Twenty-four years ago today, I, along with my son's mother Yvette Plummer, Anthony Q. Artis, Hans Prime Dobson, Eric Taraby, and Eric McClain, embarked on an unforgettable journey. We climbed into an RV in Los Angeles for a 30-day cross-country adventure, filming the first parts of the Paper Chasers documentary.

Watch the full story and more exclusive content on our journey and innovation in the video below! 🎥

“We encourage all our filmmaker friends with catalogs to digitize and protect their archives. Authentic media is a goldmine, not just for licensing but also as data to train custom AI video models.”

- Maxie D. Collier

The Road Trip That Made History

Our journey wasn't just about the destinations; it was about the people we met and the stories we uncovered along the way. We traveled through LA, Houston, New Orleans, Atlanta, Virginia Beach, DC, Baltimore, and New York, later joined by Rebekah Sindoris, Roman Gabriel, and Marquez the Greatest. These cities became the backdrop for our mission to document the rapidly growing hip-hop industry, filled with both seasoned veterans and rising superstars.

Cutting-Edge Tech and Vision

Armed with the first edition of my self-published Digital Video Filmmakers Handbook (1998) and a co-production deal with Peter Broderick’s Next Wave Films in collaboration with IFC Films, we were well-prepared. Our RV was a mobile tech hub, equipped with iMac computers and high-end DVCAM cameras filming in 16:9 format—years ahead of the HD transition. We knew we were capturing more than just a single film; we were documenting history.

The Fight for Ownership

I fought tirelessly for ownership and rights to every piece of footage and every photo we took. This decision, driven by the foresight that our work was more significant than one documentary, has paid off tremendously. Today, as we digitize and upscale our 24-year-old footage using AI, we are seeing the true value of our archives.

Preparing for the Future

We are now prepping a stunning collection of stock footage—interviews, city scenes, landscapes, and more. This collection will serve as a valuable resource for new film and video projects. In this era of generative AI and synthetic media, authentic media is more important than ever. We encourage all our filmmaker friends with catalogs to digitize and protect their archives. Authentic media is a goldmine, not just for licensing but also as data to train custom AI video models for creating proprietary genAI content.

A Call to Action: #MineYourMedia

As we look forward to the 25th anniversary next year, we're planning a follow-up film with screenings in all our original cities. Hundreds of people contributed to the success of Paper Chasers 1.0, and while I can’t tag everyone, I will be hosting livestreams over the next year to reconnect with many of you.

Our commitment to innovation continues with the latest AI tools transforming every step of our processes. If you're interested in learning how to leverage AI for your projects, join me for a free live "Intro To AI" webinar this Sunday, May 26th at 3 PM PDT. Register here: https://aitoolboxbootcamp.com/freewebinar

Join the Revolution

By the end of the webinar, you'll be equipped to use AI to plan, create, and learn. Don't miss out on this opportunity to stay ahead in the ever-evolving world of media and technology. Let’s continue to innovate and push the boundaries of what’s possible in documentary filmmaking.

#PaperChasers #Documentary #MaxieCollier #AIToolboxBootcamp #ChatGPT #GenAI #HipHop #Filmmaking #Anniversary #AI #MineYourMedia

---

Stay tuned for more updates and exclusive content as we celebrate this milestone and look forward to the future of media and technology.