Dear iPhone fanatics and filmmaking friends,
This will be the final post for Hand Held Hollywood. To loyal HHH readers, I’m sure this feels somewhat overdue. Probably because it is.
Writing this is tough.
As I start this post, my amygdala is flooding with a mix of emotions—gratitude, nostalgia, pride, and for some reason, hunger (I’m probably just hungry). Honestly, I have no idea how to recap my incredible HHH journey. So, instead, I’ll just ramble. Cool? Cool.
Back in 2009, using an iPhone for filmmaking was unheard of. I remember being on set, gleefully jabbing the tiny on-screen keyboard to update a shot list within the original Notes app while shouting, “This is amazing!!! Why is no one else using their iPhone like this?!! Why is everyone looking at me?! Why is security here?”
Soon after, the very first app written specifically for filmmakers was released—a storyboarding tool called Hitchcock (which later became Storyboard Composer). It blew my mind into a thousand little amazed pieces. That’s what pushed me over the edge. I wanted—no, NEEDED—to share my excitement with my fellow filmmakers.
So, in 2009, I spent a weekend learning how to build a website, drinking my own weight in Diet Coke, and launching Hand Held Hollywood—the world’s first website dedicated to exploring how iPhones could be used in every aspect of the filmmaking process.
HHH quickly gained traction. Filmmakers from all over the world were visiting the site and learning about the filmmaking powerhouse they were already carrying in their pockets.
Seemingly overnight, I found myself at the forefront of a global filmmaking movement. Hand Held Hollywood had become the internet’s source for mobile filmmaking information.
I was traveling to trade shows (NAB, CES, DV Expo, etc.), sharing demos on YouTube (Sinbad stopped me at MacWorld to tell me he was a viewer 😄), lecturing at conferences and film festivals around the world (Special shout-outs to SuperMeet and MojoFest/MojoCon), and meeting scores of truly wonderful, like-minded creatives. I even wrote a book on the subject (“Hand Held Hollywood’s Guide to Filmmaking With the iPad and iPhone“), which remains one of my proudest accomplishments. I clearly remember the joy of finding my book on the shelf in my neighborhood Barnes & Noble. That’s what we in the biz used to call a “bookstore.” Ask your parents to explain.
I was honored and humbled by it all. I still am.
So, why say goodbye now? And what took me so long to take this step?
In the years that followed HHH’s initial success, the filmmaking landscape changed. What was once uncharted territory became a well-trodden path. Eventually, iPhones and iPads became widely accepted and celebrated filmmaking tools, with countless educational resources popping up all over the web. Even Apple promoted the idea. In light of this new landscape, I confidently felt, “My work here is done.”
Even so, I hesitated to shutter the website because I had such strong feelings about it. I realize now that by leaving the site dormant for so long, I likely gave readers the opposite impression—that I had abandoned Hand Held Hollywood out of a lack of interest. Nothing could be further from the truth. HHH will always hold a giant space in my heart. I simply felt that I had achieved my goal, and I was ready for others to carry the torch while I got back behind the camera.
I’m going to leave the website accessible for as long as I can, as a sort of historical archive of the mobile media-making movement. Plus, the app directory is still up-to-date and will hopefully remain a valuable resource.
As I bid adieu, I want to express my deepest gratitude to every one of you who supported this website and me personally. Thank you to those who gave me a platform on which to preach the mobile filmmaking gospel. I am eternally grateful for the opportunities and for all the friendships I made along the way.
Lastly, to filmmakers just embarking on their careers, remember: you already have everything you need. Keep telling personal stories. Keep pushing technical boundaries. And most importantly, keep your battery charged.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve still got my mom on hold. (iykyk)
Taz
P.S. If you’d like to remain a part of my creative journey, I encourage you to jump on my personal mailing list 🔗. Hope to see you there!
