the smallest camcorder Apple ever built (ad-free)

I actually started filming this video last spring, while still at The Verge. At that time I was looking for personal content that I could make without work telling me I had to take it down. And an old iPod seemed perfect: it wasn't new tech, wasn't in the news cycle. Heck, it was released before The Verge was even founded!

But unfortunately, at that time, I got too busy working on Full Frame (RIP 😢) and planning my eventual departure to even start writing the script. Then, a few weeks, ago I was brainstorming ideas for something I could make while I waited for my iPhone 16 Pro to arrive. And badda bing! It was Nano time.

I was initially drawn to the Nano for its size, and I thought that this video would be titled something closer to "the smallest camera Apple ever built." The video capabilities weren't even a thought! But then I got using it, and the footage looked like it was straight out of my much bulkier, more finicky camcorders, so I found myself using it to document daily life instead of those. I tweaked my thesis, which happened to coincide with me not having any travel or events or real reasons to leave home. And that's how the story about leaving NYC and moving to the town I now call home started to mix with the story of the Nano. It just happened to be where my mind was physically and mentally.

It's kinda funny, isn't it?

I find that in a lot of my work, my own story finds its way in. Sometimes it's something I have been wanting to share, maybe a comment/question sparked an idea, but other times I guess it's just where my head is at. Either way it feels better every day to get to tell these stories on my own channel. So thank you for supporting that and me <3

Anywho, this video took me a bit longer to make than most, around 9 days total, and I honestly never fell in love with it as a whole, in the way that I usually do. For example, I can typically watch my videos over and over again. I become absolutely obsessed with every cut and every sound effect, but with this video I never felt truly connected to it and it at times felt like a chore to make. I deeply love a few sections--the part about moving upstate and foraging Apples, which was the first part of the video I edited, and the intro has my heart because it features so many folks and memories that I love. But I have regrets about putting the history section up top, which slowed everything down and delayed getting to footage from the actual device. And the Nano vs. iPhone section felt out of place no matter where I put it.

Sigh, it's up now. Time to move on!

Also this is my first time journaling after a video, wowee it's kinda nice to take some time to reflect. Was this interesting? Any questions? Maybe I should share my timeline view... hmmm! ideas just FLOWING out of me. That's a good sign :)

your bud, b

final timeline ^^