MODERN-DAY seafarers are like diamonds. They have many facets, each dazzling brilliantly when hit by light.
Seafarers are no longer exclusive to one industry. Their skills and talents are too deep and diverse to be restricted to a single vocation.
Such is the life of Howie Smart Beray, an ordinary seaman (OS) and multi-awarded video creator.
Beray is a second-generation seafarer from Leyte; his father is a third engineer on an offshore vessel. Like many children in a seafaring family, Beray grew up with stories of the high seas.
He was raised in Baybay City, which offers a sweeping vista of the Canigao Channel. This strait separates the islands of Bohol and Leyte, both home to a good number of Filipino seafarers.
Beray had his first fascination with videos when he was 7. He recalled watching a home video of his seventh birthday in complete awe. That small moment of wonder sparked the flames of visual creativity for young Howie until he found himself recording people, places and animals. Often, he would spend hours talking in front of his old video camera.
The 7-year-old boy became a vlogger when vlogging was a new concept and largely unknown to the masses.
Beray stepped up his hobby and learned video editing. He produced numerous videos and won school film contests for years. He earned Best Student Film, Best Cinematography and Best Editing, among others.
He also entered and won mainstream competitions organized by the local government of Baybay City, Canon Philippines and Vloggers Philippines. He was named the grand champion of Vlog Idol PH in 2021. In 2022, he became a media stringer for GMA Kapuso Foundation.
But when the road forked, and he had to choose a path, Beray decided to follow in the footsteps of his father.
He earned a Bachelor of Science in Marine Transportation at the Palompon Institute of Technology in December 2022.
Going viral
A year after graduation, Beray was deployed on his very first shipboard duty.
“It was so memorable. I remember being overwhelmed by the sight of a foreign port, the routine and the workload. As I stepped inside my cabin, I could not help but sit and cry,' Beray said. “Back then, I learned to embrace my vulnerability and take on the challenge of this path I have chosen.”
He captured all these moments with his camera — the breathtaking views of foreign lands, poetic sunsets, rolling seas, strange faces, overwhelming paperwork and the crushing realization that he is now on his own, away from the comforts of home.
The six-minute video, “Life of an Ordinary Seaman,” was a hit with thousands of views and earned Beray 20,000 followers in days.
When he released the second episode titled “Kung Binabalak Mong Sumampa ng Barko,” his followers doubled, and viewership ballooned to a million.
A sequel released just a week ago is another major hit. The trio of these shipboard documentaries went viral.
“Things have never been the same since I released the video, and I mean that positively,” he remarked.
What rendered Beray's videos different is their relevant, realistic and reverberating format.
The clips are paced fast enough to sustain the attention of the viewers, with a musical scoring and voice-over that will hold the interest even of those who are outside the maritime industry.
Beray may be an OS, but he is no longer ordinary.
But with the swamped schedule of a seafarer, how can he find the time for film and editing?
“With a routine, I am able to make time for my passion. I would set aside hours to devote myself to anything that had to do with planning, creating, and conceptualizing my videos,” he said.
Beray also does not believe that the price of an equipment makes for a great video material.
“It all comes down to mastering or applying the basics of photography and videography. Many people believe that having expensive gear is necessary to create a masterpiece, but the truth is that it all depends on how you use what you already have, even if that is a simple smartphone. You just have to be able to effectively use the fundamentals of photography and videography to evoke a feeling, concept, emotion, or narrative,” he shared.
Like many young seafarers, Beray also went through the struggles of applying and waiting for a chance to work onboard.
His advice to those who are despairing over their seemingly “stuck” situation — never lose hope.
“Keep trying. Keep believing. The waiting period is too overwhelming, and you will encounter difficulties. Doubt will consume you, leading you to believe that you are unworthy or inadequate.
“Despite these feelings, you must remain positive and have faith in yourself. You will be where you are meant to be. I am where I am today because of those closed doors and redirected routes.
“You are not stuck. You are just in a phase where you are given time to prepare for the great blessing that is about to come. Just don't let uncertainty and fear set limits for your potential,” he concluded.
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