Gray Jones
@grayjones.bsky.social
Director Film & Video Operations, IWMG streaming network. Advisor to Share platform. DP, owner drivingfootage.com driving plates library, Archive2Digital.com media transfers, avgearguy.com production/post rentals. Podcast host, public speaker, musician.
From when I solo climbed a snowy mountain 3 years ago.
Got minor frostbite and lost the tip of one of my toes, but it was well worth it for the experience!
Got minor frostbite and lost the tip of one of my toes, but it was well worth it for the experience!
November 16, 2025 at 12:21 AM
From when I solo climbed a snowy mountain 3 years ago.
Got minor frostbite and lost the tip of one of my toes, but it was well worth it for the experience!
Got minor frostbite and lost the tip of one of my toes, but it was well worth it for the experience!
A few years ago I recorded a series of Memory Tips videos (pardon the abysmal production values as I recorded them on my commute).
If you want to greatly improve your memory in about 45 minutes, check them out!
youtube.com/playlist?lis...
If you want to greatly improve your memory in about 45 minutes, check them out!
youtube.com/playlist?lis...
Memory Tips - YouTube
youtube.com
November 15, 2025 at 11:22 PM
A few years ago I recorded a series of Memory Tips videos (pardon the abysmal production values as I recorded them on my commute).
If you want to greatly improve your memory in about 45 minutes, check them out!
youtube.com/playlist?lis...
If you want to greatly improve your memory in about 45 minutes, check them out!
youtube.com/playlist?lis...
ALL hard drives fail.
A brand new SD card can fail.
A brand new SSD can fail.
A brand new HDD can fail.
I’ve lost entire shoot days and a 7-day edit because of the failure of a new storage device.
You MUST have redundancy & a good backup strategy!
A brand new SD card can fail.
A brand new SSD can fail.
A brand new HDD can fail.
I’ve lost entire shoot days and a 7-day edit because of the failure of a new storage device.
You MUST have redundancy & a good backup strategy!
November 15, 2025 at 11:07 PM
ALL hard drives fail.
A brand new SD card can fail.
A brand new SSD can fail.
A brand new HDD can fail.
I’ve lost entire shoot days and a 7-day edit because of the failure of a new storage device.
You MUST have redundancy & a good backup strategy!
A brand new SD card can fail.
A brand new SSD can fail.
A brand new HDD can fail.
I’ve lost entire shoot days and a 7-day edit because of the failure of a new storage device.
You MUST have redundancy & a good backup strategy!
Remembering my dad, who would have turned 82 today, if he hadn’t left the world 25 years ago.
Miss you, Dad.
Miss you, Dad.
November 15, 2025 at 9:37 PM
Remembering my dad, who would have turned 82 today, if he hadn’t left the world 25 years ago.
Miss you, Dad.
Miss you, Dad.
Reposted by Gray Jones
DrivingFootage.com is going global!
With our new compact #drivingplates rig, we can fly anywhere in the world. We already have a request for Singapore!
And if you refer us to anyone, we pay you 10% of everything they buy for a FULL YEAR.
Please spread the word!
With our new compact #drivingplates rig, we can fly anywhere in the world. We already have a request for Singapore!
And if you refer us to anyone, we pay you 10% of everything they buy for a FULL YEAR.
Please spread the word!
November 14, 2025 at 7:54 PM
DrivingFootage.com is going global!
With our new compact #drivingplates rig, we can fly anywhere in the world. We already have a request for Singapore!
And if you refer us to anyone, we pay you 10% of everything they buy for a FULL YEAR.
Please spread the word!
With our new compact #drivingplates rig, we can fly anywhere in the world. We already have a request for Singapore!
And if you refer us to anyone, we pay you 10% of everything they buy for a FULL YEAR.
Please spread the word!
How many times would people re-record over a U-Matic tape?
Found evidence in recent capture job that a school re-used the same videotape from 1986 to 1998 -- 12 years!
And if you're wondering, YES this will hurt the longevity of the tape.
Found evidence in recent capture job that a school re-used the same videotape from 1986 to 1998 -- 12 years!
And if you're wondering, YES this will hurt the longevity of the tape.
November 14, 2025 at 11:13 PM
How many times would people re-record over a U-Matic tape?
Found evidence in recent capture job that a school re-used the same videotape from 1986 to 1998 -- 12 years!
And if you're wondering, YES this will hurt the longevity of the tape.
Found evidence in recent capture job that a school re-used the same videotape from 1986 to 1998 -- 12 years!
And if you're wondering, YES this will hurt the longevity of the tape.
Another thing that differentiates our company — hand delivery by the owners.
We believe in white glove service, and highly prioritize good client relationships.
This may include out of state clients if the job is big enough — I’ve flown as far as Boston and driven back.
We believe in white glove service, and highly prioritize good client relationships.
This may include out of state clients if the job is big enough — I’ve flown as far as Boston and driven back.
November 14, 2025 at 10:07 PM
Another thing that differentiates our company — hand delivery by the owners.
We believe in white glove service, and highly prioritize good client relationships.
This may include out of state clients if the job is big enough — I’ve flown as far as Boston and driven back.
We believe in white glove service, and highly prioritize good client relationships.
This may include out of state clients if the job is big enough — I’ve flown as far as Boston and driven back.
DrivingFootage.com is going global!
With our new compact #drivingplates rig, we can fly anywhere in the world. We already have a request for Singapore!
And if you refer us to anyone, we pay you 10% of everything they buy for a FULL YEAR.
Please spread the word!
With our new compact #drivingplates rig, we can fly anywhere in the world. We already have a request for Singapore!
And if you refer us to anyone, we pay you 10% of everything they buy for a FULL YEAR.
Please spread the word!
November 14, 2025 at 7:54 PM
DrivingFootage.com is going global!
With our new compact #drivingplates rig, we can fly anywhere in the world. We already have a request for Singapore!
And if you refer us to anyone, we pay you 10% of everything they buy for a FULL YEAR.
Please spread the word!
With our new compact #drivingplates rig, we can fly anywhere in the world. We already have a request for Singapore!
And if you refer us to anyone, we pay you 10% of everything they buy for a FULL YEAR.
Please spread the word!
My trusty D-2 deck! I used to have 2, but didn’t see enough demand to merit having a 2nd one.
This is a format that will be extinct very soon, because it’s almost impossible to get them fixed, and there aren’t many parts decks to pull from. D-1 is even worse off in this department.
This is a format that will be extinct very soon, because it’s almost impossible to get them fixed, and there aren’t many parts decks to pull from. D-1 is even worse off in this department.
November 14, 2025 at 7:14 AM
My trusty D-2 deck! I used to have 2, but didn’t see enough demand to merit having a 2nd one.
This is a format that will be extinct very soon, because it’s almost impossible to get them fixed, and there aren’t many parts decks to pull from. D-1 is even worse off in this department.
This is a format that will be extinct very soon, because it’s almost impossible to get them fixed, and there aren’t many parts decks to pull from. D-1 is even worse off in this department.
Another 368 captured U-Matic tapes back into air conditioned storage!
On the home stretch now… only 350 to go out of the 2,000+ videotapes.
On the home stretch now… only 350 to go out of the 2,000+ videotapes.
November 14, 2025 at 1:09 AM
Another 368 captured U-Matic tapes back into air conditioned storage!
On the home stretch now… only 350 to go out of the 2,000+ videotapes.
On the home stretch now… only 350 to go out of the 2,000+ videotapes.
Another reason our driving plates camera car rocks for hauling — digital rear view mirror so you can see perfectly even if the interior is packed to the ceiling or there is a camera blocking the rear window.
November 14, 2025 at 12:25 AM
Another reason our driving plates camera car rocks for hauling — digital rear view mirror so you can see perfectly even if the interior is packed to the ceiling or there is a camera blocking the rear window.
Fun fact! I designed the world's first method for automating recording TV on a Mac.
It worked with EyeTV hardware, and was called “iEye Captain."
It was part of what helped me get the extremely rare “alien of exceptional ability” green card.
It worked with EyeTV hardware, and was called “iEye Captain."
It was part of what helped me get the extremely rare “alien of exceptional ability” green card.
November 13, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Fun fact! I designed the world's first method for automating recording TV on a Mac.
It worked with EyeTV hardware, and was called “iEye Captain."
It was part of what helped me get the extremely rare “alien of exceptional ability” green card.
It worked with EyeTV hardware, and was called “iEye Captain."
It was part of what helped me get the extremely rare “alien of exceptional ability” green card.
2 years since I distilled all my trade secrets into a book!
Many have asked why I would create competition for myself this way… but I feel a responsibility to help preserve as much videotape content as possible before it goes completely extinct.
captureifyoucan.com
Many have asked why I would create competition for myself this way… but I feel a responsibility to help preserve as much videotape content as possible before it goes completely extinct.
captureifyoucan.com
November 12, 2025 at 9:39 PM
2 years since I distilled all my trade secrets into a book!
Many have asked why I would create competition for myself this way… but I feel a responsibility to help preserve as much videotape content as possible before it goes completely extinct.
captureifyoucan.com
Many have asked why I would create competition for myself this way… but I feel a responsibility to help preserve as much videotape content as possible before it goes completely extinct.
captureifyoucan.com
If you want to scale a transfer business, you must have standalone networked recorders.
On the video side, we use AJA Ki Pro Rack. For audio, we use Denon DN-700R. It’s a game changer to name files, adjust settings and transfer over a network!
archive2digital.com
On the video side, we use AJA Ki Pro Rack. For audio, we use Denon DN-700R. It’s a game changer to name files, adjust settings and transfer over a network!
archive2digital.com
November 12, 2025 at 8:55 PM
If you want to scale a transfer business, you must have standalone networked recorders.
On the video side, we use AJA Ki Pro Rack. For audio, we use Denon DN-700R. It’s a game changer to name files, adjust settings and transfer over a network!
archive2digital.com
On the video side, we use AJA Ki Pro Rack. For audio, we use Denon DN-700R. It’s a game changer to name files, adjust settings and transfer over a network!
archive2digital.com
U-Matic videotape gets a bad rap because of its notorious softness & color bleed, but that’s due to crosstalk in the composite output which can be overcome.
Methods to get cleaner transfers rely on very rare, expensive devices like this DPS-295 (which also has a dropout compensator).
Methods to get cleaner transfers rely on very rare, expensive devices like this DPS-295 (which also has a dropout compensator).
November 12, 2025 at 6:57 PM
U-Matic videotape gets a bad rap because of its notorious softness & color bleed, but that’s due to crosstalk in the composite output which can be overcome.
Methods to get cleaner transfers rely on very rare, expensive devices like this DPS-295 (which also has a dropout compensator).
Methods to get cleaner transfers rely on very rare, expensive devices like this DPS-295 (which also has a dropout compensator).
I see this on lots of U-Matic tapes from the 80’s — 40 years ago they were already clogging heads. How well do you think they’ll play now?
If you want the best transfers for your archive of videotapes, make sure you bring them to the experts!
archive2digital.com
If you want the best transfers for your archive of videotapes, make sure you bring them to the experts!
archive2digital.com
November 12, 2025 at 7:05 AM
I see this on lots of U-Matic tapes from the 80’s — 40 years ago they were already clogging heads. How well do you think they’ll play now?
If you want the best transfers for your archive of videotapes, make sure you bring them to the experts!
archive2digital.com
If you want the best transfers for your archive of videotapes, make sure you bring them to the experts!
archive2digital.com
Sleep tip for over-thinkers!
Cognitive Shuffling:
Picture a thing in your mind.
Next picture something completely unrelated.
Repeat several times.
The exercise takes 100% your mental focus, so it clears everything else out.
Sleep in seconds!
Cognitive Shuffling:
Picture a thing in your mind.
Next picture something completely unrelated.
Repeat several times.
The exercise takes 100% your mental focus, so it clears everything else out.
Sleep in seconds!
November 11, 2025 at 2:35 AM
Sleep tip for over-thinkers!
Cognitive Shuffling:
Picture a thing in your mind.
Next picture something completely unrelated.
Repeat several times.
The exercise takes 100% your mental focus, so it clears everything else out.
Sleep in seconds!
Cognitive Shuffling:
Picture a thing in your mind.
Next picture something completely unrelated.
Repeat several times.
The exercise takes 100% your mental focus, so it clears everything else out.
Sleep in seconds!
All my businesses pay referral fees!
Refer big videotape archives? 10% goes to you!
Refer 360-degree driving plates? 10% of what they buy for a full YEAR goes to you.
In 2021 we paid a single referrer $17,000!
archive2digital.com
drivingfootage.com
Refer big videotape archives? 10% goes to you!
Refer 360-degree driving plates? 10% of what they buy for a full YEAR goes to you.
In 2021 we paid a single referrer $17,000!
archive2digital.com
drivingfootage.com
Archive2Digital.com — High volume, high speed videotape ingest
archive2digital.com
November 10, 2025 at 8:56 PM
All my businesses pay referral fees!
Refer big videotape archives? 10% goes to you!
Refer 360-degree driving plates? 10% of what they buy for a full YEAR goes to you.
In 2021 we paid a single referrer $17,000!
archive2digital.com
drivingfootage.com
Refer big videotape archives? 10% goes to you!
Refer 360-degree driving plates? 10% of what they buy for a full YEAR goes to you.
In 2021 we paid a single referrer $17,000!
archive2digital.com
drivingfootage.com
Wow! Music artist Seal shares how he owes the success of the song “Kiss From a Rose” to Joel Schumacher: www.instagram.com/reel/DQvVKTf...
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November 10, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Wow! Music artist Seal shares how he owes the success of the song “Kiss From a Rose” to Joel Schumacher: www.instagram.com/reel/DQvVKTf...
MANY reasons to choose AJA Ki Pro Rack over Blackmagic Hyperdeck!
- cheap on eBay
- WAY more reliable
- record full raster 720x486 in SD, unlike 640x480 of Hyperdeck
- full control, name files, offload over network
- super record status & timecode on viewer
- TONS of inputs/outputs
- dual P/S
- cheap on eBay
- WAY more reliable
- record full raster 720x486 in SD, unlike 640x480 of Hyperdeck
- full control, name files, offload over network
- super record status & timecode on viewer
- TONS of inputs/outputs
- dual P/S
November 9, 2025 at 8:55 PM
MANY reasons to choose AJA Ki Pro Rack over Blackmagic Hyperdeck!
- cheap on eBay
- WAY more reliable
- record full raster 720x486 in SD, unlike 640x480 of Hyperdeck
- full control, name files, offload over network
- super record status & timecode on viewer
- TONS of inputs/outputs
- dual P/S
- cheap on eBay
- WAY more reliable
- record full raster 720x486 in SD, unlike 640x480 of Hyperdeck
- full control, name files, offload over network
- super record status & timecode on viewer
- TONS of inputs/outputs
- dual P/S
Fun fact! To eliminate post time and deliver our 360-degree driving plates within days of shooting them, I developed a program that can take thousands of files and automatically build these 9-angle composites.
Other companies may take months or even years to build them. drivingfootage.com
Other companies may take months or even years to build them. drivingfootage.com
November 9, 2025 at 6:14 PM
Fun fact! To eliminate post time and deliver our 360-degree driving plates within days of shooting them, I developed a program that can take thousands of files and automatically build these 9-angle composites.
Other companies may take months or even years to build them. drivingfootage.com
Other companies may take months or even years to build them. drivingfootage.com
BVU-850 broadcast U-Matic deck just back from servicing!
Weighing in at a very big and awkward 83 pounds, these must have been built in the Neanderthal times when humans were much stronger.
By comparison, the industrial VO-9850 model is an ultra-light 47 lbs.
Weighing in at a very big and awkward 83 pounds, these must have been built in the Neanderthal times when humans were much stronger.
By comparison, the industrial VO-9850 model is an ultra-light 47 lbs.
November 9, 2025 at 12:22 AM
BVU-850 broadcast U-Matic deck just back from servicing!
Weighing in at a very big and awkward 83 pounds, these must have been built in the Neanderthal times when humans were much stronger.
By comparison, the industrial VO-9850 model is an ultra-light 47 lbs.
Weighing in at a very big and awkward 83 pounds, these must have been built in the Neanderthal times when humans were much stronger.
By comparison, the industrial VO-9850 model is an ultra-light 47 lbs.
Threw on Iron Fist while working… sure, it’s no Daredevil or Luke Cage, but it’s better than I remembered!
I know there are a lot of haters, but I find it an entertaining series with lots of great fights.
I know there are a lot of haters, but I find it an entertaining series with lots of great fights.
November 8, 2025 at 5:31 AM
Threw on Iron Fist while working… sure, it’s no Daredevil or Luke Cage, but it’s better than I remembered!
I know there are a lot of haters, but I find it an entertaining series with lots of great fights.
I know there are a lot of haters, but I find it an entertaining series with lots of great fights.
Reusing videotape was a very common practice. But every time it was reused, it reduced the lifespan of the tape.
I’ve seen weddings and other priceless material recorded on used tapes, and completely lost because people waited too long to transfer!
archive2digital.com
I’ve seen weddings and other priceless material recorded on used tapes, and completely lost because people waited too long to transfer!
archive2digital.com
November 8, 2025 at 2:28 AM
Reusing videotape was a very common practice. But every time it was reused, it reduced the lifespan of the tape.
I’ve seen weddings and other priceless material recorded on used tapes, and completely lost because people waited too long to transfer!
archive2digital.com
I’ve seen weddings and other priceless material recorded on used tapes, and completely lost because people waited too long to transfer!
archive2digital.com
I do get to transfer some pretty cool stuff from videotape!
Just this week - Jeff Goldblum, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Denise Crosby from TNG, David Letterman, Marlon Wayans, Jamie Foxx.
archive2digital.com
Just this week - Jeff Goldblum, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Denise Crosby from TNG, David Letterman, Marlon Wayans, Jamie Foxx.
archive2digital.com
November 7, 2025 at 8:41 PM
I do get to transfer some pretty cool stuff from videotape!
Just this week - Jeff Goldblum, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Denise Crosby from TNG, David Letterman, Marlon Wayans, Jamie Foxx.
archive2digital.com
Just this week - Jeff Goldblum, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Denise Crosby from TNG, David Letterman, Marlon Wayans, Jamie Foxx.
archive2digital.com