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?