Just got back from NAB with Toni last night, and we had a blast.
It’s probably the biggest trade show in the world for companies in the film/video/audio space, but that’s not what makes me excited to attend.
Don’t get me wrong – it’s fun walking the floor, picking things up, talking to the companies etc.
I was particularly interested in some upgraded Hollyland Pyro monitors, a compact cinema camera body from a smaller brand called Kinefinity, a camera slider from iFootage that integrates with DJI gimbals, and a bunch of little Smallrig & Ulanzi accessories I’ll probably impulse buy some day soon…
But the real draw is the creators, pros, hobbyists, and innovators from around the world in attendance.
This year, a bunch of creators I’d met at the conference last year packed into an AirBnB house, and Toni and I were the only Americans. As such, we took it upon ourselves to introduce them to the finer points of American culture:
I also spent some time trying to line up sponsors for the channel, because it’s tough to find that rare win-win-win collaboration where it’s something genuinely useful for you, interesting or exciting to me, and actually helps keep the lights on over here. But I’m excited about some of the collaborations that might be coming later this year.
I also loved the random conversations and interactions from viewers like you who let me know the videos helped them make a film, or that they bonded with their kids over them.
I even met a police officer who said the channel helped him wrap a feature he’s been shooting on weekends for the past year (while raising a family)!
I love to hear that stuff – it makes me so motivated to keep making more for you all.
The Future of Indie Filmmaking…
Between what I saw at NAB, AI developments, and my own experience making films at different budget levels, I keep coming back to the same idea:
I don’t think the future of narrative filmmaking is about making things look better.
I think it’s about making things stick.
Impressive visuals are fast becoming a commodity. They’re easier than ever to create, and only getting easier (especially with AI undercutting real production). So if everyone can make something that looks at least “pretty good,” long-term that won’t be the thing you compete on.
What matters is whether someone remembers your film 10 minutes later. Or tells a friend about it. Or wakes up thinking about it the next day.
And that has way more to do with the characters and the situation, than how expensive your setup was. Fortunately, those things are free.
Putting My Money Where My Mouth Is
I’m shooting a short film Monday and Tuesday in my house on my iPhone. Minimal gear, money, and people – just a couple of interesting characters in a strange situation.
This will be my second time doing an iPhone short, so hopefully I top my first one.
As per usual, I’ll document the process and share a breakdown once it’s done.
If it goes well, I want to start doing this kind of thing more regularly. Just making stuff quickly without overthinking it, but always pushing myself to try at least one thing new with each project. Feels like the right direction right now.
So with any luck, next week I’ll have some stills and a breakdown of how the shoot went.
But for now, time to unpack, rest my feet, and get my shot list together!
Let’s make some movies.
-Kent
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