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

Teresa and Eric - Calistoga Ranch - Napa

Writing blog is not always easy. Even though I have a degree in journalism, well mostly sports writing, I often struggle with it. But when you have couples like Teresa and Eric to write about, the words come easy, and they just glide on the computer screen. When Eric contacted me to shoot their intimate gorgeous wedding at Calistoga Ranch, I was ecstatic. First, they contacted me because Gene Higa their photographer had told them about me. I always feel so honored when one of my fellow colleague recommends me as it proves that they appreciate working with me, so right off the bat I knew I would felt very comfortable. Moreover, Their wedding was at Calistoga Ranch, which is a beautiful venue in the Napa region, and a place where I had never shot before. I knew it would be fresh creativity juice flowing. Finally, Teresa is the most gorgeous bride with the most beaming smile you can ever imagine... Eric cleans up pretty good as well, but let's face it, the star of this wedding was Teresa.
I really loved spending time getting to know them and establish a relationship with them before the wedding, which makes all the difference in the world when you step in that hotel room, and start filming.
What made their wedding so special to me is that they kept it really intimate. Eric's dad was his best man, and you can see the love of the two shares as they were getting ready at Solage. It was obvious they had a special bound. Teresa had her mom, her sister and her dad alongside while getting ready. It was really great to see Teresa and her dad just giggling and laughing it out while they were getting ready. You can felt the warmth of a loving family. Their officiant was a family friend who had so much personal touches and elements to add to their emotional and fun ceremony. Finally, the attention to details, which I love, was very obvious with a small tea ceremony during the ceremony, which honored both Teresa Chinese and Eric's Japanese Heritage.
The result is this 5 minutes of pure joy with Huckleberry Flint absolute fantastic soundtrack. Please visit their website and/or like them on Facebook. They are amazing, and they know how to bring the party.
I need to give some special shut outs to my team, of Aaron Lee, Tashi Wangchuk and Jeremiah Williams who are all responsible for this piece. And that's another thing I'd like to mention, working with great professional and having exceptional collaboration allow to produce such amazing work. So thank you from the bottom of my heart for your help and participation.
Bonne journee et a bientot.

What have I been up to?

First let me apologize for the lack of posting in the past month or so, but with the wedding season in full blown, shooting almost every weekend, plus having some exciting personal news I have been let's say more than busy. But with that said I wanted to share with you an excited news as CINEMATT has become a member of Blu Bungalow in San Francisco. But what is Blu Bungalow, you might ask. Well, it's a collective of artists coming together to create the first ever event planning wedding studio of like minded vendors in San Francisco.
Hazel Antonio Bourget is the founder and the brain behind this brilliant idea, and if you are still not sure you understand what I'm talking about I invite you to watch the following video that my friend and fellow cinematographer Anton Lorimer of Lorimerworks put together for Blu Bungalow.
As a new member I'm really excited to the possibilities that it offers and I look forward to meeting many of you there. Just call me and come say hi!
Thank you and I promise I will post more in the next few weeks.



Blu Bungalow is located at 2068 Union street San Francisco Ca 94123 and is open Tuesday to Sunday

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

Christina and Winfield - Lake Merritt Hotel - Oakland, Ca

A few months back, I posted Christina and Winfield wedding highlight which you can see here. Well today I would like to introduce you to their full feature. I think it captured their personality and corkiness really well. You will noticed that all along the edit, the Kuma Bears are central to the film. Well the reason they are so present into this film is because when Winfield met Christina, the first thing he ever bought her was a Kuma Bear, a little stuffed animal. This became a collection for Christina and off course since Christina and Winfield were getting married, it was logical that the little guys were getting married too.
Thank you again Christina and Winfield to allow me to be part of your special day. I had so much fun, and thank you to Dennis Maxwell for helping me shooting this one. It's always great to work with you.
As usual, you are more than welcome to comment, like or share with your friend on Facebook and other social network media. I'd love to get some feedback.
Merci et bon weekend.
Matthieu

Josh and Cynthia - An Intimate Picnic wedding inspiration - San Francisco

A few weeks back I had the pleasure of shooting the most intimate picnic wedding inspiration shoot. The design team of sitting in a tree set up a beautiful ceremony that took place on the steps of a victorian house in San Francisco, followed by a rustic picnic in the park. The great tones of pastel yellow,  green and pink were the perfect tie to this fun shoot. Cynthia aka the bride, was wearing a vintage ruffled dress, and Josh, our dashing groom, was sporting a lemon beige suit with the greatest bow tie. But I think my favorite things was the French poodle, who sat next to Josh while Cynthia was "walking down the aisle". The picnic that followed, set up under a huge tree, was the perfect conclusion to a great day. Rona Basa of Luxe image did the make up, and Caroline from Tinywater shot alongside with me those gorgeous photographs.
And to top it of this wedding inspired style shoot was featured in Utterly Engaged latest E-publication. Make sure to browse through page 77 to 91 to see all the details there.
Please enjoy this quick highlight, and I hope you'll come back for more great films, in the next few weeks.
Thanks for stopping by, et bonne semaine a tous et toutes.
Matthieu



event coordination: sitting in a tree
Photography: Tinywater
Make up: Luxe Image
Cinematography: Cinematt

Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay - Fredericka and Akindele - Half Moon Bay

Where to start with this amazing wedding I had the pleasure to film. First and foremost the location. Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay is simply amazing. I shoot there once a year in average, but this is by far one of the most picturesque place in all the Bay Area. Even though the sun is not always shinning there, the lighting is simply amazing, and the outside ceremony in the Gazebo is always a treat.
Nothing better for a beautiful lavish wedding to have a great on point coordinator who makes my work so easy, and Elisheva of a bride's best friend is all of that and more. We've known each other for a while, and working with her just makes my life simpler. I know I'm repeating myself but if you are planning a wedding please consider a professional coordinator. It just makes a world of difference.
As for the wedding itself. Fredericka and Akindele are both Nigerian, so be ready for vivid colors, fun dancing and many more new traditions. This loving couple had invited their friends to an amazing event where happiness and joy was the key word as you can see below.
I hope you will enjoy tis 14 minutes short film, and please don't hesitate to like it and comment.
Merci et bon weekend.
Matthieu



venue: Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay
Coordinator: Elisheva Basseri: a bride's best friend
Photographer: Bill Mahon
second cinematographer: Van Hsieh

Golden Gate Club - Courtney and Blair - San francisco

Courtney and Blair both grew up in San Francisco Bay area. So for this washington Dc couple it was only fitted to have their wedding back where they grew, and share it with their friends who had flown from all over the world. Their theme was definitely travel as they had set up a really cool mailbox with postcards, for their guest to write some well wishes and advices, and their table placement and card where countries where the two of them had travelled and visited. To top it of a Mariachi band was playing during cocktail hour.
One of the thing I was really elated about this wedding is that i got to work with Ron Grandia. He is, in my opinion, one of the best DJ in the area and since he has a background as videographer, he understands how important sound is for us, and he gave me a great feed. So thank you! The other cool element of the wedding was to work with Matt from our labor of love. I definitely encourage you to check the website as they have some cool stuffs there.
Finally the last element that made that wedding even more special was the surprise that Blair's mom has set up for the couple: a bagpiper came to play the recessional. I knew already that's where I wanted to start my edit

I hope you enjoy it, and as usual you can click the like button in the right end corner if you like it.
Merci et a plus.
Matthieu

P.S: for better viewing press the play button then pause and let the video fully download before pressing play again

Photography: Matt Miller for Our Labor of Love

Ceremony venue: Main Post Chapel  Presidio

Reception venue: Golden Gate Club

Stationery: Kathleen Designs 

Flowers: Grace Street Florals

Catering: Grace Street Catering

DJ: Ron Grandia

Cinematography: Cinematt

Kohl Mansion - Cindy and Dan - San Francisco, ca

I have shot in many locations all over the Bay Area, but Kohl Mansion has a particular significance to me. It was there that I shot my first wedding, after I started my company in 2003. I have been back several times since, and it's always a pleasure to shoot there. So much to work with and I love the feel of the Mansion. So when I met with Cindy and she told me that's where she was going to have her wedding, I definitely was looking forward to film there.
Cindy and Dan had an all star team vendors. Janece Shellooe of Every Elegant Detail transformed the Mansion into a lavish affair, while Thomas John Events was delecting their guests with top notch food. My friends at big Fun DJ were delivering the tunes of this classic wedding, while Augie Chang was just working his magic behind the camera to deliver some amazing photography.
It's always fun to work with such a talented crew, and it makes my job much easier.
A big thank you to Aaron Lee, who was helping me on the day to capture those precious moment, and a big thank you to you, who are stopping by to watch.
So without further do, here is Cindy and Dan's Highlight. I hope you will enjoy it.
Merci et a bientôt with many more new films coming your way.

Asian Art Museum- Jen and Mike - San Francisco

The perks of being a wedding cinematographer is to shoot in some amazing locations, and Asian Art Museum in San Francisco was definitely it. Jen and Mike wanted a classy yet intimate event for their wedding and the museum was perfect for that. The ceremony was elegant and simple, with a very personal ceremony orchestrated by one of Mike and Jen's best friend and heartfelt vows. This couple who has been together for 11 years truly love each other dearly, and seeing them gazing at each other was priceless.
The reception was no small feast either, as Asiel Design did an amazing job setting up with beautiful centerpieces. As for the food Global Gourmet Catering  provided their guest with a scrumptious dinner.
It was great to work with my friends at Big Fun DJ, those guys definitely know what they are doing so if you are looking for a DJ don't hesitate to contact them. The event was beautifully captured by Erica Berger, who it is always a pleasure to work with.
Thanks to Jordan, Robb and my good friend James Burkart for helping me out capture their beautiful day, and thank you to you for stopping by. I hope you will enjoy their highlight.
Happy Sunday!



For better viewing experience press the play button, then pause it and let the film download completely before pressing play again!javascript:void(0)

Natalie and JD - Monte Verde Inn - Forresthill, CA

Where does time go?
I can't believe it has been a month already since my last blog. Usually February is rather quiet and it is always time for me to catch up on editing and do some really fun stuffs. However, this year, February has been nothing short of a hurricane sweeping through CINEMATT. From back to back to back editorial shoots in Sacramento, and Las Vegas to WPPI, (which conveniently was held in Las Vegas, hence the shoot there) to settling in into my new studio in Belmont, February roared out and March kicked in.
So for those of you who follows me I'm sure you noticed that nothing new has come up on this page. Nothing new until today and Natalie and JD wedding film. This was a special film to me because when Natalie and JD hired me, they were only interested in getting raw footage. But after seeing those, Cindy, Natalie's mom, was quick to contact me and asked me to make a film for her daughter and son in law. I was ecstatic because this wedding was for me a cornerstone.
So many elements made this wedding so unique, from the vintage photo booth, to the great little placards everywhere, and a fun and friendly bridal party. Plus Nat and JD were an awesome couple, whose motto was: "Let's have fun".  Hopefully the feature will show that. Thanks to Kerry and Kenneth for referring me to Nat and JD, and thank you for all of you who will watch all 22 minutes of the feature film. As always your comments are welcome.
I would also like to give a special thanks to Elley, from Elley photography, who was my second on that day, and was a real trooper. Thank you for your help!
For better viewing experience, just press the play button and let the whole film download, before pressing play again.





The location:
Monte Verde Inn

The crew:
photographer: Christine Taylor
Coordinator: Erin Taylor
DJ: SJ's Disc Jockey

The Bridges golf course -Ashley and An-Yen - San Ramon

Well it took me a bit longer than expected because moving always take longer than expected, but I'm ready to share my first film of the year.

When Ashley and An-Yen contacted me to film their wedding I was really ecstatic, because they are:
 a) a really cool couple
b) their wedding coordinator was Patty Lee of 8events. If you don't know Patty, then check her website, she is awesome.
c) their location, the Bridges in San Ramon , was literally a mile from where I used to live
d) I was also working with a great photographer Thai  Mai, and a wonderful make up artist Giao Nguyen, who are super talented, and who have since then  become really good friends of mine.
e) James Burkart of Burkart studios was my side kick on the day of and it means that I did not have to worry about a thing
So everything was united to make their wedding really special.
I don't know what was my favorite moment of the day, but I think that An-Yen walking with his eyes close to Ashley when they saw each other the first time, was pretty powerful. Both of their vows were very poignant and the speeches throughout the evening depicted a great couple who couldn't be more in love.
Watch their Trailer and see for yourself. I hope you will enjoy it, and as usual don't hesitate to press the like button.
Thanks for stopping by and watching.

Matthieu

Happy new year everyone!! A look back at 2010

We are a few hours away from starting 2011, and it seems appropriate to take a look back at 2010 and a whirlwind of emotion. I can't believe it's already over. It seems only yesterday I was filming Mona and Brian beautiful wedding at the Westin St. Francis, but the truth is they are about to celebrate their one year anniversary, and many more to come.

2010 was a particular year for me because it was a year of growth in my personal and professional life. On a professional point, I was able to get to a different level in my work, and I renewed my passion for wedding films. I became a better storyteller, and I spent the year learning and being a student of the industry. This is why 2011 is going to be so exciting. I feel I have never been more on top than I am right now, and I want to keep improving, so for those of you who will join the CINEMATT family, I can assure you to give you my best effort to make better films and better stories! and I can't wait to get started.

On a personal level, I went through a crazy year where new people came into my life to guide me and help me when I needed it the most: So there are a few person I need to thank: Elley! you are my rock and my muse, not much more need to be said, except I vow to achieve all the goals we have talked about in 2011, and this a promise (sounds a bit cheesy but it's true). Amelie! you make life so much better, and so joyful. You are the best!! Caroline and Dan thank you for your friendship your advice, and you help. Jerome, although we didn't get to see much of each other this year, you, Mila, Pauline Romeo and Katia is what I have the closest as family here, so thank you for the friendship, the support, and the love you guys have given me.

On a fun level, I achieve lots of traveling and discovered new places, which beauty I did not suspect, and I took a bit more time to enjoy life and not just be consumed with my work, which actually is a key to success. Being consumed by your work clouds your mind and prevent you from being creative I think. So it's nice from time to time to take a step back. I only come back stronger in my editing room.
 So for 2011 I hope to see more of the same.

Thank you for your constant support, and for those of you who are considering CINEMATT for your wedding, please be sure to stop by my new location in Belmont, and take a look to what I have in stock for 2011. It's is going to be a great great year. 

California Academy of Sciences - San Francisco - Elaine and Rudy

This year I have been fortunate to work in some really amazing locations. Julia Morgan Ball Room, Mark Hopkins, Ritz Carlton HalfMoon Bay, Calistoga Ranch and Carneros Inn Just to name a few.
But when Elaine and Rudy contacted me and chose me as their wedding filmmaker, I was beyond ecstatic to be working at California Academy of Sciences, the world's largest platinum museum in the world, and the greenest one. This made for an amazing backdrop for their lavish event magistrally orchestrated by the talented Jess Flood. Chef Christophe and his team of La bonne Cuisine had prepared some magical food to compliment the event. On top of it I had the pleasure to Shoot with Jerry and Ingrid from Jerry Yoon Photography, who are class acts to work with.
For the film I didn't want t go the usual route and I definitely wanted to concentrate on using Angel's speech - Elaine's MOH - as the backbone of my edit. Angel had the particularity of being the "matchmaker" and her very eloquent toast was the best way to introduce our newlyweds.
Elaine and Rudy are really fun people and I wanted their personality to shine throughout the film, therefore I decided to use a much upbeat music for the second part of the edit.
So without any further ado, here it is:

Julia Morgan Ballroom - Wedding in a week - Jen and Medel

When Jamie Chang from Mango Muse Events contacted me mid July to see if I were interested in partnering for Wedding in a Week, which was organized with Wedding Wire, and Star 101.3 FM, I was intrigued. Sure I already had a busy month of August with 6 events. But I never back down from a challenge. So I decided to say yes.
What I liked about the idea was to film a wedding of someone I have a) never met, b) didn't even know they were getting married a week before the wedding, and c) was working with a select crew of some of my favorite people, such as Vasna Wilson and Gustavo Fernandez, Armando Sarabia of Get Your Do Up, the prestigious Julia Morgan Ballroom, and my friends at Big fun DJ.
I also wanted to give a shut out to Heron Freed Toor, who did an admirable job on the ceremony. It was beautiful, and felt very personal.
On top of that I was able to ask my good friend James Burkart to film alongside with me on that day.
Although the ceremony was a bit tricky with literally no space to work, James and I had our plan well set up, and the whole thing went without any problem. Jen and Medel had written their own vows and boy did Medel brought it. The whole place was tearing up after his beautiful declaration. So I knew that this would be the basis to my film. I knew that family is very important to them so I wanted to make sure to include as much as possible of their family and friend in this short film, as well as give a good feedback of a day, which for Medel and Jen was once in a lifetime event.
Make sure to watch this stunning wedding which include a really nice moment when they saw each other for the first time. Medel could barely keep it together.
I hope you will enjoy it, and as usual don't hesitate to comment or to press the like button.
Merci et bonne soirée.
Matthieu

Here is the list of all the great sponsors who made that day possible:

Participating Wedding Professionals
Julia Morgan Ballroom Ceremony & Reception Venue Website
Blue Heron Catering Catering Website	Mango Muse Events Wedding Planning Website	Vas Photography Photography Website
Huckleberry Karen Designs Florist Website	All Cruise Travel Honeymoon Prize Website	Cinematt Videography Website
Bridal Image of San Francisco Wedding Gown Website	get your DO up! Hair and Makeup Website	Trentadue Winery Reception Wine Website
Beaux Gateaux Wedding Cake Website	Big Fun DJ DJ Website	Magnolia Photo Booth Photo Booth Rental Website
Wildflower Linen Reception Linen Rental Website	Selix Formalwear Men’s Attire Website	Glenn Staller Ceremony Musician Website
Heron Freed Toor Officiant Website	Mabel Chong Bridal Jewelry Website	Paper Source Wedding Stationery Website
Speakeasy Ales and Lagers Beer Sponsor Website	Blue Water Party Rental Event Rentals Website	Shane Company Wedding Rings Website

presented by

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