I got the rare chance recently to reshoot a tutorial video from eight years ago, so I got to reflect on what’s changed in that time.
First, I’m very grateful to have a team of trusted collaborators now. Eight years ago, I was trying to do everything on my own; lighting, camera operation, audio… Now I have the joy of working with a crew that brings their expertise. Plus, it’s just a lot more fun working collaboratively with other people.
Second, I’ve learned more about lighting bigger spaces. When we shot the first video, I was using the same small lighting rig I used for interviews. It wasn’t nearly enough light for the space, and because the light levels weren’t strong enough, I had to use a wide open aperture with too shallow focus for a tutorial like this. Now I have the help of a gaffer and grip, so we can build larger lighting setups that fill the space and give us the levels we need for deeper focus. Through experience, I’ve also learned a lot about balancing the light levels from the background lights with our lighting from the front to get good exposure and color saturation.
Third, I’ve learned more about the importance of and when to move the camera. In the first video, the camera is just on a tripod and I’m moving its position from shot to shot. In the newer video, we have the benefit of an excellent camera and gimbal operator. We also have the wide shot on a dolly to add some movement there. That movement adds depth to the image through parallax and makes longer shots more interesting.
In the end, it isn’t just about the improved lighting ratios or the smooth dolly shots; it’s about the journey from trying to do everything alone to sharing the work with people I respect and trust.
2017 Original
2026 Update