Featurette: Matt and Emily

[Matt and Emily's wedding was filmed in conjunction with Todd Seimer Photography]

One day, Mr. Noodle walked his charming lady to the park bench. He dropped to one knee and reached into his pocket to retrieve a small box, or so she thought. Instead, he pulled out a treat for his lady's faithful pooch, Milo. Mr. Noodle was always playing. He did ask for the lady's hand in marriage and both she and the pooch agreed they would all make a fine family.

That's how I imagine it in my mind anyway. The bench part is true, the rest is pure fiction. Matt is as quirky as Emily is sweet. Their favorite pose as you'll see in their Featurette, is called "Double Trouble". You also know it's going to be a fun and relaxed wedding when the biggest worry is whether or not Matt would wear his new, large orange sunglasses during their ceremony.

I'll let their Featurette do the rest of the talking for me. I also want to thank Austin Craig for permission to use one of his songs. He's a local Ohio native now living in Texas and worth taking a listen to. I'm always on the lookout for local Ohio musicians to feature in my trailers, so please get in touch if you're interested or know someone who would be.

Enjoy a few stills from Matt and Emily's trailer:

1 Year New: The Good

April 1, 2012
I think my boss thought it was April Fool's too.

I was a science geek and could charm the socks off almost any immortalized or stem cell. I had risen among the stars and became the lab manager, but it came to a point where there was just nowhere else to go (without starting grad school at 30). I had climbed the technician ladder for almost 8 years and found myself at the end of a high dive.

Regardless of my fear of heights, I felt the need to jump. So I made my splash and did what any rational person would do. I became a videographer. You know, because filming and editing have soooo much to do with DNA replication. I told myself if I had 20 weddings lined up to film in 2012, I would hang up my pipettors, say goodbye to the world of molecular biology and leave the worries of epigentic effects to others. I reached that goal and turned in my lab notebook a year ago today.

"The Good, the Bad and the Ugly"
I'll start you off with all the good. First, I love being my own boss. Who wouldn't? Especially when you're a control freak like me. I set my own hours and pick my own music. I can take time out to play with our new daughter, the refrigerator is also always close-by for those mid-morning, mid-afternoon and early evening stomach rumbles. Staff meetings are also very simple. I still have to schedule that happy hour for my office, come to think of it.

The work I do is consistently the most fulfilling work I've ever done. How could it not? As a left-handed creative that loves numbers, videography is perfect. The creative storytelling contrasted with the analytical, frame-by-frame editing. The math of camera settings compared to the art of framing a shot. My mind is on a supernova all day and night thinking through story lines for my films. These dark, creative pockets of my mind are finally being explored. The perfect marriage of art and science.

Most of my work is done alone in the home office, so I've started looking to meet people while I'm out shooting and on social network sites like Twitter and Facebook. I have met awesome people out there, even across the country. People I otherwise would have no way of meeting. They have inspired me by the work they do and by taking time to actually respond and connect with me. Makes me feel a little more professional. When I do get out of the house, I love talking to people on the sidelines of sports games, random guests at weddings who tell me stories, and especially getting to know my couples over the course of planning and staying in touch after the wedding.

I'm always learning. Like how Mom should have taught me to swim; just thrown me in the water. This learning is on the go and the the faster, the better. I learn anywhere and anything I can from print to online to people. I didn't know I would have to be my own accountant and marketing agent as well. I'm constantly learning better techniques for shooting and editing. What I love most about this work is that it's going to be a lifetime of learning. There will always be new technologies, new ways to improve, new trends.

I am so happy to have made this switch at this point. The sky is the limit (that's a lie, there are plenty of limitations, but more about that in the next post). This past year has been the most rewarding and the absolutely most difficult work year I've ever had. So that's "The Good". Funny how the draft for "...The Bad and The Ugly" is much much longer right now, but I promise I'll keep it concise.

What do you enjoy about working for yourself? Did you make the leap recently too? It took the encouragement of others in the same boat for me to make the leap and to keep my sanity after doing it. Feel free to get in touch if you want someone to bounce ideas off of for doing what you love full-time. I'm also learning that I have a lot to learn still so if you have advice for me, I'm all ears.

Choosing a Photo Booth

What not only entertains guests, but also provides a unique keepsake from your wedding? A photo booth! People volunteer to be put in front of a camera, strike a super flattering pose, and leave you with a photo of how much fun they were having at your reception. As I've filmed weddings, I've seen photo booths where guests (and the couple) are encouraged to be as goofy as they can be with props either provided by you, brought in, or gathered from your wedding's surroundings. Here's my insider information from my many wedding travels.


Retro Booth
The first is a retro fit photo booth complete with curtains and two strips of photos printed on the spot; one for you and one for your guests. In some photo booths, like this one from Buckeye Entertainment, there's a modern surprise. The photos are also instantaneously uploaded to Facebook. There's always a long line for this and I find great joy in perusing the Facebook photos afterward. You all have some silly guests out there.


Photographer Booth
I've met wedding photographers who also provide their own version of a photo booth. These are usually solid backdrops and a single camera manned by the photographer or assistant.

Groups will fit in to have their adorably ridiculous photos taken and images are later uploaded to the photographer's site for you to purchase prints (and possibly share on Facebook). Shutterhead Studios first introduced me to the concept with their You Booth and I later saw Mary Wyar and also the Ely Brothers have a similar approach with their Fauxto-booth and The Awesomeatic.


Couch Booth
A new take on the photographer photo booth route is the photo couch from Henry Photography. It's probably the prettiest couch I've seen and can make an appearance at your wedding in front of any backdrop the photographers deem worthy. Ooh la la.



DIY Booth
If you're looking for a DIY alternative, I've had couples hang a sheet or pretty tapestry, bring in a crate of hats, wings, glasses, picture frames, chalkboards, you name it, and set up a small point and shoot camera complete with self-timer on a tripod. The guests seemed to enjoy encouraging each other and suggesting poses and props.

A cyber option would include encouraging your guests to take photos and upload them to a site like Instagram using the same hashtag and later create your own album of images on a site like Shutterfly.


You can really let your imagination run wild with the possibilities. What are you considering for your reception? Comment below or pop on over and "Like" my Facebook page to share your ideas and stay current with my videography world.


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