The Blog
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Brynne & Ryan
April 09, 2012
Hi!
So, I must say we got the best surprise ever today. Thank you SO much for the absolutely amazing wedding video! We were SO excited to receive this package and can honestly say the video far exceeded our expectations. It is stunning and artistic and with the perfect choice of music it helped us relive the day; we could not imagine if we hadn’t hired you and your team. Thank you so much for making our day truly a dream come true and capturing it in a way we will cherish forever! We cannot wait to share it with our families and friends who we are positive will be stunned by your work.
We’ve already watched the video 3 times - and I could probably watch it all night. We were laughing and crying all at the same time; the outtakes were amazing!
We cannot thank you guys enough - we’ve said it before but having you as part of our day was one of the best decisions we’ve made.
Can’t wait to share it with Sarah (who highly recommended you guys and she was right!). Will it be posted to your website eventually so we can share with our friends? Thanks again!
Brynne & Ryan
PS if you need any references we would be happy to serve as one for you/have already recommended you to a lot of our friends!
PPS this could not have come at a better time because Ryan is away for work Sunday-Friday and if I received this while he was away it would have been very difficult to not watch the video 
Transparency Builds Confidence
February 19, 2012
When I was in Charleston a few weeks ago, meeting hundreds of videographers from around the world, one thing became obvious: because of technological advances and the new tools available to production companies, more clients are making the decision to hire filmmakers before meeting them.
However, technology is a double-edged sword. Because it’s so easy for any company to share their goods, there are that many more sites to forage when couples are searching for the perfect filmmaker. This is why it is more important than ever for companies to be as transparent as possible online.
Couples want to cut through the clutter and make informed decisions. The smart companies are the ones who help them get there quicker. A company who shares information openly will make that job a lot easier.
Public Pricing As I speak to other wedding and event filmmakers around the world, I realize that the #1 question they get from prospective clients is, “How much?” Some people in our industry actually get frustrated with that question. They say, “Don’t they care about anything but price?” What they don’t realize is that most people have never bought a wedding film before. Couples simply don’t know what else to ask.
There are many variables a wedding and event filmmaker must consider when setting prices for the work they do. Some will argue that prospective clients may be scared away by the price of a film. “I want them to see my work first,” is the common feeling. The argument could also be made that if a filmmaker’s prices are too low, couples with bigger budgets might overlook a company who doesn’t charge enough, thinking, “Why so cheap? They must not be that good.” We have found that making our prices public is the fairest thing to do.
Our Online Production Schedule allows clients to see where they are in line. Full edits sometimes take several months to get through, depending on the season and the workload. We realized many years ago that our couples just want to know that things are moving along and that they have not been forgotten. They like to see progress. Therefore, we maintain a public production schedule online and update it weekly. Our clients love to see their names move up the list and get really excited when they see their films go into edit.
Client Reviews build consumer confidence. Any reliable third-party recommendations are invaluable to couples who are looking for the perfect filmmaker. Couples today have sites like WeddingWire.com to read favorable AND unfavorable reviews. In fact, one of the smartest things you can do when looking for professionals is to Google the company’s name with the word “Reviews”. Example: “CinemaCake Reviews”.
Our Staff is comprised of the most talented in the industry. They truly are the backbone of our organization. We show them off for many reasons, but the most important is so our couples know who was behind each film they watch in our Gallery. We are so proud of our team, and we make sure they get the recognition they deserve. Clients find peace knowing who shot and edited their favorite films.
After 11 years making films, we’ve learned that clients are happier when they can make informed decisions in less time. Being up-front about pricing, the production process, online reviews, and our team makes the entire process go smoothly. In the end, fair expectations produces happier clients.
3 Days, 3 Weddings, 3 Stories
January 02, 2012
Doing weddings every weekend can be monotonous, right? Not quite. Every wedding is different. Having been a part of three weddings, back to back to back, it’s clear that everyone has their story and every day is unique. I’d like to share a little bit of what I saw at each one; a peek from behind the lens, if you will. Here are some nice tid-bits that stood out for me, someone who has been a part of over a hundred weddings so far.
Karrie + Tim
What an awesome couple to experience a Same Day Film with. Having a child in their lives years before marriage, Carrie and Tim certainly understood what family was all about, and that really came through during the day. It was a milestone for the CC team as well, as it was the first Same Day Edit to be done without Dave, something we were all a bit nervous about, but we pulled it off without a hitch. And, whoooooooa, there were plenty of opportunities for things to go wrong.
We had about four locations to cover (one location = easy to get to editor, many locations = nightmare), which we tackled early on by having Jordan edit in the car. “Who’s that guy in the car with you? Is he a shooter?” We were ready for that question, but we were so stealthy that it never came up. The secrecy was only to fulfill Carrie’s request that the SDE be a surprise to everyone, which it was—even Tim didn’t know about it. Everything came together in the end, and Carrie’s big smile as she watched her film was the only validation we needed.
Selena + Andre
Energy, pure energy. Their vibe was apparent right away, and it helped as the city is big and unforgiving. Working in Philly is one thing (I do that every weekend), but to hike up to NYC and have to chase around newlyweds from Times Square to Chinatown is a horse of a different color. And in this case, that color was red, the color of boxing gloves and quick jabs. Who jumps in the ring with their mate, dons gloves and starts fighting? This couple. Selena and Andre made it insanely fun to shoot because they were VERY much into the photos and film. Obviously.
This date also stands out for me as a great collaboration with CinemaCake and our New York friends, Jonathan Armendariz and Shar Adrias. They don’t shoot for us regularly, but when they do, they’re always solid. And in NYC, their knowledge of the city was beyond helpful.
Janine + Justin
So you’ve seen Goodfellas, right? Imagine a guy just like Ray Liotta, and then take away the ruthless killer part. This guy was a class act, and he wanted to make sure that came through in the single take walkthrough intro that mimicked a scene from Goodfellas. There weren’t boardwalk scenes like in the couple’s trailer where Ray Liotta gave Lorraine Bracco lollipops, but it works for Janine and Justin. It was the kind nature that the couple had and showed for one another that really came through that day.
One Atlantic, sitting on the edge of Atlantic City, provided a beautiful backdrop for a gorgeous day and a sincere couple. I’m not Scorsese, but if he shot wedding films, he’d work for us—all I’m saying.
Ultimate Editor Showdown Winners Announced!
November 24, 2011
Over 150 people asked for a link to the raw footage. 103 people downloaded the footage. 50 people turned in an edit before the deadline. We spent hours going through all of the entries, looking at several categories, including Story Telling, Technical, Look and Feel, and CinemaCake-Like Styling. Our crack team of judges picked the winners!
Here is what the winners had to say:
First Place: Matthew Peck, Reading, PA (Control #021)
“I had a blast being a part of the Ultimate Editor showdown. I never heard of or entered a contest like this before, and thought the idea was unique and interesting. Working on the cut was a challenge, especially because I’m not used to editing weddings. But overall, the contest was an excellent learning experience and a fun time. I am now honored to be a part of the growing Cinemacake family, and hope to see this competition happen again in the future.”
Second Place: Guillaume Colomb, Philadelphia, PA (Control #010)
“I had a great time working on this editor contest. I just moved to Philly, got married and actualy looking for a job, so it was perfect! It was a long time I didn’t edit, so it was a little bit scary at first to use my old PC to edit HD. But everything went well, I had a lot of fun. Very interesting also to see how, with the same material, everyone use things differently!”
Third Place: James Hartey, Warminster, PA (Control #022)
“That’s awesome that I came in Third and thank you for the opportunity to enter such a contest. I have never entered an editing contest, so I thought it was a pretty cool idea and it was a challenge. Even with my history of editing weddings over the past three years with Kenneth Stillman Video, this was a different approach to wedding films than I usually take. I’m used to more of a documentary style of editing and filming, compared to what CinemaCake does as a more film style. Making a film is difficult in it’s own right, but it’s even tougher when you have no influence in the actual production or pre-production of the film. The only time I have done a similar type of project is at Temple University in the Editing for the Media Class. I also enjoyed entering the contest, because it put my editing skills to the test and got to see where my skills are at currently. I always say a good editor is an editor who constantly puts their skills to the test.”
Thanks to all of the editors who submitted films!
Tags: Video Production Training - Wedding and Event Production News - Wedding Highlights and Recaps | Permalink
Leave a Comment
Fernando Colaço: (11.22.11-12:21pm) Great films. Why the grooms in America cries so much?
here in Portugal they d´ont. Congrats. very good work.
William Hoffman: (11.22.11-1:32pm) Absolutely amazing videos, wedding, and couple!
John: (11.22.11-7:47pm) Looks like the following were optional: Color Correction, Length, Clear Audio from H4 and Sequence of Events?
I'm sorry but it doesn't look like these videos represent CinemaCake very well.
Frank: (11.22.11-8:40pm) Agreed with John, and you can add use of copyrighted music to the list too.
Dave W: (11.22.11-9:13pm) Im actually a different Dave w, haha - sorry for the confusion
stacy h: (11.22.11-9:33pm) i have only one word Beautiful!!!!
Heather: (11.23.11-12:03am) #10, no question! Really a beautiful, emotional narrative!
Diana: (11.23.11-12:40am) Maybe I'm biased, but I thought they all rocked!
Jim S: (11.23.11-1:43am) All of these videos are beautiful to me. Some I liked more than others, but the memories they leave behind will last forever. They bring me to tears every time I watch them. It brings me back to that beautiful night. Yes I'm biased, I was there, and if the experience regenerates each time I watch them, then they have done a great job. Thank you for the memories.
John M.: (11.23.11-3:46am) Not one of you gave us a list of Wawas in my general vicinity. Shame.
dave: (11.23.11-3:53am) Hello guys, this is the REAL Dave Williams. Thanks for the comments. The contest generated so many great edits, it was hard to choose. John, it's not a bad thing that the videos don't represent CinemaCake right out of the box. This is because we are looking for that raw talent which is still moldable. These edits entertained us the most out of the bunch and it's a great start. Now we begin the interview process and find our next 2 or 3 editors. We already have appointments with some of the winners.
BTW, non-finalists may still be interviewed. We look at the entire package.
dave: (11.23.11-4:11am) Frank - We asked ourselves one question every time someone made mistakes; "Is it coachable?" I am very excited over a couple of these editors and if they fit into our culture and can deliver the goods, they could soon join the team.
Dad S: (11.23.11-4:12am) While the original trailer of Jimmy Shelton just blew us away, and we are anxiously waiting for the unveiling of Jimmy's grand finale, we welcome the work of these 6 fine artists. All were enjoyable and we we've watched them a heck of a lot (yes, Mike, you were right. We just couldn't stop replaying them all). We have a favorite but darn, we're just not tellin'! We figure Cinema Cake is just so good - they know the winner and they don't need us to say it too. Although our winner wasn't there to film he knew the emotions of the day were exceptional and he captured it well - look closer and you'll know who was the favorite. However, the others were truly exceptional too - Thanks to you all for a wonderful effort.
dave: (11.23.11-4:14am) Craig. I know you are eager, but be patient. I plan to post them all. I have to wait until my Vimeo upload limit resets on Sunday. Did you have a horse in this race, Craig?
David Wa.: (11.23.11-4:18am) Sorry for that confusion before, haha - I am NOT Dave Williams haha.
Dave - thanks for all of the insight on the judging, it was a pleasure taking part in this showdown.
Joanna Sellers: (11.23.11-4:39am) All are so beautiful and each contestant clearly put so much detailed work into these finished products. I'd have to say that my number one favorite is video number 5, control number 034. The music is so perfect and delicately beautiful and it all ties in so nicely in an emotional way. The variety of clips are well chosen, with the music tied in just right. My second runner up would be video number two, control numbern 010. The music is deeply emotional and dramatic and the clips are well spread out with variety and also tied nicely with the music. Thank you all so much for all of your efforts, every one of these videos truly are memories both our families will hold onto.
dave: (11.23.11-4:57am) Thanks Joanna (and Dad S). Editors: there you have it, straight from the parents!
Jaime: (11.23.11-5:11am) As somebody who works in video, I agree with Joanna. Video 5/control number 34 definitely tells the best story. I connected with it on an emotional level even after watching the previous four and already being familiar with the footage.
Joanna Sellers: (11.23.11-5:33am) additional comment: The more I watch both video #2 and #5 (control numbers 010 and 034), I have to say I want to tie them. Both are so amazing!!
Mike V: (11.23.11-12:47pm) Watching these for entertainment value was so enjoyable. But, having to choose favorites among these, I'd have to say 21 was my/our favorite with 10, 22, and 34 very close runners up. The thing that stood out most to us with these were their pace. They took their time in each scene to let it develop. We liked how 21 was the only one of these to have the priest announcing us as husband and wife, which we liked seeing. We liked how 10 had a great flow to it (the music may have helped) and he/she was the only one to use any of the dedicated voiceover material of my mom (and happened to use it while her and I were dancing). 22 was really good, but the beginning with me crying on the alter didn't really fit with the rest of the video. Yes, it was entertaining, but the rest just had a different feel to it. The standout part of 34 was how he/she cut together the outdoor and indoor parts of our choreographed dance. He/she got it just right. In 02, we thought the audio started off in an odd spot. And near the end, he/she did some fast cuts of us walking outside that didn't seem to flow with the rest of the video. I that's what we found most different with 40 was the pace. Each scene seemed to cut quickly before you could absorb it. Even with all that, I still plan on watching all of these over and over again. Great great job!
Mike V: (11.23.11-12:49pm) And to John M - there was a Dunkin Donuts directly across the street from the church. I would have suspected that would have been an acceptable alternative
John S.: (11.23.11-5:26pm) I would like to first thank Cinemacake for giving the opportunity to enter the contest. I realize now I did not tell the story of their wedding. What I did was make a music video of how they found happiness over the rainbow, after having difficulty finding their soul mate. I would like to congratulate all the finalists for their exceptional work. However, there is one video which is what a refer to as Cinemacake like, and that is Video #34.
Aaron: (11.23.11-7:36pm) What a cool idea for finding new employees! And congrats to the finalists! I like all the videos, but I think 034 is the best.
Kenneth: (11.30.11-10:47pm) Maybe I'm just partial because he worked with me for 5 years, but I preferred Jimmy Hartey's more than any of them by far. Whenever I have learned something new from ReFrame or InFocus I have always shared that with Jimmy so he would improve, and it's clear that he has become an extremely talented editor. As Jimmy gets ready to move to Hollywood and pursuit a career in motion pictures I feel like a proud papa who always encouraged and nurtured his son's talents. Jimmy was extremely talented when he came to me and now he's found his own style and voice as an editor.
What he did different and better than the others is obvious in so many places. The first example is the cold opening, which I didn't see anybody else use. Sometimes there are great moments that require their own space in the video, or are too long to fit into the context of a song. Maybe the groom doesn't appreciate a cold opening because it was slightly embarrassing, but when he gets older and shows his wedding to his children, this will be the edit that will stand out. Setting aside that one special moment is what makes it all real, and not just people in a music video.
Jimmy was one of the few that told mini-stories though the video. Some of the others, including the first place winner tried to do time shifting and weren't very successful, in my opinion. Going from the toast to the bridesmaids flowers to the photo shoot to her first look at dad? I don't see a cohesive story at all. It's just random shots placed in a random order.
I especially like the way he used the couple practicing their first dance with the actual event. Very creative and genius. I thought his music selection was great. The beginning of the song was low and gave lots of room for natural audio and then it built up to a climactic ending.
And he definitely did the best color correcting of the top 3 entries. If you stop all 3 at the outdoor dancing scene it is clear that number 2 didn't color correct at all and number 1 had the blacks crushed too much, the skin tones were off a bit and it was under saturated.
Great Job, Jimmy!
And I hope the couple loves seeing their wedding thru the eyes of so many talented artists.
joe: (12.05.11-3:29am) kenneth - audio is, most of the time, more important than video...use the h4n field recorder audio for the best mans speech before you even begin to talk about color correction. i think the audio editing in 'jimmys' film was sub par he told a good story which was the top thing in judging is my guess only reason why he was a finalist. these are the finalists by telling the best stories not necessarily the audio editing and color correction. so i think color correction would be at the bottom.
dave: (12.05.11-4:23am) We had a mix of judges - some in the business, and some not. We took all scoring into consideration, even those who gave a high score on technical, even though there were obvious technical flaws in most entries. For example, I was surprised how many people never used the audio from the recorders and used camera audio instead. Also many who did use the correct audio used it only in one channel (usually the left channel). Regarding color correction and grading, some did it well but most either ignored it or really messed it up. The non-professionals did not penalize for these technical mistakes because it was all about the story-telling for them. We looked at some of the technical issues as 'teachable' so it did not disuade us from looking at those candidates.
By the way, almost all of the interviewing is complete and our new editors will be offered positions this week. The contest was an amazing success! Thanks to all who participated!
Kevin: (12.06.11-6:21pm) Joe:
Isn't learning how audio should be set up equally, if not more easily, as coachable as color-correction?
Also, I would have liked to have seen a suggestion in the post saying something to the effect of, "make your video like ours." I know my video would have been completely different as I would not have intended to show them something different than what everyone else might be showing. To be penalized for not following rules that were never posted I think is a little unfair. I also wrongly assumed that this was an editing competition to be judged by editors. This assumption also determines the type of video you cut.
As for narrative, I agree that it is important. This makes me question, then, how on earth could one of the finalists be allowed for putting the shot of the kid playing with the iPad in his video? To me, that says, "Here's how boring your wedding was. This kid was playing with an iPad." That's not a very good narrative in my opinion. But then, a non-professional judge might not pick that up.
Bill: (12.06.11-11:29pm) Hi!
How can we watch Jimmy Hartey's video ?
What is his number ?
Anyway, a contest is always subjective...
thx
joe: (12.08.11-9:10pm) Kevin - I never said anything about being coachable I said audio is as important if not more important than video basically when it comes to any type of video...That being said I was just very surprised that people who used the camera audio with the image stabilization buzzing the entire time was allowed to even be top ten! Also that being said I agree that the rules and directions were quite fuzzy but maybe they were supposed to be?? But there was a distinct length that was enforced and one of the finalists I remember didn't even follow that rule with having a very short video. It is what it is..
perry: (01.20.12-4:07am) That is funny about the grooms crying. I notice that as well. Hey great work.
CinemaCake’s 3rd Ultimate Editor Showdown - Cash Prizes and Full-Time Positions Available
October 27, 2011
Above: CinemaCake editors staying ahead of technology with continuing education.
It’s an exciting time here at CinemaCake and our commercial brand, Media Wave Video Productions (MWVP.com). We are growing again. With up to four teams now shooting multiple events on a given day, we realize it is time to hire another fantastic editor or two to join our creative team.
In 2004, we held our first editor’s contest. It was so successful, we did it again in 2007. CinemaCake now employs four full-time editors and now we need to add another member or two to the team.
The person we hire must be able to keep up with a steady workload and work well under pressure. Most importantly, our new editor needs to fit into our culture and meet the high expectations of our clients. Finally, if you can shoot, show us your stuff. We prefer to hire editors who can shoot, and those who can will be more valuable to us than people who only edit.
Because the position is in the suburbs of Philadelphia, we ask that only editors who actually plan to live in the Greater Philadelphia area enter this contest.
Regardless of who we interview, $500, $300, and $200 respectively will go to the top three editors.
How to enter:
Step 1: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) a little information about yourself, including why you want to be a CinemaCake editor. Include your basic contact info (Name, Address, Phone, Email). Describe your level of experience, what editing platform you use, and any special skills. We’ll then send you the links to download the assets.
Step 2: Edit your film. Your film should be 3 to 5 minutes in length.
Step 3: Upload the finished film to us HERE. We’ll upload these films to a gallery for the public to see and comment on.
All entries are due on Monday, November 21, Noon EST. (See countdown clock below)
We’ll pick our top three favorites* who will be offered an opportunity to interview for a position at CinemaCake.
*CinemaCake reserves the right to interview other contestants who show potential.
Tips From Our Team
Tom: “Build your story with audio before you even think about your visuals.”
John M.: “Know the rules before you break them. Know how to locate a Wawa blindfolded.”
Jordan: “Emotion trumps logic.”
Sheryl: “Make us cry.”
Jimmy: “Make a movie that you would want to watch.”
So if you have the chops, let’s see them! Become the next Ultimate Editor! Win money! Get a Job!
Tags: Video Production Training | Permalink
Leave a Comment
scott hayes: (10.28.11-8:11pm) I think cinemacake needs a repeat winner. I'm in!
Scott
dave: (11.03.11-1:18pm) What a tremendous response! 54 requests so far for the raw footage. This is going to be fun!
Kyle Loucks: (11.04.11-1:28am) Got excited as soon as I saw this! Never heard of a company doing this before and am pumped to see the raw footage! Can't wait to get to it!
Dave Williams: (11.06.11-5:28am) Thanks Kyle, and feel free to comment here about your experience. Crazy excitement over this one. Over 100 emails have come in and 53 of those people have already downloaded all of the footage.
DAN: (11.09.11-4:27pm) Very fun...cool idea!
Sean: (11.15.11-2:50am) This was fun. It was different editing footage that I hadn't shot myself. It felt good to really have something to sink my teeth into.
Allen G: (11.15.11-3:11am) This is a great idea! I love competing in the 48-hour film festivals and this is something that looks equally as exciting! Keep up the great work!! ~Allen, Electric Head
Armir K: (11.17.11-5:53am) It's an interesting experience editing something that I didn't shoot. Usually, I'm editing in my head as I'm shooting, but this forced me to carefully look through all the footage, and I have to say, I had to "kill a lot of babies."
dave: (11.17.11-6:28am) 137 people have emailed us, asking for the assets. 100 people have downloaded all of the assets, 9 films have been received.
Brittany Rafalak: (11.17.11-5:47pm) The footage looked great. Good luck to everyone!
dave: (11.18.11-2:34am) 12 films have been received so far! They are coming in faster now!
dave: (11.18.11-10:23pm) 17 films have been received as of 5 PM today. Less than three days left to get your edits in! Our judging will take place Monday night but we'll post all of the entries on Monday or Tuesday so the public can have a look. Can't WAIT!!!!!
dave: (11.21.11-3:04am) Wow - 30 films so far and they are still coming in. I can't wait to see what comes in overnight! 14 hours left!
Joe Donato: (11.23.11-5:10pm) Oh, OK. I get it now. I should've stuck with my first instincts. At least now I know what I'm capable of in a 24 hour rush.
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