Obsessed With The Everyday

Hey honeys and hustlers,

Before we get down to business, I want to say a huge Thank You to everyone who came out to our virtual screening premiere of Trail Therapy! We had over 80 RSVPs and some great engagement and energy in the room. The virtual claps were very much appreciated! We were accepted into our first film festival and I’ll be announcing all the juicy details on Thursday! (sneak peek below)

The Beauty of the Mundane

I’ve been on the search for an everyday camera for over a year now, and I finally made a purchase on a small camera package that I feel perfectly embodies how I like to capture the world around me. And I’m not alone. The Fuji X100 series of cameras, and many other fixed lens cameras like it, are extremely popular and hard to find in stock. And when you do manage to find one on the used market, it’s probably selling for a price way above its market value. Why is that? I have a few ideas.

As I was scrolling on YouTube one night, as one does, I saw at least 3 videos with titles related to the topic of creating videos with emotion. As you can imagine, when I’m lying in bed at 3AM, I’m not really in the mood to be experiencing heavy or big emotions. Come to think of it, the vast majority of the videos, films, TV shows, books, and scenes that resonate with me on a deep, emotional level aren’t inherently trying to evoke a response from me. As a documentary filmmaker, I know how easy it is to think that you need to be purposely injecting emotional intensity into a film. That’s what wins awards right?! But what makes a scene emotional is not the scene itself, it’s your connection to the character. A lot of what makes us connected to our favorite film and TV characters isn’t always what they say, it’s what they do. We learn about their personality through their routines. Routines provide structure and familiarity. When we see someone preparing their morning coffee, getting dressed for the day, or interacting with their pets, we instantly recognize ourselves in those moments. These small details provide insight into a person's quirks, values, and inner world, allowing for a more nuanced portrayal of the human experience. I think everyday cameras are bringing that level of nuance back to social media *coughs* like Twitter *coughs* in a time where it’s frustrating to see people act or speak as though many things cannot be true at once.

The art of noticing and documenting the every day is, in many ways, a radical act in a culture that often prioritizes the exceptional and sensational. In visual media, capturing daily life requires a shift from that perspective. Choosing instead to focus on how people perform routine tasks, appreciating the route of your daily commute, or making intimate portraits of people you know (or don’t) in their most comfortable environments a la your inner street photographer. In films or fiction writing, these scenes might not drive the plot forward in obvious ways, but they add depth to the characters and settings. The way someone always checks their pockets before leaving the house, or how they absentmindedly hum while cooking add layers of authenticity and charm that I live for.

So I guess I’m making a case for falling in love with the boring, mundane, routine, and utterly uninteresting parts of our daily lives. Finding beauty, meaning, and storytelling potential in the ordinary. Life is made up of countless small moments, each with its own potential for joy, growth, or reflection. These small, often overlooked moments can be just as significant as grand gestures or extraordinary events. Instead of forcing your next interview, video, or newsletter to have a big climactic payoff, maybe we should think about the invisible strings that connect us all.

I hope your week involves some creative mindfulness. I’m rooting for you.

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Please Hustle Responsibly,

🤙🏾✨

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