Griffin Hammond: Filmmaker Extraordinaire
Griffin Hammond Filmmaker Alaska Project
This past week I had a chance to meet a special young man, Griffin Hammond, filmmaker extraordinaire. Griffin joined me in Alaska for a Panasonic project to film brown bears. You can see a sneak peek of us discussing our time in the field in Griffin’s weekly podcast below.
Sriracha Puts Griffin on the Map
Griffin is in his early 30’s but you would never know it. His work for Bloomberg TV covering the 2016 presidential election gave him a huge platform to tell short stories of interest. He was side by side with Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, and the rest of the pack. The film that got him the Bloomberg gig was an artsy little movie titled simply Sriracha. Yes, the same Sriracha known for the red squeeze bottle, burn your mouth to the ground, fiery red hot sauce that’s taken on a cult following. You can watch that below.
Hand Cut Showcases the Lumix GH5
I came to know Griffin through my connection with Panasonic. Griffin shot the promotional video titled Hand Cut, an elegant commissioned piece to show the exceptional capabilities of the new Lumix GH5. This unique film helped solidify the GH5 as the go-to video tool for Indie filmmakers.
For those interested in learning more about shooting video with small cameras that don’t require a large budget, you can learn a lot from Griffin Hammond on his website.
Bill BurkholderOn Sep. 2nd, 2017
I’ve been following Griffin’s YouTube channels for quite some time. He really knows how to squeeze the most out of a budget when making a film! Remember, Sriracha was recorded with a GH3! Most of his Bloomberg coverage was done with GH4s.
It is amazing what you can do if you know how.
Daniel J. CoxOn Sep. 2nd, 2017
Could not have said it better Bill. One of the things I really enjoy about Griffin’s work is his minimalist footprint when it comes to gear. Guess it may have something to do with my same frame of mind. Both he and I are using tools, specifically Micro Four Thirds Lumix cameras, the majority of the photo/cine world say can’t be done AND be successful. Remember the folks who were certain digital would never replace film? Same crowd of naysayers that are still carrying the massive 600mm F/4 I used to carry. Same ones that are buying into the Sony idea of reinventing the wheel by building their version of what Canon and Nikon have already done so brilliantly. MFT and guys like Griffin are the future and it was a blast to work with him. Thanks for your comments.
Gary BosiackiOn Aug. 24th, 2017
Keep up the good work Dan!
Daniel J. CoxOn Aug. 24th, 2017
Thanks for stopping by Gary. Great to hear from you.
GarySOn Aug. 21st, 2017
Really nice change of pace with this blog entry. I had no idea that Griffin made the wonderfully interesting Sriracha documentary. His earlier Lumix videos really demonstrate cinematography for the GH series. The “Hand Cut” video really showcases many strengths of the GH5. Makes me yearn for a well aged bourbon or a rare ouzo. He is clearly a very talented guy. Hope he continues to push the limits on the 4/3s format. Thank you again Dan!
Daniel J. CoxOn Aug. 21st, 2017
Thanks Gary. Appreciate you stopping by and being a part of the community.