Freedom Hall - Sunnyvale - Jenny and Ben

I know it's been a while I have not posted anything, and the reason is simple: I was on vacation. After 22 straight weeks of filming weddings, I felt I needed a break and decided to travel part of the world literally since I went to 5 countries in 4 weeks.
But enough about me and let's get back to Jenny and Ben. I have known Jenny for a while now as I have shot both of her brothers wedding. So filming her own wedding was definitely fun for me, and some added pressure since she had two examples of what I can do. But as usual each and every wedding is different. They all bring their own colors and diversities, and Jenny's wedding was no exception.
I hope you will enjoy this colorful depiction of the day, which blended a bit of the asian and Jewish traditions.
Thank you Jenny and Ben for trusting me with your most important day.

Bonne Journee,
Matthieu

Westin St. Francis Hotel - San Francisco - Mona and Brian

2010 started with a bang for CINEMATT with the rebranding and excited weddings throughout the whole year. In celebration of an insane, crazy, and extremely rewarding year, I would like to introduce you to Mona and Brian. This couple of talented lawyers had their beautiful Persian inspired wedding at the Westin St. Francis Hotel, downtown San Francisco. Atop the city with gazing views of Coit Tower and San Francisco Bay, the Imperial Floor was the perfect venue for both ceremony and reception. There is definitely a sense of grandeur when you enter the room. The architecture and the refinement of the place were well fitted for this lovely couples and their 150 guests.
For this full feature edit, I axed my story around the very poignant speeches that Mona's sister and dad, and Brian' brother and dad gave throughout the evening. It was definitely emotional, and fun, and a great way to find out more about them, and their story. I hope you will enjoy it.
As usual please do not hesitate to leave comments or to simply hit the like button if you like their film.
For better viewing, press play then pause immediately, and wait for the whole film to download, before sitting back and enjoying it.
Merci et bonne fin de soiree*.
Matthieu



*Thank you, and have a great evening.

I would like to give special thanks to Andy Hirsch from Blue Moon Productions, and Elley Ho from Elley Photography, who were my second and third shooter on that day. Thank you for your hard work, and talent. This wedding would have not been the same without you.

Silver Creek Country Club - San Jose - Wendy and Jeffrey

Today I would like to introduce you to Jeffrey and Wendy. Their wedding took place at Silver Creek Country Club in San Jose. It was always one of the location I wanted to shoot at but never had an opportunity to do so. Unfortunately when they approached me with their wedding date I was already booked. So I told them I can have my crew shooting but I won't be the main shooter. They were fine with the idea, as they knew I would handle the editing. However, I wanted to make sure everything goes according to plan, so in the morning of the prep I showed up unannounced in San Leandro to shoot the bride prep, before heading off to the wedding I was supposed to shoot in Monterey. I think Wendy was really happy and surprised to see me there.

Their beautiful ceremony and reception were extra specials as Jeffrey's dad was the officiant, which made it even more personal.

The piece I'm presenting you with is their highlight. This is a fun way to share your wedding day with your friend, in a fast pace and entertaining fashion.

I hope you will enjoy it. If you do, don't hesitate to push your like button, or leave a comment.

Thank you for stopping by, and *a bientot j'espere.

Matthieu

* and I hope to see you soon

Heather's Farm - Walnut Creek - Sara and David

This past June I was lucky enough to take part in Sara and David's union. David is a pastor and found love a year and a half ago when he met the beautiful Sara.
In front of their friends, and their family, they professed their love for each other, and had an intimate reception following.
One of my favorite moment of the day was definitely when David and Sara saw each other for the first time. Sara was so cute, and so nervous at the same time as she walked toward David's who was just looking at her with gazing eyes and a cool demeanor, but shade a few tears as she turned the corner.
Another great moment was when their matron of honor actually addressed the crowed and asked for Pastor David's fellowship to welcome Sara as one of their own. That was a great moment and something i had never seen or heard before.
Congratulations to the beautiful couple and I will be following on your many adventures.
So without further do I would like to introduce to their beautiful wedding film.
I hope you will enjoy it and if you like it then just press the like button or leave a comment. Your inputs definitely help me to improve my craft.
Bonne journee et a bientot.

Matthieu

Have you considered wedding videos? The art of story telling

Ever since I started working in the wedding industry a mere ten years ago, I always strive to improve my work to give you the best possible wedding video. At first, it was just about shooting, and more shooting, getting some creative shots, and piecing them together in order to have a wedding video. But in the long run, it became apparent to me that shooting, editing and putting a video together was more than just some pretty shots, or some cool music.

You see, I want my films to have a meaning, a story... your story. You may notice I said “your story”, and the reason I use the possessive pronoun, is because I really want to have an attachment to you. I don't want you to feel like you are just hiring a videographer. Instead, you are making a new friend. It seems stupid to say but for the longest time I didn't get that concept; I was too wrapped up in doing "video" work. I was more focused on the technical aspect of making the video rather than the human aspect of it. Then, one day in 2004, my dad visited from France, and he watched my work. All the sudden he told me: "Your work is good but I can't seem to connect with your couples." It hit me like a ton of bricks.

Coming from a man who spent 25 years on the airwaves in France connecting with strangers night after night, I took to heart what he was telling me and realized the importance of his message. You see, I grew up listening to my dad's soothing voice on the radio every night. And even though I would only get to see my dad on precious weekends, I had a deep connection with him through the air waves. My dad had a radio show that started as a half hour program, in which truckers will call to report any road blocks or any other situation. Then the 30 minutes stint became a four and a half hour daily fixture, where total strangers, night after night called to get help, some passing a message to their family and some to solve their most personal problems. There was no internet or cell phone at that time, so my dad was it. No matter who was calling him, he was able to connect with them on a personal and emotional level in the span of few seconds. And Dad did that for 25 meaningful years.

The realization that I wasn't connecting to my couples struck me hard. I needed to do what my Dad did in my video work. Within a few weeks I completely revamped my idea of wedding video. Now enters the term “wedding film”. I started to think of what was the best way of telling your story. The best way, and there is no substitute to this for me, is to meet with you on a deeper level to establish that easy feeling you should have with any of your handpicked wedding vendors. It goes beyond just shooting your wedding day, the most important day of your life. So when you meet me or when we talk on the phone, be ready to tell me everything about you! Anything that would be of interest in order to tell your story the best way possible and don't leave the details out. Even little things that you don't think matters are little nuggets of gold. I really want you to give me a better and brighter picture of who you are, what you want, and what you are looking for. I just don't want a simple sketch, I want a canvas! A canvas I can refine, and  use to reflect your story in the wedding film that I will personally create for you.

And that's why I consider my videos to be wedding films.

I'm fortunate to have great couples who feed and respect my imagination and creativity, and I look forward to documenting your day with the same passion and same creativity that continues to burn inside of me.

With all this, I present to you a full feature length wedding film: "Serendipity".
why Serendipity? Well if Jane had taken a trip to Buenos Aires she might have not met the man of her dream aka David. You see Jane had planned to go to Buenos Aires for a Christmas trip, but the trip was cancelled last minute due to work. So she needed an out, and the out was San Anton, Austria. And although when she got there she thought she had ended up in a retirement house, she couldn't imagine she would meet her future husband the very next day, the very British and distinguish David.
Fast forward 3 years later, and here we are at Hans Fahden Winery, in Napa Valley in Calistoga. Off course as you can imagine the Ski theme was very present in this beautiful wedding, where Jane and David brought their friends and Family from all around the world to gather to celebrate their union.
From the ski tag for sitting cards, to the cutest ring holder representing a man and a woman in hot tub after a long day of skiing, everything was around that theme. Even their signing book was in fact a pair of skis.I hope you will enjoy it, and be sure to watch it until the end of their magical story.
Congratulations again to Jane and David.

Merci et bonne journee,

Matthieu

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

backyard wedding - knightsen - Tobi and Jake

Who does not like bbq, fresh lemonade, chocolate and caramel fountains, and scrumptious pies? Well when you combine all those delicious food to a wedding, it makes it even better. That's what Tobi and Jake did.
When Tobi contacted me to film her wedding, she described what she wanted from the day, and I knew right there, that it was going to be a fun and beautiful wedding. So many small details went into making their day really special. It is definitely a do it yourself wedding which encompass the things they love the most: BBQ, summer days, friends and family
So i wanted to make sure that their film will be a cumulation of all their elements.
I hope you will enjoy it as much as I enjoyed putting it together.
A special thanks to Andy Hirsch from Blue moon productions for helping me filming on that day.
Enjoy and hope to hear from you.
Bonne Journee,
Matthieu

Cinematt at the San Francisco Ritz Carlton Bridal Fair

Last Sunday I had the privilege to represent videographers at the San Francisco Ritz Carlton Bridal Fair. This lavish event put together by modern bridal was an occasion for me to show case some of my recent work to future brides and grooms. Although I don't do many bridal fairs, in fact I don't do any, the one at the Ritz is always fun, and has been good to me in the past years.
Here is a picture of my booth:



As you can tell I'm very comfortable in front of the camera NOT, and that is why I prefer being behind the camera.

It was great to meet so many brides whose weddings is fast approaching. Thank you to them for coming by the booth and telling me about their wedding.



Thank you to Elley photography for documenting the day

Attention: This is not a wedding video....

... but it's worth watching.
Yes most of my films are weddings, but from time to time I get to work on a really cool project which has nothing to do with weddings. Sex and the City is one of those.
This event was put together by Michi Sushi Restaurant, Club Auto Sport, Sophie Lai of Simply perfect events, and Christina Romero of Elegant Occasions. This is a pretty cool place to not only store your car. It is also a great place to party and conduct private parties and events.
My approach to the filming was not to transform it into a promo corporate work but more of a guest perspective. I hope you will feel I capture the actions of the event.
Now back to weddings and so many exciting films to share with you soon hopefully.

Merci et a bientot.

Cinematt has a new logo

When I rebranded last year, I found an awesome designer, who really helped me to get my vision across in creating a great website, and giving me a new image. The one thing I was missing was a logo. So here it is.
Thank you for the support, and I promise I will be posting some new and exciting films soon.

Bonne Journee,
Matthieu

destination wedding - France - Greg and Chloe

Greg is French, Chloe is Chinese. They met in Beijing, and after a four year long distance relationship involving a lot of air traveling between France and China, Chloe decided to fly to France and stay for good. I was lucky enough to film their beautiful wedding in Chessy-Les-Mines (France). Here is their film. A consommer sans moderation

Sriteja's 3rd Birthday

When Naga called me to shoot his son 3rd birthday I was very excited. I had shot his wedding ceremony two years ago and he had contacted me to shoot his son second birthday. Unfortunately I couldn't as I had a wedding that day. But apparently Naga liked my work and decided to contact me for the third birthday.
So here is a highlight of Sriteja's fun party, which involved muppets animals, cup cake making, and a Diego theme

City Hall - San Francisco - Dawn and Sujith

Last year I had the immense pleasure of filming Sujith's and Dawn's wedding. It was my first City hall wedding on my own. I had shot there in the past when i was working for Royal Weddings, but never have I had a reception there in the past. So needless to say I was excited to shoot in this landmark.
What made it even more exciting is That Dawn is of Chinese Descent while Sujith is Indian from The Kervala region. Therefore mixing both cultures was a big part of the celebrations.
Congratulations to Dawn and Sujith and their family, and thank you for making me part of your special day.

Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay - Half Moon Bay - Ida and Leo

Ida and Leo got married on December 6, 2009. Their tea ceremony and reception were held at the prestigious Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay, and their ceremony was held in Sunnyvale. Ida's mom was really an intricate part of making the wedding a beautiful sophisticated event as she made pretty much every detail. It was a very emotional moment when Ida gave praise to her mom at the end of the evening.
Here is their highlight.

Vendor spotlight: Allied Arts Guild in Menlo Park

Back in August of 2009, cinematt was honored to shoot the wedding of Jessica and Chris at Alied Arts Guild in Menlo Park. This is a very beautiful place with an old tuscan feel to it, and if you are having a wedding or any event for that matter, it is definitely a place to consider.
The staff is very friendly and the location is peaceful and private. There were so many elements that I love about the place, I decided to put a quick short. If you are interested in finding out more about Allied Arts Guild, please go to their website or call (650)322-2405
Merci et a bientot,

Matthieu



Here is also the highlight for Jessica and Chris wedding:

7 more spots for 2010

I cannot believe it has been almost 6 weeks since I last posted something on the blog. Time flies when you are busy getting ready for 2010, which is shaping to be an amazing year. Such a great year that I have almost reach my full potential for 2010, and I'm starting filling up my schedule for 2011.
Thank you to all of you who are making it possible for cinematt to thrive and strive to be one of the top Wedding Filmmaking company in the Bay Area some great venues to shoot at, with some amazing photographers, as well as great coordinators. I promise to be posting more in the next few weeks but in the meantime here is one of my all time favorite Save the Date Video. If you are interested in doing something similar, please do not hesitate to contact me @ info@cinematt.com
Merci et a tres bientot.

Matthieu

Cathedral of Blessed Sacrament - Sacramento - Andrea and Sam

It's always fun, yet challenging when two siblings hire you as their videographer. It's fun because you are going to know some of the people already and this definitely is an advantage when shooting. It's challenging because you want to give the couples, two very distinct pieces yet with your stamp. So when Andrea contacted me to shoot her wedding, I was both excited and nervous. I had shot her brother Aaron's wedding a year before so I wanted to make sure that both would get a very different product. On top of that I was delighted to work with my good friends at Tinywater Caroline and Dan. They are super talented and it made my life easy to get inspired in created this 5 minutes highlight. I hope you will enjoy it.

Bon weekend a tous*

Matthieu

This is why I do What I do.

In November I had the pleasure of shooting Jenny and Leo's wedding at San Francisco Intercontinental Hotel. It was an intimate affair with friends and family members. Both Jenny and Leo have a very strong faith and their union was a celebration of their faith and love.

I delivered the Film to them a couple days ago, and last night as I was coming back from dinner, I found this email, which put a wide smile on my face: here is the email along with the video. I hope you will enjoy it.

Dear Matthieu,

I've seen the video of highlights at least 10 times today because i love it so much. you captured the heart of the relationship that Leo and I have, and the spirit of the wedding day. i don't know how you did that so well, without even knowing us. one of my good friends who has been to MANY MANY weddings emailed me today after she saw the video and said it was the best she has ever seen. my parents also are very impressed by it.

much thanks to you for leaving us this huge gift of a wonderful video.

we can't wait to receive the unedited raw version as well

we are grateful that Patty at 8Events recommended you to us. we will definitely recommend you to others with future weddings.

-jenny and leo

Jenny & Leo, Intercontinental Hotel San Francisco from Matthieu Meynier on Vimeo.

Wish upon a wedding has launched

I feel lucky to belong to such a great industry as the wedding industry. We have the privilege to cover such wonderful events and such happy occasions. None the less to say covering wedding is fun.

But unfortunately not everybody is lucky enough to have a beautiful wedding because their health doesn't allow it, and the cost of medical has supplanted the cost of the wedding expenses. This is where Wish Upon a Wedding comes in. As stated on their website, Wish Upon a Wedding is "America’s only wedding wish granting organization, Wish Upon a Wedding produces weddings & civil union ceremonies at destinations across the United States for individuals facing terminal illness"

Wish Upon a Wedding was launched nationally yesterday at beautiful Villa Montalvo in Saratoga and counts chapters in Los Angeles, New York, Orlando and Chicago. This is a great organization and if you are interested in helping, please go visit the website.

Thank you for your time, and have a wonderful day.

Matthieu

Let's all do what we can to help Haiti to get back on it's feet

In the wake of the terrible earthquake in Haiti that has struck the island, we need to do what ever we can to help support the relief effort. Houses, schools and hotel have been flattened by this tragedy for a country that is no stranger to cataclysmic event. Read this very powerful article to understand how this catastrophe is just one more thing that has happened in Haiti.

CINEMATT wants to help as well, so if you are a past client and would like to participate in the effort release, you can purchase an additional copy of your wedding, and all proceeds will be sent to the Red Cross.

If you are interested in booking CINEMATT, we will donate 10% of those as well to the red cross, until the end of the month.

We all can make a difference if we get together and do our part.

Thanks and have a great day.

Matthieu

From MvideoM to cinematt

When I started my company 6 years ago, I struggled with the name. I thought of MMvideo, because my name is Matthieu Meynier. But apparently somebody had thought about it before me (duh!) So here I was not thinking of other options, until I stumbled upon drawing my logo and I saw the look. It was obvious my company will be called MvideoM.

From working from my apartment in Daly City, to moving to San Francisco, MvideoM - just like my videos - went through so many phases and changes. New business card, new website, new look of videos.



In 2007, I finally got the chance to move out of working from my apartment to a studio. At that time I felt that MvideoM needed to grow up. So it became MvideoM Productions:


But today I have decided to switch gear and let go of the old to bring cinematt. Please visit us at www.cinematt.com, and be part of the change.

I have never let anyone or anything discourage me from realizing my dreams. Whether it was moving from France to the USA on my own, attending the University of South Florida and get decent GPA to be on a scholarship, being recognized as a good journalist in written press ( I was writing sports, and mostly soccer and Tennis, but I did cover some college and high school football) or to just opening my own business. I didn't know I would be a wedding videographer, then a storyteller. It was not in my cards. But sometimes life throws at you opportunity, that either you can't refuse, or you can't avoid. In my case it was the lattest. But reflecting it on it 10 years later, I don't regret anything. Cinematt will be a celebration of all those moments. I will tell your story as good as I cannot from the standpoint of the videographer, but from you point of you. Ultimately you, your family and your friends make the story. Actually YOU are the story. So hopefully you will see in my work an honest truthful, not over the top depiction of your story. Something you will want to share with your family and friends over and over again.
I look forward to meeting you.
Take care, and have a wonderful week, and long live cinematt

Bonne soiree,

Matthieu

Happy new year, everybody.

Bonne Annee et tous mes voeux pour 2010!!

Well as you can see I'm relooking. 2010 is a year of change with entering a new decade, and new technologies for our use. So I decided what would be better to kick off the year with a brand new look, new name, new inspiration, and of course better and more daring films.
Although the new website is not up yet, I am working hard on it, and should have it set up by Monday.
Why the change of name would you ask. Well it's easy. I wanted something simple, more personal, and representing my work better. MvideoM Productions was great, but I felt the name was very unpersonalized, and I felt like it was not in par with what I had in mind for this new year.
I don't want to consider myself as a videographer, but as a storyteller. I want to tell your story, not just video your wedding.
My commitment to you remains the same but I definitely want to kick it up a notch. In that effort, I am switching gears (literally) as I enter the world of DSLR, to give you a more polish a more vibrant and a more heartwarming film. The old is out and the new is in, and it's time to make it relevant. I have always been dedicated to give you more and more each time, and I will strive to do the same this upcoming year. I just moved to a beautiful loft in Emeryville, and I invite you to come see me, and discover what I have in store for you.
I'm really looking forward to meeting with you. In the meantime, happy new year, and a bientot j'espere.

Matthieu

Sarah & Brett Takes second at BAPVA

Click to Play

For times a year, BAPVA ( Bay Area Professional Videographer Association) asks their member to submit their work to be reviewed by a panel of judges. It's my pleasure to announce that Monday Brett and Sarah's film were awarded 2nd place.
Their wedding was so much fun. From a cool ceremony at Marin Art Center, to a lavish reception at Brett's parents house, which included Flamenco Dancer from Spain, the wedding was just a joyful ride. I wanted their film to capture their fun personality, and the elements that made this event such a success. Great Friends and great families.
Plus I had the chance to shoot with the ever so talented Loic Nicolas
Here is the link to their photos
Enjoy and thank you for stopping by.
A bientot.

Matthieu

Margaret & Scott, Villa Montalvo, Saratoga, california

Click to Play
See it in HD Here

For better viewing please allow film to completely download before playing it.

Margaret and Scott are such a great couple, and shooting at Villa Montalvo and at the Saratoga Country Club was just a blast. Both of Scott and Margaret families contributed to a fun and loving wedding, and that is why I wanted to use many of the great toasts they had to build their story and give them something personal and beautiful, that will capture the essence of the wedding.
I hope you will enjoy it, and as usual your comments are always welcome.
Bonne Journee,

Matthieu

The gear:
5D mark II: lens used: 16-35mm f/2.8, 50mm f/1.4, 24-105mm f/4
Canon Xh-A1

Linda & Joe. City Hall, San Francisco, California

Click to Play

I meant to blog about Linda and Joe's wedding for a long time now and today is the day. They are such a sweet couple and I just wanted to make sure that their wedding film tells their story as accurately as possible. There was a lot of emotion, laughter, and tender moments during this two-day event. And off course lot of love from their freinds and family. I hope you will enjoy it.

Take care,

Matthieu

Welcome to Kent's Kanines

Click to Play

A little while back I had the opportunity to work with a very talented dog groomer. Deborah Kent of Kent's Kanines, just loves her dogs and this promo I put together for the launch of her company is definitely a reflection of that love she has had for all our furry friends for over 20 years now. This piece is special to me as it is the first time I was offered to do that kind of promo, and to be honest with you I loved it. It was a lot of fun. Thank you to my friend James Burkart for helping me out with getting the footage entirely shot on Canon 5D Mark II.

Stephanie & Calvin Pacific Athletic Club, Redwood Shores California

Click to Play

I need to apologize for taking such a long time to post new materials but I have been busy to give a much needed face lift to MvideoM Productions. So for those of you who come regularly (and am not talking about my sister, brother, and nieces and nephews) to check the blog, I need to let you know that December 1st, 2009 will be an important day in the era of MvideoM Productions.
In the meantime I wanted to share with you this Highlight I created for Stephanie and Calvin. Their wedding was an amazing event, and Todd Rafalovich was the amazing photographer who captured all the important moments of the day. My friend Nicole Ha of Nicloe Ha Designs was responsible for all the decoration and what an amazing job she did. Thank you to Molly at the Pacific Athletic Club in Redwood shores for opening her doors and being so helpful.
I hope you will enjoy it.
A tres bientot.

Matthieu

Shadieh & George MTV. September 26, 2009 San Francisco

Click to Play
See it in HD Here

Shadieh and George were such a fun couple to work with and I was so psyched about their wedding. Although I couldn't shoot the day of, I had Adi and Jordan taking care of the day for me. But I was able to bring my contribution to the wedding by shooting a fun MTV for them In San Francisco the week before their wedding. It was debuted at their lavish reception at the Grand Hyatt in Burlingame.
This shoot was special to me because it was the first time I get to use the magical Canon 5D Mark II.
Check it out...

Times are changing

Woaw! I can't believe it's been over a month since I posted anything on the blog. Not that I have been slacking but just super busy with wrapping up the year, getting ready for 2010, and also revamping MvideoM Productions, to make it even better, and to give you the best.

That is why, in a few weeks from now, MvideoM Productions will have an extreme make-over to go to the next level (what ever that is, as I think the sky is the limit). It's an exciting time and a scary one all at once, but I'm ready for a new challenges.

In the meantime I will keep on posted all the exciting events I have been shooting throughout the summer including an unforgettable wedding in France. Stay tune for new updates, and new films.

Thanks for stopping by.

Matthieu

Jessica & Chris, August 8, 2009. Allied Arts Guild Menlo Park, California

Click to Play

Congratulations to Jessica and Chris, who tied the knot on August 8, 2009 at Allied Arts Guild. The wedding was a blend of the couple culture, with a tea ceremony in the morning to remind of Jessica heritage, and a more traditional ceremony in the afternoon, followed by a reception where the couple was able to share with their closest friends and family.
Thanks to Van and Dennis for a great coverage. I hope you will enjoy it, and as usual your comments are always welcome
Happy Tuesday.

Suzanne and Conan Ricon Center, San Francisco California Part 2: 15:34

Click to Play

here is the second part. Enjoy

Suzanne and Conan Ricon Center, San Francisco California Part 1: 14:51

Click to Play

This wedding was particular for me because I have known Conan back in my days at Loveliness, so when Suzanne contacted me and told methey wanted me to be their videographer, i felt honored off course but also pressured, because I knew that i wanted to their wedding to be even more perfect than what I can do. So when they told me I had pretty much carte blance with the music,I decided to go "out of my comfort zone" and give them a piece that truly represent them.

This full feature is in two parts in order for you to be able to enjoy the highest neat rate possible.

So here it is. the second part will follow later on. Enjoy

Charlene & Tony. Ritz Carlton Halfmoon Bay, California

Click to Play

Charlene and Tony were married at beautiful Ritz Carlton Hal Moon Bay. This place is just drop dead gorgeous, and the settings was perfect for these Stanford Alumni, who sow their love for their alma Mater by naming each and every table with the names of the Institution's building. Tony White from The Ritz Carlton had orchestrated a beautiful wedding for them, and Marlin with Jay Kelly Photography was capturing all the beautiful shots.

Here is their full edit. I hope you enjoy it.

For better viewing experience, press the play button and then pause it until it fully downloads.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day.

A Bientot.

Yumi and Patrick: Same Day Edit July 25th, 2009 Santa Clara mission, Santa Clara

Click to Play
See it in HD here

Mission Santa Clara is one of my favorite church around the Bay Area. The architecture is amazing and the atmosphere is serene for lack of better word. So when Yumi and Patrick told me that's where they would held their ceremony I was thrilled. The ceremony was wonderful and touching, and the reception at the Historic DelMonte Building, was fun and friendly. Big shutout to Phillip Mobley from PLM Productions, who rock s the party with some great tunes, as well as great energy.

Charles Le was triggering all day long, and it was a pleasure working with him.

Thank Yumi and Patrick for giving me the opportunity of being your wedding filmmaker.

Without further Ado here is the same day edit

Cheers

Rachell & Shaun, Wedding Film (full) Groezinger Estate, Yountville, california

Click to Play

Last april, I had a chance to go to Reframe, which is a collective of amazing wedding filmmakers and got so inspired that I could not wait to tackle on Rachell and Shaun's wedding. I had so many ideas in my head that it actually took me a while to get it on its way. But once the direction was clear to me I had no hesitation on what to do. Rachell and Shaun had a very intimate ceremony in Napa. Their officiant was a close friend, and it became appearant to me that the most important was to heavily rely on the speeches and ceremony in order to paint a nice portray of who they are.

I hope I managed to do so. As usual comments are welcome. Please let the video completely download before you watch it. Press the play button twice

Have a wonderful day.

M.

Lauren & Rob. Full edit. Private Estate, Saratoga California

Click to Play

Beautiful surroundings for a beautiful wedding, that's exactly what Rob and Lauren had going on their wedding day. This couple who lives in Florida decided to tie the know at Lauren's brother beautiful house, which overlook the South Peninsula. The weather was amazing, and a small gathering of family members and close friends made for a perfect day. Here is their full edit. i hope you will enjoy it. As usual, please do not hesitate to comment.

Please do not forget to leave the video download completely for better viewing experience.

Same day Edit: Loi & Virginia, Edgewood resort Lake Tahoe

Click to Play
See it in HD here

Virginia and Loi have a very cool story. It's a bit like east meets west as Virginia lives and New Jersey and Loi in Alameda. And on Friday May 29, 2009, they decided to considerably reduced their long distance relationship by tiying the knot at lake Tahoe, where they first met. This gathering of friends and family had all the ingredients for a wonderful wedding, that I was fortunate to be part of.

Ricky Wong was taking beautiful pictures. it was such a pleasure to work with him, and capture Loi and Virginia beautiful wedding.

here is the same day edit. i hope you will enjoy it, and as usual comments are welcome.

Bonne soiree,

Jessica and Chris E-session / Save the date. San Francisco, California

Click To Play
See it in HD Here

Jessica and Chris had their e-session with my good buddy John Chen back on may 10, 2009. I surprised them with a e session of my own following them to Palace of Fine Arts, Bakers Beach, Yerba Buena, and an unusual location as it had a special meaning to them... I wont say more... Just watch it and find out for yourself.
As usual do not hesitate to leave a comment, and if you like it and would like to do something similar for your wedding please do not hesitate to contact me.

Bonne Journee (have a nice day)

Great American Musichall recital

Click to Play

Amelia contacted me to shoot her son's band performance at Great American Musichall in San Francisco. What was supposed to be a 30 minutes gig became a three hour party, and Amelia decided she wanted everything recorded from the band performances, 3 of them, to the DJ spinning the rest of the night.

Here is a small highlight on how things went down that night. Thanks to Van from Ocean Blue Videography for helping me with the shooting.

I hope you;ll enjoy it and as usual your comments are welcome

Elaine & Brian Photo Montage. Four seasons Hotel San Francisco

Click to Play

I love putting photo montage together, and take pictures and do something special with them. Although it is time consuming, it is so much fun to take two dimensional image, and brings it to life in a fun, and enjoyable montage. So when Elaine and Brian asked me to put something special for them, I was thrilled. So here is their montage and I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did enjoy putting it together.

Lindsay & Ramil Same Day Edit. Ste. Anne San Francisco

Click to Play

Same day edits are always a race against time, but hey are so fulfilling and challenging. they really force me to up my game. So when Lindsay and Ramil asked me to do their same day edit I was thrilled. They have been preparing their wedding for quite a while, and had many events in store. From a lavish bridal prep at the Hotel, to a full mass ceremony, and a jam packed reception, there were little time to mess up with. So I decided to focus my piece on their bride prep and ceremony. Big shutout to Jordan and Dennis for helping me out with the shooting.

Mimi & Allen, Hotel Fairmont San Francisco, California

Click to Play

There is no sweeter couple than Mimi & Allen. From the day I met with them I knew that their wedding will be special. And boy was I right. From a very traditional tea ceremony in the morning, to a beautiful afternoon at astonishing San francisco Fairmont Hotel, every detail were miticulously put together, thanks to my friend Jessica Goldblatt from dreams on a dime

Their ceremony was very emotional as one of Allen's close friend officiated and invited the couple to say thier vows to each other. This highlight is mostly centered on the audio of the ceremony and capture their joyful day despite the dreadful weather.

Please do not hesitate to leave a comment whether you like it or not, your opinion matters as it allows me to get better in my craft

It's not my post but it's really good

My friend James, from Burkart Video Productions had a very interesting topic in his last blog. So with his permission, I am reprinting this very important piece of advice for you who are still on the prawn to find a videographer/cinematographer.
Here is some very sensible pieces of advice I wouldn't have said better myself.

I recently met with a wonderful couple at my studio and while they were interviewing me I realized that they must be asking questions they found in an obsolete publication or website. After the meeting I went searching the Internet for information relevant to hiring a professional videographer and quickly found out that there wasn’t much, and what I found was mostly years old predating high definition video. What information I did find was mostly written by people other than videographers and instructed the couple to ask questions in which they would have no clue what the correct answer would be or even understand the answer (for example ‘does the videographer shoot with a 3-CCD camera?’).

I decided to come up with a list of relevant items to consider while interviewing professional videographers. Here goes:

Style - Watch many samples online and get a feel for the style of video you are looking for. While it may be hard to classify a videographer’s style you will know what you like when you see it. Styles will range from basic documentary to very artistic. Long-form vs. Short-Form. If you are looking for something artistic try to find something that matches your personality. Ask the videographer how they describe their style. While many of the words he/she uses may be ambiguous, matching them to his/her work and then comparing that to other videographers, and how they describe themselves, will help you decide what styles you prefer and what terms you should be using while searching for the perfect videographer.

Equipment - Unless you are very knowledgable on the latest video equipment don’t worry about asking what equipment the videographer is using. If you are happy with the sound and video quality in the samples the videographer shows you that’s all you need to know. Listen to a sample of the vows during a ceremony, and a sample of reception toasts. Make sure the video samples are in focus (unless it is intentionally out of focus for effect) and the lighting and color look natural (again, unless it is intentional for effect). If the videographer is using obsolete equipment it will definitely show in their sample work.

Who’s Shooting/Editing - Some videographers are a one-man-show while others use hired help, while some others have many employees. One way is not necessarily better than the other. Again, look at many samples from your videographer. As long as they are consistent then you can feel comfortable in knowing that regardless of the resources your videographer employs to capture your wedding day the samples you viewed will be representative of what the end product will be. Chances are that if the style you choose is very artistic and stylized the videographer is a one-man-show.

There are some videography companies who employ many shooters and editors. If you interview a company such as this and you find that their samples vary in style then ask if you can choose which style you prefer and then find out which of theor employees had a hand in creating that style and make sure you can have them work on your video. If the company can not guarantee which of their employees will be available to shoot/edit your video then they can’t with a straight face guarantee the style of the end product. You’ll probably not want to consider them then.

Turnaround - OK, so this is something that surprises most brides and grooms but it shouldn’t, taking some things into consideration. If the videographer you have chosen is a one-man-show as I mentioned earlier and if videography is their full-time job then it isn’t unusual for them to have a 10 or 12-month turnaround. They are most likely shooting 20 or more weddings a year (some as many as 40, I should know!) and not only are they spending 40, 80, or even 100 hours to edit your video they also have to operate their business. That means marketing and advertising, attending networking events, accounts-payable/receivable, meeting and working with clients, checking and answering emails, etc…

The larger a company is (the more employees they have) usually the faster their turnaround will be. Of course there are always the part-timers who only take on a handful of weddings a year and they usually sport a quick turnaround as well.

Remember that you will have this video, movie if you will, for the rest of your life. It can’t be re shot. It’s gotta be perfect. Let your videographer take their time on creating the masterpiece you commissioned them to. Its great if you can get your video a few weeks after your wedding but don’t be disappointing if it takes longer. If they can deliver your wedding movie in time for your first anniversary imagine how much more special it will be. By then most of the details have faded from your memory, and so the video will remind you that much more effectively how happy and special that day was.

High Definition - This shouldn’t be a consideration. I am unaware of any videographers in the Bay Area who are NOT shooting in HD yet. Some videgraphers create your wedding movie in high definition by default while others offer it as an upgrade. Regardless of how it’s offered it’s a must that it is offered. If the videographer can not offer you high definition then unless their work is mind-bendingly awesome don’t consider them. Even if you don’t currently own a high-definition television or Blu-Ray player there is no reason not to get your video in high definition. Very soon now you will not even be able to buy standard definition TVs. Ten years from now you’ll be glad you chose to have your wedding movie produced in high definition.

Price - I list this last because it should be the last factor in your decision. I understand that while your budget for video will determine what class of videographer you can choose from, it shouldn’t be the deciding factor. It’s not always “apples to apples” either. Wedding Videography is still in its adolescence and some videographers have a hard time charging what they are really worth so it is possible that that cheap videographer is a “diamond in the rough” though more often now that cheap videographer has cheap-looking videos. Give yourself a decent budget for video. You should budget the same for videography that you budget for photography. I didn’t want to say it, but, you get what you pay for.

Do I really need a Professional Videographer? - OK, so I asked the question. Here’s the answer: YES. Just because everyone and their momma owns a DLSR camera you’re not going to let just anyone shoot your photos. Just because Grammy makes a mean apple pie you’re not going to impose on her for your dream cake. These things require skill, artistry, and knowledge that only hundreds of hours of experience can provide. Sure, cousin Bill may be a student at San Francisco Art Institute, and his film project was really cool, but how many weddings has he attended? Does he have the experience required to anticipate all of those one-take moments? You really don’t want to hear, “Oh man! Can you cut the cake again? I was in the bathroom!”

I’m sure I will be adding to this list but these things will get you started and help you in your decision making process. Good luck!

Mandy & Jon, Trentadue Winery Geyserville California

Click to Play

Napa is by far one of my favorite destination to shoot in the Bay Area. Beautiful landscapes, amazing vineyards, breathtaking views, everything is is set up to create an amazing movie. So i was a bit bummed out not to shoot Mandy & Jon's wedding. But thanks to the talent of Dennis and Jordan, I didn't worry about a thing, and boy I was right not to. Here is just a taste, or trailer if you prefer of some of the amzing footage that I got to work with.

Enjoy...

Kerri Ann & Kenneth, Santa Maria Orinda, California

Click to Play

This is a very exciting movie for me as it launches my new package: Highlights only. Many of you have been asking if it's possible to get a shorter version of your wedding as in a highlight only which would capture accurately the day. Well I listened and here it is. Please call for pricing information as well as for details on the content.

Now onto Kerri Ann and Kenneth; when I met them I instantly knew that they were going to be a lot of fun with a really laid back attitude. And despite a down pouring rain on the day of the wedding, everything went exactly according to plan with a great ceremony at Santa Maria, and a fabulous reception at Postino in Lafayette.

It was great to work with Caroline and Dan from Tinywater. Their work is simply amazing.

Thanks so much to James from Burkart Video and Chuck from Savadelis films for their help shooting this one.

Ok! Enough with the chit-chat. As usual feel free to comment on it.

Sherrie & Angelo, Crystal Spring Golf Course, California

Click to Play

Sherrie and Angelo were married at Crystal Spring Golf Course on a windy day. Their ceremony was beautiful and captured the love they have for each other so well. I hope you will enjoy it. Thank you to Dave Johanson for a beautiful ceremony.