Featured filmmaker: Sarah Pendergraft of PenWeddings

I met Sarah at POSH 2010 last year. Sarah is such a cool lady and probably one of the most helpful filmmakers you will meet. We got a chance to talk shop at lunch & dinner a few times and I loved that she came from a television background like I did and has developed a passion for filming weddings. I think coming from tv production, you truly have a love for finding the story and that is what wedding filmmaking is all about. She runs PenWeddings with her spouse, Rick and talks about how it is working with her husband in the feature below. Enjoy – Reagan

1. Tell us how you got into filming weddings.
If you had asked me in high school, or even college, what my career would be, wedding filmmaker never would have crossed my mind. I went to school for broadcast journalism, and worked as a TV news producer, reporter and anchor. I wanted to tell stories, and I was convinced I could use them to change the world. But after eight years and three TV stations, I became unhappy with the direction local news was headed. When presented with the opportunity to do the video production for my church, I jumped at it. This was around the same time Rick and I got married. Like many couples, we had the pre-conceived notion that wedding videos are cheesy and boring. But upon the recommendation of coworkers, we hired a mutual friend who did weddings through his production company, and we booked him sight-unseen. When we got our wedding video we were so surprised at what people do with them now. We looked at one another and said, “we could do this, and we would LOVE doing this.” And that was it. We borrowed or rented gear for our first season in 2008 and did a few free weddings to get a demo together. I left my job at the church in 2010 to run our business full-time and am absolutely loving it.

2. Why do you love filming weddings?
Someone recently asked me “Why weddings? I mean, do you just love weddings? You must love them to shoot them, right?” My answer… I love storytelling. I love the art of weaving together video and music and sounds so that it moves people, whether to laughter or to tears.

3. Tell us what it is like working with your spouse.
Rick and I working together was difficult at first. We often misread each other’s actions; if I was incredibly focused, Rick might have thought I was being short with him. PenWeddings is my baby, and I can get a tad bossy sometimes. In the end, though, it’s probably given us a better understanding of each other and we’ve developed a good rhythm.

4. What is your most used lens?
We are only just now moving to being “all DSLR” on weddings so we don’t have a very large lens arsenal yet. But I do love one of our vintage lenses, the Helios M44 F2. It’s a beautiful prime.

5. What do you think makes women unique in the filmmaking industry?
It’s not a 100% certainty, so boys, don’t hate me. But in most cases I think we do a better job of seeing things through the eyes of a bride. A beautiful shot may not make it into the final edit because it’s not flattering of the people in it. Or a shot that isn’t quite perfect may be included because of its emotional impact.

Featured filmmaker: Summer Dye of Rising Moon

Tell us about your background & how you got started in film:

When my now husband and filmmaking-partner-in-crime, Mike, and I first started dating back in 1998, he was heavy into BMX bike riding, and he basically handed me a video camera and said “you’re going to film me.”  So I’d hang out at the skatepark or trails, filming Mike and his friends ride and then get lessons afterwards about how to frame this or that to show the trick better.  And I have to say, I got pretty good at it, and it was fun!  Shortly after that, we took our first film class together, called ‘Experiencing Movie Magic’ at community college.  In that class, Mike and I worked together on our first, of many to come, goofy short films, called The Tickets.  The storyline was two teenagers in the 80′s who attempted various schemes to raise money so they could attend a local Guns N’ Roses concert, which ended in an epic bowl-off between the lead character, Axl, and local menace, DJ Bowlee.  I wrote, storyboarded, directed, and edited old school style (with two VCRs and a ghetto titler) and also had a cameo appearance in the film. Regardless of the outrageous yet radical storyline, our instructor actually thought our film showed a lot of talent and encouraged us to pursue filmmaking as a possible career.  I enjoyed that first ‘movie-making’ class so much, that I continued taking production and media classes with Mike, learning basic editing and shooting techniques; the 180 degree rule, rule of thirds, framing shots, three point lighting, etc etc.  We also continued making awesome little movies in our spare time, including such hit films as Scrooged in Chicago and Welcome to Loserville, advancing to editing on our first generation iMac G3.  I eventually ended up at Northern Illinois University, where I minored in Communication and Media Studies, taking a lot of film theory, film/documentary history, script writing classes, etc.  I honestly didn’t think I’d end up in the filmmaking field as a career, but come to think of it, I never really had a career in mind… so I guess everything worked out swimmingly!  When Mike started filming weddings as a side gig during college, and eventually began his own business, Rising Moon Video in 2007, it only made sense that I was the perfect choice as an assistant shooter and editor – I mean, my rate was reasonable, errr free… and I already knew what I was doing  I ended up quitting my ‘day job’ and began working with Mike full time in spring 2009 and never looked back.

What is it like working with your spouse?

I often get asked “so you and your husband work together all day, all the time, doesn’t that drive you crazy?!”  Well if my husband drove me crazy, I probably wouldn’t have married him!  I love working with Mike, and yes, we do butt heads occasionally but it’s usually all in the spirit of making the best films possible.  It’s also pretty sweet to have our editing method down, so I know what parts of the edit I work best on, and then I hand it off to Mike to work his magic.  When we’re shooting together, we do sometimes have to remind ourselves that we’re co-workers and not spouses, and we’ve learned not to take things too personally.  We’ve also gotten really good at elaborate hands signals during a ceremony…

Where does your inspiration come from?

Humor!!!  I love to laugh!  I don’t take myself very seriously, and I love when people can act goofy and not sweat the small stuff – especially at weddings.  There’s nothing I love more on wedding day than hanging out with a fun-loving, happy-go-lucky couple, cracking jokes and having a good time. I also get a ton of inspiration from my husband Mike.  When going through his footage, some of the shots he composes are so awesome, something I never would have thought of!  It inspires me to always make an effort to see things differently, try new things and not always just go for the ‘safe’ shot.

Who is your favorite filmmaker?

I’d have to say that I really admire Tim Burton.  Some of his movies were my favorites growing up, Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Mars Attacks!… I even wrote and storyboarded a spoof on Edward Scissorhands to be titled “Edwards Sharpiehands” about a boy who was trapped in a crawl space and his only creative outlet was using his Sharpie fingers to draw on the walls.  Unfortunately that one never got off the ground, it would have been a winner…  Anyways, I love his originality and watching his strange but creative visions come to life through film.  I’m a BIG believer in following your own path and doing what makes you happy, and not just doing what people might expect/pressure you into, or what might bring in the biggest bucks, and I love that about Tim Burton’s films.  A perfect quote from Ed Wood: “Visions are worth fighting for.  Why spend your life making someone else’s dreams?”

What her spouse, Mike says about Summer as a business partner
“When I first started Rising Moon, I really didn’t have a solid vision for the company or know where I wanted it to go. The only thing I knew was that I wanted to do something different from the average “cheesy” two hour long wedding video. There’s no doubt Rising Moon wouldn’t be where it is today without Summer’s help. What helped me the most was the fact that she didn’t really know much about wedding films, so she didn’t have any preconceived notions about what was ‘good’ or ‘bad.’ She was very honest with me about the work I was producing, regardless that I’d occasionally get discouraged or upset with her constructive criticisms. I love the fact that she always tells me her honest opinion about a shot or an edit, and not just what I want to hear. Once you get a routine for your shooting and editing down, it can be hard to break free from it. Summer is the one who is constantly challenging me and asking me “why did you use that clip” or “why did you shoot that the way you did,” and telling me when things are boring, don’t make sense, are too long to be enjoyable, etc. I really learned a lot from her because of that! I’m so grateful that she was able to join me full-time in the business, and I’m so lucky I get to work with her everyday!

Featured filmmaker: Jessica Ringor of LoveSpun Films

If anyone follows LoveSpun on Twitter and Facebook then you know Jessica has it going on. Not only is she one heck of a talented filmmaker but she is the branding & marketing goddess. Putting a little “Spun” in everything she does, she makes her clients & other vendors fall in love with her as a must have and must watch filmmaker. You will see what I mean in the feature below.

My journey into the wedding filmmaking world was not a straight forward path, nor did I imagine this is where my life would take me.  After majoring in business and computer science in college, I went on to spend most of my twenties as network administrator and IT consultant and as it were, building a very strong technical background for a future career that I had not yet discovered.

My interest in the world of Videography was first peaked when my sister Natalie was working as an editor for a local videographer and I was curious about what she was doing.  She taught me how to edit wedding footage in Adobe Premiere 1.7 and I was hooked.  I was a hobbyist videographer for about 4 years while making my living as a network consultant.  In 2006 I started getting referrals and I had come to realize that making wedding films was the perfect marriage of my technical abilities and my need for artistic outlet so I decided to take the professional leap.

I have spent the last 5 years utilizing my technical background, training, practicing, and perfecting my style and technique, carving out a niche in my market.  LoveSpun Films is a manifestation of years of hard work and experience infused with my unique personal style and taste.  We are a boutique studio offering approximately 25 customized wedding films per year and loving every minute of it!

I would say that the one thing that inspires me the most is music.  I have always been addicted to music and it is a big part of my personal happiness and psyche.  I used to fall into the trap of trying to make homogenized wedding videos that suited the generic tastes of the “any” client but found that my worked lacked feeling and staying power.  I truly didn’t become successful until I started exercising artistic license over my own work.  Picking a lane in your industry not only helps set yourself apart but it attracts fans and helps likeminded clients find you in a sea of wedding videographers.

One my most favorite and funny moments at a wedding actually happened very recently.  During a ceremony, the minister was in full serious discourse when all of the sudden he stops, looks at us and asks if he is blocking our view of the bride and groom?  It was so sweet and thoughtful because he said he knew they were paying a lot of money for us and the photographer to be there and wanted to make sure we had the best shot before continuing.  Everyone chuckled and smiled and I felt truly valued and that is a great place to be in my career as a wedding filmmaker.

While my choice of gear has sparked some controversy in my local market, I think my choice of camera has again helped to separate my work from the pack.  My secret weapon is the Panasonic Lumix Micro 4\3s DSLR, previously GH1s, we are implementing 3 GH2s for 2011.  Together with a set of modern and vintage lenses, I have been able to produce footage with a distinct look and style with very little post work.  The other tool that I love and utilize a lot in my shooting workflow is a slider made from parts ordered from IGUS, which works beautifully.  If I was to splurge on something I would love to get the Kessler Pocket Dolly.

For women just starting out in this industry I would have these words of wisdom to offer.  It is no secret that our industry is very male dominated and when I first got started with my business I was intimidated by this fact.  I figured clients might assume that I was not qualified or techie enough to pull off this kind of job since they were used to seeing men in this field.  What I believed to be my weakest trait has actually turned out to be one of my strongest assets.  As female wedding filmmakers we can completely empathize with our brides feelings and understand what the dream of being a bride is all about.  Another way we can capitalize on our feminine prowess is in networking with industry professionals.  While videography is primarily male driven, a lot of wedding professions are held by women and by seeking out friendships and relationships with other women in our industry can be very rewarding personally and professionally and help grow the awareness of your brand.

On a personal note, be passionate. Film and edit from your heart.  If I don’t cry while I am editing, then my film is most likely lacking in heart.  I truly feel that I am in a place in my life where I get to do something I love and this is a gift. Be genuine and don’t step on others to get where you want to go. Be humble and appreciative of each and every client and relationship you build on your journey.  In other words, be a great woman and you will go far!

Featured fimmaker: Kira MacAlpine

1. Tell us about your background, how you got started filming & about your studio.
I actually got started in television when I was 13. A local filmmaker offered me the chance to work as their PA for a pilot. The experience was completely invigorating. It was a completely new experience for me and I immediately fell in love with everything about it – the act of telling a story with images, the process of editing, and the art of shooting. Afterwards I got involved with our local community television station working my way through different positions on different shows until I was finally able to produce my own shows. It was a great experience – I got to learn from so many talented people about television production. A lot of what I know today is from them. They really inspired me to keep growing and learning.

From there I knew I had to continue in film. There was no other “perfect” career for me in my opinion. So I started looking for the perfect film school, which itself required transferring to a few schools. I knew early on I didn’t want to be a part of Hollywood – I started in grassroots filmmaking and loved the speed and dedication television demanded. I loved smaller productions and I wanted to do something similar. So I hopped around schools until I found Emerson College. Best decision I ever made. They really polished the skills I already had and taught me so much. I still wish I could go back and take more of their classes.

I opened Rav’n Productions in 2009. I had been dabbling in educational and corporate video and decided I liked what I was doing. Since then I’ve been growing the business steadily. We focus in corporate and tribute films, audition videos, and educational videos. I really love what I do, working with clients to create the perfect film for them.

2. Why do you love filming corporate stuff?
I love meeting with clients and developing their vision. I’m a huge proponent of story so finding the story in any of my clients’ needs is a challenge I love. I also love the fact that every shoot is different. Every day holds a different need, a different project, and I get to really learn every aspect of film and business every day. I learn something new constantly and I absolutely am head over heels in love with it. Even on the days my computer crashes 32 times. ☺

3. What is your favorite gear?
My favorite gear would probably have to be my camera. It’s not about the quality or the latest and greatest for me. It’s about what fits the job and also what looks the best. Most of all, I love that this technology even exists; that we can record what we see and hear every day and manipulate it to make our dreams come true. Through cinema we can experience worlds or hear stories we never would have heard before. We can explore psyches and just explore ourselves. It’s fantastic.

4. Was there someone who really inspired you?
I have to say I’m quite a boring person. I was never inspired by great Hollywood directors or producers. Instead I was always inspired by the people in my life; by my mother who runs her own company, my brother who is the most Zen person I know (he’s always teaching me to take a moment and relax, which I use a lot in my business). I was also really inspired by a professor at Emerson, Dan Hnatio. Dan Hnatio was actually the catalyst which propelled me into corporate video full time. He inspired me to go for the road that I wanted, taught me a lot about the practicality of the business of video/film and was just a fount of knowledge. I learned a ton from him and still do every time we chat. He’s truly an amazing person.

5. Tell us something that most people don’t know about you?
I once was dead set on being a doctor. I was really into bones, looking in ears, and all the fun doctor stuff when I was little. I think my mom told me I actually liked watching blood be drawn, which I hardly believe since I can barely stand needles today.

6. How do you feel about women in the filmmaking industry?
I think it’s great. Women have a view on the world men can’t copy. We are more emotional, more feminine, and we connect with things in a different way then most men do. So having their voice in the filmmaking industry is truly inspiring. I think it’s also a good message for young girls. We work hard – everyone in the filmmaking industry does – and this is a demanding field. So being a young girl and seeing that there is another girl, another woman, who is “playing with the boys” and succeeding, working hard and doing what she loves, I think is fantastic. Hopefully more girls will get involved in the industry and we’ll see as many women as men working in films.

Featured filmmaker: Raquel González of Quimichi

I (heart) art.
This is crazy, my mom once told me that when I was in her womb she had suddenly an impulse to paint, now I realize maybe that was her reason to introduce me to art since my childhood. From watercolor painting, pencil drawing and clay sculpture to Architecture degree at college and photography, after being an art museum guide for a while, then working on media arts and web design I finally fell in love in with cinematography in 2003 when by curiosity joined a summer film production boot camp. I thought: this is it!

why weddings?
Having as a reference my own generic wedding video and a great contrast with amazing work being published on the net, I decided to apply everything I learned for weddings and make a difference ~and make a business! It was a big risk and it paid off thanks to my husband who gave me full support. So 2004 was the official launch for Quimichi standing for creativity for wedding video in Monterrey, México. It was a good start.

women as filmmakers
I love shooting weddings because I can witness an intimate day for a couple and be able to translate their emotions with their story. I seek for them to feel and relive the moment with a memorable way to tell their story. Being a woman at first I felt I had little credibility but I was so sure about what I could do, and little by little people were convinced of that special touch that we, women, have in wedding films, gaining also respect and recognition from other wedding vendors, thus – good references everywhere.

inspiration: everywhere
I became so inspired by the work of many wedding videographers on the web and 2008 was a great year since I met many of them at re:frame workshop, I came back so ecstatic and renewed, it was my first wedding video workshop and it surpassed all my expectations. This last two years I decided to not only find inspiration from other wedding videographers, but from any work of art: architecture, art history, music, pop culture, nature, fashion, and my newest source this year: films from The Criterion Collection! .. It’s amazing how any art concept, style or movement can be translated into video. After all, cinema is the seventh art and encompasses all other arts! I believe we are a sum of all our experiences and knowledge and I think it helps us to make creative decisions in all the work we do. What we do is art, be inspired by art, any art that moves you!

more about me:
- lived my first years of life in the United States (Rolla, MI and State College, PA) for my dad’s graduate studies.
- Only my relatives call me by my middle name, Astrid.
- My husband is a homebrewer and we have 3 children

favorites:
- favorite gear: Canon 60D .. my first hdslr!
- favorite movie: Red Desert (Italy 1962)
- favorite architecture: Barcelona Pavillion by Mies van der Rohe
- favorite art movements: expressionism, cubism, avant-garde, minimalism, and magical realism

It’s a joy to share with you my story!
Make yourselves at home in Cancun, viva la POSH retreat!

let’s connect!
facebook: raquel gonzalez
twitter: @quimichi
ask me anything: formspring.me/quimichi

photo credit: Juan Rodrigo Llaguno

nancy + juan pablo | wedding trailer from quimichi® on Vimeo.

Featured Filmmaker: Jennifer Leyva of Cabana Pictures

I was attracted to film at a young age. I went to Wellesley College, which is an all women’s college and was one of the first to graduate with a major in Cinema and Media Studies. I was hired as an editor for the media department. I got my first taste of a big budget film set when the movie Mona Lisa Smile started filming on campus. A small group of the cinema students were asked to work on the set and I was officially hooked. Working as a production assistant for HBO one semester confirmed my inkling that I wanted a career in film and television. After graduation, I went straight to Los Angeles. I was fortunate enough to get a job as a writer/producer for the Fox Networks, which was also when I met the love of my life aka husband aka Zeus. We immediately knew we wanted to work together more and started a boutique production company producing music videos and TV shows. At the same time, we started getting asked to shoot weddings. We loved the documentary aspect and decided we should make weddings our main focus. We took our little company to Florida where we now call Palm Beach our home. Zeus still works as a producer during the week, while I take charge of Cabana Pictures. We make a solid team and I feel blessed to work alongside my husband.

What inspires you as a filmmaker?

I love stories. I love passion. I love emotion. I like to empathize with the characters on screen. My favorite films are the ones that lure me into the inner world of the characters and allow me to feel what they are feeling. The brilliance of a wedding is that all that story and emotion is inherently part of the day. In our wedding films, it’s important to us that our couples not just remember what happened that day, but more importantly, how they felt that day. We believe good filmmaking doesn’t stop at creating beautiful imagery with your camera. It’s in the editing that the story really takes form and whether or not that imagery will impact the viewer.

What is your most memorable story from a wedding day?

My most memorable moment was during a first look. We mic the groom so we can get audio for the reveal and still stay far enough away that the couple feels like they are somewhat “alone.” This particular day while I was shooting, I was also monitoring the audio so I had the headphones on. As soon as they saw each other, they were both overtaken with emotion. It was such a sweet and private moment. I was the only one that could hear what they were saying to each other and besides not being able to hold back a couple tears (hazard of the job), I realized how important and what an honor it is to do what we do. I got that same feeling again when another one of our brides danced with her father who has been battling cancer. There are some times in life where the power of motion pictures cannot be replaced. We are asked to share those times with our clients so that they can have a living memory of that day forever. It is a pretty cool feeling.

What is your favorite gear?

I think the HDSLR movement has changed everything about the way wedding films are created and perceived today. But my latest love has been our 16mm Canon Scoopic. I love shooting on film. Because I know that I have limits (about 2 1/2 minutes per roll), it forces me to think differently than when I’m shooting digital and I really have to make clear choices as I shoot. The end result has an unmistakable texture and quality that I don’t think can be replicated in the same way with digital effects.

What advice would you give to other women starting out in this industry.

I think for women, passion for what we do comes easily. What we can sometimes forget is to have confidence in ourselves as both businesswomen and filmmakers. Running a business and being a good filmmaker are two different skill sets. To be successful in this industry we are required to be good at both. I’m learning every day what I’m capable of in terms of how to run my business and how to take my work creatively to the next level. As women, we can be hard on ourselves to be perfect at everything all the time, especially when we’re putting our heads and hearts into our work. It’s important to take a step back and have the confidence in our abilities to keep moving forward.

Daniella and David: Reflections at Vizcaya from Cabana Pictures on Vimeo.

Featured Filmmaker: Kelly Mercer of Blue Canister Studios

Tell us about your background, how you got started filming & about your studio.

Follow your dreams. That’s my motto. WIth a dream and a fair amount of hard work, I feel that anything is possible.

My life has always been related to film in some way. My dad bought our first VHS camcorder when I was about 4 years old and I was fascinated with it from the start, constantly turning it on and making my brother my partner in crime. I talked him into performing for the camera, reading news stories, or I just made up ‘shows’ to film.
I was involved in tons of projects in high school, and carried my love of filming with me to college at The University of Dayton. There I studied Electronic Media and was involved in countless film projects, original shows and documentaries. In college, I discovered my passion for editing and storytelling. I would spend hours and hours crafting stories and editing footage of anything I could come up with to see how I could make it unique. After college, I started working as a television producer for a local television station. That’s where I met my husband (Brian Mercer of Blue Canister Studios) and the rest is kind of history. Our studio began as Phase Two Productions (we recently re-branded our company to Blue Canister Studios) and we had a vision of creating unique wedding films. My primary role with Blue Canister is editing. I absolutely love meeting new people and telling their stories. It’s so amazing to me how different each of our brides and grooms are, and how unique each of their stories can be!

What inspires you as a filmmaker?

People. The people we work with are the life of the stories we tell. They are the reason this world is unique and they inspire me to be better, work harder and strive to achieve more.

What is your most memorable story from a wedding day?

We get to work with so many amazing couples that it’s really hard to choose just one specific moment! But, I will have to say that my favorite part of EVERY wedding is the first look. As a filmmaker, I love for this moment to happen before the ceremony, but no matter when it happens, whether at the altar, or in a quiet spot where it’s just the bride and groom, it is so amazing to see a couple truly in love. Watching them see one another for the first time on their wedding day is something that becomes seared into my memory and makes me fall more in love with what I do. And the kicker is, capturing that moment so they can re-live it again and again, is something so special that I can’t even put into words.

What is your favorite gear?

Being primarily an editor, of course my absolute favorite gear is a rocking MacBook Pro with Final Cut! But camera wise, nothing beats a 5D with a 50mm lens on it. The emotion that lens can capture is absolutely astonishing. It can be soft and romantic and help tell a story in a way I’m completely in love with.
I’m also a HUGE sucker for an amazing glidecam shot

What advice would you give to other women starting out in this industry?

I’ll say it a thousand times. Follow your dreams and work, HARD. Nothing can be accomplished without first having a vision, and then working hard to achieve it. If you think of something you want to do, do it. If you don’t quite get it right the first time, practice, practice, practice. The harder you work, the more likely it is that you will be successful. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes.

The final thing is to never stop learning. Meet people, practice, go to workshops. My business has grown exponentially just by networking with the amazing people in this industry. The wealth of knowledge that can be gained by simply talking with others is something pretty special. This industry is one of passion and creativity and I am honored to be a part of it!

Featured filmmaker: Danielle Kaiser of Jet Kaiser Films

Jet Kaiser Films is a home-based production studio made up of a husband and wife team: myself, Dani, and my husband, Jet Kaiser. One aspect that helps set Jet Kaiser Films apart from others studios is that we are a very personal business. All of our work, including our editing, marketing and website, is done in house.  By doing this, we know that every aspect of the business is a reflection of who we are, and maintains that vision of who we strive to be. Getting to know our couples is the single most important part of what we do. Throughout our films, we strive to show the true story of the couple. Through proper character development and storytelling, we want the viewer, whomever they are, to feel as if they’ve known the couple all their lives. It’s so refreshing to receive an email or a phone call from someone we don’t know telling us that they were crying while on our samples page.

As for my backstory, I have always been an artist at heart. Sketching, painting, oil pastel, you name it, I loved it all. In highschool, I was the head of our art club, and named most artistic in the senior class, geeky, I know. After graduating, Jet became a huge influence on me, so I decided to take my artistic eye to the visual communications realm at Ivy Tech. My artistic history along with the principles I learned through school, has carried through to the industry that I am now a part of and has contributed in the shaping of what our business is today.

Our slogan at Jet Kaiser Films is “motion pictures for those in LOVE”. So you ask, what is our inspiration? Love. Documenting and editing a true love story is what drives us. For us, piecing together a story that ignites a full spectrum of emotion is both exciting and addictive. We seek couples who are madly in love with each other and can’t hide it. What’s more powerful than love? For me, nothing else comes to mind. Love inspires us.

What is one of your most favorite stories from a wedding day?

We have so many cherishable moments throughout our time in this industry. But I have to say, the most memorable time for us had to be the wedding day of Chris and Ella Ji. Our ideas and visions harmonized perfectly before the wedding took place. It was so exciting to see our collaborative vision unfold seamlessly throughout their wedding day. Everything just feel into place.

What is your favorite gear?

My favorite gear would have to be just a simple 5D Mark II equipped with a 50mm 1.2 lens on a Manfrotto (HDV501 head) monopod. This helps me stay smooth all while staying mobile. We definitely don’t go overboard with sliding and flying shots. The camera work should always reflect the emotion that is taking place in that point in time. Cinematography should only add to the emotional impact of a film and never deduct from it.

What advice would you give other women starting out in this industry:

Women new to the industry should make sure they use their secret weapon: their feminine touch! What we sometimes lack in the technical field, we can make up for it within our emotional ties we have with the brides. Don’t forget who you are, and stay true to that. It is also essential that you set a certain amount of your budget aside for educational purposes in order expand to your mind. Going to events such as POSH, IN[FOCUS], and WEVA can be extremely profitable for your business and for the industry as a whole. Throughout these events we can share information and learn from other’s successes and failures. Use your resources, and don’t forget to share them

Filmmaker Feature: Maura Coleman-Murray

How did you get started with Film?

I fell upon filmmaking accidentally when I was teaching High School Art. I had been teaching for almost 10 years and had just finished my Master’s Degree in Art Museum Education when my brother and brother-in-law were both getting married. During one particularly frustrating day of teaching, I sat at my computer during a long planning time, researching wedding videographers for our brothers. At that time there were not many examples of good wedding video. With my background in photography and fine art, and some editing with FCP with my independent study students, I thought I could come up with a product that was different and unique.  Turns out I LOVED shooting and editing and jumped into a new business.  After just one year of starting my business and teaching full time, I was able to take a year sabbatical from teaching and focus on the new business. This overlapped with the birth of my daughter and I loved the idea of working from home with a more flexible schedule, AND the idea of owning my own business.  After my first year, I gave my notice to my school and have been working hard on maintaining and growing this business.

How do you balance a growing business with a young family?

I think this is probably the hardest part. I can’t imagine life without either one. I get so much satisfaction from watching my kids grow up and also from getting to create art from one of the most exciting moments of a new family. When I was teaching, I never was able to figure out a way to both teach AND create art. With this work, I get to do exactly that! I am helping my client preserve one of the most important days of their new life together, AND I am getting to make art! This work also gives me the flexibility to be at home with my kids when they need me and with them for most all their other adventures. That does mean I work at crazy times of the day and night, but I am here for them. Moving into the studio space a year and a half ago was a major help in my balance. I have a place of my own now to meet my clients, outside of the home and I was able to grow the baby and family portraiture business.  Many of my photo clients are former bridal clients and I absolutely LOVE getting to see them again when they have their children! It is sort of full circle – another amazing part of their lives that I get to help them document.

Inspiration:

When thinking of inspiration, I have to mention the amazing group of people I am lucky to call friends that I have been in the past several years in New Orleans and San Francisco. Until I attended the ReFrame workshops I was working very much alone. I was a member of WEVA, but didn’t feel comfortable attending the convention by myself.  There was something so much more intimate and inviting about the new workshops and as a woman owned business, I felt like I fit right in.  I am so excited about POSH to continue to grow Women Owned Businesses and share and learn from others who struggle with some of the same issues I have in this industry. The amazing artists I share a building with are a big inspiration to me as well. We all are in different artistic disciplines, but the creative spirit lives strong in our space. Someone is almost always there making something every time I go up to meet a client or work on an edit. I think it is good for my clients to enter a building where art is created as well – hopefully it begins each consultation with the idea that real art will be happening with their wedding film as well!

Maura was featured in an article about how sharing a studio space with other artists has increase her business. Read the article here. Check out more of Maura’s work on her blog.

This clip of Maura’s was featured recently on Style Me Pretty.

michaela & patrick from creative video on Vimeo.

Filmmaker Feature: Vanessa McKellar

Photo credit: Clarity Photography

How did you get started filming weddings?

I think my story really starts in the 90′s, when my love for weddings blossomed. I designed wedding dresses, subscribed to Martha Stewart  Weddings magazine, all that stuff. I wanted to be a wedding coordinator when I grew up. In Junior High, I started dabbling in video. My close friends and I would pass the slow summer days by videotaping anything and everything- skits and dramas, cooking shows, our pets, and of course the occasional event. When I went to film school at UT Austin, I decided that I should combine my two passions and become a wedding videographer (we called it “videographer” back then Turns out I was the only person in my department that wanted to be a lil’ ol’ wedding videographer, amongst all the aspiring directors, screenwriters, and cinematographers. And that was just fine by me.

I’ve been in the industry since 2001, when I started shooting and editing for wedding videographers while I was in school. When I graduated in ’03, I used my savings to buy a camera and computer, and I haven’t looked back since! Also, in the summer of ’08 my husband Brent quit his career in sales to come work with me full time, and it’s been fabulous. With his love for independent films and his obsession with reality TV, he brings a different eye to the table. I’m so thrilled with how he’s contributing with his filming and editing. This is kind of a dream life for the both of us. While my fellow graduates are likely eking out a living in LA or New York City, I get to sleep late, travel, attend the happiest events ever, and spend tons of time with my hubby.

What inspires you?

In short, music. Once we film a wedding and have a feel for the couple based on their style, personality, and the music they used in their event, we set out on the arduous task of finding the perfect songs. Oftentimes the perfect song is one they didn’t even know they would like, but we’ve found that if you push people’s boundaries a wee bit it always pays off. The song pretty much entirely informs the edit- if you look at our body of highlights and trailers, you’ll find that they can vary quite a bit in style from one to the next. It helps that Brent is a genius at finding music, if I may say so myself.

Anything else you want to say?

CHICKS UNITE!!!

No really, I think it’s great there’s something like POSH now that can celebrate the role of women in this male-dominated industry. I think it’s kinda crazy that there have been so few female wedding filmmakers considering it’s a job that centers quite heavily around weddings, something that men have traditionally not really cared too much about. I hope there are more and more of us emerging every year.

www.VanessaMcKellar.com
www.VideoBrideBlog.com

Here is a clip of Vanessa’s work:

Erika & Phil’s Trailer from Vanessa McKellar Productions on Vimeo.