The other day, we received an awesome email from one of our 2009 couples, Patty + Frank. If you didn’t have a chance to see their trailer, you can see it HERE. In any case, as they celebrated their one year anniversary, they decided to watch their film again and we received this email, which Patty gave me permission to share on the blog.

“Hi Steve,

Frank Chu and I got married nearly a year ago and you did the videography for our wedding. We decided to watch it since our one year anniversary is coming up. I cried like a baby! You did such a wonderful job. I had somehow forgotten what a magical day it was for us and even when you mailed us the finished product (which we watched the day it arrived!) it hadn’t completely hit me how incredible your footage and edits were. One year later, as Frank and I watched it, I started to feel all the emotions from that day and cried the happy tears that I didn’t cry on the actual wedding day because everything was happening so fast. It was well worth the money spent and more. We are so happy that you captured our wedding day. Thanks a million!

—
Yours Faithfully,
Patricia“

It just goes to show how important a good film is once the day has passed. . . – Steve

The best things in life are worth waiting for. A proverb that has been recited and recycled all too often, yet it rings so true. Tom + Theresa had several elements of their day that reflected this notion, and we decided to center this trailer around that concept.

When a relationship begins on the French Riviera with a first date in Cannes, where exactly do you go from there? Well, if you are Sarv + Kevin, the answer is simple. . . . all over the world!

Sarv + Kevin’s photo album looks like a travel brochure for all the places you would dream of visiting. Their passion for travel clearly overflows into their love for family, friends, and life. The first thing that became clear with Sarv after our first conversation via phone was her enthusiasm and infectious excitement not only for her wedding day, but just for the moment. Sarv is all about the moment and she didn’t hesitate to stop every few seconds in her beaming white gown, close her eyes, take in a fresh breath, and realize she was marrying the man who was meant for her all along.

Kevin is a Boston native, who had spent most of his professional career in the Big Apple before traveling across the country to San Francisco to be with Sarv. The two of them actually met in Las Vegas while supporting mutual friends who were taking part in a half marathon. Then, they became travel buddies on the way to a wedding in Sweden and somehow managed to plan a pre-wedding detour that ended up in the French Riviera. By the third date, they were in Monaco! We swear this is their story, we couldn’t write a story this good. . . . .

Back to Kevin. Aside from his love for spicy food and fly fishing, one thing that shows is how comfortable he is around Sarv. The entire day, these two were able to have conversations with one another just through a glance. You can tell when a couple is going to make it because there is an intangible. These two have that intangible.

With such a beautiful wedding at the Ritz Carlton in Laguna Niguel and such an upbeat couple, we found it only fitting to keep the pacing of this trailer on the up and up. After all, there is no containing the excitement and enthusiasm that is Sarv + Kevin.

A HUGE thank you to Kerrie Underhill from Platinum Weddings by Kerrie for helping to make the day go off without a hitch. Also, a shout out to Vanessa from Apertura for being not only incredibly easy to work with, but for also helping to facilitate some fantastic imagery around the grounds.

Twas’ a fall evening in the middle of twilight. The sun kissing the hillside and the dust particles dancing in the fresh light streaking through the high tree line (sound of soft violins whispering in the background). He came to us in a little white basket upon a river near the far village. Wrapped in white linen, his baby tears barely kissing the sides of his cheeks. We took him in as our own and and knew one day he would learn the way (stronger violins, no longer whispering, but speaking). Not the way to the market or the way to the bowling alley. No. A much deeper and longer path that involved struggle and passion (cue epic film music here). The way which most dare not travel. Where dragons and uber-beasts feast on the flesh of the weak. The way where the sun never is seen and darkness is a close friend. The way. . . . . . wait for it. . . . . . wait for it. . . . . of the . . . . . . CINE-WARRIOR (crescendo of epic film music, now calm and bring it back my violin friends).

Through his struggles of trial and tribulation, and billions and billions of hours filming and editing, he grew. From a cine-tadpole to a cine-lizard (violins getting louder). Further he scoured the land of composition and light, bearing his mistakes like weights upon his ankles. From cine-llama to cine-buffalo (louder violins, louder!). Through the valley of juxtaposition to the hills of storytelling. From cine-gorilla to cine-beast (louder violins, louder! Louder than you’ve ever been in your little violin lives!). And today, August 2nd, 2010, marks the end of his journey as a child baby cine-warrior to a full grown adult pure radness man cine-warrior (crash, crescendo, wow, emotion. . . and scene).

And what, you may ask, happens when this child baby cine-warrior reaches full grown adult pure radness man cine-warrior status???

We hire him full time. It is with great excitement and enthusiasm that we welcome Ben full time to the crew and can’t wait for his vision, creativity, and excitement for what we do to play out into our work over and over again.

Did he really think he could just walk in here without us putting up a formal introduction??? Welcome to the team buddy. World, say hello to Ben.

We recently attended a Canon Workshop series with the ever talented folks from Stillmotion. While we examined all sorts of technical aspects to filmmaking like lens choice, composition, lighting design, and work flow. . . . . we also had a fun little opportunity to produce a 30 second spot for Canon’s new Powershot with Smile Recognition. Cool little camera. Instead of a timer, you set it up and it won’t take the picture until the faces in the frame smile. Creepy. . .but cool. Check it out:

As the second part of this post. . . another tasteless, shameless, and yes absurd sighting of the crew in a photo booth with Tracie + John from last Saturday. Special thanks to the folks from Shutter Booth. I must say, I have become a fan of the over sized shades. Ben prefers the Kanye look, and Dave??? Well, he just likes to wear hot dog hats. Let’s just say this photo was the tip of the iceberg with Tracie + John. Easily a trailer that we can’t wait to cut. . . . stay tuned 🙂