Tia & Victor | Wedding Trailer

I had a great time this weekend at Tia & Victor's wedding! They were such a fun couple, I was only bummed I didn't get to spend more time with them outside of their wedding! But they're the kind of people that you really don't need to be around for long to realize that they love to have fun, and this wedding was no exception!

Blu-Ray and Streaming Weddings

So I got my new Blu-Ray burner this week. Excited to try it out on a wedding that is almost complete. My first ever Blu-Ray experience...seriously. I don't even own a hi-def TV, so testing this for a while is going to be taxing as I run over to a friends' house, but Christmas is coming, so you never know. :)

Also, my buddy Dave Buchanan from CoefficientMedia.com is going to be working alongside me at this weekends wedding for a streaming webcast so that the grooms grandparents (who are unable to make it up to Michigan from Florida) will be able to celebrate with their family via the web.

Two things to note for the streaming wedding videos:

1. The streamed video will be from a separate camera, solely dedicated to the web feed, while the cameras used for the rest of your video will be going directly to tape or memory, but not the web.
2. There must be adequate streaming cell or wi-fi service available at your venue. An easy way to find out about the cell service if you have an iPod or iPhone is to download the FREE "speedtest.net" app and e-mail us the results.
   

If you'd like to have either of these things included in your package, both are now available. Shoot me an e-mail and we'll get together for some coffee to talk about it in-depth.

Two trailers

In my excitement to post the past couple of trailers to my Facebook fan page (which you can feel free to sign up on by the way...and leave comments!) I somehow overlooked posting them on here.

So for those of you following only the blog, my apologies! I'll be better. Here is Sarah & Steve's trailer (thanks to Matt Graetz for second shooting) from October 24th in Port Huron...



Two weeks later I was back in Lansing to shoot Danielle & Chris' wedding (with my new second shooter Amanda Bailey)...

Short notice weddings

Every now and then the stars align and a last minute booking comes through at a time that just works out perfectly. I worry maybe it'll be added stress that I hadn't calculated on or maybe it'll just make things flow less smoothly in my work flow, and then I get to meet the couple, and have all my fears set at ease!

I got to have coffee with Dani & Chris on Monday, as well as Dani's mom Vickie, and the wedding is this Friday. That's right, short notice! But Chris is in the Air Force and they were waiting for the details of his orders to come through before making any plans. They were such a blast to hang out with! Just two people you know you could get along with no problem, which will make their day flow so well that I'm really getting excited for it! (Good thing I only have to wait two more days).

My sister-in-law will be my second shooter on this one. I'm excited to have Amanda alongside me for it, as she has a natural eye for these things and has been wanting to join me on a shoot for some time now. This will be a great one to get her feet wet on because these guys are just an incredible couple and I can only imagine their friends and family will make for a great day!

One last thing, I'll try and include more pictures next time! I REALLY need to get an iPhone so I have a camera on me at all times. ;)

A wedding I'm honored and excited for...

I should probably clarify the title of this post by adding that I'm ALWAYS honored and excited to be a part of any couple's big day. The reason I specify it this time is very different than all of the others though.

Backstory:

When I was laid off from my job as the Video Studio Director of a large school district (as our economy was tanking, Michigan schools had already BEEN tanking for some time), I didn't know what I was going to do. I applied for a lot of marketing positions and each time I wasn't quite right for the job (shocking, with zero marketing experience behind me). But at each interview, I would get asked the same thing, "We see you do video work...would you be interested in freelancing for us sometime?" Always answering with a slightly-less-than-confident, "Sure..." I had no cameras of my own, or editing software...or for that matter, a computer.

As I was leaving the district in the last few weeks, my co-worker (and friend) Mike, asked if I'd be interested in finishing two weddings that he'd previously committed to. He used to do wedding video pretty much full-time and was trying to get out of it since he now worked at the district and was very busy. I said that I'd love to, but explained how I had no equipment. He offered his computer (a Mac Pro with all software & licenses included) as reimbursement since he couldn't pay me to do these weddings. I was stunned, and psyched all at once. So I accepted, and even joined him in shooting the second of the two weddings.

When I finished he made mention that if I ever booked any video jobs, corporate or wedding, he'd be happy to lend me his two cameras as well so that I could shoot the project myself.

Let's stop there. Each camera was about $800 (small handy-cam style, but still professional 3CCD cameras). He was going to just let me borrow a minimum of $1600 in equipment after already GIVING me a computer that was originally valued upwards of $2500 (JUST for the computer)?!

Needless to say, Mike got me back on my feet.

Losing a job wreaks havoc on your self-confidence, even when it has nothing to do with you personally (the director of the technology department, and the superintendent of schools both wrote EXCELLENT recommendations for me). So for Mike to pretty much enable me to start a business like that....it's something I felt like I'd never be able to repay him for.

Until now.

His daughter is getting married. :)

So this Saturday, I CAN NOT WAIT, to shoot Sarah & Steve's wedding in Port Huron! Not only do I love weddings, but this is the one wedding that I've always said, "I'll do it for free." Mike has given me so much, I can't imagine NOT returning this favor. Without him, I'd have nothing going on professionally right now because I couldn't get into any more debt at the time, so I could never have bought the equipment that he essentially handed over to me for the past year.

So when I say I'm honored and excited for this wedding...maybe now you have some idea of why.

Facebook Fan Page

So in an attempt to drive traffic over to the Facebook fan page, I'll let you know that I've got two pieces of news as of today, 10/13/09.

Nothing earth-shattering, but I think both are worth reading.

One update is simply the chance to view a new animated Owen Video graphic that will accompany trailers from now on that you can only view (for the time being) on the FB page.

The other update, is slightly more significant to you, the bride (unless you're a dude, then "the groom"...or just internet lurkers reading this in general) because it's a change to how the final products will be delivered to my clients from now on. I'll give you a hint: I've gone green.

Check the Facebook fan page for those updates! And while you there, why not become a fan?

Kaelyn & Ryan's Sneak Peek!

Keeping up with the Jones'

Well, today I finally stop searching and bought the tripod I've needed for a while. I almost ordered online, but realized there's still one camera store left in town, aptly named The Camera Shop, and thought for once I'd do right by my local economy and support them. Competitive prices and I didn't have to wait on the shipping! I got a Vanguard tripod with a PH-32 head. This will compliment my other toys nicely, particularly my glidetrack.

While I was at the store I realized something that online shopping is missing, true browsing. Yes I can click around in the store, but my monitor will never see as much as my eyes will in the store itself. And today I was glad I went in person.

As I was milling about waiting to speak with the proprietor, I found a bag of foam tripod leg covers. Basically they're supposed to make lugging your tripod around a more comfortable experience. However, when I read their measurements, I realized they were JUST what I was looking for with regards to my homemade steadycam. I made it from aluminum pipes and a barbell weight, and it was starting to get a bit rusty looking and dingy. These foamcore covers also came with black fitted sleeves that slid over them to cover up the foam. I'm thrilled...it feels like a brand new steadycam again!



So all of that to say, don't forget, small businesses do still exist, though there aren't as many as before...so swing by, you may find yourself wishing you'd gone sooner.

Booked until 2010

Well that settles it, I am officially booked each month until 2010. I am now working in September, October, November and December. I am not FULL however, please understand that I will accept up to two more fall/winter 2009 clients if the requests come in, but that will be all.

In two weekends I'll be heading down to Indianapolis to shoot a wedding with my friends from 2Duce2.com. They're an incredible husband/wife videography team from Nashville whose work is absolutely stunning, and I feel blessed to be able to know and learn from them.

Then in October I'll be at a wedding in Port Huron that I'm looking forward to. As well as possibly shooting a promo video for a wedding photographer friend of mine at a wedding he's scheduled to shoot.

November will be the wedding of a friend of a friend back near home (Ann Arbor/Detroit area) so I'm looking forward to shooting that one.

December will bring a unique wedding for me that I'm really excited for. The ceremony will be Catholic, but at the reception the bride will be celebrating her heritage with a Korean wedding ceremony which I know will be bursting with color! I'm really looking forward to that. It may be the first time I have two cameras at the reception. :)

Right now I'm finishing up a non-profit video and working in the midst of a large scale corporate project, so back to work with me! Because after those, I have to finish up two more weddings!

Snow Leopard, Tripods & Firewire 800

Well, today was a day of purchasing on the internet.

Was initially intending to buy a new 24" iMac, but decided better of it as my current computer works just fine (knock wood) and aside from being slower than is desirable, I have no reason to ditch it yet (aside from re-sale value, anyone buying?).

So instead, I purchased Snow Leopard, effectively upgrading my operating system (and my wife's, we got the family pack).

Then, I got better tripods. I've needed to upgrade those for a while, and got some reasonably priced Velbon's from Amazon.

And lastly, I got a 4pin to 9pin firewire cable so that I can have the ability to capture and edit on my wife's laptop when necessary.

Needless to say, I'm excited to check the mail in the next few days. :)

TooleArt.com

Just wanted to throw out a link for Mike & Crystal Toole's photography site! A great married photography team from all over Michigan, but right now Holland, who I had the pleasure of working a wedding with at the beginning of this month. Here are their photos from the wedding we worked together: Sheila & Joe's Pictures

So busy!

Hey readers,

If you're thinking of booking for next summer, let's talk soon! I'm quickly locking in many mid-summer dates, and while they're not all gone yet, we're getting close.

I look forward to hearing from you and hopefully working with you!

So much to do, so little time

Usually this is the time of year that slows down for video, so for the first time in as long as I can remember, I'm getting BUSIER as we wind down the summer. And I couldn't be more grateful! Not only weddings, but a corporate client is asking for another video, and a non-profit I edited for last year is asking for a repeat success with their promotional materials. Can't wait to get it all done and share with you what I can!

Ad-no-sense

So I started this blog a while back but never used it until now. Forever I had that Google Adsense stuff on the side. I understand the idea of making money by having people click on the ads...but do YOU ever click on them? I know I don't. And I'm not sure I want to be interfacing with people dumb enough to fall for that. (No offense if you answered 'yes' to the first question).

Anyway, so now my blog is AdSense free. Google was probably smart to create them...but I just can't anymore. I've seen sites weighed down with them, and it's just awful to try and figure out what you're SUPPOSED to be looking at with regards to their site content.

Owen Video is now HD (& more)

So yesterday morning I ordered two HD Canon Vixia HV-40's! I'm pretty psyched about this as I'll be able to offer a higher quality end product. Unfortunately I still can't produce onto Blu-Ray but someday that will come too. So for now it'll just be higher quality standard videos, however online clips will now be in HD, so that's something at least! :)

For the past year my VERY kind friend Mike has lent me his equipment free of charge. In fact, when I first got laid off from the school district I worked at, I didn't consider freelancing really, but Mike was a wedding videographer with a full-time job as a computer tech and didn't really want to finish a couple of weddings he'd committed to. So he asked me if I'd like to finish them for him, but he couldn't pay. So instead he offered me his computer (a PowerMac G5 w/a PowerPC processor) and I jumped at the chance! So I edited his two weddings and it was mine. Then, I started shooting my own weddings and he agreed to let me use his cameras. Finally, I'd worked enough and saved enough, and here we are, I'm self-sufficient. It's an amazing feeling. But please know, I couldn't be more grateful to Mike for helping me get this business off the ground and getting me back on my feet!

Also, you may look at this camera and think how small it is, but know that I attach a Rode microphone on top, and a wide angle converter on the lens. Then that, plus my homemade steadycam (the next item to get upgraded when I have some cash) make it all look much larger than you'd think. Besides, it's not size that matters, it's quality! And this baby has an internal CMOS chip (the replacement for 3CCD chips).