Weddings in 2011 - bookings now available
June 30, 2009 | Filed Under Couch Media Wedding Cinema | Leave a Comment
The first couple to book their wedding video for 2011 - I like forward planning!
Katie and Jony, Intro
June 30, 2009 | Filed Under Mason Jar Films | Leave a Comment
Kourt and I had a great time shooting for Katie and Jony on a laid back Sunday afternoon in June. They held their ceremony inside the Gaylord Texan, which provides the best of both worlds - outdoor lighting coupled with indoor cooling - perfect for Texas summer weddings.
This was our first opportunity to work with the delightful couple of Kim and Steve Cooley from Carpe Vita Photography. If these engagement shots of the couple are any indication, I can't wait to see what the created from the wedding event!
DJ Randal Stout kept the party hopping and the trains running on time (as usual)!.
Katie and Jony, thanks for having us along - Enjoy your preview, and know that your full documentary awaits before Georgia has their opener against Oklahoma State.
jones
Ceremony and Reception: Gaylord Texan
Photography: Carpe Vita
Master of Ceremonies: Randal Stout
Refer a friend and earn £20
June 30, 2009 | Filed Under Mintyslippers | Leave a Comment
We love it when people recommend us, it’s always nice to hear when people really enjoy our work.
So as a thank you we are going to offer you £20 for each referral who books with us.
All you need to do is drop us an email either to info-at-mintyslippers.com or via our contact page on the main website along with your name and address (so we know where to send the cheque to) and we will add you to our list.
Then, just tell people about us. Friends, family, forums, twitter, facebook. Just make sure that when they contact us they use your name.
After they book and secure their date with a deposit of just £180 we will send you £20. There is no limit to the number of people you can recommend.
Simples!
-Danny
We Love Thank You Cards
June 30, 2009 | Filed Under Weddings By SML | Leave a Comment
As I always say, the most rewarding part of this business is the joy we bring to our couples. Nikki and Josh were so easy to work with and I thought I would share the card they sent us. :-)In case you didn't have an opportunity to check out their trailer, you can view it HERE.
Sean + Sara Heating Up Palm Springs
June 30, 2009 | Filed Under Weddings By SML | Leave a Comment
When the thermometer hit 106 as we entered beautiful La Quinta Resort in Palm Springs, I was a bit concerned about the day. Fortunately, we brought extra water bottles and Sean and Sara brought some personality to a wonderful wedding.I found it so perfect that the officiant mentioned that sometimes in marriage, "it's the little things that are really the big things". I found that to be so evident all day as detail after detail was planned to a "T". There was so much footage from this one that I was somewhat overwhelmed as I sat down to put together this trailer. You'll notice a fun touch at the end that gives a shout out to the candy station, because in all honesty, it was one of the hits of the reception. Who doesn't love candy?
A special thanks to Jim Kennedy from Jim Kennedy Photography for being so easy to work with and also shout out to Jenna Ball for keeping everything rolling right down to the minute. Always a pleasure to work with great vendors!
And here it is, Sara + Sean, enjoy!
-Steve
HEROES | Shooting A Superhero Spoof
June 30, 2009 | Filed Under Red 5 Studios | Leave a Comment
Here it is folks! Our behind-the-scenes featurette about shooting our latest concept video, a spoof of the TV superhero drama, HEROES. It’s a peek at how we shoot on-location, what it takes to make a successful spoof, and the fun that the bride and groom (and their wedding party) have while making their movie. Check it out if you’ve ever been curious to see what it’s like to be on a Red 5 Studios set.
Click here to watch in HD
Naked Opie, Julie Dots… breathless
June 29, 2009 | Filed Under HumanStory Wedding Day Films | Leave a Comment
There are a couple of reasons that I like it when a bride gets ready for her wedding day at her home.
First and foremost, there is usually good food there and the moms always feed me.
Second, is that this environment can help the bride to be more comfortable and she also tends to reflect more on how her life has brought her to this moment. The home creates such a beautifully personal and rich background for a wedding film.
Julie wanted to be at her childhood home on the morning of her wedding. She wanted her parents, sister and the girls she grew up with to be there with her too. And, she asked me to be there to document it. I’m glad she did. Judging by the comments from all the people I talked to, it is clear that Julie is well loved. She is a beautiful person in every way.
Jeff (also known as Opie) has a slightly larger than life persona. Everyone knows and loves him. He is fearless, funny, sincere and just an all-around great person. The two of them make a really fun couple. It was a pleasure getting to know them and their family and friends.
May Lee shot the event with me. May is absolutely one of the most talented video journalists I know. During the shoot, we each went in our own directions gathering a ton of great interviews and footage over the course of the weekend. When we shoot a wedding film, we often come away with 7 to 10 hours of footage and interviews that we then weave together into the story of the couple and of the day. May is a real storyteller and a good friend too. I am grateful for her and the amazing work that she does.
I also had the great pleasure of working with Maria Cooke of Ritzy Bee Events. Maria did the day of coordination for the reception. I have been wanting to work with her for quite a while and was thrilled to have the chance. Thanks Maria for helping to make it a great experience for me.
The wedding was held just outside of Baltimore at the Towson United Methodist Church. The reception was at the Valley Mansion in Hunt Valley, MD.
Congratulations Julie and Jeff. Thanks for the stories.
Love Story at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart
June 29, 2009 | Filed Under United Wedding Productions | Leave a Comment
When we first met Mike and Bonnie we knew their wedding would be a blast! What we didn't know was just how much fun we would have with them before the wedding. We set out to film Mike and Bonnie's "engagement video / love story" just several days before the wedding, but once we saw the footage from the big day we just had to include some of it in this piece. It is so obvious that they are so in love with one another! Mike and Bonnie, Martin and I had so much fun with you both! Thank you for all of the good times and the wonderful smiles, hugs and kisses! Your wedding film will be that much more meaningful because of your passion for one another and your desire to have such a wonderful keepsake memory of your most magical of days! The Reception was held at the new Westin Richmond, be sure to notice the "way cool" water fall they have in the lobby! Mike and Bonnie didn't just get to enjoy the dream team (Martin, Scott, Stephanie, Brian and Kevin) from United Wedding but also some awesome photography with Don and Lindsay Mears of Don Mears Photography, always a pleasure Don! With Alan Boyle of Choice entertainment as their DJ, the evening just kept getting better and better! Alan is without a doubt one of Richmond's finest DJ's and does a wonderful job of providing just the right atmosphere for fun and laughter. I hope you enjoy this "love story/engagement" film as much as we enjoyed producing it!
Richmond Love Story from United Wedding on Vimeo.
Kostas & Maria teaser – 2dg 2009 new style
June 29, 2009 | Filed Under 2DG Style | Leave a Comment
Only good things can come when you spent 3 days in Orestiada for the wedding of Kostas and Maria,
full vest steadicam shots by Fotis Vlachakis.
VideoMonday: Real Beauty
June 29, 2009 | Filed Under Vanessa McKellar Productions | Leave a Comment
I don't know how many of you have seen this video clip before. I think it was on TV, but I've only seen it on YouTube and every time I watch it I am impressed. Impressed by the production values and also the message.For me it's pretty eye opening (no pun intented) and it's so nice to be reminded that what we see on the screen and in print ads is never real and true beauty. I'm so thankful that I have a husband that loves me just the way I am, but I think every teenage girl needs to watch this video and be told that she is beautiful just the way she was created. Don't you agree?
Daphne + Jason: The surprise wedding concept film
June 29, 2009 | Filed Under Studio+Z Films | Leave a Comment
So Daphne calls me several months ago and explains how she is having a surprise wedding and wanted me to produce a film to show at the wedding as entertainment for her guests. At first we were thinking a Bridal Spotlight film or possibly a Trash the Dress, but then I said, ‘Lets do something different, something that is going to take your guests on a ride and really play into this surprise wedding’. That sentence set the wheels in motion for what would be something incredible, an amazing experience for the guests and something I’m incredibly honored to have been a part of.
After explaining my idea to Daphne, I sat down with photog extraordinaire, Cindy Wagner and Mr. Josh Emerson to plan this amazing shoot and really fine tune this concept and bring it to life.
What’s this all about you ask? Ok, Daphne and Jason told their guests they were having a destination wedding in Florida on July 4th, but were having an at home celebration in the Pavillion Room inside the Hilton downtown on June 27th. For the first hour of the event, Daphne and Jason were greeting their guests and telling them how excited they were to be getting married next week. The guests truly had no idea. In fact, the only people that knew of this production were myself, Josh, Cindy and Daphne and Jason’s families. After mingling with the guests for an hour, Daphne and Jason disappear and change into their wedding attire and take a back hallway to stand behind the huge movie screen. The film was introduced by Daphne’s father and when the film was finished, the screen raised, revealing them standing on stage actually getting married. Needless to say, the guests were blown away and completely stunned. The reaction was incredible and this film actually played a couple more times that evening!
I really hope you enjoy it, and please leave a comment! Check out Cindy’s blog for some exciting behind the scenes photos!
Vote For Us. Please.
June 29, 2009 | Filed Under Epic Motion | Leave a Comment
We are nominated again for the WDIV Vote 4 the Best in Detroit. We were the recipients of the award last year as “Best Videographer” in Detroit! We’d love to have your vote again.
Thanks for the love, everyone. Click to vote here.
The Future of Photography - Commentary
June 29, 2009 | Filed Under Blade Ronner: The Blog Of Ron Dawson | Leave a Comment
Copyright © Teen Identity Portraits
A few days ago I wrote a post that painted a picture of what portrait photography might look like in some not too distant future. I told the story of Debra, an inspired entrepreneur who launches a very successful pro photo business with advanced consumer equipment and software, savvy social media marketing, and great people skills. The overwhelming response seemed to look at the article as a “dark” future. One person accused it as being just another tired foreboding warning about how technology was going to change everything.
The truth is, nothing in that post suggested it was a warning. I find it fascinating that except for one comment, no one looked at is as a positive. No one saw it as a bright future. The fact that you could process 1500+ raw images in a matter of minutes. The fact that you could book three more gigs, automatically, within just hours of posting images from your last session. The fact that your camera could make it brain-dead simple to create a nice, buttery bokeh with little effort. The fact that technology would make it easy to populate an entire home with fresh new images, in a matter of seconds. All of these things sound great to me. They sound pretty friggin’ cool if I may be so blunt.
So my question is this: why do so many of you think this is a bad thing?
Rhett and Bianca Wedding – Sneak Peek!
June 29, 2009 | Filed Under Shadowplay Photography & Video | Leave a Comment
Here is a sneak peek from Rhett and Bianca’s wedding!
It was a beautiful wedding – I can’t wait to share more photos!
Katie [shadowplay]
Julie + TJ ~ NDE *Next Day Edit
June 28, 2009 | Filed Under Studio 67 | Leave a Comment
Michael’s Death Gives Us Perspective on Life
June 28, 2009 | Filed Under Blade Ronner: The Blog Of Ron Dawson | Leave a Comment
The crowd waited in anticipation as the performer headed to the stage. His signature flooded jeans, white socks, and loafers made their way up the steps onto the platform. He turned his back to the audience, pulled down on his one white glove, and tilted his head down grabbing the end of his hat, striking his signature “starting” pose. As the rhythmic beat of that familiar drum base began, the crowd went wild as they knew they were in for a dancing treat. The hips moved, the legs kicked, and the screams from the audience increased. The show was on!
No, I’m not describing the historic 25th Anniversary Motown Celebration where pop icon Michael Jackson did his thing to his #1 hit “Billie Jean.” What I described was MY performance, as a sophomore in high school, at an annual YMCA Youth and Government talent show. Yes, I too was a Michael Jackson fan (atic). I had the one white glove, the shades, the flooded jeans with white socks and penny loafers. I could do the Moon Walk and I knew the Thriller choreography by heart. MJ’s album Thriller was more than just a collection of songs. It was a collection of hit after hit after hit. Every one them was great. It’s no wonder it still is the best selling album of all time.
Last Thursday, on June 25, the self-proclaimed “King of Pop” went into cardiac arrest and a few hours later was pronounced dead. He was only 50. Yet, despite his fame and fortune, Michael lived a troubled life. Alleged paternal abuses as a kid (physical and emotional); low self-esteem; his strange antics as an “adult” (I use quotes because despite being 50, Michael hardly ever came across as an adult). And let’s not forget the pedophile accusations (for which he was acquitted). Oh, and how ’bout the many faces of MJ (I think Thriller was the last “face” that was the most “normal.”) It’s safe to say, he was troubled.
But are you really surprised? From the age of about four until his death this week, he lived in the public eye. Imagine what kind of pressure that could put on a person. He NEVER had a normal childhood. Could that be why as an adult he was so attracted to hanging out with children.
As I look back on his life, I can’t help but think about the fictional character Charles Foster Kane, whose last word “Rosebud” was the impetus for the story in the film. ***Citizen Kane SPOILER ALERT*** (Of course, announcing a spoiler for Citizen Kane is kind of like announcing a spoiler for the big reveal in “Psycho.” If you haven’t seen it by now, you deserve no warning.) Anyway, we find in the end that “Rosebud” represents the lost childhood of Kane. I can’t help but wonder if on Michael’s death bed, there wasn’t some long lost toy or friend that called to his mind his lost innocence. (Ben, are you there?)
LIVE LIFE WITH PURPOSE AND PROPER PERSPECTIVE
I think the tragic, unexpected death of Michael Jackson is proof positive that fame and fortune are no guarantee for happiness. The man literally had the world at his finger tips. He was arguably the most famous person on the planet. Yet, lived a very sad and disturbed life.
As you go through your life, reaching for those riches, busting your butt to be the next great whatever, I hope you keep it all in perspective. I hope you remember that life is fleeting. That every day is truly a gift. That no matter how much fame, fortune, or Facebook friends you wrack up, it’s all meaningless without proper perspective about what’s truly important in life. Family. REAL friends. Your health. Doing what you do because there’s a greater purpose behind it. Yes, economic times are hard. Yes, we all wish we had just a little bit more. But when I see the life and times of a man like Michael Jackson, as much as I wanted to be him when I was a kid in high school, I thank God I am just me. Ron Dawson. Husband. Father. Friend. Those are all the riches I need.
Rest in peace Michael.
Shali & Nihal
June 27, 2009 | Filed Under Chad Dyle Cinematic Weddings | Leave a Comment
This was our first attempt at a Same Day Edit (SDE) that we put together for Shali & Nihal for their reception. The Henna shots were taken a few days prior to the ceremony, but they were so beautiful, that we had to use them.
The ceremony took place at the Pavilion of Two Sisters in City Park and the reception was at the New Orleans Museum of Art. It was an all day adventure that ended in a night of food and dancing.
Thanks to Dayna, Kelly, Jim and LaVina for all of their hard work!
Chelsey + Colin / Trailer
June 26, 2009 | Filed Under Studio 67 | Leave a Comment
Our Wedding: The Chapel
June 26, 2009 | Filed Under Vanessa McKellar Productions | Leave a Comment
Previously in this series- Our Wedding: The InspirationNow that Brent and I knew how we wanted our wedding to be, we had to decide on our locations. For a while I had been pretty sure I wanted to have the reception in the backyard of my parent's ranch house in Central Texas. I had some very nice memories there, and the space was quite conducive to partying. It has a gravel "dance floor" area surrounded by a low stone wall, a large comfy porch with seating, and oak trees covering it all. It's nothing too fancy, but I thought it was perfect.
The hard part was finding a place to have the ceremony. We drove around and found a tiny white clapboard church called Bethel Chapel that was about a mile down the road from the ranch house. My mom tracked down a local who could unlock it for us, and when we stepped inside, it was a marvelous moment. I was just as scared as I was excited, I think. The interior was charming and rustic and simple, just what I wanted. It was also a wreck. There were holes in the floor, animal droppings, wasps nests, junk, and a thick pile of dust on every surface. Check out these pics!
We were told we could use the space for free, and were given a key to keep until after the wedding. Brent and I and our close friends spent one weekend with some tools and elbow grease and got the place into a presentable state. It was so fun at the end of the weekend to sit there in the chapel on a pew with Brent and picture ourselves in several months saying our vows in the same spot. It was all very magical. I especially love that the chapel has so much history. In fact, the itinerant preacher for Bethel Chapel preached to Robert E. Lee's troops when they were stationed in nearby Mason. Cool huh?
But wait, there is a moral to this story, and it is this: when it comes to planning your wedding, feel free to think outside the box. Use your imagination. Even if it doesn't make perfect sense, or it's not practical, or it takes a lot of work, if you want it, go for it!
A few pics from the wedding day, by Casey.
Our Wedding:The Inspiration
June 26, 2009 | Filed Under Vanessa McKellar Productions | Leave a Comment
Previously in this series- Our Wedding: Planning Begins
(Photos by Dennis Reggie)
(by Casey Benson)I love the fact that this uber-rich couple, who could have had the most lavish affair anywhere in the world, chose to have it in a tiny run-down Baptist church on an island in Georgia. And what makes it cooler is that little old average folk like me can have the same wedding!
Once I had the vision in mind, it was time to search for the perfect venue that would bring it all to life. More on that next time.
