From Early Tech to the Dawn of DIY Filmmaking

By Christmas 2000, the world was shifting from analog to digital. DVD players replaced VHS decks, digital cameras were on the rise, and home editing was suddenly within reach. Here’s a look back at the gifts that defined the season and helped shape a new era of how we captured and experienced entertainment.

1. Final Cut Pro 1.2

By Christmas 2000, Final Cut Pro 1.2 was redefining what editing at home could be. Once reserved for studios with Avid systems, professional non-linear editing was now within reach of anyone with a Power Mac G4 and a FireWire camcorder. Version 1.2 improved stability, added smoother DV capture, and supported third-party plug-ins. For the first time, filmmakers could cut, color, and export broadcast-quality projects from their bedrooms. It marked the beginning of the digital-filmmaking revolution that would shape the decade ahead.

Price: $999.99

2. 007 Goldeneye on N64

By Christmas 2000, GoldenEye 007 was still one of the most played games in the world. Based on the 1995 James Bond film, it captured the look and feel of Pierce Brosnan’s first outing as 007 with a level of immersion few games had achieved. Players crept through satellite bunkers, stormed Soviet bases, and relived the movie’s key moments from a first-person view that felt straight out of the theater.

Its split-screen multiplayer turned living rooms into battlegrounds, filled with laughter and competition. GoldenEye blurred the line between cinema and gaming and became the rare adaptation that matched, and in some ways outlived, the film that inspired it.

Price: $44.99

3. Trendmaster Digital Video Camera

Before smartphones and pocket HD cams, toy aisles were filled with kid-friendly video gadgets like the Trendmasters Digital Video Camera. Marketed as a “digital camcorder for the next generation,” it let kids shoot short clips and stills, then upload them to a computer via a serial or parallel cable which was a process that felt futuristic at the time.

It was a popular starter camera during the 2000 holiday season, often bundled with basic editing software and a USB adapter. The image quality was grainy and the memory small.

Price $100

4. iMac DV Special Edition

By Christmas 2000, the iMac DV Special Edition was the ultimate home studio for aspiring filmmakers. With a 500 MHz PowerPC G3, 128 MB of RAM, a 30 GB hard drive, and a slot-loading 4x DVD-ROM, it delivered serious creative power in a compact, colorful shell. Equipped with two FireWire ports, iMovie 2, and Apple’s Harman Kardon sound system, it made importing and editing MiniDV footage easier than ever.

Paired with a camcorder like the Canon XL1, it turned bedrooms and dorm rooms into editing suites. Available in Graphite or Snow, the iMac DV Special Edition wasn’t just a computer. It was Apple’s invitation for everyday creators to make movies, design, and dream in full color.

Price: $1,499

5. Sony Mavica CD1000

In 2000, the Sony Mavica CD1000 felt like a camera from the future. Instead of memory cards, it recorded images and video directly onto mini 156 MB CD-R discs, which could hold hundreds of photos and play back instantly on any computer with a CD drive.

With a 2.1-megapixel CCD sensor, 10x optical zoom, and Sony’s rotating lens barrel, it blurred the line between camcorder and still camera. It was aimed at serious hobbyists and early digital adopters who wanted professional-style control without film.

Price: $1,300

6. Bob Ross Master Paint Set

Few gifts felt more inviting than the Bob Ross Master Paint Set. Bundled with a VHS instructional tape, it brought the calm voice and gentle encouragement of Bob Ross straight into living rooms and classrooms everywhere.

The set included oil paints, brushes, a palette knife, and Ross’s signature fan brush, giving beginners everything they needed to follow along and paint their own “happy little trees.” It was more than an art kit. It was an invitation to slow down, create, and find joy in the process.

Before online tutorials and digital art tablets, the Master Paint Set made learning to paint feel approachable and personal, one brushstroke at a time.

Price: $70

7. Casio Wrist Camera Watch

The Casio Wrist Camera, also known as the WQV-10, was one of the most futuristic gadgets of the 2000 holiday season. It was the first wristwatch with a built-in digital camera, capturing 120 x 120 pixel black-and-white photos and storing up to 100 images.

Though the pictures were grainy and storage was limited, the idea felt straight out of a spy movie, proving that digital technology could be worn, carried, and integrated into daily life. The WQV-10 marked an early step toward the smartwatches and wearable cameras that would define the next two decades.

Price: $250

8. Sony Playstation 2

By Christmas 2000, the Sony PlayStation 2 was the most sought-after console in the world. It wasn’t just a leap forward for gaming but also one of the most affordable DVD players on the market, helping drive the format’s rapid rise in homes everywhere.

The PS2 blurred the line between entertainment device and home theater system, transforming how an entire generation watched movies and played games during the holidays of 2000.

Price: $299

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