My philosophy on weddings

"A few years ago, on a whim, I decided to try my hand at filming a wedding. Most narrative filmmakers run from events like weddings, because they're worried there's no creativity in it. They mock the fact that, traditionally, wedding videos feel posed and somewhat over the top. And most filmmakers today want to shoot something more real and authentic. 'So what's the rub,' I thought?  Weddings, after all, are full of beautiful and authentic moments.  Why can't we just capture them in a more realistic way?  

I found that the answer lies more in the idea of what a "wedding video" has become. 

And not what it could be.

I suppose we've all seen the traditional video. You know, that shot where the bride's veil floats in the wind against an impossible sunset as the groom dips her in slow motion in front of a waterfall laced with gold dust. He smiles. She laughs.  And somewhere in the background, one of only two remaining Dodo birds on planet Earth walks by.

It's almost too good to be real. And that's because it isn't.

 In watching films like that, I've long wondered if one could fuse a more authentic, fly-on-the wall style with the idea of cinema, which is that "story" is king. Of course, in the case of a wedding, the story of the day is largely unknown and unfolds slowly as the wedding itself progresses. Which is actually exciting.

And so my adventures began.  And you know what? 

I loved weddings from the very first one, because, as I shot them, I discovered that to truly capture a wedding is to film it as it unfolds. Sure, brides and grooms will want a pose here or there, or perhaps a very specific shot they've been thinking about. Those are great. And we do them. But by and large, I find that the magic of the day is in the unexpected, the moments that are unplanned and unpredictable. 

Those moments and details are the things that make your wedding day yours and not someone else's.

And so my philosophy forces me to lean toward the more honest and organic side of things, all the while keeping in mind that some traditional things we do are still quite valid and beautiful.

The result is a healthy mix of honesty and tradition, that hopefully, lasts a lifetime for those involved."

-Brian