The more conferences you attend and training from other inspirational leaders the more you hone in on what you’re passionate about. We can sometimes have answers to our own questions right in front of us, but we lack the ability to see what we hold important in our lives. It’s not easy to self evaluate sometimes and that’s why most people get stuck in “ruts” or “writer’s block”. When someone finds their passion or can distinctly evaluate their own weaknesses and seek out to improve on them, it’s a beautiful thing…
In 2012 I was asked to film a wedding for my wife’s best friend. I had very little experience with video at the time and basically only knew how to press record and do my best to keep the camera stable. I had a bit of knowledge on how to edit but nothing even close to a professional level and wouldn’t consider myself a videographer at the time. When I was younger my friends and I found ourselves shooting short films to get laughs out of ourselves after watching it back. In later years I was the guy that everyone turned to when a slideshow ever needed to be made for a sports team or year end event. I had some technical ability, but again, nothing professional by any means. It was a hobby and I enjoyed it because it brought joy to those who watched the end product.
When I was asked to film the wedding in 2012 I had a choice to make. I could either film it with my at the time Canon t2i with very little knowledge and experience or I could do all the research and studying I could to give them something they would never forget. I started doing some research on modern wedding films and the one’s that I watched changed my life as I knew it. I was captivated. I was inspired. The two companies that I kept going back to we’re StillMotion and EpicMotion. They’re videos drew me into the story they were telling and everything from the video, editing, and audio was all mesmerizing to me. At that moment I was driven to become a filmmaker.
I knew it would be a process and I’m still in the process of getting to where I want to be. Lynda.com’s vast library of online training, StillMotion’s DSLR learning series, and Philip Bloom’s blog is where I found myself going for resources and information on how to create the best films I could. I’m still learning to this day but wow have I come a long way in 2 years. With today’s online resources and just going out and applying what you learn gives anyone with drive the opportunity to become a great filmmaker. *Mind you do need creative skills and vision to begin with. Film making is not for everyone, but as I learned from a conference yesterday evening from B&H (#BhWedding) on wedding shooting for photographers and filmmakers, most in the industry and almost all that we’re speaking at the event were not technically trained. It surprised me, because here we’re these professionals that teach others now, and they never went to school for photography or film. It was their passion and willingness to learn at conferences and from other professionals that got them to where they are today.
Filming a wedding, keeping communication with the couple going before and after the wedding, and of course editing the film in your own creative style is no easy task. Those who do it well may make it look simple, but there’s a lot to it. Every ounce of spare time I have is being spent on training and research. A fire has been lit and it has become this evident mission of mine to make the most beautiful wedding films that I possibly can. I’ve found my passion.
Here’s the first wedding film that I created from the initial drive I had. My films have come a long ways since this one but at the time I didn’t have any pro audio equipment, a consumer level DSLR, and only 1 lens. Now I have a full arsenal of pro video and audio equipment to work with and of course 2 years of devoted education towards becoming the best filmmaker possible.