The scent of freshly ground coffee filled our Fukuoka office as a film crew from Tokyo arrived, cameras in hand, ready to document Weber Workshops and the broader coffee culture in Japan. Their project? A short documentary—not a commercial gig, but a true passion piece.
At the heart of the shoot was Douglas, alongside his EG-1 Onyx, commanding the kitchen counter like a seasoned barista on stage. The crew had a tight schedule: coffee preparation, a formal interview, a deep dive into the workshop, and even a glimpse into Doug’s personal life—family, hobbies, and his love for cars and beaches.
There's an art to capturing that silkiness on film.
I observed, occasionally offering helpful insights like, “Maybe try… filming it again?” They experimented with a camera slider, fiddled with textured acrylic sheets to create cinematic flares, and—despite their experience—struggled with the same things that have plagued me as a videographer: getting coffee to look as impactful as it feels when you need it most. It turns out, even professionals don’t get it right on the first try, which was comforting in the way that watching an Olympic sprinter trip over their shoelaces might be.
It took several shots to get the perfect sunset dropping over ocean whilst driving along the coast.
The day ended with Douglas at the dinner table, his three children staring blankly at the camera crew as if questioning their father’s life choices. It was in this moment of quiet chaos that I saw the real parallel between coffee and filmmaking. Both require patience, precision, and the ability to endure repeated failure without losing your mind.
EG1: always the center of attention.
The final video is set to release in March (likely in Japanese with English subtitles). Until then, we’ll be here, fine-tuning our craft and, as always, chasing perfection—one shot at a time.
Resident (amateur) videographer,
Tarquin Smith