Feelin’ the love? Here’s how we made it happen.

Blaine and Kelsey are a husband and wife photographer duo based out of Champaign, IL. Besides taking awesome photos, they are just super cool people–they are coffee drinking, ice cream eating, record loving, instagram posting, passionate people who want you to slow down and savor the current place in your life.

They contacted us about creating a film for their senior portrait sessions. We drove out to their family friend’s farm where they had some really fun things planned out for the girls on the shoot–including, but not limited to a bonfire, s’mores, paint, and a dog named Gunther.

The look of this film is decidedly vintage. We wanted it to have an old, processed look–something that matched the look and feel of a super 8mm film and at the same time gave a sense of Blaine and Kelsey’s style as well.

To get a more handheld look and feel, we decided to leave our monopods behind and bust out some old rigs. If you look at the images above, you’ll see that we’re shooting with our Cinevate Uno rig and a Cinevate shoulder rig. We paired these rigs with our 7D’s, Zacuto view finders, and limited ourselves to a few lenses.

You may have also noticed the models are using a funky looking camera. I brought along the Nizo 801 super 8mm camera for its debut run! While none of the actual super 8 footage made it into the film {we’ve still got some rolls to shoot on before we send out to the lab}, it is a fully operational camera and the girls were actually recording with it. Don’t be surprised if you see us bringing around the Nizo with us to future shoots. We’ve got some cool stuff a comin’!

To give it that old film look, we experimented with creating some vintage looks. Check out these early tests we did with color and grain:

The final component was all Oliver–as our resident After Effects wizard, Oliver created custom film strip borders and animated them on top of our footage. The final result, with everything combined, is the film you see at the top of this post!

We had a really awesome time on this shoot. Oliver got to bust out his Bear Grylls skills {he helped start the bonfire}, I got to bust out my new camera {super  8mm fun!}, and Gunther got to bust out his marshmallow stealing ability.

And with that, here’s one last golden BTS nugget–Gunther lets you know what he thought of the shoot:

Cheers,

Chris

Everything that we learned about lens choice, composition, story telling, and editing, came together in a fast-paced, sweat inducing, adrenaline pumping way. The result was a film that we were pretty proud of, and something we were more than excited to share at Chris and Anna’s reception.

After their wedding, it would have been a good point to pause and breathe a sigh of relief for having hustled hard. However, we were only able to catch our breath. You see, we would repeat the process the very next day, and kick off our wedding season with back-to-back SDE’s.

Back in November, when our friend Kenny asked us if we would film his proposal, the thought had crossed my mind about how neat it would be to cut together footage from his proposal with footage from his wedding day. Kenny hadn’t yet spoken to us about shooting his wedding and I certainly wasn’t trying to be at all presumptuous, thinking that he would hire us. I was just letting my imagination run for a little bit—in my mind, I saw how the proposal and their wedding day act almost like bookends to their story.

Thankfully, Kenny and Ruth DID end up hiring us for their wedding day, thus setting the wheels in motion for us to take some creative steps in telling their story and surprising them with an SDE :]

Shooting a wedding and cutting together an SDE the night before Ruth and Kenny’s wedding required us to do some post-wedding work. Clearing cards, transferring and backing up footage, clearing out hard drive space—a lot of small, time-consuming, yet necessary things.

But you know what? We knew that it would be totally worth it when their SDE played at their reception.  We wanted to create an opportunity for Kenny and Ruth to relive moments from their day, feel the anticipation the other was feeling, and remember what it was like just a few months ago on the day of their proposal.

It was definitely a labor of love. For us, more love than labor. We hope you enjoy our second {and back to back} SDE. If we ask you if you liked it, we hope your response is the same as Ruth’s response to Kenny’s proposal: “Yes, of course.”

Cheers,

Chris

location | Chicago, IL
ceremony.reception | River East Arts Center
photography | Bob & Dawn Davis and Ray Santana
event planning | Ryan Alexander Events
flowers.design | Vale of Enna
makeup | Sonia Roselli
music | Monastero Entertainment

After getting to know Anna and Chris and hearing about what they were looking forward to on their wedding day, we felt in our hearts that we wanted to do something special for them. At the meeting, the two had inquired about whether or not we do SDE’s [same day edits] because they were looking to share something special with their guests.

At the time, SDE’s were not something we were comfortable doing–as a fledgling company, and as staunch perfectionists, we were still working on our story-telling, composition, and editing skills, and felt that SDE’s weren’t something we could venture into just yet.

However, if there was ever a good reason to create an SDE, now would be it. So we planned, prepped, took the leap, and created this surprise SDE for Anna and Chris to enjoy at their reception with their guests, friends, and family.

And so, we would like to share with you our very first SDE. We’re very proud of how their story, and this film, turned out. Just being able to capture even the smallest of moments, such as Anna putting on her mom’s makeup, was a privilege for us because we knew that those small moments would have a very special place in Anna and Chris’s hearts.

As their officiant said in her opening remarks, “We are the lucky ones to be witnesses to and surrounded by their beautiful love story.”

Cheers,

Chris

location | Chicago, IL
ceremony.reception | InterContinental O’Hare
hair | Livia Caporale
floral | Tina and Dollie
photography | Melissa Diep Photography

Their day was so richly textured and layered with meaning that we had a some tough choices on what stories would make it into their film. From writing their own vows, to the inclusion of their favorite wine in their ceremony, and even including their dog, Suzy, in their bridal party–there was certainly no shortage of meaning in their day.

Cheers,

Chris

location | Chicago, IL
ceremony.reception | Hotel Monaco
photography | J+N Imagery

JT and Grace Park shared these words with us about their parents just over a year ago. It’s remarkable how much can change in such a short span of time.

Above: Grace’s Father, Young Hwan Lee, back in the day.

If you’ve been following our blog, you’ll remember that about a year ago, the Parks adopted a baby boy from Korea named Joel, and welcomed him into their family. [See our previous blogpost we are the the park family 5 | homecoming]

Before long, they were moved in their hearts adopt another child from Korea, and began the process of bringing Sarah into their family. In the midst of the process, some challenges arose.

According to the South Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare, There are currently 20,000 children in South Korea waiting to be adopted. Of these children, many have special needs, and their hopes are bleak for one day finding a forever family. [Of special needs children in South Korea, only 1.5% are adopted by Korean citizens via domestic adoption.]

Despite these numbers, and due in part to pressure from anti-adoption groups, there are now restrictions impacting all international adoptions. A quota has been established, drastically limiting the number of children that can be adopted internationally.

Above (from left): Joel, Anna, and Timothy Park

In light of this news, and in the midst of their second adoption process, JT and Grace approached us to help create a video for the Voice of Love Campaign, whose sole focus is advocating on behalf of orphaned children in South Korea.

Composed of Koreans, Korean-Americans, American churches and ministries, adoptees and their families, and friends all over the world—Voice of Love is brought together by one goal: restoring the futures of waiting children and reminding South Korea that adoption is a beautiful thing.

As with all of our films, we aimed to create a meaningful and visually rich story. Having filmed the Homecoming video for the Parks and experiencing their heart of love for their baby boy, Joel, we knew we couldn’t pass up an opportunity to tell their family’s ongoing story.

We felt that the strongest angle we could take with this piece would be to hear a testimony from someone who changed his mind along the way–Grace’s father. It was remarkable to hear him speak about his family, especially understanding that just over a year ago, his perspective was much different.

In the end, we hoped to create something that everyone could watch–not just those involved in the adoption community, but a film for everyone to enjoy, and hopefully share.

This is Young Hwan Lee, and this is his story.

Cheers,

Chris

Matt and Melia’s day was layered with a lot of great personal details–they wrote their own vows, their reception would be on the rooftop deck with Chicago’s skyline as a backdrop, and fresh leis were flown in from Hawaii. Beyond these details, a central piece to their story was the “Banzai Toast”. Unlike any other toast we’ve seen or heard, this one called for audience participation. Melia’s dad, in good fun and high spirits, took the time to educate the guests–a full glass was required :]

The word banzai literally means “10,000 years” and is associated with long life. Banzai cheers are given at joyous occasions to express congratulations, encouragement, or celebration. Traditionally, the participants shout the word “banzai” three times in unison, raising their hands in the air each time.

It is customary to deliver two separate banzai cheers at weddings. The first, “Shinro shimpu, banzai!” means “long life and happiness to the bride and groom.”

The second, “Raihin no minasama, banzai!” means “Long life and happiness to all the guests!” In Hawaii, these wedding banzai cheers are often given as a special toast, with participants raising their glasses with each shout of “banzai!”

I don’t know if it was their intention, but I do remember Matt and Melia saying something about wanting the afternoon to be a relaxing and enjoyable one. They wanted to share the city they love with friends and family, but they wanted to celebrate with that chill, island-vibe. Passing out fresh leis was certainly a nice touch, as was the pineapple/passion fruit wedding cake. I think what sealed the deal though, was the participatory nature of the banzai cheers :]

Cheers,

Chris

location | Chicago, IL
ceremony.reception | The Wit
photography | Pen Carlson
leis | flown in from Hawaii :)

What set this show apart, though, was the treatment from film director, Frank Darabont [Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile]. The show has a very cinematic quality, never feeling at all like a TV show.  The show also succeeds where ‘zombie movies’ typically fail–the characters are actually developed so that you care about them.

Earlier this year, at the start of the show’s second season, AMC held a contest to create a trailer for the show. The winning trailer would air during the mid-season finale. I decided to enter on a whim.

Cutting this trailer together was no easy feat. For starters, I had to choose from 118 clips, 6 different song tracks, 4 title cards, and use the editing software they provided–not having the freedom of Final Cut or Premiere was a really big setback.

The biggest challenge though, wasn’t the tools. The biggest challenge was setting myself apart from the rest of the entries. I had to create something that would do justice to the cinematic feel of the show. Instead of going the super obvious route–choosing some creepy music, or featuring a load of zombies and violence–I thought to create some mystery.

I chose a slower song, focused on the protagonist of the show, chose key moments of dialogue, hinted at the threat, and ended the trailer without a character even firing a single shot.

I was pretty proud of what I produced and thought it had a fair shot. Here is the final product. I called it, The Sound of God Laughing.

Out of over 10,000 entires, my trailer steadily climbed from no place to the Top 10 in the popular vote. I was pretty stoked to see it climb the charts. But what mattered in the end was the opinion of AMC’s Judges Panel.

In November, I got a phone call from New York…from an AMC representative. “Congratulations, Mr. Sotelo. I’m calling to let you know that you won the trailer contest for AMC’s The Walking Dead”.

Silence. Then shock. Then contained excitement while I jumped up and down as she explained what would go on from there.  A few weeks later, the trailer made its debut on national TV.

Here is the extra special EPIC version with our reaction to its live premiere . Between you and me, this one is a lot more fun :)

It was loads of fun participating in this contest and honestly, it was an amazing feeling being recognized for my editing work. Having been editing since 9 years old, it was a very meaningful moment for me. A huge thanks to everyone who voted and watched the trailer. A big thank you to the Judges Panel for choosing my trailer to be the big winner. And lastly, thank you, Mr. Famous AMC announcer, for saying my name correctly on television. You made entering this contest totally worth it.

Cheers,

Chris

Disclaimer: *We DO NOT own the rights to this trailer*
ALL Rights belong to AMC and The Walking Dead*

amctv.com
amctv.com/shows/the-walking-dead

AMC’s blog post:
blogs.amctv.com/the-walking-dead/2012/01/video-the-walking-dead-mashup-trailer-winner.php

The Rookery Building is no exception.

This is hands down one of my favorite buildings in the city. At only twelve stories tall, it’s not the most impressive building, size-wise. What stands out, however, is its geometry, texture, and sheer attention to detail. It’s stunning.

Jessica and Aaron’s wedding would be the first we ever filmed in The Rookery. We almost didn’t get to use our stabilization [monopods, tripods] until we could prove and plead our case to the building’s guards that our rubber-tipped gear would not harm the historic ceramic tile. Interestingly enough, they don’t seem to put stiletto heels through the same scrutiny ;)

Speaking of firsts, this is the first edit where we used the Father of the Bride’s speech as a major piece for our narrative. We didn’t realize it at the time, but as he addressed the guests, and then turned his attention to his daughter and son-in-law, we were capturing the defining moment where a father realizes that his little girl is all grown up. It was simply too good not to include in their story.

We know you’ll enjoy this one. Chicago, its architecture, and especially The Rookery have their history, but it’s merely the backdrop for the people at the end of those historic stairs.

Cheers,

Chris

location | Chicago, IL
ceremony.reception | The Rookery Building
photography | Kenny Kim
event planning | Clementine Custom Events
flowers | Scarlet Petal
design | Art of Imagination

While out in Aruba filming Marco and Ary’s wedding, we had the opportunity to create a promotional piece for destination wedding photographer, Kenny Kim.

The idea was to create a promotional video which he would show at his seminar at ImagingUSA. The video would be a mix of interview footage/Kenny interacting with his clients. To accomplish this, we hopped in a cab and tagged along on a post-wedding photo shoot with Kenny around Aruba.

Aside from producing stellar photos and the fact that he manages to make friends with everyone he meets, working with Kenny is a guaranteed adventure. Check out this film, and you’ll see what we mean :]

Cheers,

Chris

[shooting notes] because of the nature of Kenny’s infamous run-and-gun style, we primarily shot this piece on the canon 24-70 f/2.8. the man is fast and good at what he does. we needed to be able to adjust on the go, and that lens seemed to do the job well :]

We’ve kept ourselves pretty busy these days. Over the course of the next few weeks, we hope to share with you all the stories we’ve heard, the people we’ve met, and the places we’ve been.

For starters, let’s say hello to Jalpa + Khilan.

We have to give some major kudos to Jalpa for coming prepared when she sat down to meet us. Of course we spent time getting to know her, and getting to know Khilan through her [the two had a long distance relationship as he was working out on the east coast at the time]. Jalpa took the getting-to-know-us phase to a new level by schooling us on Southeast Indian wedding culture. We still have that multi-page printout, Jalpa!

Prior to this meeting, what we knew about Indian weddings was that most spanned several days, some involved live animals, and all were very festive. After meeting Jalpa…well… Mendhi, Vidhi, Pithi, Garba, Raas, Jaan, Vidai–oh, she taught us well.

It was our first three-day Indian affair and it did not disappoint. Beautiful colors, festive ceremonies, live music, and a horse. We couldn’t think of a better film to start things off than this one.

Cheers,

Chris

location | Schaumburg + Itasca, IL
reception venue | Westin Chicago Northwest
photography | Joseph Kang