What we do.
HFX Studios covers a wide range of topics that all somehow circle back to retelling and preserving the tales of history, whether it’s diving deeper than ever into oft-told stories such as the sinking of the RMS Titanic, or shining light on forgotten events like the lost town of Alum Creek Canyon.
HFX tells its stories through documentaries, film, and Virtual Museum Experiences — an educational video game format that we are aiming to define and pioneer.
Our team at HFX works closely with historians in every field that we approach, valuing the life-long research which others have invested into the subject, and we seek to share their efforts with the world. We are a studio that prides ourselves in the uncompromising lengths we go to in order to research our subjects and uncover new information.
About Tom Lynskey
I’ve always loved history, adventure, exploration, and filmmaking. I’ve also always loved sharing and retelling stories, bringing history back to life and making it engaging. I feel fortunate that my company, HFX Studios, enables me to dive into my passions, and that so many people have supported and encouraged this work. I’ve made films my whole life, and I am finally chasing that interest professionally.
“Part-Time Explorer” is my personal YouTube channel. I had intended to make a separate channel for HFX Studios, but there was too much crossover between my personal and professional projects, so PTE has become the official location for the HFX YouTube channel.
This isn’t a one-man show, however. Large projects, such as the Virtual Museum Experiences or major documentary productions often involve teams of perhaps a dozen or more talented individuals. Even smaller videos would be a lot harder without the assistance of my lovely wife, Emma, who helps with both filming and editing.
The Steam & Splendor Network
There are maritime historians that I have worked with for many years — names like Tad Fitch, J. Kent Layton, Bill Sauder, and Bill Wormstedt — who are experts in their field. They were discouraged from working with major documentary production companies (which often have an agenda and don’t worry too much about the facts) and they wanted desperately to be able to expand beyond the printed page and to get information directly into the hands of people around the world.
Seeing this need, in October 2024, I created a “sister network” to my own primary channel, Part-Time Explorer, which we named “The Steam & Splendor Network”. This was created as something of an independent “free space” where my long-term partner historians could develop content with my assistance and under my oversight, and using my team’s resources, but without being tied to my primary channel’s release schedule or needs.
In just over a year, with the historians actually running the show and creating content and programming schedules, the venture has created quite a bit of exciting and informative content, and they are standing on their own two feet with their own independent Patreon, fanbase, budget, and release schedule. Although I was able to help them get started, and occasionally contribute content to the channel, I can not be happier to see these guys strike out on their own and bring information directly to the public in their own style.
If your interests lie more in maritime studies, particularly if it focuses on ships like Titanic, make sure to stop by and check out this “sister network” to my own main channel when you have some free time.