The Film’s Biggest Star: The Sunset

Friday, as the sun began its slow descent over Central Oregon, I packed up my camera gear and drove to the top of Pilot Butte in Bend. What I didn’t realize until I reached the summit was that it was the first day of the season that cars were allowed to drive to the top—clearly I wasn’t the only one with that idea. The parking area was packed, buzzing with photographers, families, and sunset chasers all gathered for the same reason: to witness one of the most stunning views in town.

And what a sunset it was.

Some nights in Bend glow with deep purples and indigos, others burn in fiery reds. But this one? This one was purely golden. The kind of soft, radiant light that bathes everything it touches in warmth. It felt cinematic. Alive. Timeless.

I set the camera to 24 frames per second at first—standard frame rate for the film—but something about the stillness in the air and the movement of people against the glowing skyline inspired me to switch up to 48 fps. I wanted the option to slow it down just slightly. Not slow-motion dramatic, but just enough to let the moment breathe.

The shots we captured that evening—only a few seconds in the final cut—are quiet, reflective, and filled with the kind of natural beauty that feels bigger than the screen. They’ll likely serve as transitional breathers in Song of Sunset, offering visual poetry to match the stories told by musicians who live and breathe this region’s small-stage spirit.

Sometimes, the most fleeting moments are the most eternal. This was one of them.

— Brian Craig Hinderberger
Director, Song of Sunset