All About Team Stew Vlogs
Our Inspiring Story
Early Years
Tel first picked up a tape recorder when he was still in elementary school. Tel and Huck’s grandpa would bring it to family events and was kind and patient enough to just let them play around with it. Over time Tel got more creative and was constantly seeking for the best new shot. Huck remembers Tel tying the camera to a rope and hoisting it over a tree to get an aerial shot and tying the camera to their dog for the best action shot. Some of their earliest films were inspired by stop the animation films from Wallace and Gromit and the Star Wars trilogy that came with a special behind the scenes video tape. Eventually Tel got his own camera (well actually it belonged to his family but he was the one who used it). Technology was minimal at best. Tel used to have to edit by getting a combination of VCR machines and recording, rewinding, and recording to cut videos together.
First Taste of Success
Tel and Huck had a many wonderful close friends who shared their love of creating content. One of their favorite things to do with their friends was making videos. Their earliest taste of success was a track meet “meat” video that Tel and Scott (their friend) made together in middle school. It was a big hit. Tel, Huck and their friend Jacob would later win their High School film festival with a “Joy Ride-Bohemian Rhapsody” video. After that it was clear that they were destined to create videos. Everybody who knew Tel knew that this would be a perfect career for a young creative mind like his.
Parting Ways
Both Tel and Huck grew up as close brothers and best friends. After high school, however, both of them parted ways for a while. Each of them served a two year church mission in different countries; Tel served in Japan and Huck in Argentina. After their missions Huck got married and transferred to Utah State University to pursue a degree Math and Spanish Education while Tel got married and stayed in their home town of St. George to finish his degree in Communication and Film Production at Dixie State University. Although they communicated and spent time together their commitment was to their growing families and current careers.
YouTube the Good and the Bad
While still in school, Tel worked at a piano gallery in St. George. He worked for Paul (a piano sales man) who was trying out putting piano musicians on YouTube. Together they started working with John Schmidt to make a few fun piano videos. After some time they formed a YouTube channel known as “The Piano Guys” with other musicians. Although the beginning was slow their channel exploded as a YouTube music sensation. Tel was usually behind the scenes getting great shots, creating special effects, and editing. He would, however, occasionally get a feel for the spotlight performing with the group on “Good Morning America” and “The Tonight Show” to name a few. After this Tel would work more in the YouTube world than ever before. He had opportunities to travel the world, collaborate with other artists and creators and do special consulting work for marketing campaigns. Some of his additional work included working with The Harmon Brothers in creating the PooPourri YouTube campaign. After a few years with the group, Tel’s work was undervalued and felt inclined to leave the YouTube channel for good. He was left to find a job and was fortunate to be taken in by a local supplement company in need of video production work.
Team Stew: Brothers Assemble
Meanwhile, Huck returned to Southern Utah to become a 7th grade math teacher. Now that they both lived near each other they began hanging out like old friends. It was only in 2018 that Tel called Huck excited about a new idea that he couldn’t wait to share. They met for lunch and discussed the concept of creating a family friendly YouTube channel where they could get together and create awesome videos just like they used to when they were kids. The only difference was that Tel was a professional videographer with in depth YouTube experience and Huck was comfortable in front an audience. After clearing the idea with their wonderful wives they began production on what you now see as Team Stew YouTube channel. Their mission is simple: “We want to create a feeling of adventure, humor, and surprise with each of our videos. We want content online that we know our children would enjoy watching. When ever we make a video we focus on what we think our kids would love. And so far they do love our stuff.” Since then they have worked to build their videos and share it with the people who love them and their content. Now they are constantly brainstorming new and creative ways to entertain themselves and their audience.