An iridescent hummingbird approaches, its wings beating so fast that its body seems to hover in midair. Light bounces off its shiny feathers, reflecting in hues of green, blue and purple. Turning its head towards the camera, the bird blinks. In the reflection of its round, brown eyes is a colorful, fourth generation iPad Pro.

As the Apple logo takes over the screen, what seemingly started as breathtaking nature videography reveals itself to be senior Gabe Li’s favorite commercial. While most people cannot wait for the “Skip Ad” button to pop up on their video, Gabe’s curiosity for video creation allows him to find beauty in the intricacies of every frame. 

“It’s an art that you don’t really notice that often when you’re watching movies or you’re watching an ad on TV,” Gabe said. “There’s a lot of work that goes into the post production, and after learning how to video edit, I notice the little things, like jump cuts, more often.”

Gabe started video editing during the COVID-19 pandemic as a pastime to entertain himself. Editing lighthearted clips of everything from sports to video games, Gabe and his friends hosted competitions, constantly challenging one another to improve their skills. Although Gabe originally made videos for fun, his videography skills revealed themselves to be useful in professional settings as well. As he took on more leadership roles in school organizations such as Harker DECA and class council, Gabe realized the demand for his unique hobby and began producing videos for his commitments.

“Video editing is one of those skills that not a lot of people have, but almost every single club needs,” Gabe said. “There needs to be someone who’s shooting videos or taking pictures, and not a lot of people want to learn how to do it or have a passion for it. I was really lucky that this hobby came to me because it filled a role in a lot of different areas.”

To help him make the jump from passion projects to promotional clips for club meetings and spirit events, Gabe honed his editing skills through hours of practice. He opted for trial and error as he navigated the basics of editing, lacking any official guidance to lead his way.

“Video editing is something that I learned by myself off YouTube,” Gabe said. “I never had formal instruction at all. In fact, I probably learned it in the worst and the slowest way possible. I take a lot of pride in the self learning aspect because I’ve made the most progress learning by myself.”

Despite the uncertainty, Gabe perseveres in editing with an unrelenting determination that carries through all aspects of his life, lending him a headstrong attitude that allows him to overcome mental and physical obstacles. Taking up cross country during his junior year, Gabe battled through grueling workouts and long trails with optimism rather than opposition. His willingness to challenge himself in the face of discomfort inspired his close friend and teammate junior Robinson Xiang to mimic his fortitude.

“This one cross country race, my race was after his and I was really nervous,” Robinson said. “After he finished his race, he looked me in the eyes and said ‘You got to go all out.’ I was so invigorated by his sheer passion, and that was one of the best races I had last season.”

Gabe’s ability to motivate those around him stems from his self-confidence, which surfaces through the personal touch he adds to each video. In solidifying his own editing style, Gabe learned to share his perspective on everything from fashion to finances, a quality that strengthened his bond with close friend senior Lauren Lin.

“He’s very strong about his opinions which I very much appreciate,” Lauren said. “I really value his opinion because I know that he’ll be honest with me. He’s not the type to lie to you for the sake of pleasantries. He’ll say his honest opinion and I value that.”

From clips of core memories with his friends to montages of schoolwide events, Gabe’s videos reflect his broader outlook on life, where every small detail matters. Gabe dedicates his entire self to every task he tackles, driven by his constant search for improvement. Whether it be by proposing an unusual idea during class or bringing up a thought-provoking topic in conversation, Gabe brings a new viewpoint to his community, something that close friend senior Jason Li appreciates.

“He thinks unconventionally, but when he sets his mind to something he’ll follow through no matter what,” Jason said. “The way he approaches it might not be what everybody else is doing, but if he says he’s going to achieve something he will end up doing it.”

Forgoing caution and safe bets, Gabe prefers to stretch for sky-high standards and challenge his capabilities. His unorthodox approach to taking on problems surfaces not just in video editing. When it comes to any new subject, Gabe launches himself at the problem with a boldness that propels him to success. 

“I didn’t learn any of the basics,” Gabe said. “I like challenging myself to really, really high expectations and then surprisingly, somehow it works, and I have the most fun doing that. Rather than making a beginner thing, I want to be the best. I want to do the craziest thing first.”