Cinematt Adventures: Hot Air Ballooning

I'm lucky enough in my work to go to some of the best hotels and resorts in the West Coast, Canada, and Hawaii. Part of my job is to take part in some of the "experiences" these hotels offer, and last week I was lucky enough to try out hot air ballooning for the first time in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. (Scroll all the way down for the film!)

It was an incredible feeling to be lighter than air, and be able to soar above Jackson Hole as high as 2500ft above the earth. I'm usually afraid of heights in many ways, so being able to overcome that fear and film the experience is something I'll never forget. If you're looking to do something incredibly fun that takes your breath away, I would recommend hot air ballooning to anyone.

There is a lot of wonderful tradition around flying a hot air balloon that goes back centuries.

The champagne toast at the end of the flight isn't simply arbitrary, there's actually meaning behind it! On November 21st, 1783 the first free flight carrying a person occurred in Paris, France. It was in a hot air balloon made out of paper and silk by the Montgolfier brothers. Although they knew filling it with hot air would allow them to lift off, they weren't sure how to control the craft, so each time they would float until the balloon landed, often in a remote country field. At this time in history, France and most of Europe was gripped by the fear of witchcraft, so these hapless aviators would more often than not be seized by the locals and burned alive. To remedy this issue, these balloonists reached out to King Louis the XVI of France, and he signed a decree that balloonists were allowed to carry Champagne that bore the royal crest, to show they were true Frenchmen.

At the beginning of the video there is an Irish prayer that was recited by balloonists long ago before takeoff, and one at the end to thank the sky for allowing their craft to land safely.

à la vôtre!

- Matthieu

5 Tips for Saving Your Digital Wedding Film

How to Care For Your Wedding Film 

If you're one of our wonderful wedding clients who has just recently tied the knot (congratulations!) there's a good chance you're patiently waiting for your Cinematt wedding film. 

After hours and hours of reviewing your footage, editing it down to the most magical moments, and synching it with music to match your amazing day, we add a little of that Cinematt je ne sais quoi and wrap it up nicely for your enjoyment. 

But then it's up to you! Whether you receive your film via digital download, usb flash drive, or DVD, the future of your digital memories are in your hands. 

 5 Tips for Preserving Your Digital Files

1. Save it in more than one location. Upload the files to a computer at your earliest convenience.
2. Save it externally. To make sure they aren't deleted by accident or lost in a computer crash, copy or upload to an external hard drive as well. 
3. Don't toss your original. Keep your original source (USB, DVD, etc) somewhere safe and filed away. It's best to leave it in protective packaging. 
4. Don't keep problems to yourself. If there is something wrong with your file, please let us know at the earliest convenience! The longer you wait, the harder it will be for us to pull your files out of storage, and there may be an additional fee. 
5. Evolve with the digital world. Make sure if a new format becomes widely used, have your video copied to it. There are many services available to copy VHS tapes to DVD or Blu Ray discs, and in the future I'm sure there will be other new ways to save and store files. 

And as always, if you have any questions about your files, don't hesitate to contact us at info@cinematt.com!

Kathryn and Alan | highlight feature | Casa Real

This gorgeous wedding was 17 years in the making! Kathryn and Alan might have viewed eachother as awkward friends in high school, but that didn't stop them from reconnecting in college and falling head-over-heels in love. After ten years of dating, Alan finally popped the question at a family Thanksgiving dinner, and a year later they were able to finally call each other husband and wife.

Nestled in the rolling hills above Livermore, California, the Casa Real at Ruby Hills Winery in Livermore was the perfect setting for Kat and Alan's whimsical wedding. Enchanting baubled trees and an aisle lined with white flowers framed their ceremony, while shimmering chandeliers added some serious glamour to their reception ballroom. Kat and Alan's day was truly magical.

We were so excited to capture their big day, and to be surrounded by a ton of vendors we already know and love. Jane Kim of The Glamourist was on hand to work her bridal magic, Henry from Big Fun DJ kept the party going for hours, Danny Dong was in the middle of the action with us, photographing the entire day for Kat and Alan.

Watch their video below to listen to their lighthearted, touching vows, see their most romantic moments, and feel the joy that made their day special.




Kathryn and Alan | Highlight feature | Casa Real from Matthieu Meynier-CINEMATT on Vimeo.

Meredith and Mike | Highlight feature | Grand Island Mansion

There is nothing quite as enjoyable to film as a couple so obviously in love. Tucked away in the beautiful deltas of Sacramento county, Grand Island Mansion was the perfect backdrop for Meredith and Mike's romantic black tie wedding. Its manicured grounds and wrought-iron victorian arbor made for an enchanting late-afternoon ceremony, and the ornate ballrooms were lit up with pink and gold for the festive reception.

Meredith knew there was something special about Mike after their first date, texting her mom, "he's perfect!" As friends and family were introduced, everyone could tell they made each other incredibly happy. Mike hinted to Meredith's family that he would propose toward the end of 2012, and surprised her on Christmas morning when he hid a ring inside a box of luxury soaps!

This wedding was wonderfully personal for us, since Taylor, Meredith's maid of honor, was one of our brides, as well as her brother! Meredith had already fallen in love with both of their videos and called us up a whole 15 months before their big day.

June 6, 2014 Meredith and Mike walked down the aisle with big grins, and we couldn't have been happier to capture it all.



Meredith and Mike | Feature highlight | Grand Mansion Island from Matthieu Meynier-CINEMATT on Vimeo.


Hop over to Facebook to see all the familiar faces! You'll see Meredith as Taylor's maid of honor in Taylor and Joe's wedding film from 2011, and you'll spot Taylor during her heartfelt "big sister" toast at Jacob and Tobi's wedding back in 2010!

Best of luck to you both!

Valentine et Thibault, a French affaire

Over the years, CINEMATT has been lucky to travel and film some amazing destination weddings. But this wedding was like none other. Valentine is my niece, and filming her wedding created a unique situation for me.  I was a guest and at the same time the cinematographer. To see my family celebrating through my lens and to remain completely and utterly professional was a whole new game. My sister gave one of the most poignant and emotional speeches I've ever heard, that I wanted to drop my camera to hug and support her. 

Valentine and Thibault's fun and loving personality shines through in this romantic 16-minute film. I really enjoyed capturing the sweetness of their loving vows to each other--streamed through the end of the film.

Special shout-out to Robin Killip who helped me film this special day. It was so great to work with Steph and Robin, the Bubblerock team!  I look forward to shooting again in the future; who knows maybe we will meet in New Zealand!

Thank you and as usual, don't hesitate to comment.

Bonne journée,
Matthieu

13 minutes

Today's post is very special to Cinematt. We received an emotionally beautiful thank you letter from one of our brides, Melanie, that highlights the essence of what we believe about the value of cinematography. We are sharing excerpts from her 2 1/2 page letter and the 13-minute film that we created of her wedding day.  One particular statement really stands out, as Melanie stated, "In thirteen minutes, you literally obliterated every negative emotion I've been carrying around guiltily for nearly seven months." 
Merci et bonne journée,

Matthieu,

….I planned nearly the entire day on my own over six short months, and stressed, and stressed, and stressed right up to the very day.  When the day did finally arrive, I couldn't let the anxiety go. Once the day had passed, I couldn't really remember much about it. My feelings about it ever since have been burdened by guilt over having failed at being able to take in the wonderful reality that was finally happening for me. I needed Larry to convince me that I was actually smiling when I walked down the aisle, because all I could remember was the photographer shouting out that I had forgotten my bouquet!

I hoped that when the photographs arrived, they would help me remember all the wonderful moments; remembering it like a fairy tale, and feeling absolutely no regrets. But the photos didn't work that way. They were still moments that somehow just didn't feel real. We instantly told ourselves to lower our expectations of the video. For over five months, that's what we did.

We decided to watch your film on Saturday night. Larry cooked dinner and we had a video date night. Just before hitting play, he looked me in the eyes and held my hands and told me that the video was not going to be great - it was going to be dark, we would hate the music, we would both look terrible, and my dad wouldn't even make an appearance. 

Matthieu, how can I come up with the words to tell you what the next 13 minutes changed for me? You single-handedly gave me back my wedding day. For the very first time, I could feel how beautiful it was. I instantly saw how happy I was, and all the love in my eyes when I looked at Larry. In thirteen minutes, you literally obliterated every negative emotion I've been carrying around guiltily for nearly seven months. 

Larry and I gripped hands throughout the entire 13:23, and I could feel his tears dropping on my hands. Tears were streaming down my face too. We've probably watched it 20 times since Saturday night. My mom told me that she found my dad crying while watching it for a second time, and he told her how beautiful my speech was .. something I'd longed to hear from him. You captured emotional expressions from my dad that I've seen my whole life, and have always worried I'd never have on film to remember him by….….Larry turned to me last night, out of nowhere, and said, "I stand so, so, so very corrected. I didn't think we needed a videographer, but you pushed for it, and now it seems so obvious to me. A thousand times over, it was so worth it. It was the most important thing we did."

Matthieu, I can't tell you enough what you gave to me. Not just a beautiful video, but you gave me back the day I'd waited all my life for, just to have it slip right out of my hands. On behalf of Larry and myself, thank you so, so much for this precious gift. This email doesn't begin to explain how thrilled and grateful we are. :)

Sincerely,

Melanie

Melanie and Larry | Short film Feature | Murrieta's Well, Livermore, Ca from Matthieu Meynier-CINEMATT on Vimeo.

Gene and Braja | Short Film Feature | San Diego, CA

When Gene saw   during their first look, the first word that came out of his mouth was "Holy, then an expletive, then another expletive!”  If you know Gene and Braja, then you shouldn't be surprised. Gene is a passionate person. He is passionate about his friends and family, and about being an amazing photographer, but most of all he is passionate about Braja!

I wanted to ensure that their film captured the unconditional love they have for each other and the passion behind it.  My favorite moment of their day was during their photo session.   Jim, their photographer, handed the camera to Gene to shoot Braja's portrait session. In that instant, Gene was the photographer, the person who has an eye for beauty and capturing the emotions of the moment; the same person who was shooting my wife and I when we got married the year before.

I’ve always loved shooting alongside Gene, as he is an inspiration for creativity and art. When Gene asked me to film his wedding, I felt honored and nervous all at the same time. And to have Jim Garner, a world renown photographer, working alongside me for the day was mind-blowing and icing on the cake. What an amazing experience!

Thank you to Isabel Gonzalez, long-time friend and cinematographer from Long Beach, for assisting to capture all the special moments and details of the day.  And lastly, thank you to Gene and Braja for trusting me with the most important day of their lives!

Please enjoy the film as much as I enjoyed witnessing their union and capturing their love on film. 

A bientôt ,

Matthieu

venue: La Estancia
coordinator: Thomas Bui
photographer: Jim Garner
Florist: Jennifer Cole Florals
Officiant: Dharmasetu Das
Hair stylist: Daniel Lowry
Make-up artist: Madhavi
DJ: Daniel Peterson

Sarah and Michael |Vintners Inn, Sonoma | Highlight Film

Making a wedding film, takes every fiber of your body and soul. It is a draining process. You concentrate on the couple on their story and within 10 minutes you try to tell the most compelling story you can. It's not an easy process, and sometimes it takes days, even weeks to get you started. I've always think that strong beginning and strong ending were the key to a great film, as the beginning is the one to hook you into it, and the ending is what allows the film to really flourish.
In the case of Sarah and Michael, I felt that the best way to go at it was to start with Michael's vow, and finish with Sarah's vows. I felt they would carry their story well, and will help the audience understand who they were as individuals and a couple. I hope you will enjoy it, and as usual any feedback or comments is welcome. So without further ado I present to you Sarah and Michael's wedding film. Enjoy

music licensed through songfreedom.com and themusicbed.com

Regina and Don - Decathlon Club - Santa Clara, CA

There are weddings that just leave an indelible mark on you. For me Regina and Don's wedding is the one. This warm couple, who was really enthusiastic at the idea of having me filming their wedding, has given me such joy working on their film. From their fun and entertaining bridal prep to the heartfelt ceremony, and a beautiful speech from Regina's dad, this wedding was just a roller coaster of emotion. So putting their film together was for me a good way to express their personality and the many different aspect of their event. My favorite part definitely is the closing of the film, where their first dance took center stage, not because it was choreographed but because this is the moment where you can see this couple completely into each other, and it just gave me goose bumps, while shooting and editing. i couldn't imagine a more perfect couple for each other, and I'm honored I was there to witness their happiness, and blissful union.
Thanks again to you guys for having me, and many many years of health, happiness and wealth for you both and your families.
Matthieu

A really nice letter

I love my job, and when I say I love my job I really mean it. But I love it even more when one of my client is really appreciative of the extra touches I put to make sure that their experience with CINEMATT is complete. So this is the letter Stephanie and Marcello just sent me, and it really warmed my heart. And with this cold San Francisco weather, I just thought i'll share it with you.
Thank you Stephanie and Marcello for such a nice letter and i look forward to keeping in touch with you guys!



Hi Matthieu,

We got the package on Saturday and we are both completely thrilled with the final product!! Thank you so much :)
We showed our parents eveything as well and they are very happy with it too!

You did an excellent job of capturing the wedding and the reception for us - it's great to see it sort of recapped, especially since it went by so quickly for Marcello and me.  The music that you put in and how you were able to splice everything together so seamlessly is really amazing.
Having the full ceremony and the other "Special Features" was a great surprise also- Thank you for doing that too! 

We also really appreciated the extra touches in the packaging - the very nice cover for the blu-ray dvd, the popcorn, and the kleenex were just awesome!

Thank you again so much :)

Best regards,
Stephanie & Marcello

Thank you Stephanie and Marcello for such a nice letter and i look forward to keeping in touch with you guys!

Here is their film

Garden Room Hotel - Oakland - Christina and Winfield

I always love cultural weddings. They are always rich in colors, tradition and fun. Christina and Winfield's was exactly that.

When they contacted me for their wedding I was ecstatic. I had shot Winfield sister's wedding the year before, so I knew it would be an occasion to meet their family again. It's always nice when family members refer me, and at the same time, it is a challenge because you want to make sure to deliver them with something unique and representing their personality well. And it wasn't to difficult to do in their instance.

From photo session at target to dancing on the bay in Emeryville, and including some funny vows, this film is a sure fire cracker, where both of Christina and Winfield fun personality shines.

Enjoy and merci for watching.
Matthieu