American Magazine: November 2016

mastery
2014
ILLUSTRATION BY PETER HOEY
1996
Certified in scuba. “I
WAS SWIMMING
BEFORE I CAN
REMEMBER
WALKING. SCUBA
SEEMED LIKE THE
NATURAL THING
TO DO.”
1999
During a brief hiatus from
college, worked a series of
odd jobs, including as an
industrial janitor cleaning
up coolant from machines
finishing exhaust manifolds.
Became motivated to return
to school.
1989
The law firm where his
father practiced purchased
a VHS camera. When it
wasn’t being used at work,
he’d bring it home. “WE
WENT FOR A BOAT
RIDE IN FLORIDA;
I NARRATED IT
AS THOUGH I WAS
ROBIN LEACH.”
David Ruck, SOC/MFA ’13, has shot films on
land and underwater—and one of his movies
has been seen in outer space. His documentary,
I Want to be an Astronaut, premiered 285
miles above Earth, where it was screened for
astronauts aboard the International Space
Station. Now a videographer for the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA), Ruck, 36, often dons scuba gear and
captures footage in lakes, bays, and oceans.
There’s nowhere he won’t go to get the shot.
2001
Finished Flowers of
War, a film he made
with a friend that
captured a World
War II reenactment.
2003
Hired by the Lake Michigan
Foundation to make a
film about the history of
environmental abuses by the
Hooker Chemical Company.
Film is still used in area
schools to teach kids about
conservation.
2004
Graduated from Grand
Valley State University with
a bachelor’s in film and
video production.
2005
Traveled to Nepal for
three months with his
friend, Tulsi Bhandari,
to make a documentary
about the country’s civil
war. “We went from the
Maoist-controlled parts to
areas that were controlled
by the government,
masquerading as a tourist
and his guide.”
2011
Had an “ah-ha” moment
while listening to Neil
deGrasse Tyson discuss
Congress slashing funds
for the James Webb
telescope. “WE WERE
CANCELING THE
SHUTTLE PROGRAM
AND STRUGGLING
TO FUND NEW
SPACE ENDEAVORS:
WHAT IMPACT
WOULD THIS HAVE
ON YOUNG PEOPLE?
WOULD KIDS
STILL WANT TO BE
ASTRONAUTS?”
2006
Released Requiem for
a Stream, a film about a
group of citizens fighting a
sand mining company that
wanted to dump wastewater
into Lake Michigan.
Completed I Want to be
an Astronaut, and began
Facebook-messaging
astronauts aboard the
International Space Station.
Got a reply at 2 a.m. from
Rick Mastracchio that said,
“Hey David, I watched the
trailer, would love to see
the whole film.” Days later
received an email from
Johnson Space Center
stating that the crew
requested a copy of the
film be beamed to space.
Joined NOAA as
videographer for the
Office of National Marine
Sanctuaries. Became
certified as a NOAA
diver. “WE’VE GOT
14 SITES THAT
PROTECT CULTURAL
RESOURCES LIKE
SHIPWRECKS, AND
ENVIRONMENTAL
RESOURCES LIKE
WHALE HABITATS.
MY JOB IS TO
TRAVEL TO THESE
SITES AND TELL
STORIES ABOUT THE
WORK PEOPLE DO
THERE.”
2016
Released Three Miles from
Safety: The Story of the USS
Conestoga, documenting
the discovery of a US Navy
tugboat that sank in the early
twentieth century. “WHAT
I’M DOING NOW IS
AN HONOR AND A
PRIVILEGE. I THINK
I’M SUPPOSED TO BE
HERE FOR A WHILE,
TO MAKE AN IMPACT.”
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