Cinematic Videography

Q. What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A. Ask to see a copy of a whole wedding or event. It's really good to make sure that the whole package you get is a good one- not just what you see on their website.

Q. If you were a customer, what do you wish you knew about your trade? Any inside secrets to share?

A. Make sure that you talk to your potential videographer on the phone or in person. It's easier to solidify plans and be clearer when you can both communicate clearly.

Q. What questions should a consumer ask to hire the right service professional?

A. Some questions for videographers that I find important are:

* What kind of equipment do you use?
* Will the audio on my video be clear?
* What are different packages you offer?

Q. Why does your work stand out from others who do what you do?

A. There are a lot of different ways that videographers capture a wedding or event.

Some take the route of "Well, I can always fix it in post."

That is a really bad way to look at things. One of the ways our work is really set apart from others is that we use our equipment to fullest. We know exactly what we need our camera to do so that we don't have to fix it in post. That's where it all starts... with your camera. We know how to make it look good right away. Then we use editing to enhance what we've already meticulously created.

We like to create the perfect "marriage" of excellent camera work, and creative editing technique. It's never in-your-face, and always beautiful.

Q. What do you like most about your job?

A. As much as I love the creative work behind filming and post-production, the thing I like most about what I do is the moment I can finally send out the finished product.

It really means a lot to get the kind words from my clients, and to see them showing their videos to family and friends, and expressing how much they enjoy it.

There is nothing better than the feeling to know that you've done good... especially after hours and hours of painstaking effort to make it the best that you could.

Q. How did you decide to get in your line of work?

A. I have been in love with film and audio since I was very young.

It all started when I used to play with old handheld tape recorders. I would record, and then use two to "overdub", although I wasn't even aware that is what I was doing at the time.

My life really changed when my parents bought a videocamera in 2001 to document the rehab of their house. Not long after they bought it, I adopted it... and that started my relationship with video.

I used it to make countless videos for fun with my friends. In 2007, I filmed my first wedding as a gift for a friend. It turned out so well that I started getting offer after offer for more... and it started. I've been doing it ever since, although now on a much larger scale.

Q. Describe your most recent project, what it involved, how much it cost, and how long it took.

A. My most recent project was a theatrical performance of "Seussical - The Musical" by a high school in Kenosha, that took place the end of July.

We filmed one whole performance. It took about 4 hours total, plus an estimated 40 hours of editing. We used 3 cameras to capture the performance, plus used a wireless microphone system to capture the live orchestra with excellent sound quality.

We did the play on a "per DVD" basis. There was a minimum to meet of how many DVDs must be sold, and that is how we calculated the cost.