonville area.  I will say Jacksonville is not as hospitable of a job market in many senses regarding pay and job security compared to similar markets throughout the US.  The disposable mentality towards workers seems disproportionate here.  I’ve heard it enough from fell software engineers, videographers and graphic designers that Jax is a pretty nice area to live and raise a family but in the professional career realm it’s frequently not what you know and how competent and trustworthy you are, it’s who you know.

Here was my pitch that got me to the final round of interviews along with some of the video samples you’ll find on my homepage.

HOOAH! Why choose Aaron for video?

I have over 20 years experience in video and media production as well as a deep understanding of how organizations can use powerful tools to leverage the web to scale and accomplish business priorities and goals.


We only have ONE chance to make a first impression!

You may have a great idea but how do you bring it all together? That’s where I come in!

When I was a crew chief and helicopter repairer in the U.S. Army, I started shooting video out the side of my aircraft for fun. It was great because I could share the experiences I had stationed overseas in Germany with my friends and family back home.

After 5 years of honorable service, I got out and started in the newspaper business as a graphic designer at the Cape Coral Daily Breeze. Believe it or not, I’ve had videos playing on websites since 1997! Thereafter, I started shooting local cable TV and have been producing videos for TV and the web ever since!


Pendulum book cover

I just finished the book “Pendulum: How past generations shape our present and predict our future“. It’s macro guide with micro strategic implications that could help a business become more profitable.

It’s an interesting read about the natural 80-year cycles of society’s shifts in attitudes and tastes and how best to capitalize on these tidal changes from a marketing perspective. Since marketing is mostly an appeal to emotions, it helps provide general guidance about regional societies’ changing tastes, norms, and preferences that can shape marketing strategies and help make decisions for advertising and calls to action based on emotional appeal.

For instance, should marketing and public messaging appeal to a more individualistic or common, nationalistic sentiment? “Pendulum” kind of looks at the tea leaves in its sometimes too-rigid 80-year cycle context. At times, though the authors seem to struggle to fit past major events tightly into it’s 20-year pendulum movements to justify their findings, its greater service is how it raises awareness and helps marketing strategists be more cognizant of the phenomenon of society’s macro shifts in human emotions and behaviors.

“Pendulum” also explains why and how public sentiment can seem to shift so quickly, making the case that Marketing must be fluid and the only constant when dealing with human behavior and audiences is that they will inevitably change. Armed with Pendulum’s insights, these changes in public sentiment may become more predictable and less jarring to companies who may be reeling from a sudden loss in web traffic or audience response.

Looking at current events and recent events in the past I find in a lot of ways it’s not too far off the mark identifying certain apexes of public sentiments where the authors show the inevitable swing towards new attitudes and norms were predictable if people paid attention to certain markers. The hair bands of the ’80s and the swinging ’20s actually do have many things in common.

For marketers, this is an excellent base for starting research and breathing fresh air into marketing plans as they look for new approaches to reach their target market audiences. It offers a unique 40,000 foot perspective about the natural ebbs and flows of society while providing general guidance in predicting public sentiments to help shape future communication and marketing strategies down to the type of imagery that would be more impactful on your website and corporate materials.

It certainly offers some very credible explanations about why certain marketing tactics and messaging work then fall out of favor. As a software developer who appreciates systems and the building blocks and patterns on which everything functions together, the insights about the 80-year cycles of societies aren’t profound as much as they help raise awareness of the herd mentality of societies.

Overall, “Pendulum” is a very interesting read that will inevitably welcome new perspectives and questions when deliberating future business and marketing strategies.

Aaron Belchamber


You can’t be one of the best freelance video producers in Jacksonville without the experience to show for it. Some video producers specialize in certain niches, like medical marketing, automotive, retail, or restaurants, but few have experience in different niches. 

I have the experience of producing effective videos in all of these industries and a lot more, including education videos, commercials and fundraising videos for non-profits, videos for manufacturers, jewelers, publications like regional and national magazines, and much more.

Every video project may be unique, but the same winning formula holds true for each of the “Five P’s” of successful video production. Each of these P’s represent a distinct phase in the process of getting a successful video made.

  1. Preparation

  2. Planning

  3. Pre-production

  4. Production

  5. Post-production

Your audience understands context and when you're "cheaping out"

There are many different types of videos, some are much easier and less time consuming to produce than others, of course. Many small companies may want to produce videos themselves, after all, everyone with a smart phone has a fairly decent camera so why not try?! 

These days, we’re used to seeing field reporters show up on the news reporting on some story from some faraway place via Skype or Facetime. Often, these gritty reports are the only way the major news outlets can deliver some interviews.  No matter where these field reporters are, they can call in for a video chat with their audio out of sync or suddenly their picture frozen. It relays a feeling of immediacy, which is great… if the reporter is in some third world country maybe reporting on a civil war.

Your company is likely not in a country where the Internet has been ravaged by civil war, most of your audience understands context so it might be advantageous if the quality of your video and audio is at a point where it leaves not only a positive impression on the viewer but it also doesn’t become a distraction. 

Also, people understand context of how a video was produced, if you deliver something so cheap and of poor production quality, you may create more harm than good for your company’s brand and image, especially if the audience comes away knowing you just went on the cheap.

Advice from one of the best freelance videographers in Jacksonville: Looking to make company web videos on the cheap? At least pay attention to your sound!

Certain videos are okay in this “reporter on location” format, but for the love of your own future marketing and organization’s image, use a decent microphone in your otherwise very amateur video shoot! If nothing else, allow the viewers of your video to at least understand what you’re saying. Clear audio can really improve the overall perception of quality of your video.  Even shaky, amateur phone videos will seem much more palatable if people can understand what the subject is saying without a lot of needless background noise.  Background noise and other distractions just get in the way of your marketing message!

Distractions are every video’s enemy!

This is why quality of your video production is important, it takes A LOT of care to make the subject the focus of attention.  A well-produced video allows the viewer to focus on the subject without the distractions caused by poor video production quality, like shaky cameras, poor audio, amateurish and poorly designed graphics, and untimely edits and cuts.
A well produced video eliminates most distractions so your message is delivered as clearly as possible.  Since video is so effective in conveying your company stories and marketing information, good video production quality is the highest form of web content optimization you will ever invest in!

Looking for freelance videographers in Jacksonville

We have all the field equipment needed to supplement your existing video productions or be your total video production solution!  If you are looking for freelance videographers in Jacksonville, we have the flexibility and experience working with broadcast television stations and helping other ad agencies.  If you are a small  company or non-profit, we offer affordable rates and can help turn your great ideas into reality.  Click here to view our local video production rate card.