connections x moments

I've always considered social media to be a tool. And if you know how to use that tool, it can add value to your life. I don't like to get hung up in online political debates, or "sharing" social unrest issues in my feed, or just basic passive searching. I like to seek out inspiration. I want to find people that have passion and ideas that I can learn from.

That idea about using social media to add value to our lives brings me to this story. Last year, I started following a brand called Croig via their Instagram page. I enjoyed the content they were publishing and always got inspired by their ideas and enjoyed the fact that they were located in my hometown of Minneapolis. I thought to myself, "I would love to collaborate with them someday." Fast forward to June of this year. At this point I've quit my job, I'm roadtrippin' around the US, and I got camping gear and film gear loaded up in my truck. I'm planning to stay in Minneapolis for a few days to visit family and the idea pops into my head, "I'm just going to email Croig and see if they would collaborate with me on a short film".

After a few emails, we landed on a date that worked for our schedules. The plan was to meet at The Moto Collective shop in downtown Minneapolis around 4pm; start with some shots of the shop, then as sunset approached, hit the open road for some drone footage. (I'm currently flying the DJI P4- love it for it's ease of use, dislike it for it's finicky sensor.) I had no idea what to expect, I've never seen these guys faces, and was about to walk into a motorcycle shop for which I knew nothing about. But this part of filmmaking work is the fun part- walking into a foreign world, and creating a story on the fly. When I arrived, there were 6 dudes wrenching away on a caferacer. Immediately, they grabbed me a beer and we started to chat. They quickly explained how Croig and The Moto Collective is about community and it's not about the individual. I felt this community. It was about both men and women, organizing around a common interest, motorcycles. I felt at home.

I started filming. After an hour or so, they suggested we ride to Stillwater, MN. A wonderful town on the border of Minnesota and Wisconsin with a beautiful industrial bridge and open roads. Stillwater wasn't close, it was 45 min in the wrong direction for us. (we had dinner plans to make at 8pm) I was planning to get drone shots near the shop. But, I let go of the control, and went with their suggestion. (ended up 2 hours late to dinner). And, oh my, it was worth it. I got a drone shot over the Stillwater bridge that was crazy to pull off. And I got a sunset drone shot that made me cheer as I was capturing it. Sometimes it's hard for me to just "go with the flow" but when I do, the world pulls me in amazing directions.

A few days before this I had a small crash on my motorcycle. Nothing serious, I was grinding on a dirt trail in Northern Minnesota when I hit a soft mud patch and slide on the side. My clutch lever broke and a few other things weren't working properly. I wheeled my 1974 CL 360 into the Croig shop and they fixed me right up and gave me some great advice on further work to do.

These moments are important. Moments when we meet other people with shared passion for life and community. When we step out of our comfort zone and into a world we don't know very well, amazing things can be learned. It's about community and helping and supporting others. It's not about "me". My focus on filmmaking and photography has always been to inspire others. I don't seek money (otherwise I'd be filming informercials). I seek stories that can inspire you.

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