Encompassing writing, pre-production, filming, editing, and post-production, "Why I Bought A Miata" represents my most extensive endeavor to date, exceeding 300 hours.

Key learnings include mounting cameras in unconventional locations, framing vehicles within environments, adapting to natural elements, and utilizing sunlight position. Lighting relied primarily on natural sources, with adjustments to camera or vehicle placement as needed.

Throughout this project, I significantly worked on my cinematography skills, often filming solo with creative self-setup techniques. Pulling off sequences with two cars and drivers was a real challenge, but it taught me how to orchestrate everything smoothly. In the edit, I had total freedom to tweak the mood, build the story and use chapters to keep it engaging.

Sound design devoured weeks in DaVinci Fairlight, stacking 15+ layers of engine roars, ambience, music, voiceover, shifting and more. I panned exhaust notes across the stereo field, animated keyframes for rev builds, slathered reverbs on voiceover for depth, EQ’d every frequency to carve space, and balanced the soundtrack so music swelled without drowning SFX or narration. It was kind of like audio alchemy turning raw clips into a symphony.

The video stands as the most film-like MX-5 Mark III piece on the internet today (that I could find). I'm happy with this milestone.

Sincere thanks to Tomas for his essential contributions throughout; the outcome would differ wildly without his help.

Filmed primarily on the Fujifilm X-T3

Motion Graphics created in Adobe After Effects

Color Graded in DaVinci Resolve Studio

"Why I Bought a Miata" is best experienced in full screen with ample sound speakers or headphones.

Motion Graphics

Made using Adobe After Effects