I’ve been teaching myself how to shoot and edit video lately, as it’s such an important (and expensive!) part of any marketing or communications efforts. In working for nonprofits, I’d like to be able to internalize some of these costs so I set out, with the help of my friends at Wistia, to teach myself. Here’s my first serious effort that I’m proud of, with the text from the original post to go with it.
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My dad’s bamboo fly rod shop was always there, just out back. Some of my first memories are of the shop — the sounds of the compressor and the lathe, the smells of metal shavings and wood, the light angling in through the windows. As I grew older, I came to understand it had a time, and a provenance, all its own; it was from another age, and from the hands of two exceedingly talented bamboo fly rod makers: Everett Garrison and my dad, Hoagy B. Carmichael.
This past fall, my father gave the shop to the Catskill Fly Fishing Center & Museum. It was generous of him, and very much like him: he cares about the history, and about the craft. He wants both to reach as many people as possible. I support this. But I also felt a sense of loss at not having the shop out back any more. I could sense he did too. (For past posts about the shop, read here and here.)
Before it was gone, I wanted to capture it, and its history. Over Thanksgiving, I shot a bunch of video of my dad talking about the shop, and have spent the past few months editing that video down to what you can see below. In my own way, it was my way of saying both how proud I am of my dad’s work, and of trying to help him fulfill his goal of making sure as many people as possible share an understanding of our beloved sport.
This one’s for you, Pops. For all that you’ve done: thank you.
Outtakes: Hoagy Carmichael Bamboo Rod Shop Interview
Photos of the Carmichael & Garrison bamboo fly rod shop before it was moved to CCFFCM.
