ANGELA AND MAX'S BACKYARD WEDDING

I'm not one to pick favorites but I do love a backyard wedding. The videos always have such a personal touch because there has never been a wedding there before and there probably won't be one after. It's a one of kind thing (much like a marriage) and this wedding truly was one of a kind. A beautiful celebration of cultures and traditions from the vows to the food, they both put everything they love about each other into their wedding day. Also, these two couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day and a better team to work with. The wedding was designed by the ladies at Double G Events and they did an incredible job. Aside from making a ceremony site and reception hall in limited space happen the design itself was stunning. I particularly loved the custom napkins from Minted. 

Angela and Max were adorable together all day, sneaking in dance moves wherever they could and they both showed a charming display of affection by speaking in each others first language for the ceremony. Cheers to Angela and Max!

ETHEL WALKER COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY

One of the most overused words in the English diction is "amazing." People use it to describe everything from a balloon ride at sunset to a pint of ice cream. I am writing this post to say that the Ethel Walker School for young women is nothing short of amazing. When you step on campus you are greeted with the cognition that you are someplace exceptional. The campus is tucked away in a stunning part of Connecticut surround by evergreens and maple trees. The grounds are immaculate and the buildings exude personality. Immediately you know this is not just a school for young women, rather a place for them to truly grow, to become well rounded, confident adults. It's amazing. 

I am honored to have worked with them on multiple occasions including a commercial which gives a tour of the whole Ethel Walker experience (which I will also link to). For this event they asked me to document the commencement ceremony and to produce a video consolidating the experience. These are always fun because there really is only a few ways to approach the actual content and the rest is how you capture and edit the B roll. The story is there for you to miss so it's a practice of being very aware of your surroundings and being able to anticipate actions. 

Big thank you to Matt Branscombe at BSC Photo www.bscphoto.com for being a great producer and starting this relationship we have with Ethel Walker. 

My congratulations to all the graduates - "may all your hours be golden!"

-Will 

BAG IT UP FOR GOODWILL CHALLENGE FEATURING AMERICAN IDOL WINNER NICK FRADIANI

I am grateful for all the wonderful people and companies I get to call clients but I am particularly proud of the relationship I have with Goodwill. Not because of the scale or the size of the jobs but because of the impact they have on people. I don't think I am in the minority when I say that before I started working with Goodwill I had no idea what went on at the company outside of the stores and donation centers. This video of the "Bag it up for Goodwill" challenge is a perfect example of how much larger Goodwill is beyond their donation centers. 

The "Bag it Up Challenge" objective is simple, first sign up for free, then donate as many items as possible. If you donate the most items the school is rewarded with a free concert and cupcakes from Nora's cupcakes. So with that objective in mind the parents, teachers and students of Hop Brook Elementary school in Naugatuck, CT collectively donated 35,000 items! You read that correctly, your vision is fine, thirty-five-thousand items! As shown in the video there are pictures around the school of students and their parents filling their cars to max capacity with items to donate. The community really all gathered together to win a concert for the kids and it paid off with a concert from Connecticut native and American Idol winner Nick Fradiani. I would like to take a moment to mention how awesome Nick was. He put on a great show, was humble, gracious, a total gentleman and gave attention to every kid that wanted a photo or just a high five - simply put, he's a good dude. 

Documentation wise we used a three camera set up with one being on a gimbal system to really get in on the action with the kids, one mobile but stable on a monopod and another stationary in the back of the room. The only real technique used on the day of filming was proper communication between myself and my second shooter. Properly articulating what you are looking to achieve with your video to your production crew is essential if you want those desired results; never leave it up to chance. 

To wrap this up, a big congratulations to the parents, students and staff of Hop Brook Elementary School and thank you to Goodwill for the opportunity to capture such a great event!

-Will