Gift Guide for the FILM/ART lover in your life
experiences, equipment, aesthetic inspo & more
Now that we’ve thanked and ate and shared some quality time with loved ones… it’s time for some rampant consumerism! I’m kidding. But there has been a lot of discourse lately about the “gift guide” on Substack and beyond - are they encouraging rampant unethical spending? Or simply a way for creators to make money off of affiliate links? Do they steal the True Meaning from Christmas?!
Personally, I feel like these think pieces (and then backlash to the think pieces ((and then backlash backlash to those think pieces)) are always missing an element to them, which is simply that gift guides are super pleasing to look at. I love collages, and cute visualizations of little objects: they feel like a throwback to those glossy magazine product roundups I used to salivate over as a kid. So whether or not you actually buy something from here, I hope reading this will give your tired eyes and brain a break from the distressing corners of the internet you may previously have been wandering in!
Experiences
The easiest and most impactful gift for the film lover is a membership to a local cinema: many have their own subscription memberships, which not only supports the amazing work of programmers but also typically brings down ticket costs. In LA, check out my favorite, the American Cinematheque, which hosts thousands of new and classic film screenings all year. If I were in New York, Metrograph would be my first pick! If you’re somewhere else, look into an Alamo Drafthouse which now has 42 locations across the country and some awesome Season Pass options.
Other experiential ideas should definitely include tickets to local moving image museums and exhibitions. I can’t wait to go to the Technicolor exhibit at the Academy Museum, and have heard incredible things about The Museum of the Moving Image in NYC.
Equipment
Here’s where the gifting can get a bit tricky, but if you can nail a practical, technical, usually-pretty-pricey gift, your favorite artist will definitely appreciate it above all else. Replenish their film stock, get them started on a new hobby, or foot the bill for an expensive data storage device and they will be singing your praises long into the new year.
35mm film: Kodak Ultra Max is a reliable, flexible, and low-cost 35 film option.
35mm film: Portra 400 is the go-to film option for most amateur film photographers. It can run a bit pricy, but it’s the standard for a reason!
35mm film: Ektar or Echtachrome film stocks are fitting for a photographer with a bit more experience under their belt, so if your giftee is adept at working with sensitive film stocks, Ektar produces some gorgeous results.
35mm Film Cameras: it’s amazing how many decent film cameras you can find online, and the inexpensive cost for many of them really lowers the barrier of entry to film photography. This Etsy Seller has tons of options in every price range, but I’d recommend starting off with a point and shoot (something from the 2000s) from the maker your giftee might be most familiar with. My go to is Canon!
I recently bought the Canon Sure Shot z155 from this seller and it works great. It’s automatic, with a super powerful zoom and user-friendly interface. You can go a bit crazy trying to figure out the perfect model to purchase, but I’d recommend not overthinking it by deciding what you want to spend and going with a brand you already trust.
SanDisk portable SSD, 1TB: These are my go-to SD drives for their reliability and compact, streamlined size.
16mm film: If you know someone who shoots on 16, you can’t go wrong gifting them some Kodak film stock, as it doesn’t run cheap and isn’t easy to come by in the wild. I’d recommend 250D which is a versatile daylight stock (meaning it should be shot under natural light as opposed to artificial/studio lights). You can order it from Kodak directly and pick it up at their shop in LA (which is really cool and they give out a ton of free stickers and sometimes merch!), but if not, B&H has the best prices for delivery.
Sekonic L-308X-U Flashmate Light Meter: This is an excellent gift for anyone who shoots on film, both still and moving images (“Photo mode” & “Cine mode”). Streamlined yet durable, it’s both an incident and reflective light meter, and is incredible easy to use with no bulky knobs that can be prone to damage easily. It’s the perfect gift for someone who spends their life on film, but maybe hasn’t filled out their personal equipment kit yet.
Books
You can’t go wrong with getting your creative friend a creative-themed book. Here are some of my favorites from the past year, mostly inspired by my final year of grad school at CalArts:
For the Hard to Shop For
Everyone knows no trip to a museum is complete without a stop in the gift shop on the way out. I am an unabashed museum shop devotee (sometimes unfortunately they just are the best part of the museum, sorry!) and no one does it better than the MET in New York - you’ll find something for everyone on your list that’s not only extremely unique, but also very well crafted. I’m a huge fan of their jewelry, but they’ve got great options for those who are hard to buy for: nieces and nephews (so their parents don’t hate you), in-laws, that aunt that picks up a new craft hobby every year… If you don’t find yourself on the Upper East Side this winter don’t worry, their online shop is even more expansive.
INSPIRATION
If you’re still stumped, or you yourself like a more creative way to shop, I’ve made a couple mood boards inspired by some of my favorite, most *~%*aesthetically pleasing~*%* films and filmmakers.
Suspiria
The 2017 Luca Guadagnino remake of Dario Argento’s 1977 cult classic Suspiria is oddly one of my biggest style inspirations of all time: 70s Berlin muted browns and architectural silhouettes meets Ballet-rehearsal chic.
Gene Kelly Wore Khakis
I love this old Gap advertisement I saw on IG recently featuring my favorite dancer and movie-musical maker of all time, Gene Kelly. The Gap has been truly spectacular recently: Zac Posen came on as their creative director last year and it SHOWS. When shopping for the man in your life you can’t go wrong with the Gap, especially because their prices are so good (they often have sales for like 50% off) and as a girl I need to be saving all i can for my own shopping addiction.
Sofia Coppola
No aesthetic inspiration list would be complete without the GOAT, Sofia. All of her films showcase her utterly unique style sensibility, and are informed by the coolest and chicest in fashion and design. When she was promoting Priscilla last year, I noticed she did a bunch of fun fashion and beauty collabs, specifically with luxury brands Barrie and Augustinius Bader. Those don’t run cheap, but luckily, her ~vibe~ can also be copied for much, much less (Infamous Marie Antoinette lilac Converse anyone?!)
Parker Posey Party Girl
For the It-Girl in your life, Parker Posey’s style in any film is the best inspiration, but it simply doesn’t get better than her looks from a new favorite film of mine, Party Girl.
Umbrellas of Cherbourg
For the romantic, the francophile, the has-already-seen-Wicked-thrice-musical theater princess, look no further than Jacques Demy’s 1964 classic to give you some whimsical, wonderful gift ideas.
That’s all for now! Happy gifting & thank you for reading - if you’ve missed some of my recent pieces, check them out here:
