BLOG @ PLAYAWEDDINGS.COM

Ashley & Andrew | Kool Beach Club | November 2011

2012-01-03T09:38:00.000-08:00

Super 8mm film and a client selected soundtrack. Ashley and Andrew had a vision. Watching super 8 footage of their wedding with Feist in the background. I love to realize my client's vision. When couples are serious about music they often send me 5 or more songs that they've thought very carefully about. Something really special happens when I put their footage to these songs. I see things that I may have missed before and it becomes very apparent why they picked these particular songs. They fit so well together.

Location: Kool Beach Club
Coordination: Maria Tripaldi | Weddings in Playa
Photographer: Thomas Slack

Jessie & Chris | Azul Sensatori | October 2011

2012-01-03T09:21:00.000-08:00

I call them Authentic Cinematic Wedding Films on the front page of our website. The "Authentic" part means that I draw as much as I can from the day itself and minimize what I add later in post. I use the natural sound and the music you play during your wedding day. Often I get all the music I need for the video from the ceremony and reception music.

Here we start with the ceremony on the skydeck at Azul Sensatori on the Carribean coast. We pick up the live sound of the bridal entrance music and extend that through the selected shots of the ceremony. At the end of the ceremony we pick up the live sound as they exit and extend that song through the photo session. We wrap up with selected shots from the toasts and the live sound and music of the first dance. Every song has context in the film because it's the music that was part of the day. It provides the authentic experience of that day through sound, visuals and music.

Location: Azul Sensatori
Coordination: destinationweddings.com

A Celebration of Three Countries, Two Languages and One Great Couple

2011-12-07T06:02:00.000-08:00

Santiago is from Ecuador. Sandra from Mexico. Together, they live in the United States. They had many, many beautiful options in the Riviera Maya from which to choose. They selected the expansive and secluded beaches of the Barcelo Maya Palace in Playa del Carmen. They wanted to capture all the moments of their wedding day so they engaged PlayaWeddings for a full day of wedding videography.

We begin with the awakening of the resort and the bride and groom preparing for the day, not ending until after the dances were danced, the toasts were toasted and the bouquet was tossed. Throughout all of Sandra and Santiago’s day, we were there to record the authentic moments that celebrated three countries, two languages and the two of them.

All Day Coverage

Location: Barcelo Maya Palace | http://www.barcelo.com
Wedding Stylist: Styling Trio Riviera | http://www.stylingtriorivieramaya.com
Wedding Photography: Moments That Matter Photography | http://www.momentsthatmatterphotography.com
May, 2011
Shot with Canon DSLRs and L Series Lenses

Fire Show Finale at Mai & Nelson's Wedding | Playa del Carmen

2011-11-18T05:20:00.001-08:00

People travel such a long way to attend a destination wedding and it's hard to fully express your thanks. Mai and Nelson hired local Play del Carmen entertainers Grupo Caracol to put on a Fire Show as the grand finale of their wedding. A unique thank you for their guests and something they can share online with a PlayaWeddings video.

I used two 5DM2s with a 50mm 1.4 and a 70-200L. The sound is line in mixed with area mic on a Zoom H4N.

Venue: Wicky's, Playa del Carmen | www.wickysplayadelcarmen.com/
Performers: Grupo Caracol | www.gcaracol.com
Final segment of the 25 min. Documentary Edit.
4 hours of coverage.
see the Highlight Edit below

Brooke & Joshua | Royal Playa del Carmen | Super8 Film + HD

2011-11-16T13:42:00.000-08:00

Brooke & Joshua have an appreciation for tradition that's apparent in the bride's veil, the music they played throughout the day, and their choice to incorporate Super 8mm film into their wedding video. We love shooting Super 8 and we do it for cost. It's a great way to make your video unique and it's a great way for us to expand our creative horizons. Your wedding should be a multi-sensory, multi-media experience.

The video closes with a mix from one of my favorite mash-up artists, Fissunix. www.fissunix.com/

5 Hours of coverage
Wedding Photograpy: Rachel Perry Schrank | www.lalunaphotography.com
Location: Royal Playa del Carmen | www.realresorts.com
June 2011

Scenes from Jaime and Brad's Wedding Film

2011-11-09T11:06:00.000-08:00

Jaime & Brad | Al Cielo | June 2011

2011-11-08T18:52:00.000-08:00

It's an honor to shoot and produce a wedding for a musician I respect. Brad is the drummer for Third Eye Blind.

Scenes from Melissa and Chris's Wedding Film at Azul Beach Hotel

2011-10-18T08:33:00.000-07:00

Melissa & Chris | Azul Beach Hotel | May 2011

2011-10-18T08:27:00.001-07:00

Scenes from Xcaret Wedding Film

2011-10-13T09:39:00.000-07:00

Xcaret - Riviera Maya | April 2011

2011-10-10T21:11:00.000-07:00

Super8 Film

2011-10-08T09:40:00.000-07:00

This is an edit of the Super8 film I shot at Brooke and Joshua's wedding. This will also be mixed with the HD footage and natural sound for the full edit.

Scenes from My Desktop

2011-09-16T15:33:00.000-07:00

Here are some more screengrabs from today's edit.

Scenes from Recent Videos

2011-09-10T09:28:00.001-07:00

Here are some more screengrabs from last season's wedding films.

Currently In Production...

2011-09-09T17:46:00.000-07:00

I wanted to post some stills from the wedding video I'm editing right now. So many good shots in this one from the Barcelo Maya. Wedding Day Edit is coming soon...

The Styling Trio Riviera Maya at work.

Reception at Azul Beach

2011-09-09T05:40:00.000-07:00

Bubbles, lasers, a fog machine and a bride who sings along to every song makes for a perfect wedding reception.

One of the top FAQs we get is "what else is on the disc." Everyone sees the Wedding Day Edits we post and people wonder "is that all I get?" No, you get much more. We include a 30-40 minute edit of your day with all natural sound (no music overdubs) as well as the important events in full with multi-camera coverage. You can hear and see everything exactly as it happened in real time with real sound. This edit is the last 8 minutes of their 40 minute edit.

Excellence Riviera Cancun | March 2011

2011-08-25T14:39:00.000-07:00

Another great wedding with my wife Rachel from La Luna and Juan from Del Sol. I love shooting with my wife and using photos and video together. The still photos provide a great way to mix up the rhythm and the feel to keep it interesting. Juan Jose always brings a ton of enthusiasm and new ideas to every shoot and after seven years of shooting with my wife, we know what each other is missing. Enjoy!

Azul Beach | March 2011

2011-08-11T15:42:00.000-07:00

photography: Rachel Perry Schrank - www.lalunaphotography.com

All of the music for this soundtrack came from a double CD that the couple gave to all their guests. The disc included the songs used in the ceremony and at the reception. The CD starts with 7/4 by Broken Social Scene and so does the video. I was really enjoying editing to this song, it moved in a unique way and I didn't know why. So I looked into the song. It's called 7/4 because it's in 7/4 time signature. I keyed into the high hat and let that instruct me where to put the cuts. When the high hat opens, I cut (more or less). It really propels you into the wedding day as it skips a beat every couple measures.

I used all songs that were used in the event with lots of natural synch sound. This video also features a talking donkey. Props to Debora Ducci for getting this interview, donkeys are shy.

There are lots of photos, courtesy of my wife Rachel and La Luna Photography. As the bride put it "We want to incorporate as many guests as possible into this online edit, as it will most likely be the only video that everyone will see." Well said, the wedding video is as much about your guests and family as it is about you.

Xcaret | Fairmont Mayakoba

2011-07-19T12:43:00.000-07:00

For this wedding we were hired to provide another perspective on the wedding day. The bride and groom were bringing their own photo and video crew with them, but they also wanted a different viewpoint from some locals. Rafeal Lizarraga came to us and asked us to provide video and Super 8 coverage.

Godfather Films provided the video coverage, you can see the multi-day wedding film here. I gave them all of my HD footage and I'm happy to see several of my shots are in their film.

Persian Wedding | Playa del Carmen

2011-07-15T07:06:00.000-07:00

The most frequently asked question I get is "Where do you get the music?" All the music comes from the client. From their playlists and from the event itself. Here coverage starts with the ceremony and the soundtrack comes from the ceremony playlist. It starts with the groom's entrance music, the bridal entrance song and then the live audio of the ceremony itself, which includes the traditional Persian Ceremony songs. The exit song is extended through the photo session and the first dance song is extended through the reception highlights. All of the music was captured at the wedding.

Photos by Rachel Perry Schrank and Juan Jose | La Luna Photography.
see the slideshow
Wedding Coordination: Maria and Erica | Weddings In Playa

Le Reve | February 2011

2011-07-02T09:12:00.000-07:00

When we first met the bride on their scouting trip she told me that the first thing she did after getting engaged was pick her photographer, Ben Chrisman. That's funny, (we said) Ben shot our wedding and you're right, he's amazing. Rachel and I first met Ben and Erin at Matt and Sol's wedding, the same day that Ban and Erin met. When our wedding came around, Ben was in town shooting and accepted our invitation to the wedding. He shot some of the most memorable shots of the event. It was a real blessing to have him there and to have his completely unique photos forever.

On the wedding day I needed a replacement for my assistant Sesan (see post below). It was fitting that Rachel should step in and shoot second camera since we were shooting with Ben and Erin. Full circle.

The rain was wonderful and everybody was content to roll with it. We came back the next day to do a proper portrait session in the sun. Check out Ben and Erin's slideshow. It's always really energizing to work with talented people.

Photographers: Ben and Erin Chrisman | www.chrismanstudios.com

Azul Sensatori | February 2011

2011-06-24T13:44:00.000-07:00

This soundtrack starts with John Lennon's "Imagine" and ends with "Imagine". In between we hear from Van Halen, Beyonce, Kings of Leon, Tyrone Wells, Flo Rida, Matt Nathanson, and Modern English. I could never make this up, it all came from the music I captured during the day. In the bride's room, they were listening to a mash-up playlist, the film starts with two of these songs. The ceremony and the reception music is live. Photos are by my immensely talented wife, Rachel.

Photos: Rachel Perry Schrank | www.lalunaphotographers.com
Mash-ups: Mighty Mike | Girl Talk

Persian Wedding | Grand Velas Playa del Carmen

2011-06-24T13:01:00.000-07:00

The bride and groom sent me a CD for the film's soundtrack. The disc was amazing. It contained selections used in the ceremony and the reception as well as a few favorites. It was real pleasure to work with so many different flavors since much of the music was Persian. I started with selections from the ceremony and moved into live sound for the ceremony footage.

My favorite moment is when the bride's Father stands up to speak to the couple and the DJ starts cranking Enya. Dad rises to the occasion and really starts to feel the music. You can hear it in the cadence of his Farsi words. These moments when music and words and moments come together are the most powerful. I present them here, exactly as they happened, with all natural sound.

Photographers: | www.fineartstudiomexico.com

Monkeys Invade My Office

2011-06-24T12:55:00.000-07:00

On this evening I was editing weddings and I felt a presence outside in the trees. I grabbed a camcorder.
We live next to the last remaining plot of untouched jungle in Playa del Carmen. I hope this video proves that this area (and the mangrove around it) should be left undeveloped.

Me Cancun | November 2010

2011-06-23T12:10:00.000-07:00

The groom selected "Marry Me" by Train to use in the video because it always made his bride cry. I listened to the lyrics and we collaborated to get some old photos and engagement session shots as well as the wedding photos to put together a multi-media retrospective that reflects the song's lyrics. I really like the way this came out.

Photos: VaughnGo Photography | http://photoblog.vaughngo.com

see the slideshow

Makeup Artist: Adrian Guerra | www.StylingTrioRivieraMaya.com

Rosewood Mayakoba

2011-05-13T15:22:00.000-07:00

Who knew the rabbi and Bruce Springsteen would be signing in the same key that day. The bride and groom did, they picked the soundtrack.

Photography: Vincent Guihard | www.delsolphotography.com

Tal & Terence Wedding Weekend

2011-05-13T15:14:00.000-07:00

I was excited for this one. Shooting with Matt and Sol and shooting at Maroma are both treats. The bride and groom brought lots of treats from Hollywood, including a couple of bonafide movie stars. I won't tell you who they are, they did a good job of avoiding the camera. I love a crowd who knows how to perform. The video opens at the rehearsal dinner where all of their friends went above and beyond for the toasts. Maria and Charlie presided over the ceremony. They also married Rachel and I. I love this ceremony and I've filmed it several times. The day ended with a fire show, fireworks and the Hora. Perfect.

Photography: Matt and Sol | www.delsolphotography.com

Our new Vintage Super 8mm Film Camera!

2011-05-13T15:05:00.000-07:00

This was the first wedding that Rachel and I shot with our vintage Beaulieu 4008 Super 8mm film camera. I kept the camera with me and shot HD video at the same time. Rachel shot the photographs. I really love the look and feel of Super 8mm. It looks so real and authentic. Perfect for the documentary style.

Photography: Rachel Perry Schrank | www.lalunaphotography.com
see the slideshow

Hurricane Warning!

2011-01-25T08:57:00.000-08:00

This was another favorite wedding of mine. At first I was a bit dismayed that we would have to travel to the island of Isla Mujeres during a hurricane. Despite the approaching storm, the couple was determined to go through with it. I started filming my computer screen and the television the day before, then we made the call to leave and get to the island. The video starts with my first shots of the storm on my computer and the ferry ride to the island the day before the wedding.

That night on the island I noticed someone raising a red flag and thought this is it, they're closing the ports. I started filming and got the moment the ports were closed. There was no turning back. You'll have to watch the video to see how it turns out.

Photography: Sol Tamargo | www.delsolphotography.com

Video Mixbot

2011-01-24T19:27:00.000-08:00

In my free time I've been working on a project that will automix video in a music reactive way. I created this in Isadora, a program that makes it easy to build your own programs. Like a box of legos. The music is plugged into the computer and the program runs and mixes video tied to the music dynamics. For these clips I turned on my iPod, let the program run and captured it.

The clip above is just graphic video clips. The clip below mixes old movies. The idea is to create software that can display media as art. Then this can replace VH1 and ESPN on all the screens in public places.

TrekTV Travel Series

2011-01-24T14:34:00.000-08:00

I put 15 short films from my travels together to make the TrekTV travel series. This short is from the Amazon river basin in Peru. One thing I learned here is that I have a chance to capture an original music performance, do it. This is the perfect and priceless soundtrack for whatever I'm shooting that day.

I spent a year traveling and making these short films, exploring what I could do with the medium and what I could do with my tiny camcorder. All of these films were made on a Canon Elura 60D. I really wasn't sure where I was going with it at this time, but I was determined to pursue a career making documentaries. Below is a more experimental approach with an original music score.

My First Wedding Video

2011-01-23T18:54:00.000-08:00

I began to believe I could make a living at this film making thing, I just needed to find a good market. My friend Kristie was getting into the wedding market with her flower business. I decided to give it a shot at her wedding so I brought 2 cameras and just taped before the ceremony. Our friend Nancy Lehet shot the black and white footage in the bride's room. I edited it in Final Cut Pro and I had my first wedding video.

Tokyo Trains

2011-01-23T16:38:00.000-08:00

After college I pursued a career in advertising and web development. In 2002 I was looking for a new challenge so I took some time off to travel. In the years since college, film making had become a lot easier with the advent of camcorders and Final Cut on the Mac. I was anxious to give it another go and I took a camcorder on my trip.

I had a really clear idea for this film. I had found this song by Beaumont Hannant on my ipod and I knew that when I got to Tokyo I would shoot in the train station and use the footage with this music. So I put the song on repeat, put my headphones on, grabbed my camera and a small tripod and went to the train station. All day long with this song in my ears looking through the viewfinder to find the visual match.

I edited it together when I got home and submitted this to the South by SouthWest Film Festival. I was thrilled to have it accepted. I traveled that year to Austin to see it, that's when I met my wife Rachel who was also showing a film in the festival.

University of Wisconsin Milwaukee Film Department

2011-01-23T16:22:00.000-08:00

When I got to college I rekindled my interest in film making. This time with 16mm Black and White. I shot a lot of very interesting footage but never had the patience to put a complete film together. I chose to pursue a BFA in Mass Communication instead of sticking with Film Department. Here's some of my favorite footage. I got into a little trouble for putting the school equipment at risk. It was well worth it.

My First Movie

2011-01-23T16:10:00.000-08:00

My Dad had an 8mm film camera that he let the kids use. My brother John was the first to start making his own films and I wanted to make some too. This was my first. I started with some stop-motion, just trying to make things move by themselves. Then some comic relief as I magically pulled a bicycle out from under my sister. I tried the slow motion on the basketball court and ended with a great angle from above the hoop as the film ran out. Climbing up on the roof to get the shot seemed like the coolest thing, ever.

My Parent's Wedding

2011-01-23T16:06:00.000-08:00

When my Dad was in the Navy, stationed in Japan, he bought an 8mm camera and began filming. He filmed from the ship in Japan and returned and filmed family events. He handed the camera to someone else to film his own wedding. We think it was my Mother's Brother. Tom, but we're not sure. My sister transferred the film to VHS and one Christmas Eve we all watched the wedding video. Three generations watched every frame and my parents had a great time pointing out all the different faces and telling stories about them.

I learned a lot about wedding videos and the value of having a great archive for future generations. I could see what was missing, notably sound and indoor lighting. I thought about how much better it would be with the things that I can now provide. Natural sound, interviews, clear, well lit shots of all the important moments. Most of all I learned how valuable these archives are, and how important it is that I respect and preserve that value.

Trash the Dress

2010-08-13T10:11:00.001-07:00

Shannon and Michael TTD from PlayaWeddings on Vimeo.

More Super 8 Footage

2010-03-19T12:26:00.000-07:00

Another Super 8mm Short from Blair & Michael's wedding in Playa. These will be peppered throughout the HD video.

Blair & Michael Super 8mm Short 2 from PlayaWeddings on Vimeo.

Two New Cameras for video

2010-03-18T06:07:00.000-07:00

5D Mark II - footage test from PlayaWeddings on Vimeo.

We are now shooting video on our Canon 5D Mark II. The clip above is a few shots from recent shoots. The clarity and resolution in HD is unparalleled. We also have a new Super 8mm camera for shooting old school film. The clip below is from that camera. You just can't fake the feel of real film.

Blair & Michael Super 8mm Short from PlayaWeddings on Vimeo.

Sneak Peak: Erika & Eric

2010-03-15T16:49:00.000-07:00

Wow wow wow!!! These two really know how to throw a party! So many great shots from this one, it was hard to choose just a few. A beautiful wedding followed by an AMAZING reception at Grand Velas Resort (possibly the most fabulous indoor venue in the Riviera Maya!) Stellar event planning and design by www.rubyrogersstudios.com!!!

Sneak Peak: Karie-Anne & Timothy

2010-03-12T15:57:00.001-08:00

We had some fabulous light to work with this day, even though it was an early wedding so we didn't get to take any sunset shots. Some kooky guest brought some giant sunglasses along--love it!!! Then we did some chilling out in the shade under a tree. We used a reflector to bounce some of that golden sunlight onto their faces....

An & Jean

2010-03-03T17:06:00.001-08:00

More of my favorite shots on the shores of the Grand Palladium.... Love the way An is owning that rock LOL!!!

Sneak Peak: Blair & Michael

2010-02-28T20:20:00.001-08:00

These two had such amazing energy together! I hardly noticed the clouds and rain, there was so much happiness in the air :) Can't wait to post their slideshow...their reception was equally fantastic. All you need is LOVE!!!

Michelle & BJ

2010-02-23T08:02:00.001-08:00

These two were amazing... So genuine, so obviously in love. We're still editing this one--I'm working on a French film vibe....

Sneak Peek: Aleicia & Seamus

2010-02-17T20:49:00.000-08:00

Alecia is a fan of pink, so I guess her angels decided to give her a pink sky on her wedding day! Wow, what a sunset!!!

Día de los Muertos 2009

2009-11-03T10:10:00.001-08:00

hola! i've got a bunch of weddings to post soon, but in the meantime here are some of the shots i took at Xcaret last night for Day of the Dead.... I couldn't let go of my fisheye lens LOL....

while passing by the salad table...

2009-08-07T11:51:00.001-07:00

...Paul snapped this one. These two go on my list of Top Ten Favorite Possibly Pantsless Wedding Crashers--LOL!!!

Angel & Christopher: Muy, Muy, Mexicano!

2009-08-04T20:12:00.001-07:00

Wow, this wedding was crazy!!! Angel, our beautiful bride, pulled out all the stops to initiate her new husband Christopher into the wild world of Mexican celebrations. These people are SERIOUS about partying! We had sombreros, mariachis, whipped cream, balloons, fake instruments, karaoke, men in aprons, and lots and lots of running, dancing, and laughing! No shortage of things to photograph here! Quite the workout, too...I shot at least half of these while running :)

swine flu update: the riveria maya is swine-flu-free

2009-04-29T08:16:00.000-07:00

I thought i'd post a quick update on the swine flu situation in Playa and the Riviera Maya. The health department of the state of Quintana Roo, which includes Cancun, Cozumel, Playa del Carmen, Chetumal, Isla Mujeres, and the entire Riviera Maya, has announced that we have ZERO cases of swine flu in our entire state as of yesterday morning, April 28th. Here is a link to an article which explains that of the 22 suspected cases, only one tested positive for type-A flu (a common strain) and than NONE were the swine flu virus:

http://www.noticaribe.com.mx/chetumal/2009/04/admite_gobernador_solo_un_caso_de_influenza_estacional_tipo_a.html

(you can run the link through google translator if you don't speak spanish)

The sun is still shining in the Riviera Maya!!!! Safer than California!!!

Cheers,
Rachel

Jessica and Anthony: Love in the Streets

2009-03-24T12:03:00.000-07:00

this was a really fun shoot, a laid back engagement session on the streets of playa. some of my favorites:

1 :: near the chapel on avenida 5ta
2 :: sneaking a kiss
3 :: trying on some sombreros
4 :: jessica and a mayan mural
5 :: in a shady park
6 :: my favorite of the whole shoot
7 :: just after sunset

Riina & Tom: Sunrise Trash the Dress

2009-03-05T09:03:00.000-08:00

This was our first sunrise trash the dress, in December. We started *really early*, like 6 a.m., but I think you can see from these photos that it was TOTALLY worth it!!! This whole shoot was just magical! We couldn't believe how beautiful the sunrise was....

A clip from the archives....

2009-02-21T11:34:00.000-08:00

I've started uploading some of my old short films to YouTube. Here's one I made in 2000 at Open Harvest in Lincoln, NE. It's all underexposed but I kind of like the look.....

Amy and Erik | Barceló Riviera Maya | October 25, 2008

2009-02-15T08:26:00.000-08:00

Hello again! Before I forget what happened, here are a few of my favorites from our second wedding of the season, at the Barceló....

1 :: everybody got involved to dress the flower girl
2 :: cute candid of the beautiful bride
3 :: all the ladies gathered before the ceremony
4 :: the bride and groom, married at last!
5 :: amy on the beach
6 :: mexican hat dance
7 :: a moment during the first dance

Free Video Clips for Artists

2009-01-25T12:52:00.000-08:00

I'm committed to creating raw materials for all video artists to use. I post my clips on my Vimeo site user:pgeek. Here is a sampler of clips that you can download and use any way you choose.

Jennifer and Nate - Sandos Playacar

2008-10-24T13:27:00.000-07:00

Hooray for our first blog post of the new season!!!

Here in Playa, the wedding season starts around October, since July, August and September and just really freakin' hot, and fewer couples come here to get married. This was our first big wedding of the season, after our loooong honeymoon in Eurpoe (if you want to see some pics from that adventure, you can check out Rachel's personal blog at http://www.upupintothesky.com).

We were all a little worried, 'cause it was raining on and off that afternoon. But Jennifer and her bridesmaids and her parents and grandparents were all in high spirits. Jennifer prayed for the rain to stop (see pic below) and I guess it worked, because moments later the rain stopped. We knew that was the moment we'd all been waiting for, so Jennifer and all her attendants rushed down the stairs, out the door, and almost (almost!) straight into the ceremony on the beach!

I was a great ceremony, lots of laughter, a friend as an officiant, their own vows, and the seven Jewish blessings. Lots of love in the air!

Here are some of our favorites from the evening.....

--Rachel and Paul

Mexico City Wedding

2008-01-16T07:11:00.000-08:00

We traveled to Mexico City to shoot Amaya & Alberto's wedding. I met my former shooting partner and wife to be, Rachel, there and we shot this wedding together. It had been two years since we shot weddings together and it was so great to be working together again. We split up for the Pre-Ceremony and Rachel went with the groom and I with the bride.

Amayo & Alberto Pre Ceremony from PlayaWeddings on Vimeo.

Melanie & Ryan's Pre Ceremony

2007-11-12T06:59:00.000-08:00

The Pre Ceremony took place at the Iberostar Lindo. I thought it was a pretty intense "dress going-on" so I chose one of my favorite instrumental tracks. I always prefer to use songs of the couple's choosing. Melanie and Ryan chose some great songs and I used them all but there was a lot of coverage and I filled in with instrumental music. It was fortunate that I was able to use lots of the live instrumental music from the musicians that day. This track was not live, it's from Ambulance Ltd.

Melanie and Ryan's PreCeremony from PlayaWeddings on Vimeo.

Sheila & Uri's Villa Wedding

2007-08-03T09:16:00.000-07:00

I put this song "Mr. Blue Sky" on a page of recommended songs because I saw it in another wedding video and wanted to use it. I was excited when Sheila and Uri were the first to pick it.

Sheila & Uri Wedding Day Edit from PlayaWeddings and Vimeo.

The Balance Band at Xcaret

2007-07-31T10:03:00.000-07:00

The Balance Band is available for weddings in the Riviera Maya, see http://www.balancelabanda.com

This is at the theater at Xcaret. One of the greatest reception halls in all of Mexico.

The Balance Band at Xcaret from PlayaWeddings and Vimeo.

I'm a Lance Acord fan

2007-07-25T10:39:00.000-07:00

I've been editing weddings from a busy spring wedding season in the Riviera Maya. When I take breaks I've been watching DVDs in my hammock. Buffalo 66 really blew me away with the cinematography. The rich color, the great angles and perspectives, and great use of a super shallow depth of field. So I looked it up on imdb.com and learned that it had been shot on reversal stock - "Gallo decided to shoot on reversal stock (the equivalent of color transparency film - expensive both to buy and process), without even knowing if it was going to be developed." This explained the rich color. It really is unique and beautiful. Knowing the cinematographer is responsible for this I found out it was Lance Acord. I looked him up on IDMB and found out he was the cinematographer for Lost in Translation. Another movie that just blew me away with the richness of the shots. I'm definitely a Lance Acord fan and I'll be sure to keep an eye out for his upcoming films. The cinematographer is the unheralded hero of Hollywood.

There's so much to see in movies. Even if the plot and/or dialog is weak I can always look at and appreciate the way it's shot. What the person behind the camera has done with what's in front of the camera. Elephant is a great example of this. Really beautiful, long shots, but sometimes hard to hang with.

I see these movies as moving photographs. I find it really fun to divorce myself from the standard hooks of the plot and see them them as art. Then when the plot sneaks in through the back door and grabs me, these are the movies I love.

Melanie and Matt's Pre-Ceremony

2007-07-13T10:05:00.000-07:00

I have a new internet connection and it's impossible for me to upload movies. I don't know what the problem is, but in the meantime here is a great pre-ceremony sequence. Wow! it's been a busy season. I shoot my last wedding tomorrow but I have quite a bit of editing to do. Last October I was worried that I didn't have many bookings. Be careful what you (I) wish for. This summer I plan to attend the Wedding and Event Videographers Expo in Vegas. My fourth year, it's absolutely essential for staying current with technology and for inspiration. Every year the bar gets raised for quality in my industry. Enjoy this clip from the RIU Palace.

Melanie and Matt's Pre-Ceremony from PlayaWeddings and Vimeo.

Video Mixbot Experiments

2007-03-22T08:28:00.000-07:00

Video Mixbot - Movie Remix 1 on Vimeo

I've been experimenting with a program called Isadora.It's an object oriented programming tool for video processing. I've created a program that detects the relative volume of music, when the volume enters the top of the range it sends a trigger. This volume spike often happens on the drum hits so it makes it a halfway decent rhythm approximator. I divide these triggers are divided by 4, 8, 16, etc. to break them down into measures as opposed to beats. In this clip, every 8th trigger sends the video clip to a random spot.

The effect is to re-edit the film to the rhythm of the music. The film is broken into four parts so that it jumps around every 1/4th of the film, this maintains some narrative thread. In addition, the speed of the clip is directly tied to the relative volume. Louder passages go faster, quieter parts go slower.

My idea was to provide different ways to present content in social places like bars. The computer can be loaded up with whatever movies you like and it can play continuously, synched with an external sound source.

This clip is from the film is "For All Mankind," an excellent documentary about the Apollo missions. The music is Air, the cuts are all generated by the music.

Video Mixbot - Movie Remix 2 on Vimeo

Same concept as previous clip.

Here the first half of the clip is footage from "The Wizard of Oz." Can't miss with those images. The second is the Beatles movie "A Hard Day's Night." I love the cinematography of this film. It is beautifully shot and really dynamic. It's well suited for the auto-remix application.

Video Mixbot - Graphics 1 on Vimeo

This is a different module of the same program. The clips here are drawn from a bin of graphic clips that I've collected, some are mine, others I found on the net. There are two layers of video and the triggers are mapped to slightly different parameters for each layer.

When I go out I see big screen TVs playing ESPN with the sound off and the captions on and I'm always annoyed when I catch myself staring up and reading the screen. It just seems like such a strange phenomenon. So I created this to utilize these screens in more creative and interesting way. This is what I do when I don't have wedding work.

Italia World Cup Celebration

2007-03-01T20:46:00.000-08:00

Italia World Cup 2006 Celebration on Vimeo

Playa del Carmen has a large Italian population. When I watched Italy win the World Cup I knew there would be a celebration on 5th Avenue so I grabbed my camera and ran down there.

Courthouse Wedding

2007-02-26T15:09:00.000-08:00

Jeff and Suzannes Wedding on Vimeo

This is perhaps the most interesting wedding I've shot. My friend Jeff gave me complete creative freedom to something unique with his unique wedding.

Tokyo Trains

2007-02-23T08:33:00.000-08:00

Tokyo Trains on Vimeo

I took some time off in 2002 and went traveling. It was on this trip that I discovered my passion for making movies. When I completed this film I took a look at it and said "damn, I'm good at this" so I made it my new career. I had the honor of having this film screened at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas. One of the coolest festivals.

Firedancers at the RIU

2007-02-01T17:53:00.000-08:00

FireDancers at RIU Palace on Vimeo

A clip from the fire show at Erica and Bob's reception.

Isn't the RIU Palace Lovely

2007-02-01T15:10:00.000-08:00

Isn't the RIU Palace lovely on Vimeo

I always like to start the videos with some shots of the resort or the location. Bob and Erica's wedding was a great opportunity for this because they got the bridal suite at the RIU Riviera Maya in the top corner of the resort.

The New Proud Mary

2007-02-01T12:04:00.000-08:00

Dancing at the Blue Parrot on Vimeo

Dancing at the end of the night. This clip proves my thoery that "You Shook Me All Night Long" is the ultimate party song. I believe it should be mandatory for all wedding reception DJs. It is the new "Proud Mary."

Riviera Maya Video Postcard

2007-01-31T08:12:00.000-08:00

Riviera Maya Video Postcard on Vimeo

Here's a quick look at Playa del Carmen and the surrounding area. The night shots are on 5th Avenue in Playa del Carmen and the beach shots are from Tulum and Mamitas Beach in Playa.

Firedancers at Blue Parrot

2007-01-11T15:13:00.000-08:00

Firedancers on Vimeo

I shot this at the Blue Parrot bar in Playa del Carmen in October of 2004. It was the on that trip that I looked at my apartment and started thinking about living here. Last year this show was shut down when a firedancer lost conrol of a fireball and it started a huge fire on all the palapa roofs. I had seen the show two days before this incident and I was shocked that they were throwing the chained balls in the air and trying to catch them. I thought it was awfully reckless.....

Hindu Ceremony Excerpt from RIU Palace Riviera Maya

2007-01-11T08:31:00.000-08:00

Reena & Luke excerpt of Hindu Ceremony on Vimeo

There were two ceremonies, this Hindu ceremony first then a traditional ceremony after. This is an excerpt from the 4 minute Wedding Day Edit. There are also a collection of edits totalling 28 minutes of the whole day as well as both ceremonies and all the toasts in real time, as they happened with all the natural sound.

Playa Sunset

2006-12-31T10:36:00.000-08:00

I have a great rooftop for watching sunsets. I'm going to start collecting timelapse sunsets up there and this is my first

Sunset in playa on Vimeo

Glow Stick Reception Finale

2006-12-31T10:09:00.000-08:00

At the end of the night glow sticks were handed out at the reception and the party spilled out into the street. Que divertido! From Kristina and Tony's wedding

Kristina and Tony's Glow Stick Finale on Vimeo

Speech Excerpt from the Grand Palladium

2006-12-31T09:54:00.000-08:00

I used the old film look again here. The scratched film layer is from 16mm film I shot in college. It's been blown up so it looks really coarse and grainy. I went with black and white for the 16mm look as opposed to the 8mm look. I like how coarse it looks as if it was a piece of film that was forgotten and discovered just the essay that he talks about in the clip.

The best man had saved a paper that the groom had written in high school and read it as part of his toast. This was so cool and unusual that I used it to open the video. Since it was actually one of the last events and i used it at the beginning, the "old film" look is good way to present something out of context without confusing the natural timeline.

Caralen and Keith Intro on Vimeo

Wedding Day Intro - 8mm Film Look

2006-12-31T08:32:00.000-08:00

I used the scratched film layer that I posted in my first blog entry for this clip. I was looking for that super 8mm look that I remember from my Dad's home movies. I grabbed a film leader clip from my collection and I applied the Magic Bullet "Aged" filter to the video footage for the film look, added the scratched layer and masked it with the rounded corners.

This is the short intro piece. In the full length edit you see all these shots in crisp, full color widescreen.

Susan & Aaron Intro on Vimeo

Mexican Wedding Trio

2006-12-30T17:39:00.000-08:00

Mexican Trio

This is a trio that I did a wedding with. I thought they rocked so I shot some more at their regular restaraunt gig on 5th Avenue.

Mexican Music Trio 1 on Vimeo

Plasticos!

2006-12-27T20:33:00.000-08:00

I shot these in a Plasticos store here in Playa. This store had everything made of colored plastic, tupperware, balls, toilet brushes. I tied twine to the camera and let it hang and spin around. These are short, fun colorful clips that are meant to cut together with some way upbeat music.

Plasticos 4 on Vimeo

Plasticos 5 on Vimeo

Plasticos 2 on Vimeo

Plasticos 3 on Vimeo

Scratched Film and Clouds

2006-12-27T15:44:00.000-08:00

I hereby officially launch this blog with a video link. I've been experimenting with compositing layers and sounds in post production for different effects. This is a file I lay over video footage to make it look like an old film. I add some projector audio that I bought online, make it black and white or use some filters from Magic Bullet's Look Suite (great product) to give it different film looks.

Scratched Film Layer on Vimeo

The second file is some time lapse clouds here in mexico that I shot for the intro to Kristina and Tony's wedding video.

Time Lapse Clouds on Vimeo