You Already Have What It Takes
The other day, I was on a mission to get a new camera. I mean, I really wanted this one — it’s been on my wishlist for years, ever since I first got to use it on a production job.
It almost seemed too good to be true: half the retail price, in perfect condition. I was ready to pull the trigger — and then, right before I could, someone else bought it. Gone. Just like that.
I sat there, sulking for a minute, thinking my creative journey was somehow still on hold because I didn’t have that camera. But why did I think that?
Why did I believe a new piece of gear was going to “elevate” me as a filmmaker?
Cool new tech isn’t what makes something meaningful — it’s the story behind the flash and spectacle that gives it life. “The camera doesn’t make the story — the person behind it does.”
Before the age of FX3s, Arri Alexas, and Blackmagic Ursas, people made films with what would now be the equivalent of a smartphone. The barrier to entry has never been lower. What separates a good story from the rest isn’t the price tag of your tools — it’s your understanding of how to make people feel something.
It’s like cooking. A chef might have all the newest knives and gadgets, but a true master could make something unforgettable using the same tools a college kid has in his dorm.
It comes down to the fundamentals — knowing your tools, understanding your limits, and still creating something beautiful from them.
The same goes for filmmaking. You don’t need the latest camera or lighting kit. You need curiosity. Discipline. Practice.
Learn how to frame a story.
Write dialogue that feels alive.
Build atmosphere through sound and music.
These are what drive emotion — not the camera of the week.
“Take what you have around you — and what’s inside of you — and sharpen those tools until they shine.”
A Reminder to Create
So if there’s one thing I’ve learned from all this, it’s this:
You already have everything you need to make something powerful.
Stay Creative, now go make it!
