Path

My Journey as a 16MM Videographer

Back in 2020, I took on one of the most challenging and rewarding projects of my film studies degree: creating Path, a montage-style 16MM short film. Path doesn’t follow a traditional narrative or a structured timeline. Instead, it embraced a nonlinear, interpretive style designed to romanticize the world around us and celebrate the quiet beauty of nature.

The entire film was shot on a 16MM Bolex camera, and learning to use it was an education in itself. I had to choose a film stock that matched my vision, learn to read a light meter accurately, master loading the film without damaging it, and constantly calculate how many feet of footage I had left. I quickly learned that every foot of usage determined how many takes I could shoot. It took me three full attempts of recording with different actors and story lines before I really got the hang of the Bolex, but each try taught me something new.

Path taught me a lot as a videographer: the technical discipline required for shooting on film, the patience needed when mistakes inevitably happened, and the importance of adapting ideas along the way. Most of all, it showed me how beautiful a project can become when you experiment, stay persistent, and let the process guide you.

I never imagined I’d be creating a short film on 16MM in the 21st century. But I’m grateful I had the chance.