Sony HDR-FX1 Video Camera

When I was on the verge of nearly winning the National Film Board of Canada Citizenshift contest with A Chill in the Air, I got into a conversation with my parents about my camera. In university at the time, I had sent them an email about how I dropped and broke my (photo) camera, which they read as me breaking my video camera.

When I discovered on the day of my 22nd birthday that I'd lost the NFB contest and a trip to France in the final round of voting, my parents surprised me by saying that they'd been looking at cameras for me as an early university graduation present. After several weeks of back and forth the order was placed for a Sony HDR-FX1.  

When I got home from university that spring it came in the mail - and I can't explain how awesome it was. It felt like a real step up, that all my early experience compounded to say, 'you've finally earned this' - that staying determined really does payoff.   I'd purchased three cheaper video cameras since the age of 12, and this fourth one is the one my parents footed the bill for.

No question my parents have always believed in me, but this was a huge show of support from my folks who seemed just as proud and confident that not only did I know what I wanted to do as a career, but that I had the chops to succeed.

This camera has really marked my transition from student to independent and corporate filmmaker. From Educated Detours, to my Rushmore travelog, to Elliot, the Buick Series, Give it Time, Gizmo Tree and beyond, this camera has allowed me the means to truly play - and get paid for it.

I think it feels twice as good to have this camera after all these years because it feels like I've really worked my way up to it. Receiving it as a gift from my folks felt like I'd proved something to them and to myself - that my approach was more than just a part-time hobby, that this was an investment in the beginning of my career.

It's still an amazing and very flexible piece of equipment. I've used it when hired as an independent videographer, for festival submissions, for personal experiments, and most anything else I possibly can.  The production company I work for has even rented it from me on numerous occasions.

What I love most about the camera is the rich cinematic look it delivers.  Of some of the other high end digital video cameras that I've used, I often feel like their captures are too crisp or overly harsh, sometimes robbing the subject matter of subtleties in light and color.  The Sony HDR-FX1 strikes a nice balance, and despite room for improvement, in general I'd say there's a strong base and range of features for the avid videographer to build on. 

Equipment is all about options after all, and at this point I feel able to achieve the majority of what I want to do within my own personal studio. It's been a long road to feel this sufficient regarding my productions, but lots of small steps have resulted in quite a journey. 

My appetite for new equipment and software will no doubt continue to grow as my projects do, but after 5 years of using this camera I think I've learned some important lessons.  Perhaps the most important of which being that it's not the fanciest equipment that makes the most interesting projects, it's the filmmaker who is willing to push himself to create them that does.  

Joshua Tree National Park

Desert vistas, extreme heat, and incredible plants make the journey through Joshua Tree distinct.  The surroundings are other-worldly and the tranquility of the area is only magnified by the miles of unscathed landscape waiting to be explored.  It's no wonder so many film and television shows have been shot out here.  I think "awesome" (although used repeatedly on our California road trip last year) doesn't quite sum up just how amazing this place is.

Buick to the Future DVD Menu

Creating DVD menus for my shorts and random edits used to be a big deal. It made an impression on those who I'd share my work with, and suggested just how much work went into the project. However, now that the basis for screening and previewing my work has shifted almost entirely onto the web, I haven't created a new menu in over a year. 

I was reviewing some of the videos that I have archived and found the components for Buick to the Future DVD that I made for my friend Tyler in 2009. This was really just a one off deal, where I was only making it because I wanted to give the four episodes to him as a gift for helping me make them. While the menu is comparatively straightforward when held up to some of the others I've done, what I love about this menu is how it highlights the buddy comedy aspect of the campy series along with some of the key scenes. 

This clip is really just a small slice of what the Buick to the Future project became, but hey, you can always watch the originals! And for more of the other random clips behind BTTF you can view the promo videos here.