Ep 102 - Caleb "Bad Flashes" Knueven on Film Photography, VFX, and Storytelling

On this episode of The Life of PHYS Podcast, I’m joined by Los Angeles based photographer and filmmaker Caleb Knueven, a visual storyteller whose journey into filmmaking started the same way many creative paths do, with a skateboard and a video camera.When Caleb was about twelve years old trying to learn how to skateboard, he quickly realized he might not keep up with some of his friends on a board. So instead of competing, he found another way to be part of the culture. He asked his parents for a video camera. The official reason was filming his little brother’s soccer games, but the real goal was making skate videos with his friends.Those early skate edits eventually sparked a deeper fascination with storytelling and filmmaking. As a teenager Caleb was already storyboarding and creating short films, experimenting with ways to build worlds through moving images. His first short film ran about thirty minutes long and, like most first films, he admits it wasn’t very good. But it was the start of something much bigger.That creative curiosity led him to the University of Kansas where he studied film and theatre, eventually discovering a passion for visual effects. That passion opened the door to his first professional role at Stargate Studios in Los Angeles where he began working in VFX and gaining on set experience as an On Set VFX Supervisor.Along the way Caleb also developed a deep love for film photography and the world of analog image making. What started as curiosity quickly turned into a full blown fascination with celluloid, cameras, lenses, and the craft of visual storytelling.That passion eventually led him to launch his YouTube channel Bad Flashes, where he explores film photography, filmmaking tools, cameras, lenses, and the creative process behind the stories he tells.In this conversation we talk about the influence of skate culture on creativity, the transition from skate videos to working in the film industry, the pull of analog photography in a digital world, and how tools like cameras and lenses shape the stories we tell.Caleb Knueven’s journey is a reminder that sometimes the path into filmmaking begins in the most unexpected places.⁠Support The Photography Heals Your Soul⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Help Us Reach Our 30K Goal Visit Caleb:Instagram: @calebknuevenThreads: @calebknuevenWeb: www.calebknueven.comYouTube: @BadFlashesVisit The Show: Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@life.of.phys⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@life.of.phys⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@lifeofphys⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Web: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.thelifeofphys.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support The Show:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Donate⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Merch ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Store⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Affiliate Links⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠