They braved months of an extensive application process. They beat out thousands of fellow travelers and competitors to hold the coveted title of World Traveler Intern. They've never met. Let's check them out.

It's no mystery why I'm intrigued by these two travelers. And especially since they'll be taking off tomorrow, all the more perfect is our timing in getting to know them! Once again, this series of Interview a Traveler is about people worth mentioning because of their amazing character and ambition that spans continents for the purpose of learning and doing something they can stand behind. And be sure to check out the video portion of this feature!

His Bio: Once accused of being a spy in Bern, Switzerland, Casey Hudetz is not afraid of adventure. This DePaul graduate and Chicago native has traveled around the world, including a summer backpacking around Europe and a stint with the Peace Corps. Leveraging his experience teaching technology at the Francis W. Parker School in Chicago and this internship, Hudetz plans to pursue a career in documentary filmmaking.

*Note to fellow SASers: Casey is also a Semester at Sea alum.

Her Bio: From leading groups of fellow students on a service trip to South Africa or as the current director of Freshman Leadership at the University of Georgia in Athens, where she earned her degree, Natalie Webb is a natural born leader. Counting kayaking in Portugal as one of her favorite experiences, Webb plans to use the World Traveler Internship to pursue a career in writing, producing or starring in her own travel-themed television show.

Bios courtesy of the STA Travel Pressroom

Are you nervous to travel with a complete stranger? What has been your philosophy with travel partners thus far?

NW: I think the extrovert in me gets an adrenaline rush from meeting new people, so I am beyond excited to travel with a complete stranger! I am a lot more laidback than I may appear on camera, and I love adapting to almost all kinds of situations. Unless Casey keeps jumping and knocking me over.. then we could have some problems.

CH: At first I was a little apprehensive. "What if we don't get along? What if my jokes don't go over? What if....? What if....?" But since we've spoken, I am very excited to travel with Natalie. For me, I travel best with people that like to travel (and know how to be present). When I'm in a new place, I move as quick as possible to see as much as possible. "How often am I in _______?" I ask myself as I sprint to catch a bus. If I have to explain this sentiment to the person I'm with, it can get difficult.

What's the most thrilling aspect of this experience to you:

The free travel part to # countries
Having a wide audience with the potential to impact the student travel community
This potentially being a step toward a career in the same industry
Other...

NW: I would say for me that it is "4: The fact that I get to be a part of 1, 2, and 3." I mean who doesn't love traveling for free right? So 1 is a given. With 2, I really enjoy communicating in various capacities to students (mainly because that has been my job for the past two years!), so I am thrilled to get this opportunity to live out my passion. In regards to 3, I have dreamed of being in the travel production industry since age 10, so I am honored and excited to get to work on building my portfolio with our projects throughout the summer.

CH: 2. Having a wide audience with the potential to impact the student travel community

What do you anticipate being the hardest aspect of this internship?

CH: The ending. And getting enough sleep!

NW: Having enough room in my bag to pack all the costumes I want to bring for the summer!! I think it may get tough bouncing around from country to country having very little stability and time to rest and focus on our production content. I hope both Casey and I find the balance of putting forth solid material and enjoying the continents in the process!

Have you two discussed your plan yet for the unscripted European portion? Dare to give us a clue?

CH: We've got our plans. You'll know when the time comes!

NW: Yes...Oh how we have discussed this delightful finale to our trip! Although it is still a work in progress, we are attempting to make it to Italy to witness the epic event of Palio di Siena...kind of the Italian version of the Kentucky Derby. We may enjoy the Swiss Alps region and end our trip in Paris...eating crepes, my favorite food!

*I love that I got two differing answers for that question.

If the WTI was like Project Runway and the Tim Gunn of STA Travel told you at the last minute, "Plan an additional side trip from your trip route to any country neighboring those on your itinerary...to happen at any point in the schedule," where would that side trip fit in, what would be the destination, and what would you two do?

NW: I would choose to hop on over to the south island of New Zealand. I have a family friend there who owns a sheep farm and he could teach Casey and I the art of sheep herding and wool weaving. And then. We of course must go on the Lord of the Rings tour!

CH: After speaking with friends and seeing your footage, Lindsay, I think Fiji would be a real treat. Also, I'd love to go back to Paraguay to see friends I made years ago.

What on Earth are you going to do when you get home?

NW: 1) Sleep. 2) Unpack my life. 3) Probably a little laundry. 4) Start looking for other awesome ways to travel the world.

CH: Luckily, I work at a great school and I plan on resuming right where I left off. And after that? Who knows.

The 2010 Itinerary

Casey and Natalie will be heading off tomorrow to STA Travel Headquarters in Lewisville, Texas. Soon after, they're flying to Peru to volunteer near Machu Picchu, traveling through Brazil and Argentina, Australia, Tasmania, Japan, Thailand, Turkey, Egypt, and a self-propelled Euro-trip through Western Europe before heading back home to complete the loop. To see their trip in a little more detail, check out the full itinerary.

Follow the Internship

They meet tomorrow (May 26th), so be sure to keep up with the entire experience by:

Watching for their blogs
Following their tweets
Check out their videos
and checking out their personal sites...

Natalie's Twitter Natalie's Youtube Channel

Casey's Blog Casey's Youtube Channel Casey's Twitter

Congratulations, Casey and Natalie! You're about to have one wild experience. Pack your melatonin, stay healthy, create constantly, and, above all, enjoy the nature of the job. For me, that was the most thrilling part.

It's quite possible that in the next couple of months, I'll be approached by online strangers wanting to know the inside scoop on the World Traveler Internship. I know this will happen because I did the exact same thing for the last two years. And though I've tried to describe the application process to those interested - offering a few tips for standing out from the crowd - people may still wonder how they should tackle the less intuitive art of video-making that is crucial for this position.

I didn't study telecommunications or video art in college, nor did I have a good operating system while making my application video last year. If you're new at this, like I was, don't worry because if you have a computer, some travel footage and a passion to produce, you can make some mean videos.

The Software

If you work on a PC, chances are you have Windows Movie Maker, which can also be downloaded for free online. Allow yourself some time to get comfortable with this program by throwing together mini-videos and utilizing effects such as titles, transition and audio to get your blood pumping. Don't be lazy and press Auto Movie, and there's no substitute for just throwing yourself into the program; it's the fastest way to learn.

For those lucky ones with Macs, iMovie is the included video editing software that doesn't require a big learning curve for newbies. Also take your time in investigating this software and its capabilities by making short videos, and don't forget to utilize the online tutorials from Apple. iMovie 09 has quite a bit more to manipulate than its previous generation of 08, and iMovie HD is quite a different set-up as well. Get comfy...then get cracking.

Steer Clear of Slideshows

Some of your first creations may be more like slideshows than travel videos. Though I value the static visual quality of photographs in a video, you have to keep in mind why you're using this medium: to display motion and create a specific mood or impression with the entire compilation. In the three years I've been at this, I've thankfully learned this lesson, because videos like the following are a lot like making your friends and family suffer through a slow playback of each painful slide taken on your holiday.

The first port of call...woot woot!

Options for Beginning a Video

Hopefully you will begin to regard video-making as an art form, one you take seriously enough to hone a personal style and technique. In order to find the most conducive method to starting each new video, try these options out:

Write out the purpose of each video, identifying who will watch it and for how long you think their attention will last.
Take a look at all of your video footage, photographs, audio clips, etc. and decide on the most descriptive or entertaining morsels from your trip. If you're using Windows Movie Maker, just upload the best raw material into your work space on the program. If using iMovie, peruse the footage and use the favorite selection button with the star. Pulling the good stuff aside at the beginning could speed up the actual assembly of the video and allow you to see what crucial material needs to be included.
Start with a song (this is my method). Once I know what destination or experience I'm documenting and possibly the mood I want to exhibit, I browse my music to find something people would love to listen to that also has a great introduction. When I know the flow of the first ten seconds of audio, I then know how I will incorporate my video's title or introduction. I prefer to use one song instead of layering different music from (gasp) various genres. Use the climaxes, tempo changes, and character of the song(s) to your advantage in manipulating the emotions of the viewer. Make your choice of soundtrack appear deliberate.

Based on ratings by divers all over the world, Plettenberg Bay on South Africa's Garden Route is the most scenic drop zone there is. And there is where I fell from 10,000 feet strapped to a dude I didn't know! http://nomadderwhere.com

Using Effects to your Advantage

I struggle with the following concept every time I sit down to a new video: Know when to use simplicity and when to use pizzazz

Applying ten different types of transitions to the same video is like saying "Look what I can do!" and showing how many ways your computer program can shift from one clip or photo to another. Decide upon a couple transitions you can use that tie into the mood or theme of your video and stick with them. When making a video on ziplining, I used the transition that slides the previous clip to the left in order to accentuate that act of shooting across the line.

When making a destination video of India, it was all about over-stimulation - to replicate my impression of the country. I used a flashy title, dream-like filters, harsh light effects, muted colors, half speed and double speed shots, and just about every polar-opposite effects iMovie 09 allowed. I left transitions abrupt to give the video SOME semblance of continuity, and the final product was very reflective of my actual experience, thanks to using the editing tools in the right manner.

This place really moves you. http://nomadderwhere.com

Crafting a Story

Another technique I use in the assembly line is to throw all my quality material in the "pot" and begin lining the clips up in order and adding effects/transitions as I go. At one point, you'll have to step back and evaluate the story that is being created. Are you using your best material at the end and building the tension throughout the video's length? Are you making a statement at the beginning and supporting it with the remaining time?

In my opinion, destination videos should be statements from the start that are supported and strengthened as someone continues to watch its entirety.

Travel experiences need a slow build-up to the climax; however, pulling a Memento by using reverse (or scattered) chronological order could amplify the story and all its elements.

Bottom line is to be aware of the story you are crafting and make sure it gives people a reason to watch beyond 10 seconds and a reason to stick around until the end. The music helps me monumentally with this step of the process.

When it came to the creation of my application video, I formed it into a résumé.

Formerly entitled "Lindsay Clark Makes My STA Travel Intern Dreams Come True." -Desmond Tutu This job, what you are asking someone to do, is what I do already, not because I have to, but because I can't stop.

0:00 - 0:04 Establish my name 0:04 - 0:11 Give people a reason to take me seriously 0:11 - 0:23 Flash back to last year's application video, accentuating my drive and familiarity with the program 0:23 - 1:00 Prove I already do this job well; there's no gamble in choosing me 1:00 - 1:12 Travel Experience 1:12 - 1:34 Skills and Interests 1:34 - 2:06 Competence and Entertainment 2:06 - 2:27 Reiterate previous points to stall for musical climax 2:27 - 2:50 Crowd appeal, entertainment, humor 2:50 - 3:21 Lasting impression of why I'm different from the rest (This is a specific type of video, but it shows how I crafted years of travel and talking shots into a cohesive unit with a universal, entertaining storyline.)

The Art of Detail

Once your video forms into a solid story with great visuals, come back through with the figurative X-Acto-knife and make sure all cuts are perfect. Make sure no syllables are cut off spoken words. Be sure that transitions don't reveal unwanted visuals or audio. If you timed your content to match your soundtrack, double check that every clip is synced perfectly. It's human nature to focus on the imperfections of an otherwise fantastic piece, so leave nothing to distract your viewers from all your hard work.

Testing for Success

If you're posting a video with music that isn't your own, test its copyright eligibility by making a private Youtube account that lacks any search terms that would identify what you're creating (for instance: I posted my application videos before the fact under the terms Raven Simone and Gaming as to not attract those searching for WTI or my videos). If you're music puts up the red flag and gets taken down, that's certainly going to be a problem for you if your video is a submission for a contest. Re-do!

Is your video really as good as you think it is? Let people who know you and people that don't take a gander at your work before you publish it mainstream. If family members love it and strangers don't, it lacks the adequate information that hooks people into what you're showing them. Give people a reason to listen to your work from the start. Family already have a reason to be engaged in what you create. If both family and strangers find it compelling and worth a second or third view, you know you've created something stimulating that exhibits skills that get people thinking. And of course, if no one likes it, it just plain sucks. Don't expect that just because you made a video with movement and audio it means people will like it. Assume everyone has ADD and far too little time to spend looking at your stuff.

Market your Great Content

Stand behind what you made and allow anyone who may be interested to access your creation. Youtube it. Vimeo it. Display it on your website. Of course if your video is for personal purposes, this obviously doesn't apply to you or that video, but be sure you give your hard work its due acknowledgement. It's awful when you spend hours or days on a video only to let it gather dust on a buried blog post. Display it for all to see and tweet about it.

And what about better programs like Final Cut Express and beyond? I'll report on those when I know more about them!

Did this post help you with your video-making needs? Comment below on anything I missed!