I'm going to take a risk and leave this comment. I often wonder why some of my favorite RU-vidrs don't actually make feature films. And I'm not talking about as a part of being on a set, but when you make a video like this, it makes me wonder why you haven't grabbed your camera, and just gone out and made a feature-length film? I wouldn't really say that unless you leave a video like this out there for people to receive. I feel like I can speak on this because I've done it twice. Once with my phone, and once with a Panasonic s5. No other gear. A cheap lavalier mic, a zoom H1n recorder, and actually I used an LG v30 phone from my audio for the first film. ND filters, some really cheap lights, but mostly just using natural light, and then all by myself going out and shooting feature films. Of course writing a proper screenplay first, and then without any help, without any money, without any crew, without anything, making a movie, getting into DaVinci resolve, editing it all by myself, I mean the only help I had was begging a friend of mine to do an original score. I just got to sit in a legendary theater in the middle of New York City and watch my second feature film win a best feature award at the Manhattan film festival. A movie I shot all by myself on my S5. My first film which was shot on an LG v40 smartphone, was done during the pandemic, so that was obviously all by myself, and it won so many Laurels I can't even fit them on one poster. You are so far superior to me as a filmmaker, meaning your skills with a camera and your lighting skills, your RU-vid videos look like feature films, it just makes me wonder why more of you don't go out and do that ? But instead make a video like this. I think it's all about money. Danny gevertz made a feature film because he got $300,000 from another RU-vidr. But would he have done it by himself regardless? He certainly can, he's a straight-up genius with the camera. I love this video so much today because you are encouraging people to go out and just do it. It's all about telling stories, it's all about contributing to everybody around us, that is the absolute responsibility of an artist, and I'm so glad you put out this video, so people might consider that they can just grab their camera, they don't need an external monitor, they don't need a gimbal, they don't need anything other than the camera and great sound, and great sound means you don't have to spend hardly any money, they have to actually take the time to learn to edit, and then they have to write a script, and figure out how to visually tell that story. That's an artist, that's a filmmaker, thank you for leaving this today. I actually uploaded a video today talking about camera reviews and gear reviews in general, and the complexity behind all of that, but at the end of the day, truthfully I'm just trying to get monetized at some point to make some extra money, I don't really care about anything but telling stories. I'm a gearhead, and I love tech, but none of it matters compared to telling a story that moves people. Thanks for sharing, your skills are amazing.
Congrats on your accomplishments! For me, I spent the last decade building my commercial fashion career and was successful, but it was the end goal. My career consumed most of my time. So this is part of my transition to pivot. I have a lot to say, my struggle is aligning those stories and getting them on paper. Which is the adventure I’m about to start. Writing. I also am insanely particular. So I need to make sure I am content with the direction before I start the trek for a full feature length film. And as I said, nothing is perfect. So I’m not waiting for it to be perfect, I’m just working on telling one story at a time right now and working on that muscle.
@@cammackey can’t wait to see what you do with your skills, and also given the fact that you have the opportunity to tell the story about people that deserve their story told in a broader way, with more attention, YOUR people, I really look forward to receiving what you do on many levels.
That story about the reservation was so beautiful. I think we've all had that moment in our own way where we realise we need to share those feelings through art.
"The light's gorgeous, maybe I'll shoot one last thing here." This one really resonated with me. So easy to get lost in the gear and forget about the most important thing of how we use that to tell stories. Great video!
Man I just have to give a take on this. It feels like maybe some of the reach that this storytelling approach has falls on an audience that feels more appreciative of it and less toxic. I know that doesn't necessarily translate to content doing well or not doing well on the metrics, but I really hope you keep doing stuff like this. Much love and respect.
Imposter syndrome is so stupid and annoying. Editing for me is so difficult, especially at the start of the process cause I have to face my “shitty” material. I’m editing and asking wtf is this bs, what was I thinking, I go into this spiral of self hate as a videographer and photographer and then at the end, when I send the video, the agency sends me a message directly from the client, saying they love the video. I smile and the cycle begins with the next project in my mind “I’m safe for now, they didn’t see how bad I am”
I get the same way. But that’s not imposter syndrome for me. Thats me being aware that I’ve seen better work. That I could have done better. It’s me being constructive with myself. I’ve met people who get so easily tickled by anything they do and want to show everyone in the room.. like a happy puppy searching for affirmation. Those are the same people that never grow, because they don’t realize the faults in their work. Yes, at some point you gotta get over yourself and acknowledge you are of quality. But keep that constructive criticism with yourself. It’s our super power. Like when someone hates on my work.. it goes in one ear and out the other. And when someone praises my work.. its goes in one ear and out there other. I hold myself accountable. I tell my self when I can do better. Yes we can get emotional about it and think we suck, but we get back up and do it again and do it better little by little. Thats called growing.
Straight from the heart. The only way to tell stories, if it doesn't come from a genuine place then what's the point. I love the direction you have been going with your videos.
You see this everywhere nowadays: somebody puts months or years of effort in a short film or whatever and no one watches - but review the new camera and everybody watches. Must be insanely frustrating for folks like yourself. People always talk about "story" but I think that 99% of people watching RU-vid could care less about "story" - I find this sad.
It’s really easy to get obsessed with gear. Theres that pull to gear with anything you get into naturally. I’ve found myself the best thing for me doing on the fly pictures and videos as a hobby and of my family is the camera in my pocket the iPhone 15 pro. What I need it for it’s always there. I’m not the kinda guy to carry everything around with me and when I want it I never have it. Love the content your creating buddy 👍🏻
Cam, your videos are always so wonderfully insightful! Personally I love your take on how you use the gear to shoot your "cowboy shit" or that insane Ford Bronco commercial. Your films always demonstrate a professional example of what could be achieved with the gear but ultimately they end up more so showcasing your style, your ability to tell a story and compose some damn right beautiful cinematic shots. I can't speak for everyone subscribed but I would be willing to bet most would love to see you make a narrative short or whatever film/story you want to tell, me personally, I'm just here for the ride, brother.
I found your channel while researching my Nikon Zf. I’ve always been a Nikon shooter, but I’ve dabbled with Sony and Fuji. Anyways, I’ve been binging your films. I got to say, man, a breath of fresh air.
Thank you for these videos that are NOT about gear. I love your storytelling style, your wit and humor, and I really like these stories with the epic visuals. Thank you for that!
The colour, the style, the effort and the realism of your Videos inspires me. I feel when I watch your Videos like I am already watching a movie due to the way you shoot. Just friggin awesome.
Gorgeous video, excellent narrative and message. The shots of Sedona swimming is packs more feelgood value than most Hollywood movies. Since the traditional film industry is crumbling down right now, you really show a way forward for indie filmmakers.
Gear is important, as long as it aids you in fullfilling your vision and meets your needs. Tools are just tools. How you use those tools is what matters. I'm here for the story telling as well as the photography stuff, because I like your style, Cam. I'll even admit it's rubbed off on me a bit. I like your use of colour and aesthics and I think it ties nicely into your stories.
I see the same thing on my little channel. Reviews get all the views. Anytime I make a video that doesn't talk about gear, crickets. Loved the in car shot through the rear view mirror. Light was banging! Great message.
0:25 You just tore the mask right off of a bunch of people. I’ve found that I only obsess about my gear when I’m lost creatively. When inspiration hits, gear takes a back seat and I get excited about the MESSAGE. The ART. I may notice that I want to add this or upgrade that, but all in all, gear becomes boring in the face of the truth and beauty I get to share.
"You can work for somebody and tell their stories. Or you can work for yourself and tell your own stories." That hit hard. You've got my attention (and sub). Also, good looking out w/ that Audiio discount. Just signed up for that.
Its tough out there. Story is always king. And its funny, to show off a piece of gear, you have to tell a story with it. All the work that goes into it, is a story, its filmmaking and all of that is lost. They only see the gear. you told the story while showing the gear. I’m always trying to improve myself. But for sure, I’m not confident until I am. Anything I’ve ever done before, I can execute with confidence repeatedly afterwards. But before then, I’m absolutely terified. My struggle is the external pressure to do something better every single time. Its always pushing myself futher. Its also pushing me into way more difficult and/or challenging techniques/shots. The imposter syndrome with me is real. I feel pressure beyond my ability to cope with the levels of challenges I am facing next. I love pushing forward, 1 step at a time. But, you get this feeling that you have to take it 2 steps above. I want to get back to story telling. Just like you did. Tell the story, use the gear. Let it be what it is, with a story. Gear matters, until it doesn’t. No story, no need for gear.
GREAT SCOTT! Thank you for stopping in brother. I highly respect you cause I know you get it. We can talk all night about gear, but we both understand that it’s all just tools for a trade of story telling. I think that pressure we apply to ourselves externally and internally is something that a lot of people lack. I think that is our super power.
@@cammackey I appreciate you brother. You tell it like it is and you’re a pretty darn good story teller ;) Keep telling stories. Keep sharing the heart.
You don't need to justify or explain why you make these videos. Every hater is just a secret fan of yours. Whatever keeps them coming back. I personally love your work. Keep going.
I appreciate it!! RU-vid has this amazing feature where you cant block people but HIDE them. So they can leave all the comments and engagement but literally NO ONE will ever see it hahaha
Exactly that, you're totally on point. When you talk about gear people watch but they don't if you talk about techniques and tips. They think a new camera will make them better
I'll admit that this truly inspired me. I can admit to being caught in the "gear craze" that most of us find ourselves in and its exhausting. Its a loop that's hard to get yourself out of when all you do is get stuck comparing your gear and art to others. Pursue practice and master how to utilize the tools before you. "Comparison is the thief of joy".
I love gear. I love trying new gear. I love comparing gear. I love the craftsmanship of gear. I love what gear can let me do. I love it because it’s part of the process and tool set that allows me to reach my ultimate goal of creating. So I think it’s okay to do all of that, but I just hope to remind people WHY we use it.
Not to be off topic but I was watching this with my daughter and she asked me if I want a car like yours 💯 So I said I’d enjoy that then pulled the spec commercial and the 4D review vids up Best of luck for how this video will do. I def enjoyed it!
RU-vid is a fickle mistress and can be extremely discouraging, but I just want to say that I'm relatively new to your channel and absolutely love your content, sir.
I often discuss gear/new tech with a ton of DPs and directors, creatives, etc... More often then not, they mildly express their disinterest or talk about why they actually don't much care for any of the new gear that's coming out and compare it to the trusty rig they've been using for 7+ years. This is then commonly followed by them asking me, "so what have you been shooting?" Let's keep the main thing the main thing. Cheers and best to you. This is an important film that I needed to click on.
Maaaaaan, this is GOLD! Just subscribed. Now I'm gonna binge watch your content hahaha :D. Can't wait to see more content with the BRONCO too! Have a good one!
See Fassbinder's Beware a Holy Whore: film making has ALWAYS been intertwined with the need for the benjamins. Orson Welles needing bucks and John Ford complaining about producers. The list goes on to include everyone that's ever made anything. So, youtubers needing sponsorships and ads isn't different or new. What I like about your channel is that as opposed to endless videos in some fancy well lit "studio" displaying charts with circles and arrows telling us some incomprehensible nonsense, that you're on the road, on the move showing us visual work. I've been using the BM OG Pocket for ten years, no IBIS, no satellite tracking AF, no 8k and I get 15 minutes on a battery. I'm a frickin' loser. But I have fun.
It's time to give us a 10-12 minute episodic series set in the American west. The vlogs look to good for gear reviews. Give us a fun, sexy weekly series.
I am happy to hear that!! Question, what thumbnail or title would have made you take it more serious the first time?! I’m trying to learn how to navigate all of that so any input helps!
Every time I start working on my next spec-screenplay or even make a shot-list for my narrative short film, I get sidetracked by making all consuming gear-review videos because its the only thing on my channel that gets views... Yet, I know its my insecurities that makes me want to feed the algorithm in lieu of making art, and its my fear that keeps me stuck in this loop. However, I also need to pay the bills, so its sticky trap indeed... That all being said, I would love to get to where you are with fashion photography and as a storyteller here on RU-vid. In my opinion, you are successfully bridging that divide between doing partnerships and making content that fulfills our desire to see stories by documenting your journey-- So keep 'em coming because I know you're inspiring a lot more people than just me!
Oh man, what a video, I love anamorphic in your videos! As a filmmaker and photographer myself I really struggle to improve myself on my own, I need someone that has the same interests as me, but I’m still trying to get better at filmmaking. 3 weeks ago I finally bought my dream camera (Sony FX6) by accident on OfferUp for only $3080 brand new coupled with Sony 24-105mm and I hope this camera is going to motivate me to film more and more. I already filmed a couple of music videos and filmed some short movies but still nothing big… Just trying to improve no matter what.
Great message and all, but we need a Cam Mackey AI voiceover as a plugin. That would improve everyone's storytelling. Jokes aside, great video. This resonates hard.
Cam has a vision, and this is all practice. All shooting scenarios/styles & all the codecs to match. By the time the "Big Set Big Cheque" opportunity arrives it's all muscle memory, leaving the rest of energy purely for story telling.
Thank man for your video because you make inspire. And after every single of your vidéo I just want to create some things in photo or video. And you are one of the only one that make me feel that way so I Hope you will continue do your stuff like you want because that help a Young French boy out there to be inspired. Thank Cammackey and great video.
I am not able to speak to how your narrative films perform. However, I would like to see more of them. How about some beautiful stories about native American life. That would be amazing
I relate. One day I'd like to make a feature film on a script idea I've had for a long time. We talked a bit about it actually now that I'm thinking about it at cinegear lol. Hard though so much to balance in life I just don't have the time to write it. Plenty of other logistics to figure out since it's pretty ambitious, but I gotta get it on paper first. I think I need to try writing a more simple idea first as a short film and make that. I get it though. The gear videos are usually what I gravitate towards first. Maybe just need to change my mindset and try searching for the films out there on youtube from talented creators to try and feel inspired.
Yeah that’s kinda my approach rn. I have too many ideas and it’s hard for me the believe in any of them. So I’m just using my channel to practice some filmmaking
As a 18+ year professional photographer and filmmaker among those years and someone who just started trying to be on this platform as a "creator" regularly I feel everything you just said. And I personally love these videos and love them more than the other stuff, though I think as you said it has to be a mix. What percentage should be up to anyone who works on their shit. Do I get annoyed by some stuff I watch?! Sure, do I have any right to be annoyed, nope :D I love this space, even if I do get annoyed and the money part, in terms of making, but also feeling you have to spend it, can be hard to manage, but it very clearly is the future and hopefully a lot of us will stick around when this space gets out of its infancy. Not sure this all makes sense, love your work, love your doggo even more. peace!
Yes. Yes. Yes. Love this message. Putting voice to so many things I've been thinking, Keep telling stories, brother. 🔥🔥🔥 Also, you're out here making me miss the crap out of California haha
I really appreciate this video and the wisdom you shared. Really nailed it when you said “our community has been consumed by tech heads.” So freaking true.
"the best of the best really don't think they are the best". And if one read many filmmakers from 1979 Alien an forth, in American Cinematographer the most of them say "we were lucky". For that I really like how movie making is an art of humble study of existence, life, it's surroundings and cause & effects how draw the difficult technical line we must cross, knowing we have a really big probability of fail. It's beautiful how one can study the amazing films, and hear from their creators how suddenly a sun ray came up from the storm. And when it happens to you, maybe is when one star to realize that those stories have a different meaning than the one many people think of sitting on their couch. And then, is an absolute truth, that one have to stop worrying about some things, starting with what people thinks about. Greetings and thanx
I love this man.. this is my first year getting into Film 🎥 and doing something new could be scary!!! Lol but guys like you give the beginners hopes and fundamentals… and it’s so relatabl! hopefully one day I can meet you! 🤲🏿 🪶
Love the video Cam! Could you talk about the field of view difference of the S35 35mm Remus versus the FF 45mm Remus while using different modes of the IBIS of the S5iix.
I have started to unfollow a lot of gear reviewers. The ironic thing here is that the 1st video I saw on this channel was you totally bashing Canon and calling features I use and appreciate garbage. Now to hear this, it makes me go hmmm. I appreciate the insight and I have always appreciated the visuals on this channel. I go out and shoot and see a lot of friendly photographers/videographers in the field. Then on RU-vid I hear a lot of bashing of the gear I am using, with features I love. You have to tune out a lot to appreciate the trees in the forest. I hope to see more videos like this in all RU-vid spaces.
Well everyone’s use cases are different. Canon makes great cameras, but Sony makes better cameras. For what I needed in that time. My main issue with canon is they dont care. From what I’ve heard from the inside since then.. it’s ran by out of touch people. I don’t trust them. But, they jsut laid off a bunch of people and are switching out some of the leadership.. I’m not the only who thinks these things. I thought they were great until I realized there was better options out there. So it’s not me bashing on gear for no reason or trying to bash on anyone. It’s me holding a company accountable after spending $40,000 on their gear just to find out they’ve been holding back. I stand by that to this day. If people think it’s anything else, they’re emotionally tied to the brand and I have no care for that. I appreciate you watching though. I’ll be making more videos like this now since I have for creative freedom and time in my hands. I have officially gone full time on RU-vid so I can be my creative self and without having to invest into one brand. So I hope my insight and hand on experience can help people navigate their hard earned investments!
Not having any photography gear and the enormous hill I have to climb to get more is what's holding me back. Feels like my soul is in prison, awaiting release.
@@cammackey that would make a cool vid. No decent phone here, but I'll keep aiming. Need to create. I was so kitted out before! Life hey. The Phoenix shall rise.
I would love to see a video of how you find inspiration and the stories you want to tell. Is this something that comes naturally to you or you have to think about what to say?
Often when I see reviews on RU-vid for gear, you get these really clinical shots that shows a serious lack of passion. It really is why I just care less for modern glass, it's noise. We'd have far less people so focused on gear if there was a lot of money in pursuing filmmaking or photography for the art. There is a healthy way of liking gear, and that has been long lost with how quick the review cycles are. Something that saves my sanity, are vintage lenses. Since there isn't too much noise surrounding these, you can spend little for immense quality. You have a much different community surrounding this gear too, people chase after lens character and affordability. There is a serious love for the art you can create with these lenses, and the lack of hyper-consumerism is so much healthier for anyone's financials. The more experienced I get, and the less of a need for an overkill setup. Once you get the essentials, gear acquisition syndrome just hardly exists. The community that obsesses over gear wants to keep people constantly needing new gear, when the best setup is one you get to know over the course of many years. We have such a great history of modern camera gear, that the used market only gets better and better as the years go on. There is luckily a small community that cares about used cameras; because when you are a decade removed from the release and the camera is discontinued, you have an ability to shape your art however you see fit by not being limited to a selection based on price point. As more early 4K cameras are getting cheaper by the day, I am glad that more people can finally embrace shooting on the gear that makes their art shine. Because often, people who are looking for modern cameras will lead with "what's the best for x amount of money", or think that their art will excel best with the top of the line camera. You have to get a REALLY good foundation first before you can jump off into the deep end, or else you'll have no clue how to swim.
Got a question for you. I'm shooting the Blazar Remus on the s5iix as well, and it seems the desqueeze doesn't transmit over HDMI, or am I missing a setting? Searched the menu many times over. Thanks Cam. Great as always
Cam, I support you in every video. I love your stuff and Authenticity. Ill say it again, how much can I pay to come and learn film making from you? Take care Bro
As a clueless person outside of this scene with a casual interest in gear, where are independent filmmakers usually posting their completed films? My understanding was that Vimeo was the site for that, but maybe that's changed. RU-vid is like this catch-all platform with bits of everything thrown in a pile and you have to hunt for what you want. I am not sure if there's a single-focused platform that just does films and not extra stuff ABOUT films or what.
People say they hate me cuz "I can see your boom operator" Well I fired him .. ok.. sorry , flash back. but I have not seen recent videos from you . would like more of the story telling , etc , like seeing the gear, but with my budget.. not in my reach yet
