T I M E
“Isn’t it funny how day by day nothing changes, but when you look back everything is different? ”
Every day, since September 2010, I've made an effort to record all the little moments in life.
The rules & structure around this project are pretty straightforward.
First, record something each day — doesn’t matter how boring it seems at the time, all that matters is that I grab several seconds as I go about life.
Then, for each week, I edit together a 7x7.
Which is simply a 49-second long video consisting of 7 moments at 7 seconds each from that week. These edits cannot be longer or shorter — no matter how exciting or slow the days may have been.
Here are a few recent examples ↓
View 7x7 archive
And finally, at the end of each year, I edit together a 1x365.
Which is a longer-format video consisting of 365 individual moments at 1 second each. The moments within these yearly edits are pulled directly from the previously released 7x7s.
Here are a few recent examples ↓
View 1x365 archive
T I M E is not just about viewing the days, months, and years from a unique perspective —
The rigid editing structure, and the insistence of including even the most mundane of moments, is intentionally designed to reveal patterns in life that otherwise might be lost.
I have every intention to continue this project as long as I am physically able, a commitment that will (universe-willing) stretch on for roughly 50 years.
In some ways, the idea of watching your life rush past — the weeks and months in mere seconds, the years in minutes is intimidating — after all, some patterns when revealed can be quite painful; the mistakes we make; the regrets we carry. But sharing that give-and-take is not just important for the sake of honesty, it’s key to revealing what is truly beautiful in life; the friendships we fought so hard to hold onto; the moments we risked something painful and came out on the other side stronger for it. All the things in life that blindside us. My greatest hope with this project is to reveal that, time and time again, there is happiness on the other side.
T I M E will require that I never put down my camera. That I always share what I’ve been through. No matter how personal or painful. Here’s to the years ahead.
At the start of each year, I send out an email with the latest 1x365. If that is something that sounds interesting, then you know the drill →
#shotoniPhone
99% of these videos are shot with the camera that is always on me - allowing me to film an average of 25 hours of footage each year without cumbersome equipment ever getting in the way of a personal moment.
Minutes Filmed/Month
Looking for the beginning?
7x7 - Week of September 19th, 2010
1) Cautiously approaching a herd of nervous-looking cows standing guard outside Bonnie's Castle. 2) Wandering around inside the abandoned hemp farmhouse. 3) Erica choosing flowers to place in with her Grandmother. 4) Erica and I find a puppy on the side of the road. 5) Taking Ralph Waldo Emerson back to the farmhouse. 6) Erica discovering a box in the back-upstairs bedroom full of dresses from when she was as young as 1 year old. 7) Driving through a KY rain-storm on our way to pick up Xander in Cincinnati.