Superman Marries Lois Lane !!
July 31, 2009 | Filed Under D'nM Video Productions | Leave a Comment
Alan (aka Superman) and Carla (aka Lois Lane) were married on Sunday 7th June 2009. We were privileged to be there to capture the events and are proud to present their wedding highlights :)Camera: Dave & Justin
Editing: Kristy
I also asked Alan & Carla to share a little about their wedding day.
How did you meet?
We met at Ruby Rabbit in the city, Alan was being escorted out… Carla was not allowed in.
How did you choose your venue?
This was chosen by Carla, She walked in and said straight away “I want to have the party here”
What was the best decision you made during the planning process?
Having a shorter engagement.
What are your favourite memories from your wedding?
The whole thing was amazing!
What advice can you give to other brides / grooms?
Relax and have fun, its your night everyone else are hosts and you are the guests!!!
Alan & Carla would like to thank:
Rabbi Freedman
Special thanks to our parents: Linda, Ray, Joan and David
Rio and Sonnie: Come Hell or Highwater
July 31, 2009 | Filed Under Jason Magbanua | Wedding Videographer | Leave a Comment
It was a rainy Friday.
You do not bitch because it’s rainy and you can’t get the shots you want. You think of ways to utilize and work with what is given you.
The drear and grey would not let Rio’s spirits down, why should it with us? 
Rio and Sonnie from Jason Magbanua on Vimeo.
Join Me in the “Comparison Kills Creativity” Campaign
July 31, 2009 | Filed Under Blade Ronner: The Blog Of Ron Dawson | Leave a Comment
Where do you get your inspiration and motivation for the work you do? If you’re like many artists, chances are you are inspired by others in your industry whose work you admire. There’s a certain level of geek-like admiration that comes over you when you see a particular cinematic shot executed in a way you’ve never seen before. Or a photograph that is composed and processed in a way that screams “MAVERICK!” Sometimes these people are colleagues. Sometimes competitors. Other times they’re superstars in the industry who seem to be in a world and class all their own.
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with gaining knowledge and inspiration from such people. Especially if you’re committed to putting your own spin on things. But, there’s a dangerous side to this business of external inspiration. You can find yourself in a situation where instead of being inspired, you start comparing yourself to the person(s) whose work you admire. Your self-esteem starts getting tied up in places it has no place going. Or, you get lazy. Instead of coming up with a new widget, you just make the same widget of the guy down the street. I too am often guilty of becoming just a little too over-zealous about admiring the works of my fellow filmmakers. Well, it’s time for all of that to stop now!…At least for a month.
I’ve decided that for one month I will refrain from watching the videos of anyone who I consider a potential competitor. I’m calling it the “Comparison Kills Creativity Campaign.” It’s purpose, to rejuvenate the spirit and get your creative juices flowing as never before.
Here are the rules:
- For at least one month, do not look at the work of anyone who does the same kind of work you do. If you shoot weddings, don’t look at ANY wedding photographers/videographers work. If you shoot commercial, don’t look at anyone’s commercial work. etc. (You can get a pardon if you’re going to seminar like Skip’s Summer School or something where others work will be shown.)
- Proactively seek out NEW sources of inspiration. Television, movies, IFC, and magazines are great places. Here’s a kick, why not get inspiration from nature. God’s created such amazing beauty all around you. Look at it!
- Try something new every week. A shot you’ve never tried. A short film about your daughter. An experimental video. Go crazy!
- Journal about your experience. You can write it in a physical journal. Or share your experience on the Facebook group wall. Or comment here. Blog about your experiences. But keep track so you can go back and see how you’re progressing.
You’re going to be on the honor system, so no cheating. Your month can start whenever you like. But, since tomorrow is August 1, why not start tomorrow. I am. After one month, look back over your own work to see how it’s grown. And, if you’re game, keep it up the “fast” from other watching competitors’ work.
Here’s a link to the Facebook group I created for it. Let’s have fun with this. Get your friends involved.
Q&A about NH Wedding Videos
July 30, 2009 | Filed Under Meg Simone | Leave a Comment
One of the big comments I get when people are inquiring about my services is, “We were at a friends wedding, and the videographer was always so close”... I like to assure people that it must not have been me! My approach to the day in a nutshell: If you hire me to film bridal prep, the proximity of the camera to you while getting ready is really dictated by the size of the room. During that time I’m often found in a corner or behind a chair or close to the photographer so I’m not in their shots - whatever I can do to generally be out of the way (but still capture what I need). Of course I will go in for the occasional close up shots of the dress when it’s hanging, flowers, etc, but usually people aren’t associated with those shots. The goal is to always be as unobtrusive as possible, and to pick up on any vibes from people that they recognize the camera on them, or are getting nervous.
Moving on to the ceremony - the only time I’m in front is during the processional, and usually I’m down on one knee (so photographers can shoot without me getting in the shot). Once the bride walks down, I quickly scoot back up the isle and tripod up. From that point we only work the perimeter of the ceremony area, never getting in front of the guests. One camera is back and center and the 2nd off to the right side typically pointed at the bride. For outside ceremonies this works great because nobody can see us and the photographers can still move in front or behind us as they get their shots too. In a church it’s similar except if there is a balcony, the 2nd camera is usually up there the entire time, while I’m on the main level to either side, trying to say behind the last row of guests.
Cocktail hour and reception - below are two shots from the wedding of Ray + Shannon Shupak at Church Landing last week. Their guest David Baily just happened to get a few shots of photographer Jennifer Stone and I during the photo shoot. You can see a comfortable distance is kept. I split time between cocktail hour, getting any candid soundbites people want to share (that is optional per bride and groom request), and getting some of the ballroom shots, and photo shoot shots. Anything outside is always easy to keep a distance, when the party moves inside, of course I’m limited to the size room and the way the crowd is gathered.
During the first dance we don’t spin around the couple on the dance floor (which is super cool if you have a stedi-cam rig) or set up stage lighting, we are positioned on the sides of the dance floor. We have small on camera lights, that I’ve found most photographers say “this is great, it helps with a nice back light”. During the dance party you won’t find me in the center of the dance floor - I’m always off to the side or working the camera from above (shooting down on the crowd). I know by this point people have usually had a few cocktails and like being in front of the camera, but I still try to work just the parimiter of the dance floor, or if there is a stage (like at The Mount Washington Resort) I can shoot from up there as well (hiding out by the speaker).
In conclusion, if you have doubts or worries that you or your fiance will be nervous with the camera, I’ve worked with a lot of couples who tell me up front they aren’t huge fans, “but friends told us we had to do it or we would regret it”. My goal is to make the best possible video for you, to fit your needs. If that’s taking an even more birds-eye approach, we do it. Some people are all about the party and love the camera - it’s all up to you the Bride and Groom to tell me your concerns and goals, and hopefully by the end of the night when I say goodbye, you’ll reply with “I forgot you were here!”
I have over 80 clips online, so if you don’t see something that will help answer a question, email me for more links 
Married in Brooklyn
July 30, 2009 | Filed Under HumanStory Wedding Day Films | Leave a Comment
As often happens, I didn’t get the chance to meet with Pia and Micah until the day before their wedding. I did however have several really great and insightful conversations with Pia on the phone and though emails. What struck me from the start was her amazing awareness of why documenting the wedding day with photo and video is so important.
I liked her quote so much, it is now on the back cover of my demo dvd.
“It is more than just the event, it is about how these people came to be who they are, how they found each other and the impact of the moment on those closest to them.”
-Pia
I love that quote. Pia really gets it. And, if I didn’t understand why she gets it, all I had to do was to meet her, Micah and the people that love them. Pia and Micah’s family made it very clear how important those two are to them. They are everything.
It was a great event.
All of the the wedding activity was in and around the New York City area.
Pia and her bridesmaids got ready at the beautiful W Hotel in Hoboken while the ceremony and reception were in Brooklyn. The reception was at Stage 6 at Steiner Studios, a working film and television studio that happens to have a great view of Manhattan and the Brooklyn Bridge.
I also had the pleasure of meeting photographer Punam Bean. That in itself was a great experience. Her work is breathtaking. You can always tell when a photographer really loves life and loves people, not just by where they aim the camera or what moments they release the shutter but also by the photos they choose to show on their blog. Punam is one of those photographers with a joy and style that has a way of reminding my of why I love photography.
Thank you to Tracey Goldstein of Polka Dot Events for all of you help. I also wanted to thank documentary filmmaker, Alexis Neophytides for making herself available to film the event with me. She is not only very talented, but a lot of fun to work with too.
And, thanks most of all to Pia and Micah for asking me to take part in this weekend. Congratulations.
Planner: Polka Dot Events – Tracey Goldstein
Venue: Stage 6 at Steiner Studios
Photography: Punam Bean
Bridal Venue: The W Hotel
All photos in this post by Punam Bean. Video to come soon!
This one will be off the charts… stay tuned!
July 30, 2009 | Filed Under Studio 67 | Leave a Comment
On Monday night we got to hang out with Jami and Lucas once again - this completely fun, totally in-love couple has been so great to work with - in fact it doesn't even feel like "work" at all when we get together (of course drinking beers on the patio on a beautiful summer evening isn't really working now, is it? We love our "job" LOL). For those of you who frequent our blog you will probably
We now have a newsletter, how cool is that!
July 30, 2009 | Filed Under Mintyslippers | Leave a Comment
Today we sent out the first edition of our regular newsletter… YAY!
Each issue we will feature unique content including updates about Mintyslippers, featured videos, promotions, exclusive newsletter subscriber only discounts (Oooooo!) and our own words of wisdom.
Also, along our way we meet a lot of talented people and visit some of the most stunning venues in the country and will regularly feature some of the best suppliers out there.
If you want to receive our newsletter just enter your email address below and we’ll add you to the list. Don’t worry, if you want to be removed at anytime then that is just a click away and we will not share your email address with anyone else;
Holly Strand with Beautiful Endings–Awesome Photographer
July 30, 2009 | Filed Under Edit 1 Media | 1 Comment
Yesterday, Chris and Laura took a break from our crazy hot studio to enjoy some air-conditioning at lunch with Holly Strand of Beautiful Endings Photography. Holly has such a great personality and truly loves what she does. Her photos are great; super fun and creative. We’re looking forward to a long and successful relationship with Holly! Make sure you check out her website!
–Julie, Edit 1 Media Studio Manager
Featured Speaker at WEVA Expo ‘09!
July 30, 2009 | Filed Under Studio+Z Films | Leave a Comment
Wow! What a HUGE honor it is to be invited to give a presentation on concept films at WEVA Expo 2009! Honored is an understatement. WEVA is the Wedding and Event Videographers Association International. It is the largest organization for wedding filmmakers and to be chosen to speak to several hundred of my peers is incredible to say the least. Every year, wedding filmmakers from all over the globe convene in one location to learn, discover, and be inspired. My presentation will focus on the concept film, how to produce, market, and present it. From my Trash the Same Day Edit where I combined the Trash the Dress and the Same Day Edit to my recent production, I’m looking forward to sharing my experiences and inspiring others to think and create in ways that aren’t typically thought of in wedding films. Reagan will be going with me and I’m really looking forward to sharing this experience with her!
Busy, busy, busy in the edit suite//
July 29, 2009 | Filed Under Couch Media Wedding Cinema | Leave a Comment
Well, hasn't it been a busy month!
Northernlight Filmworks - Opening doors to your Story
July 29, 2009 | Filed Under Northernlight Filmworks | Leave a Comment
Northernlight Filmworks from Northernlight Filmworks on Vimeo.
Isaiah’s Story
July 29, 2009 | Filed Under 31 Films | Handcrafted Motion Pictures | Leave a Comment
This documentary is an inspiring story about second chances. The story of Josh and Debbs and how their family adopted a nearly dead homeless newborn. This was shot in 1 afternoon in downtown Houston where they have their homeless ministry.
Marrylicious–Fabulous and Delicious!
July 29, 2009 | Filed Under Edit 1 Media | Leave a Comment
Yesterday, we had an awesome coffee meeting with Heather and Juliana from Marrylicious. They are super fun and so enthusiastic about what they do. Love that! Their company puts together gorgeous gift boxes for anyone in the wedding. From the bride to the out-of-town guests, they have everyone covered. It’s EASY because you (the bride!) don’t have to run around town gathering all the contents and putting it together at the day before your wedding! Their boxes are so yummy and they use several local Seattle companies like Belle Epicurean, Beecher’s Handmade Cheese. (My personal fave!), and Sweet Miniatures Cookies. Marrylicious has several boxes you can choose from or they can customize one specifically for you. The bridal boxes all include an emergency kit with stain removers, dental products, tissues and even a sewing kit. They also include premium bottled water, sparkling water, juice and sparkling wine. AND they are conscience of possible spills, so all the drinks are light colors. Genius!
It’s obvious that Heather and Juliana have put a lot of thought into what they do. They started out as friends in college and after putting together a little snack box/emergency kit for a friend’s wedding, they decided that a company must be made! They live in the same neighborhood in Seattle and work out of their homes. With FIVE kids (!) between them, they are busy ladies! They definitely take pride in what they do and put a lot of love into each box.
Check them out for your wedding or next event!
— Julie, Edit 1 Media Studio Manager
A Special Fundraising Event - Avery’s Journey
July 29, 2009 | Filed Under Studio 67 | Leave a Comment
On May 1st we had the privilege of attending and capturing Avery's Journey, an annual fundraising event to raise awareness and much needed funds to help fight Retinoblastoma (cancer of the eye). This evening was especially important to us because we've had the pleasure of knowing Miss Avery for 8 years now. She has been a classmate of our daughter Rylie since Junior Kindergarten and we've
BEHIND THE SCENES AT ZACUTO’S “FILMFELLAS”
July 29, 2009 | Filed Under Pacific Pictures | Leave a Comment
FilmFellas Cast 5 | Pacific Pictures’ own Kevin Shahinian joins Patrick Moreau of StillMotion & Ron Dawson of Dare Dreamer Media in an in-depth discussion on the art of cinema and the evolution of event film production. FilmFellas is produced by Zacuto and hosted by Steve Weiss. Cast 5 show times coming soon. In the mean time be sure to [...]
Cherry Creek Wedding Trailer of Michelle + Seth
July 29, 2009 | Filed Under Epic Motion | Leave a Comment
So much emotion; the tears, the looks, the promises… I love that we are a part of these epic moments. Seriously.
Cherry Creek Golf Club was the setting of this great party and Dave from Solid Gold Sound was the emcee+dj. Michelle and Seth were a riot… as was their bridal party. We shot with photographer Kelly Scaccia and her team.
Enjoy their trailer – I’m sure you’ll get a sense of their fun personalities and the great day that it was.
Lana and Ryan: A Preview.
July 29, 2009 | Filed Under Advanced Video Solutions | Leave a Comment
Lana and Ryan: A Preview. from Advanced Video Solutions on Vimeo.
Lana is easily one of the top five sweetest human beings on the planet (and I have my mother and wife included on this list), and Ryan is about as easy-going as it gets, so it made for a very relaxed shoot in the middle of a hectic Oxford weekend. Thanks so much guys, and stay tuned for more! We got to shoot alongside Dianne Bond from Bella Vie Photography again. Check her out when you get a chance.
Do You Fear Terms of Service?
July 29, 2009 | Filed Under Blade Ronner: The Blog Of Ron Dawson | Leave a Comment
This was a discussion I started on my F-Stop Beyond Facebook Group that I thought would be great to bring to the blog. In my last “new” episode of F-Stop Beyond we had new media masters Thomas Hawk and Robert Scoble. They each have a very laissez faire attitude about posting their photos online and various sites’ terms of service (ToS) with respect to use of photos/videos posted. Robert even puts all of his photos in the public domain.
Then, on the other side of the spectrum is another new media pro and photographer veteran Scott Bourne. He’s famous for his negative feelings about ToS that seem to give the site owner free reign on the use of any photos or videos you upload.
What’s your take on it? Do you care? Is the marketing exposure you get from posting your photos/videos worth giving another site rights to do what they want with your content? The issue is made a little more interesting by the latest Facebook fiasco–using a member’s post photo in a Facebook ad (served by a third party) for singles. Oh, and that member is married! (Read about it here). Chime in.
Here’s the episode with Robert and Thomas:
http://fstopbeyond.tv/?p=632
Sarah & Kurt’s SDE: the southern beauty and her tall dark and handsome man
July 28, 2009 | Filed Under MIND|Castle Studios | Leave a Comment
When we first met with Sarah & Kurt we were super excited to get a chance to work with them. They are definitely a perfect fit for us. They have great personalities, loved our work and respected the art of photography & cinematography. We were also excited to work with their photographer April Greer.
Sarah & Kurt emailed me a couple of months ago about using the song Use Somebodyby Kings of Leon and at first we were a little hesitant because we usually like to search for a song a surprise the couple on their wedding day. But Sarah & Kurt explained in detail of how this was their favorite song and it meant so much to them. They were even rocking out to it in their car when we called them to follow up!
Once we decided on using this song, we came up with a concept and planned out the SDE. The day before their wedding we went down to check out their venue and shoot some exteriors of the reception, because we knew their wouldn't be time on the wedding day. On the drive back from downtown seattle we were a little disappointed because we had hoped to do something more for Sarah & Kurt. I turned on the song and we rocked out to it in the car. Then the this idea hit us and we ran with it. We came up with the idea that since S&K really loved the song we would work in a little intro of him playing the song and an after-effects finish. Casey stayed up pretty late the night before the wedding planning out the After-effects action so that he would know exactly what he needed to accomplish on the wedding day.
On Saturday we met Kurt and gave him some hints about our idea and he was super pumped! Everything was going smoothly throughout the day. When we got the reception & Nathan, Clyde and I started loading gear into the Seattle Aquarium while Casey shot the photo-session at Olympic Sculpture park. When Nathan & Clyde went out to the car they saw that the driver side window had been busted. Their first fear was gear (since all the computers were safely inside and we all carry our own cards on us). They checked the car. EX1...check....tripods....check....screen....check...camera bag check....danielle's wallet check.... the only thing missing was the gps. So while we have a busted window, it happened to have been broken by the stupidest criminal on the planet, who took the least expensive thing in the car.
Now that we knew that nothing of real value was stolen, my main concern was the SDE and how we were going to complete it on time with this delay of almost an hour and a half. Witness statements and police reports later, I went back in to continue working on the SDE. By this time Casey had made it back and had some rockin' footage that we just had to include to the SDE. So with 1 hour to the showing of the SDE, I lengthened the song and Casey finished up the film.
At the end of the day, one major lesson is to be learned. We will be parking MUCH closer to the venues and leaving one person at the car until everything is loaded. But it also gives me confidence in our team that even with these kinds of unexpected setbacks, that with proper coordination of the wedding day, we can create some amazing things!
Here is the card that S&K sent us before the wedding. They said the SDE was the highlight of their night and they were amazed!
Thanks guys!! We are blessed to have couples like you. Have fun on your honeymoon and lets do a barbeque when you get back. Nathan said he will cook!
///////Danielle//////////////////////
/////SARAH&KURT * SDE////////////////// from Casey Warren | MIND CASTLE on Vimeo.
////////view in cinescope 2.35:1 widescreen below (press play when entire video is loaded)//////////////////
Dimitra & Serafim getting ready
July 28, 2009 | Filed Under 2DG Style | Leave a Comment
Sometimes its the small details that can make a big difference…
Here is a small taste of Dimitra and Serafim getting ready for their wedding,
wedding photographer – Dimitris Andritsos
njoy
Lee