From Analog to Digital: The Evolution of Filmmaking, Part 2 – The Dawn of Digital

If you caught our last episode, you know we dove deep into the world of film reels, splicing tape, and light meters — the tactile days of filmmaking when everything was physical and deliberate. But if you’re joining us here first, don’t worry — you’ll still feel right at home. This week, we move from the hum of projectors and the smell of celluloid into the dawn of a new era, when filmmaking started to go digital.

By the late ’90s, everything began to change. FireWire, Avid, and non-linear editing showed up, and suddenly filmmakers could see their work instantly — no waiting for film to come back from the lab, no cutting tape by hand. In this episode, we pick up where we left off, as the analog world begins to give way to the digital revolution.

Wyatt, Gil, and Gayle talk about that turning point — the early prosumer cameras that made filmmaking accessible, the first Final Cut Pro systems, and the growing pains of figuring it all out. There’s nostalgia for the discipline of film, excitement for the new tools, and a real appreciation for how both eras shaped modern storytelling. It’s part history lesson, part creative reflection, and one big nod to everyone who ever tried to balance art and technology.

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