Hello, my name is Roger

If a credit roll was to appear at the end of our films they might read something like this:

Assistant Cinematographer……………………………………………………..Roger D. Wilson
Film Loader……………………………………………………………………………Roger D. Wilson
Gear Wrangler………………………………………………………………………..Roger D. Wilson
Camera Maintenance………………………………………………………………Roger D. Wilson
16mm Handprocessing…………………………………………………………….Roger D. Wilson

This is Roger.

If you are already married and your wedding was captured by { First Kiss Films } then you’ve probably already met him. And if your big day is still to come then consider this is a small introduction. Got a question about celluloid filmmaking? Roger will have the answer.

But Roger is also an artist in his own right. He recently created a wonderful website that showcases who he is, his films, his cool technical processes…he’s even starting blogging about his journey with film! Check-out his site to learn more about the man behind the camera: www.rogerdwilson.ca

Enjoy the rest of your week!
xo Bridget

New for 2012!

Happy Autumn everyone!

October is one of my favorite months of the year and the perfect time to start planning the year ahead. As we are taking a limited number of commissions and are already about 50% booked for the upcoming season we are working on fine-tuning our services so our packages best reflect then needs of our clients.

What this means is soon we’ll be announcing our new packages, new rates, and fabulous new services for the 2012/2013 wedding seasons.

These behind-the-scenes production images show us hard at work creating our brand-new,  handmade film commissions that we are so close to unveiling. Exciting!

So please visit us here next week and be one of the first to learn about our incredibly unique, custom vintage film services. And get ready to see something you’ve probably never seen before!

xo Bridget

Sand in my shoes

Having just returned from filming a wedding under the Caribbean sun I felt inspired to share a few reasons why vintage films are so popular for capturing the beauty of destination weddings.
Destination weddings are illuminating. Super 8 and 16mm are perfect mediums for capturing outdoor weddings. Film beautifully captures the warmth of sunlight and I just love shooting weddings that are bathed in natural light.

Candid camera. Guests lists tend to be smaller and the vibe more casual at destination weddings so a large camera crew is usually not the right fit. Having a cinematographer intimately film your event with small, vintage cameras is a great way to have the day artfully documented in a way that’ll blend into the party.

Make them feel like they were there. Probably the number one reason clients request our services is so that they can share all the emotions and sweet moments from the day with the family and friends who couldn’t attend the wedding. Plus, if you are hosting a celebratory reception once you return home you can screen your wedding film – the perfect venue to premiere your love on film.

And…we’re celebrating next week and will be thanking our readers with a fabulous giveaway! Check-in next week for your chance to WIN!

A day to celebrate

I launched this blog one year ago today. I thought it would bring good fortune if it was born the same day I was. Almost 10,000 hits later, I’d say I’m off to a good start. After posting every Tuesday (and then some), I’m taking a moment to look back at this past year and thinking about how to keep this blog interesting in the years to come.

A big thank you to everyone who has followed this blog and to all those who have taken the time to leave your comments – I so enjoy reading them. I just want you to know how much I appreciate each and every one of you!

Looking ahead I’m excited to improve the blog in any way I can so I’d love to hear your feedback to help me deliver more of the kind of topics that you like best.

So tell me, what are some of your favorite posts? What would you like to see more of?

Until next Tuesday, have a wonderful weekend and Happy Halloween!
{ b }

Celebrating livingroom cinema

Happy Home Movie Day!

Home Movie Day is a celebration of amateur films and filmmaking held annually at many local venues worldwide.  Started in 2002, Home Movie Day has grown into an international celebration with screenings all around the world! If you are in Toronto, Calgary or Edmonton you can take part in a evening of screening and discussing the home-made movie (check website for details).

This is an event I would love to attend and maybe even submit some of my family’s personal Super 8mm films which go back to the 1940s! I’ve been in contact with some of the organizers for the last event that took place here in Ottawa and there is talk of putting on a public screening next year. I can’t wait!

 

Presenting your film

Each { First Kiss Films } creation is so lovingly crafted that we felt it important that the final product be presented in a unique and elegant way. So, in keeping with the cinematic theme, each film is transferred to a lightscribed DVD and encased in a custom silver tin shaped like a vintage film reel. The tin is then beautifully boxed and finished off with a thick satin ribbon.

Clients often pre-order additional copies of their film knowing that the gift-wrapped presentation makes for a thoughtful but effortless gift that recipients are sure to treasure.

6 cinematic ways to kiss your sweetheart

Inspired by Valentine’s Day, { First Kiss Films } proudly presents a few smooching alternatives to your standard peck. Of course, each of these fine kisses are inspired by a movie:

Spiderman Kiss – Get your sweetie to hang their head over the edge of a couch or bed, then move in for an upside-down kiss.

Eyes Wide Shut (or not) Kiss – Open those peepers and give it a go! Gazing into each other’s eyes can add an extra touch of intimacy (or creepiness).

Casablanca Kiss – Deliver a spontaneous, surprising kiss and then turn and walk away while giving your best Bogart impression.

Deliverance Kiss – Take a swig from your mason jar and smack your gums together. Keep your teeth in your pocket ’cause they’ll just get in the way. Afterwards, give a whooping holler of “YEE HAW!”

Lady and the Tramp Kiss – Place one end of spaghetti in your sweetie’s mouth and one end in yours. See who can nibble their way fastest to meet the other’s lips.

Full Monty Kiss – Skip the kiss altogether and just get busy!

And this afternoon, please come enjoy some complimentary truffles & champagne with us from 2-4pm. You could win a prize just for showing up.

Checking it twice…

Are you a list maker? In my eyes, lists are a necessity.

Some people use lists for once-in-a-lifetime events such as planning a wedding, seasonally to remember holiday gift ideas or weekly for things such as groceries. Some people, like me, even make lists daily – I adore creating them as much as crossing items off.

My favorite of the online list-making tools I’ve seen is this one. The layout is clean and users are able to manage multiple lists – either online or via an iPhone.

{ I guess I can cross this task off my list: Post blog about online list-making tools }

Not sure what to do with your gently loved bridal gown?

An article in today’s Metro Ottawa just opened my eyes to an inspired, new fundraiser called The Breast Dress Project.

Organizers Jamie Johnston Masson and Stacey Price are asking former brides to donate their wedding dresses which will be cleaned and sold to brides-to-be at about half the ticket price. With all proceeds going to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation it’s an economical, environmental and socially aware way to make use of that dress that is likely just sitting in storage.

I called one of the organizers this morning and found out that they are accepting donations at Groovy Linen Rentals but will be setting up other drop-off locations through-out the city to make it as convenient as possible (thanks, guys!).

I’m planning to donate my dress this weekend.

A printed matter

In my home, photo albums have become photo books. Here’s why:

- You can customize your design
- Very easy & realtively fast to make
- Individual photos from a book can never go “missing”
- The cost is no more than buying an album and filling it with traditional prints

Overall, having pictures all printed and bound into one book is a beautiful way to preserve your memories (especially since many are only saved electronically and may never be seen beyond a computer screen).

I’ve tried a few different companies and while they are all comparable in terms of quality and products I have to say I have been delighted with the service at My Publisher. These guys give amazing customer service and are incredibly pleasant to deal with. Plus, unlike some of the other companies I have used over the years, these guys have sweet sales! Something to keep in mind when it is time to organize all your wedding / honeymoon pics!