The Accidental Filmmaker

Cole Brakebill never planned on becoming a filmmaker.

In January of 2023, he started filming his garage projects with his phone—mostly old Chevy trucks he was fixing up. It wasn’t anything serious, just a way to document the process. But something about it hooked him. He liked framing the shots, tweaking the edits, making something out of nothing.

That spring, a coworker lent him a real camera. It felt different in his hands—heavier, more serious. He took it out to a couple of baseball games, learning how to track motion, how to work with real lenses. Then, in the fall, he threw himself into filming high school football. He wasn’t getting paid for it, wasn’t even sure why he was so obsessed with it. He just knew he wanted to get better.

By Christmas, he needed a real challenge.

So he wrote, shot, and edited a short film. A one-man production, done in whatever free time he could find. It was a small project, but it felt big to him—his first real attempt at storytelling. He entered it into festivals, not expecting much. To his surprise, it got some attention. Local media picked up the story. He started sharing his work online.

And then, in June, he got a phone call.

A local PBS affiliate needed a director for a documentary on public art. They had seen his short film. Liked his eye. Wanted to know if he was interested.

Cole had no formal training. No experience directing a full-length documentary.

But he was a project guy.

He took the job.

For the next eight months, he poured himself into it. Research, interviews, shooting, editing—then editing again. He’d underestimated how much work it would take. How much rework. How many late nights he’d spend staring at an editing timeline, wondering if it was good enough. It was the hardest thing he’d ever made.

Meanwhile, life kept moving. He turned 41. He started a new career in supply chain, leaving behind his fourteen years as an aircraft painter. He focused on his family. He hit milestones he never expected.

And now, the documentary—three parts, fully produced—was nearly finished. In a few days, he’d celebrate his 15th anniversary in aerospace. A few weeks later, his film would premiere on PBS.

Two years ago, he had been a guy with a phone, filming in his garage.

Now, he was a filmmaker.

No film school. No roadmap. Just a good attitude, a decent camera, and an obsessive work ethic.

He had built this life with his own hands.

Now, after months of work, the moment had arrived.

In Open Air premieres on February 20th at 7:00 PM CST on Panhandle PBS. At that same time, it will also be released on their YouTube channel, making it accessible to a wider audience. Episode 2 follows on February 27th, and the final chapter airs on March 6th.

What started as an unexpected opportunity had turned into the most demanding creative project of Cole’s life. He had built it from the ground up—every frame, every edit, a result of his own persistence. No shortcuts, no safety nets. Just the work.

And now, it was time to let it go.

Two years ago, he had wished he could call himself a filmmaker.

Now, the proof was on the screen.

And he had no plans of slowing down.

The journey had shown him something—opportunity favors those willing to step into the unknown. Hard work beats hesitation. Passion, when met with persistence, creates something real.

Chase your dreams. Follow your curiosity. Say yes to the opportunities that scare you.

Because you never know where they might lead.