Our Journey
We’re a Tokyo-based creative studio, nestled in the heart of Harajuku — a district known for its vibrant energy, street culture, and timeless style.
The idea for Retro Vision™ was sparked by Guillermo Alarcon, an award-winning photographer and cinematographer (aka @future_vizion). As a lifelong lover of all things retro, Guillermo spent over a year scouring Japanese marketplaces like Mercari, Yahoo Auctions, and global sites like eBay, in search of vintage camcorders — from Sony Betamax to Super 8, MiniDV, and everything in between.
But one thing quickly became clear:
Most of these iconic cameras no longer worked, and the ones that did were nearly impossible to power. Batteries were obsolete, DC adapters were missing, and the only workaround was lugging around a 12V power bank with a custom converter — just to shoot a few seconds of grainy footage.
Frustrated, but inspired, Guillermo saw an opportunity — what if you could capture the magic of the 90s with the convenience of today’s tech?
After countless prototypes, research, and collaboration with engineers overseas, we finally brought our vision to life by partnering with a specialized manufacturer. The result?
A digital camcorder that looks, feels, and shoots like the past — but is built for the creators of the future.
This is how PixieCam™ and RetroCam™ were born.
Our vizion
Our core Values
At Meta Studios, our work is driven by more than just innovation — it’s about storytelling, emotional connection, and creative freedom. With the release of the PixieCam™ and Retro Vision™, we’re proud to bring our philosophy to life through gear that celebrates the past while empowering the future.
Creative Empowerment
We believe everyone has a story worth telling. Whether you're a filmmaker, vlogger, traveler, or memory-keeper, our goal is to give you tools that spark inspiration without the technical overwhelm. With Pixie and Retro Vision, creativity is just one click away.
Simple gear. Limitless expression.
Nostalgia, Reimagined
We don’t imitate the past — we revive it. Every detail in our cameras, from the design to the footage quality, is crafted to give you that 90s camcorder feel with the convenience of modern tech. It's not about filters — it's about emotion.
Capture the soul of yesterday with the ease of today.
Community-Focused Innovation
Meta Studios was built by artists, for artists. Every product we create is a response to real needs we've faced in the field. We value our community’s feedback, ideas, and creative journeys, and we’re committed to evolving together.
When you grow, we grow.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ – “It’s like filming a memory in real-time.”
— "The Retro Vision camera is exactly what I’ve been looking for. It brings back all the vibes of my childhood home videos but with modern convenience. The footage looks like a dream — warm, slightly grainy, and so nostalgic."– Karla M., Los Angeles, CA
STORY EVOLUTION
April 2024
📌 The Spark of an Idea
While digging through vintage tech on Mercari, Guillermo Alarcon (@future_vizion) kept hitting the same wall: old VHS cameras looked amazing, but most were either broken or unusable without rare batteries or outdated power adapters. That frustration lit the fuse — what if we could build a modern camcorder with a retro soul?
"I just wanted to film something that felt like a memory again."
June 2024
📌 Research & Prototyping Begins
Guillermo and the Meta Studios team began breaking down what made those 90s and early 2000s camcorders feel so magical — the lens softness, the grain, the UI, even the sound of the zoom. Simultaneously, we researched existing retro-style cameras on the market… and found nothing that truly nailed the experience.
We started sketching early concepts of the PixieCam™ – small, stylish, and intuitive.
Nov 2024
📌 Partnering with Our Manufacturer
After weeks of searching, we connected with a skilled camera manufacturer in Shenzhen, China, who shared our passion for retro design. Prototypes began development, with multiple versions sent back and forth to tweak lens quality, screen response, button layout, and recording compression.
This was the turning point — turning an idea into a physical product.
Jan 2025
📌 First Test Shoots & Color Science Development
We started filming in Tokyo’s streets — day and night — testing the camcorder in low light, neon conditions, natural daylight, and handheld action.
We also fine-tuned the camera’s built-in filters, ensuring every clip had the soft, dreamy aesthetic that would make creators fall in love.
The goal: make every frame feel like it was filmed in 1997 — but shot today.
May 2025
📌 Brand Development & Naming
After exploring dozens of names, we landed on PixieCam™ and Retro Vision™ — short, memorable, and full of charm.
We developed the visual identity and logo: playful, nostalgic, but clean and modern.
Simultaneously, our content team began building the early brand story and visual direction for social platforms.
The branding had to feel like a mixtape from your childhood, but with a cinematic touch.
PixieCam is a movement of creators, storytellers, and memory-makers.
Real. Retro. Yours.
