Meet Lucie McCormick | Documentary Filmmaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lucie McCormick and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lucie, what principle do you value most?
Everything we do is a micro-expression of who we are; at work, with strangers, in relationships, and alone with ourselves, we are a tapestry of our choices and experiences. I try to be consistent with my values even when it is uncomfortable – I think that helps me feel more cohesive and honest as I move between things.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’m a freelance filmmaker; primarily I work behind the camera, with drones, and as a producer. When I was eight years old I determined that I would either grow up and be a spy, or one day work for National Geographic ~ and (while I can’t say anything about being a spy ;)) I recently had my first shoot as a freelance director of photography for Nat Geo. Having that moment after twenty years felt surreal, like an existentially stressed part of me relaxed and I could widen my vision.

I got into this work because I want to continuously find myself in new situations, connect with people, and learn as much as I can… each day is just a moment in the process.

There are two primary things that contribute to my development: community and passion projects. It is so important to find ways of working on things that keep your energy and interest up. Even if it doesn’t lead to direct income, filming things I care about has allowed me to build a body of work that has, over time, shifted the scale so I am getting to do more and more of what I love (which is largely science, nature, and community storytelling). I would say it was a similar approach when I first graduated that helped me get started; in my first year out of college I traveled to film the total solar eclipse over the US, and went to China to compete as a dragon boat paddler. On each of those trips I pitched to different news outlets and was able to contribute short videos, and from those I was eventually offered work as a video producer with both outlets. Whenever I feel stuck, I try to recall how tenacious I could be when I had no career and it felt like there was nothing to lose.

Since deciding to freelance, I have also come to see that surrounding yourself with beautiful working relationships makes so much more possible – I don’t know where I would be without having a network of people I trust around me to bounce questions, share equipment, cover gigs for one another, and empathize when things feel tight. I feel very lucky.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Whenever I’m in the city I try to hike, touch the water, and get a coffee at goodboybob in Santa Monica. A few spots I recently discovered are the tide pools in Rancho Palos Verdes, the Santa Fe Dam recreational area, and some of the waterfalls hidden among the trees in Angeles National Forest.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I am blessed to know and work with beautiful people around the world; without their perspectives and friendship I would be a very different person. My close friends remind me to slow down and see what is available, to be gentle, find lightness, and take hold of every opportunity for joy. I’m grateful for my New York communities, the McCarren Gathering and my Dojang, for holding spaces for exploration and growth. In my family, my Aunt Jaimee and Uncle Matt have modeled what it looks like to love fearlessly and unselfishly. Jaimee recently passed, but she would always remind me to take a beat between the flurry of things and celebrate progress. I’m carrying her with me as I figure out my steps these days.

Website: luciemccormick.com

Instagram: @luciemonster

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luciemccormick/

Image Credits
Landscapes and night sky: Lucie McCormick
Portrait: Baolong Song