I (Jason) am always amazed when I see other cinematographers creating incredible same day edits of the weddings they are capturing. This week I figured it was our turn to attempt one. With just the thought of doing it my heart started beating a bit faster. Could we pull it off and how many stars would need to align to have an edit done the same day we were shooting? I prepared all week leading up to Michelle and Edwin’s special day. Then their day came! For anyone who has ever captured a wedding via photography or cinematography it is a rush. You are on your feet for an entire day always mentally and physically engaged. On our drive to Salon Mode in Oshkosh I was mentally preparing and envisioning how the start of our day would go. We started to capture.
I booted up my laptop as the salon shots were nearly complete. The data started to transfer and I eagerly awaited seeing what clips I could use to fit into the story. I was intensely focused and at one point Michelle saw me and asked if I was OK. No I wasn’t, my mind was more zeroed in than it had ever been on a single task! She had no idea I was doing a same day edit for them as it was going to be a surprise IF we pulled it off. I was hoping to be able to edit each major event of the story as it happened but once we arrived at the Priebe Art Gallery on the UWO campus there were a lot of moving pieces: Michelle and Edwin getting dressed, setting up their first look and preparing for the ceremony. I was falling behind and I was going to have to wait to edit once the ceremony was done. “You may kiss…” and I was back to editing. I felt a little light headed as I transferred over 30 GB of data off our cards. Edwin walked into the room at that point and jokingly asked if I’d have their film done tonight. All I could do was let out a little chuckle. My second wind had arrived with this comment and I knew I had to get this done! I knew any minute I’d need to give up on editing to spend some time shooting Michelle and Edwin alone. I felt like Edward Scissorhands on the keyboard and mouse – Edwin’s preparations were set and in the timeline, details were in the timeline…the clock was ticking. Then it was time to head to the reception at the Oshkosh Convention Center. Less than an hour remaining before I needed to show this and 20 minutes of that would be time spent rendering the edit. I worked through dinner and also kept an eye out to capture the toasts. Luckily I finished up right before the toasts and began to render. I was sweating and about to burst with excitement – I was thinking this was really going to happen.
After Michelle & Edwin’s first dance we sat them alone on the dance floor and pushed play. The room fell silent in awe that they were seeing a film of things that had just happened less than an hour earlier. There it was their day for their eyes to see. Their day was complete. Michelle was in tears as their same day edit finished and the room roared with applause. I breathed. I can’t wait to do another one of these (ok that isn’t what I thought immediately but I am thinking that as I write this)!
Special thanks to our awesome team of Steve Wagner who helped film their day with me and of course to Kim and Kari for their endless help and support as I prepared.
Enjoy,
Jason
P.S. Michelle and Edwin (and friends) made that gigantic paper flower background for their ceremony! It was just an incredible backdrop for the ceremony that wove in their dedication and creativity towards one another.