Jen + Brian = Married. Cancun, Mexico

I think traveling to Mexico should be mandatory for busy Minnesota folk.

We had a great time celebrating with Jen and Brian in Cancun, getting to know this fabulous couple and hearing their unique love story.

Without further adieu, here is the video we created. Enjoy this escape to paradise, I know we did.

Beth + Bill = “Elizabeth” & “Mr. Darcy”

Beth and Bill were married last October at the incredibly classy Semple Mansion in Minneapolis, MN.

You can view some of the photographs Adam and I shot for them here.

Meanwhile, this is the video we produced for them, hot off the presses!

 

Ali + Pat = Married in St. Paul, MN

It’s twofer Thursday.

Yes folks, I am making up for my blog slacking by giving you two posts in one day and they even have some similarities.

1. Wedding will reunite Herr Sparks with former Deutsche studenten.
2. Wedding reception is located in downtown St. Paul.
3. Wedding couple is so cute you can hardly stand it.

Without further adieu Digital Art House presents another fun featurette.
This one will have you laughing, or you don’t have a pulse.

Starstruck?

Summer is obviously not my best blogging season.

Meanwhile, it is the time when I whistle while I work and edit like a madwoman!

This weekend Adam and I were hired by the Starkey Foundation to “capture the energy and enthusiasm of the 2010 So The World May Hear Gala Red Carpet Arrivals.”  We had the unique opportunity to be shoulder to shoulder with some of Minnesota’s biggest names in media and to film interviews with Sharon & Ozzy Osbourne, Peter Alexander, Verne Troyer (Mini-Me), Sam Moore, Nick Lechy, Jordin Sparks, astronauts, and famous sports personalities.

The experience was a bit surreal.

This was the most intense editing experience to date for me, as I had three days to whittle down six hours of footage into a five minute segment.  I put approximately sixty hours into this project.  So, I guess you can safely assume that I’m a bit sleep deprived.

I plan on relaxing a bit before I move on to my next wedding on Monday…but I’ll admit, it was a thrill ride.

Here’s the video:

Why do Your Videos Take so Dang Long to Finish?

One word-editing.

I shamelessly stole these words from a wedding video vendor out of New York.  I’ll give him the credit he deserves, because I think he has eloquently explained the importance of a gifted editor.  Thank you Spencer of Iris Cinema for sharing this wisdom.

For a period, we were offering editing options on our New York wedding video services, until I realized that no one knew what editing was. Finally, we removed the options, but it remains the part of the process that I enjoy the most. A lot of people don’t know it, but there was a time when editing was at the cutting edge of the film world. Of course, by now, the art of editing is so well established now that creative power lies with the director, but the importance of good editing remains. Especially in the wedding video industry, where many people are relative newcomers or lack formal training.

When it comes down to it, editing is truly about communication. It can be storytelling, it can be abstract concept, but it is always about communication. More tangibly, editing is the language in which all of us understand film. It tells us when time passes, when people cross distances worlds apart, and what people do. It lets us see thought, and understand meaning.

When we see a shot of a person turning their head down, followed by a close-up of a ring, we assume that they’ve just looked at their ring. When we see a bride staring into the distance and then a romantic kiss with the groom, we know we are seeing her thoughts. When we see a couple walk away from us, followed by a shot of them entering a reception hall, we accept that they’ve moved forward in time and travelled from one location to another.

Everyone knows the importance of shooting. If you don’t capture it, you have nothing to work with. And who can’t appreciate the unbridled majesty of the setting sun as the day comes to and end? In fact, shooting is so well recognized, that people will pay for an extra camera, an extra shooter, or the use of different types of equipment. And yet, when it comes down to it, if I had a choice between adequate shooting with excellent editing or adequate editing with excellent shooting, I would take the editing.

Editing sets up the connections and let’s us understand the experience. It takes us into the world of the couple, and creates the meaning behind the day. It’s a bit like comparing a postcard with an Edward Weston photo. Some may prefer the look of the postcard, but it’s just not something you can dig into to and look at over and over. More to the point, have you ever wondered why some videos feel like they’re from the 80’s? Editing. Or why they feel schmaltzy? Editing. Or why the pace feels slow? Editing. In the end, editing tells the story and creates the meaning behind the video, and that makes all the difference.

Who, What, Why, When, and How?-The Digital Art House Interview

Our work is passionate.  Our clients and their family members always tells us what a wonderful job we’ve done when we’re packing up our gear getting ready to leave.  This makes us smile because they haven’t even seen their photos or video yet.

Thanks to bride Ali and our friend Sally of La Vie Photography for sending us these images.  We rarely get photos of Adam and me working.

Style, or What Separates you From All the Other Folks Covering Weddings & Events:

Digital Art House captures the moments as they happen, telling hip and contemporary stories and still creating art that speaks classically for years to come.

Camera:

Sony Professional Video Cameras and Canon Professional Equipment for Still Photography.

Favorite type of shot or video:

Adam loves to create classic drama in his photography and video.  He is good at taking peoples breath away, and really making people look beautiful.  It’s pretty awesome being married to such an amazing photographer, he captures pictures of me look way better than I ever thought I could.  :)

Meanwhile, I love to capture the details, the puzzle pieces which will come together to tell a couple’s unique story.

So, I ‘d have to sum it up like this-Adam is the artist and I’m the storyteller.

How long have you been shooting professionally?

Over six years. Although, Adam has been shooting weddings for friends and family for over twelve years.

How did you start?

Adam and I came from creative families who encouraged art, theater, and music.

Both of our families also have a strong entrepreneurial history and there are many self-made men and women in our families who own and operate independent small businesses.

Adam has a degree in art and photography from St. John’s University and is currently teaching photography courses and a film studies class.  Adam has an extensive and amazing grasp of current technology, graphic and new media design.

I received my degree in theater from St. Olaf College which has given me a great foundation to develop a true concept of telling a story.

All of these elements together have helped shape our desire to start a business encompassing a unique combination of both of our skills.

Basically, we wanted to offer a stylish and quality product we could not find when we were planning our wedding.

As our business has expanded we have included Rachel Gilmer who has experience harbored from being the daughter of a well known area photographer.  Rachel has this great magnetic personality and is so good with noticing the “little” things.

Couture Wedding Albums and Indie Art House Video

Adam pours hours into editing a wedding album and the proof really is in the pudding.  These albums are truly where he can showcase his amazing eye for presentation, elegance, and his demand for A plus quality craftsmanship.  These are classic albums you will want to page through from year to year. They are not cheesy dated books quickly thrown together in an hour or so using gimicky effects and low budget templates as a distraction.  It is SO important to assemble the best memories from your special day into a quality album that will last.  After the day is done, only the video or album of your day is yours forever.

Meanwhile, speaking of video…

When I tell people how much time I end up spending on each video, their jaw usually drops.  For every hour of video I capture, I typically spend at least 10 to 12 hours in the editing booth.  Most of the time I come home from a wedding event with 12 hours of tape.  So, yeah, this means about 120 hours at least, of scrutinizing editing time.

It’s so important that I take this time to know every single minute of what was captured during the day so that I can make the best and most complete story or synopsis of your day in the most creative way. Also, it is important that I am adjusting the color, brightness, etc…all of this is done from start to finish by solely me.  I never shop out any of my editing.  This is not true of many video companies.

Again, you won’t get to wear your dress or eat your cake or have your bouquet again…so it’s up to me to create a video that will take you back for years to come.

Places you have traveled for weddings:

Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Arizona, Mexico, California, New Mexico, Austria, Germany…we love to travel for weddings!  We have most definitely caught the “travel bug,” and are constantly imagining trips in the U.S. and other countries.  Currently, we’re planning a trip to Thailand!

Why do you like shooting weddings?

A wedding is a magical, positive, happy day.  I love watching the day enfold and noticing all the creativity that has come together to make the event beautiful and successful.  There are so many talented people involved who are working as a collective force to make the day a dream come true for the couple.  And, I know it sounds kind of cheesy, but listening to each couple make their marriage promises to each other renews my own vows that I’ve made to Adam.

Any celebrities or high-profile names you have shot?

We had the fun opportunity to shoot the wedding of Olympic long jumper Shani Marks marriage to pro football player Ron Johnson II.

Why should I hire Digital Art House for photography and video?  Why not just hire two separate companies?

While we do sometimes shoot just photo, or just video, and work with other talented individuals in the industry, many of them are our friends, we find you will get the best overall product by hiring us as a photo-video team.  Honestly, working as a unified entity really delivers the best product and makes the day go most smoothly. Consequently, there is synchronization that seems to happen effortlessly between Adam, Rachel and me.  Finally, It’s just a more complete story telling experience if we are covering both and the style of our photography is reflected in the style of our video and visa versa.

Any other tips for brides trying to wade through all the amount of information out there?

Take the time to meet with a photographer or call and talk with a photographer/videogapher in person or on the telephone.

While the Internet and email are great and convenient tools, I really feel like there needs to be a personal connection that can only be determined by verbal communication.

Honestly, you’re going to spend an entire day with us and you really need to feel like we are a team you want to work with.  It’s been really cool to find that after spending 8 hours or so with a bride and groom, that we have made an authentic connection and have become real and honest friends with our clients.

Anything you would like to add?

Awards we have won include: Winner Award of Excellence Overall Production, Winner Award of Excellence Editing, Winner Award of Excellence DVD Design, Winner Award of Excellence Unique Wedding Video, Winner Best Display-Photo & Video, Winner Best of Show-Video

Evelyn & Hai-Minneapolis, MN

I am a xenophile, and so being asked to document an event from a culture other than my own is a no-brainer.  Although, neither Adam and I speak Vietnamese, we had a terrific time capturing the love between Evelyn and Hai.  And it seems love really needs no translation.

We met with this beautiful couple a week before their Window’s on Minnesota wedding, to take some time for pictures. Scheduling a separate day for a photo shoot is a great way to really get some awesome pictures!

We highly recommend scheduling a couple’s portrait session.

The couple decided on shooting at the Landmark Center in St. Paul, on the streets of downtown, and at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum.

Tricia & Pat-Minneapolis, MN

This is going to be one jam packed, visually titillating blog entry!

Yes. It. Is.

I just can’t help myself.  This is what happens when you hire Digital Art House to cover all paparazzi aspects of your event.  Multiply this by a stunning bride, the awesome Nicollet Island Pavilion location, and you have a plethora of gorgeous footage.

Okay folks I will now let the video and pictures do the “blogging” for me today.

Enjoy!

The Duel of the Design

This past March we were asked to film a great local event produced by fabulous Geri Wolf of The Style Laboratory.

The event was called The Duel of the Design, and it boils down to a “competition” between teams of: event planners,  chefs, and floral artists who have two hours to put together a menu, a table setting, and flower arrangements.  These designs are then judged by five local industry experts.

Here is a fun five minute video I made for Geri.  Special thanks go to Lisa Venticinque from Cinema de la Vie, and Rachel Gilmer for helping me sans pay.

Where the Video Magic Happens

Here is my creative Mecca. Complete with four year old “muse.” She watches as I edit, and lets me know if I’m doing well. She is a darn good critic. I expect she’ll be the next “Ebert.” By the way, my eight year old son took this picture he calls “Mom and Violet Working.” I think he has a nice portrait eye. He captures people and animals in his own unique way and it’s always interesting to see a “kid’s perspective.”