Featured Filmmaker: Melanie Darlington of Darlington Studios

When I first met Melanie at POSH 2010, I could just tell how passionate she is about her craft and her family. We talked about her son’s upcoming first birthday and business. It is great to know that you can be a mom and run a business and be successful at both. It is all about finding the right balance between them that works best for you. You also can have a great business partnership with your spouse and make an amazing team both professionally and personally. Melanie is proof of this because her husband, who is a photographer is also her business partner at Darlington Studios. Melanie talks about working with your spouse and the challenges and rewards with becoming a fusion studio. – Reagan

Where I Started

I’ve always loved classic films! I grew up watching Frank Capra, Victor Fleming and Alfred Hitchcock movies. But, my desire to study cinema began at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. I enrolled in the Medill School of Journalism to study broadcasting journalism; however, after participating in a grueling three-hour long Basic Writing lab, I realized that I preferred the production aspect of journalism more than the writing. So, I transferred to the School of Speech’s Radio/TV/Film program and never looked back. After graduation, I worked as an extras casting director for a few feature films and television shows in Chicago. I moved back home to Ohio a few months later and worked in production for the CBS and ABC affiliate stations.

I took a hiatus from television to pursue a career as a professional singer, but felt the urge to return to my roots in visual storytelling. In 2008, my husband, Paul, and I opened Darlington Studios, a company that specializes in wedding photography and cinematic video, in Barrie, Ontario Canada.

What I Love About Weddings

I love capturing the emotion of the day! I love the first look, when a groom sees his beautiful bride for the very first time. Oh, and the speeches… I love the speeches! I live for the feelings evoked through every single word spoken by family and friends. It is a time when people, who never usually say a word, are center stage and steal the show with their honest, sentimental, witty and hilarious anecdotes. It is such an honor to share in that moment. You really feel as though you know a couple by the end of the evening through the narratives that are presented. Bonus, a touching soundtrack can only enhance the final cinematic product of an already exceptional day.

Working With My Husband

Paul and I have always worked together. It’s an integral part of our relationship. We met on a tour in France and discovered that we were working for the exact same cruise line, on the exact same ship, at that exact same time (I was performing as a featured singer in the theatrical shows onboard and he was in the photo department)! Now instead of laboring with 1200 other crew members, we are now a solid team of two. The best thing about working with my husband is we encourage one another to excel and emphasize our strengths to produce heartwarming wedding films. It’s great working with a partner who values your opinion and who you can trust implicitly. Each day our marriage grows through this process of building an artistic business together.

What You Don’t Know

I speak Russian. I love a challenge (I mean, hey, I’m a woman filmmaker!), so I chose Russian as my foreign language requirement in high school, instead of Spanish or French. In fact, I used to be so adept at communicating in Russian that I placed second in a regional Russian speaking competition and got the chance to study at the Volgograd State Pedagogical University for the summer. I continued taking Russian language and literature courses well into college. In fact, I think I was only one course shy of minoring in Russian.

Fusion: The New Frontier

Fusion, the union of photographic and cinematic video images to create a compelling story of an event, is the wave of the future. Crossover is inevitable. If you already have a successful filmmaking business, it could only be in your best interest to add a photographic element to your company and vice versa. Not only will your revenue and client base increase, but the story of the day will soar.

Many photographers are now being educated that if they purchase an audio recorder and basic NLE software, they can add video to their photography studio. We, as filmmakers, know that it’s not that simple. I’m not going to try to sugar coat it and say it’s that easy to wear both hats, because it’s not. It’s a lot of work! It can, especially, be quite daunting if you are trying to be both, photographer and cinematographer, on your own. In my opinion, it’s definitely a team effort. It’s a lot more manageable and you get a much more polished product, when you have, at least, two people on staff specifically trained to cover either photo or video. Even though many cinematographers are now shooting with photography equipment and DSLRs, they are two completely different mediums. I would suggest collaborating with someone that you respect and establishing a professional alliance. However, if you’re determined to go at it alone, it’s not impossible. It’s a demanding, costly and time-consuming decision that requires training, practice and dedication to master both crafts.

It’s been a lot easier for us because our studio was designed to offer both photo and cinema. My husband is a remarkable photographer and I am primarily responsible for providing cinematic video content. We do assist one another in the field; however, we each have our designated professional role as either photographer or cinematographer. We love that we provide both artistic mediums for potential couples. We feel that it gives them a complete visual collection of their wedding day.

POSH Inspiration

The video I chose to share with the blog was inspired by my POSH experience. I loved the retreat! I received invaluable education and guidance from other women in the industry. POSH was profoundly effective in establishing a strong support network of fabulous women doing incredible work in our profession. One seminar, in particular, focused on the significance of the inspiration shoot. Three exceptional women, Dawn Kelly, Brea McDonald, and Meghan Simone, expounded on this idea through their short film creation for Style Me Pretty. This project emphasized the importance of seeking others whom you admire and working together to produce an inspiring piece. I immediately thought of Cathy Lane, the brilliant wedding designer featured in this short piece I produced. Thanks for watching!

Let’s Be Friends!

Facebook: Darlington Studios

Twitter: @paulandmelanie

Site: Darlington Studios

Filmmaker Feature: Sharrone Calafiore of Fiore Films

It seems like yesterday that I was walking up and down the streets of NY carrying rolls of fabric to fashion designers and reaping the benefits sample sales, and fashion shows. I was at the top of my game. I remember clearly, one morning as I was walking into the office, seeing a woman running down the street yelling at the top of her lungs. A couple of hours later, two Twin Towers went down as the world witnessed in shock. It is absolutely impossible to explain in words, the experience of being in New York City on Sept 11th 2001, and even more impossible to explain the following day. It was then that I realized…I mean deep down genuinely, from the bottom of my heart realized…how precious life really is…and especially how much I love the people in my life.

Soon after, I found myself no longer commuting into NY and becoming a top sales rep for one of the largest ecommerce companies out there. Outside sales was always my thing…I loved meeting new people and working closely with them…It’s just so me.

In 2004 my husband, Chris and I sacrificed my six figure income in order for me to become a stay at home mom to our newborn son, CJ. It was probably one of the easiest decisions we ever had to make.

The following year I was playing one of my usual photo montages for our friends and family at CJ’s first birthday party. My mother in law turned to me and said, “You should make a business of this”. Later that evening I came down and discussed the idea with my husband. Not too long after that, we began a lovely photo montage business and later incorporated home video into our montages. I did some work for birthday parties and anniversaries but was mostly freelancing for other professionals. It wasn’t until one of my “videographer” clients asked me to edit a park sequence for a wedding that I became instantly in love! Low and behold, I became freelance wedding editor!

Freelancing was fantastic….but artistically it was not enough for me…especially after being introduced to the work of Joshua Smith (Cinematic Bride). OMG! Can weddings really be done that way?!!!I Chris and I did a little more soul searching decided to go for it! Fiore Films launched at the end of 2008, though we had absolutely no idea what we were getting into. All I knew was that I loved editing and I loved weddings…period! It was then that the true journey began for me and Chris!

Thankfully, Chris and I have met and become friends with some of the most amazing, talented people along the way. All of which are striving to bring this new wave of wedding filmmaking to the top of the wedding vendor priority list. It’s pretty awesome!

Currently we could not be more satisfied with what we have achieved thus far. I have to say that we pretty much have a distinct clientele. Our brides are generally not that shy…and even for the ones that are, we tend to bring a huge level of comfort to them. I’m always being asked how we get our couples to seem so comfortable in front of the lens and my answer is always…”alcohol”!

Seriously though, one thing we always talk about is “connection” in our industry. There are so many times I speak with a bride to be over the phone, and I just know she is not a Fiore Films bride and other times where I’m sure…”this is the bride for us”! I think it’s important to know who your clientele is. Then the connection becomes pure and true…it’s a natural phenomenon. Suddenly your style is clearer…you embrace it…then ultimately your work becomes just plain honest.

I’m a true believer in the fact that when it comes to wedding films, the technical aspect can be flawless…the images can be epic, however, if there is no real substance…no raw emotion…no truthful connection…then it is missing a good chunk of what a wedding day means.

I’m pretty much a self taught girl who just always loved photos and video, and ultimately found her true passion in wedding filmmaking!

What inspires me? I’ve thought about that a lot and the answer is simple… It comes from two people being so in love that they just want to spend the rest of their lives together. It comes from the responsibility of capturing not only what a bride and groom are doing on their wedding day, but expressing what they are feeling…because that feeling is precious…because that feeling is magnificent…because that feeling is what we all live for.

Man I love my job.

This boudoir teaser is HOT!

An emotional trailer:

Feature: Meg Simone of Meg Simone Films

Meg was born and raised in North Conway, NH a small resort town that survives off tourism. Fast forward to the age of 16 when her town welcomed Resort Sports Network (RSN) a local TV station providing info on where to shop, dine, and have fun in our area. They needed a paid intern, and somehow Meg went from entering community events and running cameras to hosting the 2 hour live show they did every Saturday and Sunday morning! She has now been hosting for 15 years! Meg thinks being thrown to the wolves hosting a live TV show at a young age, where they interviewed three guests per show really helped her become a good “in the moment” interviewer, which now helps her capture the story on a wedding day. Meg has always been genuinely curious about pretty much everyone and everything she comes in contact with, so it all became a natural fit.

After traveling around the world, she kept coming back to the Mount Washington Valley (her roots) and decided to set up camp there. “It’s an amazing place to be if you love the outdoors.” She filmed her first wedding August 5, 2000, and her website megsimone.com followed soon after. Meg shot a handful of weddings each year in addition to 2nd shooting for a local still photographer (when they still shot FILM). Business started to fly in 2005 just when she went into selling Real Estate (felt guilty for not having a “real job”) and soon realized that the wedding business could be something, if she just put 100% of her time to it. Meg ran both careers at 95% speed when she was about to self destruct from over working. So, Meg left Real Estate and was completely full time weddings by July 2008. Meg says, “Life has been absolutely amazing since! It’s unreal what happens when 100% of your mental focus goes towards something (sigh!)”

What inspires Meg:

“#1 People and their stories. #2 other filmmakers and events like ReFrame and IN[FOCUS] – my attendance at both of those completely revolutionized by business, and that’s why I’m excited to attend POSH. I hate to think were I would be now without attending and “continuing my education” in this industry. I’m fascinated by peoples experiences, probably because I always thought the grass was always greener and wanted to live everyone else’s life. Now that I’ve settled down, have a house, and some roots, I’m content with where I am, but I love seeing the world through others experiences. I really admire the work from Bill Gaff of Humanstory Films because of his use of story. I’m not great a shooting, and I don’t have a steady hand, so I admire all of those who do shoot visually spectacular masterpieces, that right there is major inspiration for me!  I could list about 50 other things that inspire me, but maybe we can all share more of our stories on the boat?! ”

Feature: Kat Small of Cinema Chic Productions

Growing up in a small farming community in Kansas, Kat learned to be creative and to appreciate the little things in life. At a very young age, she developed a passion for travel, experiencing life and the world at large.  After college and working in the real world, she discovered her chosen degree wasn’t for her. She then moved from Connecticut to California to “discover her inner art” and went back to school diving into art of all mediums, specializing in Photography & Film.

In 1998 while living in Hawaii she landed her first paid job in video production. Kat realized after doing freelance work and a variety of productions ranging from souvenir videos, commercials, corporate productions, and The Biography Channel that her true passion was documenting weddings.

Kat founded Cinema Chic Productions in 2001 and took the studio full-time in 2004 specializing in wedding movies. Her goal is to capture the heart and soul of each bride & groom at their wedding, to be discrete but involved.  For Kat, filming the essence of the couple’s day and artistically putting it all together is a fantastic way to make a living!

What inspires Kat:

“Mostly other wedding filmmakers.  I love seeing the different directions people take in telling a couples story.  When I first started I was working for another company and it was all cookie cutter shooting and editing, 10 songs to choose from; it just uninspired me and burnt me out.  Then I went to my first WEVA convention and was blown away!  I really look forward to any event for filmmakers; meeting up with old friends and making new ones.  It’s the one time I can actually chat about work and people are interested and understand.  I watch other companies grow and expand and win awards; that inspires me to try and do the same.  I am a bit competitive and love trying new things, especially new equipment.  The way I like to work at a wedding is pretty much spontaneous.  I go with the flow and let the energy of the day inspire me.  People freak out when it rains at a wedding; I look at it as inspiration.  Nature in general is extremely inspiring.  Unpredictable, beautiful, sexy, scary, fresh!  Seeing a bride dance in the rain, make snow angles, kick off her shoes and run in the water, have her veil blow off and fly through the air, the crash of thunder that causes the room to go silence and then back to the party…Come on, does it get any better then that!”

Andrea & Jason’s Wedding from Kat Small on Vimeo.