Ryan Hinman Films Blog

Matt and Morgan - Deer Valley, Utah

2012-01-28T10:17:00.002-07:00

I just had to post this one from last year. Matt and Morgan's Stein Erickson wedding in Deer Valley, Utah. Matt and Morgan hail from Newport Beach, but wanted a mountain setting for their wedding. Can you blame them? These lush, green hills as a backdrop make for some pretty impressive shots.

This is just a teaser of the entire day. Bits and pieces of a bigger story.

Enjoy.

Steve and Erika - October 22, 2011

2012-01-18T22:18:00.000-07:00

I confess I went back to this wedding. I wanted something really punchy for the web and this Colbie Caillat song did the trick. This was a high energy couple with a really interactive family. They even did a flash mob - to Steve's surprise - at the reception. It was killer.

This song and wedding day just screamed for some split screen. I just had a lot of good footage from this wedding. It would have been a shame to see on the "cutting-room floor."

The song is licensed through Songfreedom.com

Enjoy.

Jordan and Catelin - November 19th, 2011

2012-01-11T11:38:00.000-07:00

It's amazing how little snippets of a toast can go a long way. There's something "bigger" about the smallest piece of audio that can transform an edited piece from "what a nice piece" to "I feel like I know them."

This was Jordan and Catelin's wedding at the Salt Lake Temple, with a reception that followed at the JSMB. A nice tight day with an afternoon sealing and a dinner reception. Sort of a dream.

It's also the first of many forays into using licensed music in my wedding films. It's the new direction I am taking and it's challenging, but liberating at the same time. If you want your wedding film to be anywhere on the web, ask me about this. It's important information to know.

Best,

Ryan

Brayden and Lexie - October 19th, 2011

2011-12-07T23:45:00.000-07:00

Love this couple. Funniest groom in a long time. Enough said.

This was shot at the Salt Lake Temple. The song is licensed through Triple Scoop.

Parker and Brooke - Wow, wow and wow.

2011-11-17T22:18:00.000-07:00

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This was a special wedding. A temple sealing followed by a full ring ceremony, followed by a massive dinner/reception in a massive backyard. I kid you not.

This is a great example of how some good audio snippets go a long way. Bits and pieces of a much larger story.

Anyway, lots of fun. Amazing couple. Really great little teaser here of the entire day. Very moving.

Thanks Parker and Brooke. And congrats.

Tyler and Kelsey's "Two" Story"

2011-10-19T09:51:00.000-06:00

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Tyler and Kelsey nailed this. Whenever I go into these couple stories, I always worry about the pair feeling comfortable. This one just worked. They knew their stories and they just had no problem sharing them with me.

Loved doing this.

Leo and Shawnna - When Stars Align

2011-09-16T10:52:00.000-06:00

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Yes, you've figured it out. If you are in the wedding business in Utah, the majority of what you do will take place at the Salt Lake Temple. I will try to get something different up soon.

But for now, here's a little gem. This is a "The stars have aligned" wedding. It just came together and I caught some great footage of these two. We did a rather quick temple shoot, then headed up to Memory Grove for some more amazing footage.

And Leo and Shawnna are ballroom dancers. And they're good ones. The end-cap of this piece shows off their mad skills.

I almost passed on this wedding because they booked me less than a week before the wedding. Wasn't sure I could fit it in. So glad I said yes.

One more thing, click those little arrows next to the HD button at the bottom of this video. You will want to see this big.

Matt and Emily - August 18th, 2011

2011-09-09T01:17:00.000-06:00

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I can almost guarantee this is a first. A second blog post within a few days of the last one. I confess I'm behind. My summers get so busy with weddings, family, etc. Blogging takes an occasional backseat. I feel like my video posts on Facebook are "sort of" blogging, but not really.

So here goes.

I've been asked by couples on numerous occasions to see an entire wedding film of mine. From start to finish. I think some couples have concerns about length, what goes in, how the whole package fits together, etc. So here's a complete - from start to finish - wedding film I did for Matt and Emily. Really great couple. And an amazing backyard. This really pretty stream on the west side of the house pours out into this massive pond. Tons of grass. Really fun wedding. As I stated in my last blog post, I'm really into wedding receptions with room to breathe. I've noticed people tend to stay longer if they can stretch their arms and just chill out.

Anyway, here's the complete edit.

Tanner and Victoria - July 1st, 2011

2011-09-07T22:51:00.000-06:00

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I think the gardens at Thanksgiving Point must be grossly underutilized for weddings. The reason I believe this is because I'm on rounds two, three and four of every location, with the exception of Thanksgiving Point. I've only shoot in these gardens twice - in 4 years. Too long.

My point being, they're beautiful. And I wish more couples would have their weddings there. Amazing background and lots of "running around" space.

Here's a teaser of Tanner and Victoria's wedding at the Salt Lake Temple, with a reception to follow at those "oh so amazing" gardens.

Josh and Heidi - Belay On

2011-08-19T23:26:00.001-06:00

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I'm not sure what to say about this couple's story. It's genuinely one of the most personal stories I've ever done. You really have to listen to what these two are saying. It's very specific and very moving. You can really tell that finding each other was not a chance meeting. It helps me to understand that, for whatever purpose, some things just happen for a reason. These two were meant to be together.

This was quite possibly my scariest shoot. Up the side of a canyon, on a steep incline, with no solid footing underneath. I was thinking any minute I was going to take a dive with camera gear in tow. However, Heidi will attest to my excitement when they said they wanted to go rock climbing. I was grateful they wanted to include something in this film that was enjoyable to them. Not just something to fill in the "gaps". Something to consider when you book me for one of these.

Again, One of my most personal experiences with a couple. Love these two.

Ryan

Caleb + Paige - Draper Temple - Same Day Edit

2011-08-05T23:36:00.000-06:00

So here's Caleb and Paige's same day edit from a few weeks ago. I've been slow to post to the blog because of the busy wedding pace this year. Double from last year, very busy.

Anyway, not much to say that I haven't already said in the past. Great couple to work with. Really willing to work with us and really excited to be married. A fun day.

I did a little vintage look on this wedding. They saw a previous post and fell in love with the coloring that I did. I colored all of this post-same-day-edit, as it takes me some tweaking that can't really be done in the few hours between events.

Enjoy.

John and Gisel - San Antonio Texas

2011-07-03T00:30:00.001-06:00

I flew down to San Antonio at the end of April for an amazing LDS wedding. They called me because they couldn't find anyone in Texas to shot a mormon wedding! How crazy is this? Someone is missing out on business down there!

Anyway, this was one of those magical wedding moments for me. A night and a full day with the couple, their family and their friends. Truly moving. I feel like they are part of my life now - it was that emotional for me.

This is a teaser of the entire day. A short wedding highlight culled from the larger video. When you book me, you may want to think of your wedding day as a much larger event. There is hair and makeup, there are family breakfasts, there are parties the night before. There is even the set up and the coordination of the reception. These things add so much depth to a wedding video. Keep that in mind.

Enjoy this. I revisit this wedding video often. If you can be inspired by your own work, then well, I feel inspired.

Ryan and Danielle at The Pond.

2011-06-02T00:32:00.000-06:00

I had seen this area from Legacy Highway many times before. Always curious about a fishing hole sitting off the side of the freeway. I finally checked it out.

A perfect spot for a couple's story, albeit a little windy. That explains the black fuzzy thingy on Ryan's shirt. It's a windscreen for the microphone. An essential "fuzzy" accessory in a pinch.

This couple was great. Willing to branch out, play with a theme for their couple's story. It's always a good idea to bring your ideas with you. Make these things your own.

Brian and Carolyn - A Wink and A Smile

2011-05-31T01:15:00.000-06:00

This month has been busy with couples stories. 4 shoots in 4 weeks. Busy, busy, busy.

Here's the 3rd of 4. Brian and Carolyn. A really awesome couple. Just genuinely good people and genuinely in love. A total pleasure to shoot.

Watch for the personal moments between the two. Sometimes I just let the camera run in between takes. I get good "outtakes" that become part of the intimate nature of these pieces. Really special.

Enjoy.

Sam and Jenna - The Mood Piece

2011-04-25T23:32:00.000-06:00

This is my mood piece for the month. I thank Sam and Jenna for picking the most perfect song for this same-day edit. A song by The Frames called Lay Me Down. If you've seen the movie Once, you know the lead singer's voice (his name is Glen Hansard). Amazing song, that really creates a very moody feel to the piece. It just worked with what we shot.

This was a pre-shoot combined with a temple-day shoot. A great way to really plan for some more complex shots and not feel rushed. Something to consider if time is tight on your wedding day.

Genuinely nice couple. A treat to work with. Thanks for having me.

Brady and Kassia - Memories of Summer

2011-04-19T19:15:00.001-06:00

Right now, Utah is a flood plain. The weather is wet and just plain unpredictable. Everyone is looking forward to warm weather and a dryer summer.

To warm things up for you, here's a teaser of a wedding from last summer. Brady and Kassia disappeared on me for a long spell and I finally got some music suggestions from them. Thus the delay in getting this finished.

I have couples ask me why I only put teasers of the entire wedding on my blog. I will respond to their answers with another question. Do you honestly want to watch an extended segment of Brady and Kassia's guests eating Navajo tacos. Honestly?

Enjoy this little treat and think of ice cream cones and cool summer nights.

Can't Sit Still

2011-04-05T19:19:00.000-06:00

Chris and Christina couldn't sit still. Every time I posed these two they were making googley eyes at each other, skipping, or jumping around. I think they like each other.

Here's a shortened Same Day Edit of their day. A teaser for the web. Fun couple.

Way fun.

Tanner + McKenzie - Everything New is Old Again

2011-03-29T14:53:00.000-06:00

I'm getting a lot of requests for the vintage look. A lot. Just to clarify, this isn't an attempt to make your wedding film look like old Super 8mm film. Rather, it's a look akin to rediscovering an old weathered movie in an attic. It's kind of a "Grindhouse" look - an old B movie that has been sitting shelved in a run-down theater closet for years. Scratches, variations in saturation, skips in film, burns from being to close to the projector light, etc. I love doing this. It gives me a creative outlet in the editing process, which for many is the tedious side of doing wedding films.

Anyway, Tanner and Mckenzie asked me for this look and I was happy to oblige. This was by far the coldest wedding I have ever shot, and somehow we got some smiles out of them. I swear McKenzie got choked up a few times with the cold. She was the least "covered up" that afternoon.

This wedding highlight benefits a lot from the couple's choice of music. This Iron and Wine song fit beautifully with the aged effect. I just love it. Enjoy the flick.

Jason and Lauren Osmond - Decorative Towels and Orchards

2011-03-17T14:00:00.001-06:00

Osmonds are cool. So very cool. Jason is cool. Lauren is cool. Decorative towels are cool. You'll just have to watch this couple's story to figure out what I mean.

I confess having a more than passing fascination with the Osmond family. I distinctly remember two events from my childhood. One was getting up from bed and asking my parents if I could watch the Donnie and Marie show. They said yes, and I was ecstatic. The other was being down in Provo and stopping off at the now-defunct Osmond Studios. I felt like there was something magical about that day. Driving up to the gates. Very famous Mormons just inside. Can't really explain it.

I do remember too that I met a gal on my LDS mission to Florida that said she joined the church because of the Osmond family. At first I thought that was a little interesting, but she had been a faithful Mormon for 15 years. What I'm getting at is that the Osmond family has a lot of love and I'm sure she felt that.

Jason and Lauren are no different. A lot of love here. Spending a day with these two was really a dream. I wish them all of the best and am so grateful for the opportunity to do this.

Shooting in orchards is way cool too.

The Provo Double Header

2011-03-09T14:16:00.000-07:00

It's a "twofer" day today. Two wedding films for one blog post. They're for the same couple, so it made sense.

Brent and Lisa's wedding was last week at the Provo Temple. My first time shooting there and I don't anticipate shooting there much. Lisa has some really important family connections to that temple and she does temple work there, so it was an obvious choice for her. Here's their wedding film from their time at the temple. It really shows off the personality of these two. There's a lot of love in that couple. Really nice families too. Lisa's father talked "Canon Camera Shop" with me for a few minutes at the reception, which was nice.

I also had the opportunity to shoot a couple's story for Brent and Lisa. Weather was not on our side, so I called up one of my connections and got permission to use the Sharon room at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. We only had one day to shoot this thing, so doing the interviews indoors saved us. During a brief break in the weather, we went outside and got some good additional footage for the story. You'll notice that I include a lot of photos in these couples stories. Yes, I shoot them. And no, I'm not a wedding "photographer". I leave that to "them". I do however fire off some stills for these couple's stories. It gives each piece a unique assortment of imagery for me to pull from. I'm a big fan of still photography, even with my decision to shoot wedding films. And since my cameras do both, I use both for these pieces.

I really love this story. A really seamless piece.

Style Me Pretty

2011-02-25T22:57:00.001-07:00

Yeah, it may be a small thing to you. But big to me.

I recently shot a wedding with Lindsey Stewart from Green Apple Photography here in Utah. The totally cool wedding of Crismon and Lauren. The one in the awesome front yard, with barbeque and real Chinese lanterns (the ones with real flames!). Just so awesome. Here's the wedding highlights edit I did for the site.

Anyway, Crismon and Lauren's wedding photos (shot by Lindsey) were recently was featured on the very classy website, StyleMePretty . They look amazing!

The best part? Lindsey remembered me in the vendor credits. How so totally nice, and classy.

Here's the post - StyleMePretty.com .

Here's her website - GreenApplePhotography.

Thank you so much Lindsey. A small thing to you perhaps. But big to me.

Best, Ryan

Two Sisters Married - 7 Days Apart

2011-02-22T20:34:00.000-07:00

I don't imagine I will see this again. Who knows...

Two sisters married exactly 7 days apart. Older sister Lizzie, followed by her younger sister Jessie the following week. And they both asked me to do their wedding film. How cool is that? When you shoot multiple weddings in the same family, you get to know the family pretty well. I also did a couple's story for Clark and Lizzie - see one of my previous posts - so I saw a lot of those two.

Here's the teaser edit I threw together as a "bonus" chapter on the DVD's. I couldn't resist. You may want to click the arrows on the play bar under the video to see this in full screen mode.

The chances of this happening again are next to never. Although I would love to be wrong...

Anthony and Brett - Or How to Get Married During a Blizzard.

2011-02-22T11:40:00.000-07:00

It snows in Utah. And people get married in the winter. It's true. But snow? It looks seriously cool at a wedding. Not so fun to shoot, but fun to watch. It gets even better in black and white.

Anthony and Brett...what can I say. Just love this couple. Love their energy around each other. Infectious energy. Anthony had me laughing more than any other groom I've ever worked with. Period. He's just a funny dude.

And Brett is awesome. Nice, happy, generous and really loves Anthony's young kids.

The shot of the temple at the beginning is unfiltered, save for desaturating it and adjusting the black levels a bit. A total wall of snow.

Enjoy the bad weather.

Carson and Hillary's Super Old Wedding Film

2011-02-08T21:24:00.000-07:00

A few months back I posted a wedding film that I had made to look "vintage". Add some film grain, pull back on the colors, darken the blacks, add some hairs and "damage" to the video. Essentially make it an old-looking, new wedding video.

Well, Hillary and Carson wanted this look. So I took on the challenge again. This time with a much more pronounced effect. I wanted this to look like the real deal. I was in film school way back when 16mm film was our format and I remember doing a lot of 8mm film on my own. My office is littered with these old cameras in varying degrees of workability. Yet, as much as I love the look, I understand that the limitations in resolution can be very closely mimicked in the color correction process I do after the wedding. It also frees me up to modify the look later, as HD video is very high resolution. With HD, I have a lot of information to use. I can mess with colors, film grain, etc. Enough said. Tech talk here.

I spent a lot of time on their requested "vintage" look. This is a short teaser from the entire day. Their wedding was at the Salt Lake Temple with a reception that followed at the Provo City Library.

Enjoy.

Blake and Jane - Salt Lake Country Club

2011-01-12T23:09:00.001-07:00

What more can I say. I love this wedding film. Love the weather, loved the location, loved the couple. It's true. Sometimes weddings just work for you. You scramble around and everything you shoot just works.

This is a highlight of a much larger highlight video that was delivered to them. Wanted to give you a taste of it all.

Love it.

Clark and Lizzie's Snow Day

2011-01-06T10:35:00.000-07:00

I think in all of the years I have done wedding cinema/videography/filmmaking I was looking for something that's my niche.

These couples stories are my niche. I love the collaboration between me and the couple, the ability to control the content and I can exercise those creative chops I picked up in film school. Digital cinema is much like shooting motion picture film. There is audio to consider, lighting, shutter speed, white balance - all of those things coming together. Couples stories are like mini documentaries of everything up to this point in time (whatever and whenever that is).

Don't get me wrong, we can still shoot a fantastic wedding video. That's what we do.

This is Clark and Lizzie's story. We shot this on a frigid Saturday afternoon in Memory Grove. 3 hours and frozen toes.

Worth. Every. Minute. Click those 4 little arrows and watch this full screen. The snow and the scenery just pops!

Crismon and Lauren's Front Yard Wedding

2011-01-05T11:49:00.001-07:00

Yes, this was the front yard. A beautiful front yard, with a pond and lots of trees.

A few details about the wedding. An amazing guitarist name Jeff Proctor, BBQ from a smoker parked outside, chocolate mustaches and authentic Chinese lanterns. Incredible.

This wedding was a referral from an old friend, so thanks for that. Here's Jeff Proctor's website. Hire this guy. He's amazing.

I can still smell that barbeque...

Anthony and Brett - Dogs and Runners

2011-01-02T16:00:00.001-07:00

I can't tell you how many dog walkers and runners interrupted this shoot. At one point, a guy even approached me and ruined a shot.

Memory Grove is a popular place, so I guess we knew the risks. Aside from the long shoot, I can't say enough about this couple. Amazing, amazing, amazing. I've never laughed so hard than I did during this shoot. Everything just worked here. You hope for that. Well spoken, funny, obviously in love. Things that matter in making these stories come to life.

Watch and enjoy.

And laugh.

Mike and Ali - Red Butte Gardens

2010-12-20T11:40:00.000-07:00

Wow. I love this wedding. This is my favorite edit of the year. Ali and Mike threw down a serious challenge for me with their song choice, and I had this Danny Boyle-inspired concept going on in my head. Split screens and rapid edits. It was a perfect fit.

And I love it. Sometimes I feel lucky to get certain weddings.

Yes, I feel lucky.

Shane and Trista Make Promises

2010-10-11T11:13:00.000-06:00

I've really gravitated towards couple's stories as something "I do." Get it! I do? Okay, bad joke. Anyway, I really love doing these and we spend a lot of time getting these short films just right.

Shane and Trista's couple's story was no exception. We shot up at Log Haven on a breezy, late afternoon, when the leaves and the colors were changing. It was amazing really. We had the whole lake area to ourselves (with permission of course) and we spent a good solid 2 hours of filming. I tend to have general questions in mind that give me direction on additional follow-up questions for the couple. Considering that Trista has children, it was really important that we make them part of the larger story. I'm a big believer in the family unit (and whatever that means to you), so I wanted the kids to be a part of the story. I also work for some sort of thematic element to play through the interviews, thus the "I Promise" element as bookends.

When you book these with me, be ready to have ideas of your own. Bring props, have a concept in mind, maybe even a change of clothing. And plan for an afternoon. These take time, but the pay off is priceless.

George and Mindy

2010-09-28T23:49:00.000-06:00

What can I say, other than great wedding. A compact 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. day, with plenty going on. I just love how this wedding turned out. And yes, I often start my videos with some sort of live music going on at the reception. Why? Because I love it. The band at the wedding often tells a lot about the couple. George and Mindy had a swing, bluegrass, jazzy quartet jamming at the reception. I couldn't get enough of them. During breaks, I often gravitated towards the band. They were just plain cool.

There's nothing like a wedding with military uniforms. It transcends formal. It's something else entirely. There's definitely a sense of reverence, at least on my part. These guys are doing something that many people won't be doing for their country.

Anyway, quite a day. This is a highlight of the entire day - an abbreviated version of the final wedding video - which runs about 11 minutes. Enjoy.

Michael and Lauryn

2010-09-06T19:19:00.001-06:00

I've been known to fiddle with wedding films for my website. Color them up, change the music, rearrange and shorten the edits.

Such is the case with Michael and Lauryn's wedding film. I went old school medieval on it, pulling out the contrast, and giving it an aged look. Something akin to an HD Super8 camera (which to my knowledge doesn't exist). Keep in mind, I've also edited this in an aspect ratio of 2.35:1 to give it a more widescreen effect.

Anyway, here it is. I hope you enjoy it. This couple was great and kept their cool when the reception got moved inside. Due to wind, of all things.

If you need a certain "look" to your wedding, please let me know when you book me.

Steele and Paige - Draper Temple

2010-08-30T10:49:00.000-06:00

The weather for Steele and Paige's wedding was pretty perfect. I know that cloudy, overcast days don't necessarily cry "beautiful" for the bride and groom, but for the photography and cinematography, it's perfect. It creates something akin to a a huge diffused softbox in the sky, which means everything is evenly lit. No hot spots of sun competing with the shade. And no major dress "blowouts" with the whites.

This was a two-song edit of the hair and makeup session with Paige, and the time at the Draper temple with both of them. Steele and Paige shot around with me and Kelly from Gallery Photography just prior to the actual wedding as well as the post-temple family shoot.

I really loved shooting this wedding. It always helps when the bride and groom are excited for the day. A little interaction with me never hurts either.

This is the wedding film in it's entirety. Sit back and enjoy.

Jarom and Katie

2010-08-29T14:53:00.000-06:00

A brief highlight of Jarom and Katies wedding, way back in March. Awesome couple. Awesome time.

Thanks for having me.

Micah and Brittney - Live from Las Vegas

2010-08-21T23:24:00.001-06:00

I spent a lot of time with Micah and Brittney. An amazing couples story and a full day in searing Las Vegas, NV. It was May 1st and I remember it being incredibly hot. As a result, I feel like I really got to know them on a personal level. Want to have your wedding videographer really understand you two on a much more personal level? Do some sort of pre-shoot, couples story, etc. The extended relationship definitely can play out in how I related to you as a couple.

By evening the temperature had cooled and an amazing reception emerged. One of my favorites. An old truck doubled as a buffet station, signs pointed to different events, IBC bottled root beer was the beverage of the evening and beef skewers were on the grill. They even had Porta-Potties. I felt like I was at a country fair. Amazing night.

I picked up on some thematic elements in Micah and Brittney's wedding that played throughout the entire wedding film I made for them. This is why I am posting it from start to finish. It's very circular in how it was made. The end takes you back to the middle and the beginning.

I hope you enjoy it.

Ryan

Gary and Carol - 50 Years Together

2010-08-06T00:35:00.000-06:00

Gary and Carol McFarland are my in-laws and are celebrating 50 years of marriage this year. We just had a great party for them at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building this evening and I was asked to put together a life story for them. Rather than take a completely linear approach to a life story, we focused on a Q and A that would make for a more entertaining film, rather than a traditional "timeline" approach. As a result, we captured some pretty funny stuff. If your inclined, and have about 15 minutes, take a look.

My wife Rebecca takes a lot of credit here as well. She performed the interviews, while I ran the technical side of everything.

I hope you enjoy it.

Best, Ryan

Jared and Mindy - The Teaser

2010-07-25T21:07:00.000-06:00

Call me crazy, but I've been hoping to find a time to use a little Punch Drunk Love music in a wedding film. Well, more specifically the song "He Needs Me" from the Robert Altman movie Popeye, which was allocated for the Hawaiian encounter in Punch Drunk Love. It's the perfect romantic piece, or at least I think so. Dreamy and ethereal, it has a fantasy-like quality that I thought was perfect for a short teaser of Jared and Mindy's wedding day.

I'm not much for your run of the mill stuff, so a little mash up of their temple wedding with my own selection of music was a nice reprieve. Mind you, this isn't the video I delivered to them, just a fun reinvention of a blazing hot wedding day. Sweating bullets for two hours. And not one overheating of the camera (a technical thing). Amazing.

It was a pleasure Jared and Mindy. And I'm always up for the occasional same day edit. Keeps me on my editing toes.

Blake and Alex - The Interviews

2010-07-25T20:57:00.001-06:00

So I have a lot of affection for this couples story I did for Blake and Alex. First off, they drove 3 hours to get it done. We then sat in the blazing sun - in a remote and dusty field - for another two hours. It was a painstaking process, but the payoff was well worth it. I had in my head a certain look for this story and managed to literally stumble across an abandoned house and enormous shed in the middle of nowhere. The perfect location. After scaring off a beautiful, pure-white barn owl, we managed to capture on of my favorite interview sessions. Pure gold.

Thanks for choosing me to do your story Blake and Alex. It was a beautiful, dusty dream.

Photography Demo for Brody

2010-06-04T13:40:00.001-06:00

So we just finished this little piece of goodness yesterday. Two half-days of shooting and a few sporadic weeks of editing and we are done.

Brody approached me with the idea of making a demo for his studio. Something to show his clients, put on the web, play at shows, whatever.

This is the beauty that comes from a controlled setting. Which is why I recommend pre-shoots and couples stories so much. They allow you the freedom to "custom build" a piece of work. With that said, the documentary elements within this film and others I do make the final piece what it is. It fulfills the "time" and "place" needs that any reality-based piece needs.

I'm waxing philosophical here. Too many hours in film theory classes (thanks for that Andre Bazin). Anyway, enjoy it. Take it in. Consider doing something with us that gives your wedding day, baby's birth, family story a life of it's own. Something you can revisit for years to come.

Best,

Ryan

Micah + Brittney - Their Story

2010-04-24T02:04:00.001-06:00

So I could do these couples stories all day. I love the fact that we can spend an afternoon together and make something that can be enjoyed at the wedding, as well as a stand alone piece for years to come. I'm excited for Micah and Brittney's kids to see these many years from now.

Considering finals and graduation were a week away, I'm impressed how comfortable they both were. What a fun time. Best of luck Micah and Brittney. We'll see you in Vegas next week.

Best, Ryan

Spring Special!

2010-03-25T20:18:00.000-06:00

For a limited time, all of our half-day and full-day packages include one of our custom made photo histories. A great way to share your life with your reception guests!

Do you just need the photo history? They are only 50 bucks per song for a limited time.

Take a look!

Jarom + Katie

2010-03-21T12:40:00.001-06:00

So this is the cool couple. Jarom and Katie met in California while both of them were working in the "industry". The film industry. Very, very cool. Katie is an actress and Jarom works in visual effects.

It gets cooler.

Jarom worked on Avatar. And Katie is an actress. And they are very genuinely nice and good people. Enough said.

This is a Couples Story that we did a few days before their wedding (yes I crammed to get this done). These couples stories are a great way to have your guests get to know you, as well as having this amazing memento for your family and children to revisit. These interviews really transcend the wedding day and give you something that is not event-specific. I love doing these. Perhaps my favorite part of working with couples.

Enjoy.

Ryan

Jacob and Candice - Bountiful, Utah

2010-03-09T10:11:00.000-07:00

So this wedding was a simple affair. Moments with the family in the morning, temple wedding in the afternoon and casual dinner at The Pointe Restaurant in the evening. In many ways a perfect wedding.

This is a shortened edit of their wedding day. Great speeches at the dinner that night and a very loving family to share in their happiness.

Ryan

The Randy Despain Tribute to The King of Pop

2010-01-12T16:01:00.000-07:00

So here's the deal. It's no secret that Randy Despain at Brody Dezember Photography absolutely loves, loves, loves Michael Jackson. However, the last thing I need is a tribute at the last wedding we shot together. Check it out.

Seth and JoDee - Deer Valley, Utah - Highlight Reel

2009-12-10T17:00:00.000-07:00

Sigh. I have been in the editing mire. Catching up from weddings months ago. The swine flu about 6 weeks ago didn't help. I felt off for about 3 weeks, and it pushed my editing back a little more. With that said, it was time to post something. It has been forever.

I am feverishly (no flu pun intended) working on Seth and JoDee's highlight video, and finished this highlight reel of the entire day. It's the 14-hour wedding condensed into about 4 minutes. This wedding was in Park City, and I worked my behind off on this one. Back and forth between hotels, wind at the ceremony, lighting issues (a light cord melted during the reception), and on and on.

Thanks to Brody for the photos. If you book him, I include the photos (at his discretion) for no extra fee. Otherwise, there is a small extra editing fee to have your photos included (it takes much more time to edit them into the final piece).

I hope you enjoy it.

Greg and Kailee - Salt Lake Temple

2009-09-18T15:06:00.000-06:00

Camille Stepan is a good friend of mine. Kailee is Camille's cousin. So I had some reason to take good care of Greg and Kailee. Again, a great wedding, with a nice overcast day (which makes my job so much easier).

I'm on this Patrick Watson kick right now, which explains the song choice. He has some great mellow songs, that lend themselves well to wedding teasers like this. This one is called Big Bird in a Small Cage.

Thanks for having me Greg and Kailee. Your wedding for me was sort of a reunion. It allowed me to see old friends, who also happen to be your family members.

Ryan

Valiant and Leah - Log Haven, Utah

2009-09-03T23:40:00.001-06:00

I posted this video to Facebook weeks ago, but somehow overlooked that it never ended up on my blog. I really loved this wedding and was so grateful to be a part of it. The whole day it poured buckets, but just minutes before the ceremony it cleared up and was totally beautiful. Yeah, it drizzled a bit after the ceremony and throughout the reception, but the canvas coverings over the patio at Log Haven kept us nice and dry.

This is an ideal edit of what you may expect with a single camera ceremony. Highlights, snippets of audio, etc. Enjoy!

Rob and Jessica - Twin Falls Idaho

2009-08-13T10:50:00.000-06:00

So this was my 24-hour Idaho wedding - up and back in less than 24 hours. And it was HOT. Probably the hottest wedding I have attended this year. I'm guessing it was 95-100 degrees with absolutely no shade at the Twin Falls Temple. Ouch.

Still, Rob and Jessica were just a fun couple to hang out with. They braved the high temperatures and the beautiful Snake River was the perfect backdrop for a backyard wedding like no other.

This is a teaser of the entire day. A non-linear edit of all of the events - kind of like a video photo album of some of the best parts of the day. Enjoy.

The Pre-Roll

2009-08-04T15:19:00.000-06:00

So I am cleaning off some files on the old desktop and just had to post this outtake of a webisode we shot of Brody at the La Caille show back in January. It just cracked me up when I watched it today. The crazy thing is that when we actually started rolling, every thing he said went perfectly fine. It's just the before stuff that took forever. Funny stuff.

David Perry of David Perry Films was doing a shoot as well the same day, and pops in and out of the video.

Just random goofiness here - nothing of earth-shattering importance (Hence the web video quality). Enjoy.

Barry and Reshma - Their Wedding Teaser

2009-07-24T14:17:00.000-06:00

So yeah, I'm a softy. You know, the kind of guy who gets choked up at the end of a movie, but claims to have something in his eye? Okay, so the Godfather chokes me up! Big deal.

My point is, there are some occasions when I attend weddings and I find myself getting a little lump in my throat at least once or twice. Barry's and Reshma's wedding was one of those. Perhaps it was my first Hindu wedding. Perhaps it was the colors. I'm leaning towards the sense of collaboration and community that manifests itself during these weddings. People flew from all over the world to see this couple get married. In Utah! Barry's family is from Ireland (his parents were so incredibly kind) and Reshma had family come in from India. Wow.

What happens when I feel this collaboration taking place is it allows me to get more story-driven footage. The need for the traditional cake cuttings, bouquet and garter tosses aren't needed as the sense of community that you feel at the wedding comes through in the edited piece.

Enough said. This was one of my favorite weddings to shoot. The reason for the short teaser is because the finished video clocked in at about 25 minutes - the longest wedding video I have ever done (by at least 10 minutes). Enjoy.

Scott and Brittany - The Cool Kids

2009-07-05T22:51:00.000-06:00

So this couple is just plain cool. Scott and Brittany gave me some great music ideas, which makes the editing process much more enjoyable. It also makes me work just a little harder at making a really complete wedding "film". The song for this teaser video is by a group called Band of Horses. Really killer song.

Their wedding was at the Salt Lake Temple with a luncheon and reception to follow at Noah's in South Jordan.

Enjoy!

Great Article On Signs of a Doomed Wedding

2009-06-27T20:22:00.000-06:00

I just ran into this great article on Yahoo today about signs of a doomed marriage. It essentially details 5 tell-tale indications - based on experience from a wedding coordinator - that your marriage could be in trouble from day one.

Some things to think about as you make plans for the big event.

Check it out here.

Ryan

Chase and Brooke - April 30th, 2009

2009-06-24T11:00:00.000-06:00

The wedding of Chase and Brooke at the Salt Lake Temple (are you seeing a trend here?), with a luncheon that followed at La Caille Restaurant. A great couple, with great family members to share in their special day. The spring flowers were popping, the birds were out at La Caille and the colors were spectacular.

Spencer and Jenney

2009-06-20T02:00:00.000-06:00

Spencer and Jenney were a joy to work with. I could tell as soon as I met Jenney that she was a special person - so positive and upbeat the whole day. Even a snowstorm midday couldn't break the good vibe of the day's events.

I shot this video with Brody as the photographer on the event, so we interspersed the video with his stills. The following video is a teaser of the entire day and can be seen on the theater page of my website.

Enjoy.

Mark and Shanna - Wedding Day Teaser

2009-05-15T01:32:00.000-06:00

Here's a short teaser of Mark and Shanna's wedding that I threw together for the blog. Expect to see more of these in the coming months. It's a great way for me to highlight my documentary-style weddings, without having to post the 10-20 minute edit of the entire day. I am also planning to modify my package offerings in the future to include a teaser that covers the wedding in about 3 1/2 to 5 minutes (depending on the song length).

This is one of those weddings that we as wedding filmmakers live for. It was overcast, which is great for lighting, and the couple was just awesome. I tend to lay back at weddings as things naturally unfold, so I sometimes don't have a ton of interaction with the bride and groom. This was one of those weddings. However, I think with Mark and Shanna this was advantageous, as they were so interactive with each other and we always appreciate happy couples.

Enjoy,

Ryan

Mark and Shanna - Wedding Teaser - XH-A1 at 24f. from Ryan Hinman on Vimeo.

Doc-Style Weddings

2009-05-05T01:56:00.001-06:00

So I have been editing Shanna and Mark's wedding video and I finally got to the garter toss and absolutely love this clip. Mark is a total crack up with the garter and this single clip really defines why I do documentary-style wedding videos. This was really outside of the realm of textbook Utah wedding reception. It was a true party - loads of dancing and just plain fun.

Take a moment and watch the clip below. There are no rapid cuts, no slow-motion effects, no staged event on my part. Just Mark and Shanna and an enthusiastic crowd. This video is one continuous take. Yes, I did add some film damage effects to the video, but merely for visual enhancement and not intended to detract from the event as it unfolds.

This is why I do documentary wedding videography. It is your event as it really happened.

Mark and Shanna's wedding - The garder toss. from Ryan Hinman on Vimeo.

Stay Healthy

2009-05-02T13:26:00.000-06:00

So I realize this is the downer blog post of the season, but it seems more relevant than ever. I know people are thinking we have survived the cold months and it is time to look forward to good weather with only allergies to think about, but the swine flu is still nothing to take lightly. I know people will call me a little paranoid, but so what. I will say my peace then let you take what you want from it.

Consider for a second that there is an immense amount of hugging, shaking hands, kissing and talking closely in a wedding environment. During episodes where illness is being passed around, wedding events actually are hot beds for transmitting colds, the flu, etc. As hundreds of people pass through your wedding line, not only are you shaking hands with every one, but essentially they are shaking hands with everyone you just greeted as well.

Perhaps this is a great time to consider introducing subtle ways to combat a few bugs that might show up at your wedding. Putting a bottle of Purell next to the guest book, or smaller bottles in the center of every table at the event. Also, as the bride and groom, ocassionally rubbing some over your hands as the night progresses. Such a small way to keep everyone a little bit cleaner, but I can guarantee that those bottles will get used and your guests will take notice of your interest in keeping them healthy.

Not intended to scare anyone, just a posting to keep us all a little bit safer. Best wishes with your wedding planning.

Ryan

DJ Recommendation

2009-04-26T15:11:00.000-06:00

So I just shot a wedding last night at Wadley Farms and wanted to make a recommendation on a DJ I worked with there last night. I rarely make recommendations on DJ's because I have had such hot and cold experiences with them in the past, but this guy was really great. He managed to keep the party going, pull of all of the events (bouquet, garter, send-off) with ease and never made the reception about him. There were no recitations of lame praises for the bride and groom, no efforts to make himself the crazy DJ. He also made sure that both myself and the photographer there had a schedule of every important event going on throughout the evening and even made sure the bride and groom were in the right places for lighting purposes. As a result, Mark and Shanna Warr's reception went off without a hitch. If there was one, not one guest knew it.

His name is Stretch and his company is Ablaze Entertainment. His website is www.DJonFire.com. I hope to see him at more wedding events in the future.

Ryan

Tyler and Lauren

2009-04-22T07:51:00.000-06:00

So here's a clip from Tyler and Lauren's wedding. This couple was absolutely perfect to work with. The weather was beautiful and they, along with their family and friends really enjoyed the day. This was shot at McCarty Salon on Foothill, in the bride's room at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building and finally at the Salt Lake Temple.

The photography is by Brody Dezember at www.dezemberphoto.com.

Tyler and Lauren's Wedding from Ryan Hinman on Vimeo.

Stacey Petersen's Demo for Dezember Photo

2009-03-24T15:22:00.000-06:00

So we just finished this video last night for Brody Dezember's new website. Stacey Petersen is a photographer for Brody and was the last one in the office to need a demo for her "bio" page.

We shoot this at various locations around Salt Lake City and in a cool alley across from the old ZCMI Center. The song is Great DJ by the Ting Tings.

Stacey Petersen's Demo from Ryan Hinman on Vimeo.

Can't Wait

2009-03-19T01:05:00.001-06:00

Seriously, I can't wait for this film. This one has been sitting in post-production purgatory for almost 2 years. The studio didn't like it, reshoots, re-edits, compromises.

Finally we get to see it, chopped or not. The book was a centerpiece of my childhood reading. I just remember going back to it so many times. The artwork was so captivating. The concept of a boy my age roaming with monsters was so scary, yet engaging.

Love it. Can't wait. Have I said this already? I can't wait.

Randy's Demo

2009-03-03T21:09:00.000-07:00

So here it is. The demo we shot over 3 months ago and I just recently got around to editing.

It is "Fight Club meets Wedding Video", down to the "Call Randy" message that comprises only 2 frames of screentime.

This video is also available on Brody Dezember's new website - which totally kills by the way.

Randy Despain's Demo from Ryan Hinman on Vimeo.

Michael and Sara's Wedding

2009-03-03T20:14:00.000-07:00

So I have a lot of affection for this couple. They were actually happy at their wedding and I didn't have to prompt them to smile at all. This helps so much! It is the difference between forced and staged events and the truest form of documenting an event - uninterrupted reality.

The music for this piece is the capstone. This is what makes a wedding video truly timeless - music that reflects the nature of the event, versus the musical leanings of the bride and groom. To understand that, watch any Wes Anderson movie.

We shot this at the Salt Lake Temple and the Provo City Library - a seriously cool location for a wedding reception (it's big!).

Michael and Sara from Ryan Hinman on Vimeo.

Charles' and Kristy's Wedding

2009-03-03T19:08:00.000-07:00

So I never posted this video to my website, but it is seriously one of my favorites. It rained cats and dogs (and more cats and dogs) that day. More rain than I have ever seen at a wedding. Nevertheless, it was quite the party and Kristy and Charles were troopers and could see past the moisture.

You will notice that photos (and many others) are incorporated into the video. They are courtesy of Brody Dezember and I do this look as an added value when you book me along with Brody.

Their wedding was at Log Haven. Here it is.

Charles and Kristy from Ryan Hinman on Vimeo.

New Blog

2009-03-03T15:53:00.001-07:00

Ho Hum,
So here we are again. I have had to repost my blog once more. My previous blog home was Vimeo, but they have done away with the text-posting abilities of their service. So, sigh, we are now at blogspot and this looks like it will be home now.

In all fairness my favorite blog - blu sky disney - is a blogspot affair and I love it for its simplicity. No flashy banners, no extra this and that, Just information and beautiful imagery to accompany ever post. I just love it. And I am there often. Take a look if you get some time.