Take 1 Productions - Michigan Wedding Videographer

We've Moved!!!

2009-03-10T12:13:00.002-04:00

Our New Blog is UP!!!

www.t1pblog.com

The Homeless

2009-01-17T22:34:00.006-05:00

Boy it is cold outside! The temperature has been hitting sub zeros much of the Mid-West this week. I am so fortunate to have a nice heated home, warm food and a loving family to be with. I do take it for granted at times as there are so many out there that are homeless, cold and hungry every day.

A few months ago a friend of mine, Prem from Arising Images, emailed me asking if I would like to go to a homeless bar-b-q in Detroit and use our talents and capture images and film. I did not hesitate and welcomed the opportunity. I then recruited Jamie from Jamie Honce Productions to assist me in the shoot. To be honest, I had no idea what I was going to film or thought out a story that I was going to tell with my film. I just went and filmed what I could and worried about how to put it together later.

With the cold weather hitting this week, it reminded me of the homeless people out there. I thought it would be a good time to edit this piece and share it with everyone. For those that have a blog, feel free to post this video as there is no watermark. I think it is an important message to share. Thanks Prem for the pics and Jamie for working with me on this project.

To embed the video, go to the link below and copy and past the code. Pick the video size that best fits your blog.

Homeless By . .
View in HD Download 1080p Version Visit . .'s ExposureRoom Videos Page

Link for Code to embed video: http://exposureroom.com/members/assets/assetembedtags.aspx?un=donpham&id=ba71285febf34e2799743905108d8749&w=600&h=700

Something New is Coming

2009-01-14T17:25:00.002-05:00

I am working on it and will be releasing it soon!

Maggie & Steve Engagement

2008-12-13T18:50:00.002-05:00

We had the honor of filming Maggie and Steve‘s engagement party in Chicago. The decorations were beautiful, filled with lovely roses, candles and lots of “bling”. The theme of the decorations centered around Maggie’s engagement ring….which was gorgeous. I must say…… Steve gets kudos for picking the ring and design!! The cake’s center piece was a replica of the ring….how unique. The best thing about being a part of this wonderful celebration was the family. We were so welcomed and were even invited to the brunch the next day. It was the first time we’ve had a mom of the bride to be say to us “welcome home” when she greeted us. It sure made Don and I feel special! Here’s the trailer of their engagement party. We look forward to filming your wedding event in Chicago…..see you Maggie and Steve in Sept, 09!!

Maggie & Steve By Take 1 Productions
View in HD Download 1080p Version Visit Take 1 Productions's ExposureRoom Videos Page

Lisa & Randy

2008-12-08T18:11:00.009-05:00

Their wedding ceremony and reception were both at The Royal Park Hotel. We were scheduled to go to Downtown Rochester with the Photographers but it rained all day. Despite the rain, it did not put a damper on the day. We worked with Samantha and Brian from A Thousand Words Photography. They were great to work with. Diana from A Fabulous Affair was the coordinator for the event and did a wonderful job as well. Everything was decorated fabulously. When you stepped into the ceremony and reception, it just took your breath away. It was an enchanted evening celebrated with friends and family.

Lisa & Randy By Take 1 Productions
View in HD Download 1080p Version Visit Take 1 Productions's ExposureRoom Videos Page

Here are some cool pics from A Thousand Words Photography

Kally & Keith

2008-11-18T22:39:00.003-05:00

Kally and Keith had a beautiful autumn day wedding. If I could use one word to describe them and their wedding party, it would be "FUN". Even when Kally was waiting for the priest to arrive at the church to conduct the ceremony, she was still all smiles, laughing and joking. They even had a cool cadillac to drive off in. Their wedding day was also like a reunion for us. We got a chance to see some of our past couples who we filmed too. It was also great to work again with Kelly who was the photographer for the event. Thanks Kally and Keith for having us be a part of your special day.

Kathleen & Keith By Take 1 Productions
View in HD Download 1080p Version Visit Take 1 Productions's ExposureRoom Videos Page

How Much Did That Cost You? Part 2

2008-11-08T11:19:00.013-05:00

If you read between the lines.....she said "Yes!" Today is the day, November 8 (17 years ago) and I couldn't be happier and more blessed. Don, you mean the world to me and I couldn't imagine life without you. I love you so much. My answer today still would be a definite "YES". I can't wait to continue our journey together. Here's a glimpse back of our wedding day........I loved being your bride, but even more, I love being your wife! HAPPY ANNIVERSARY HONEY!!!!!!

I loved the back of my dress...maybe even
more than the front sometimes.

Yes, Don found a chicken under my dress instead
of a garter.

Our cake was the talk of the town....it filled one whole
table.

Our wedding party was awesome...we had a blast!

Isn't he the most handsome groom you've

ever seen!!??

Here are some of our engagment

pictures.......

We were mischievous!!

How much did that cost you?

2008-11-06T22:37:00.005-05:00

Yup....that was Joanne's answer when I asked her to marry me roughly 18 years ago. This coming Saturday will be our 17th Anniversary. It is just hard to believe that it has been 17 years. I still look at her as if I saw her for the first time at Wayne State University. My heart still pounds a little bit faster and I feel more complete when I am with her.

Joanne, you are the Best Blessing that God has given me. I Love you!

Joanne & Don By Take 1 Productions
View in HD Download 480p Version Visit Take 1 Productions's ExposureRoom Videos Page

This made me Happy

2008-11-05T13:27:00.004-05:00

We get lots of comments from Brides and their Moms but we hardly get any from Dads so I was thrilled to get this email.

Hello,

I just wanted to send you guys a quick email to thank you for making our wedding day so easy! I barely even noticed you guys videoing things! My dad was extremely impressed and wanted me to let you know that he was very appreciative of the fact that you weren't intrusive at all! So, thank you so much! I can't wait to see the trailer!

Talk to you soon,

Kally

Julie & Steve

2008-11-03T16:43:00.006-05:00

were married on a beautiful autumn day. In between the ceremony and reception, we had time to go to a nearby park with Prem and Cheridy from Arising Images. The reception was held at one of our favorite places, The Royal Park Hotel. Julie and Steve had a unique library theme with their table settings designed by Tifany from Gourmet Invitations. We also got a chance to meet and work with a new coordinator, Tracie from You're The Bride. She was great in keeping us informed of all the little details of the event. Congratulations Julie and Steve!!

Julie & Steve By Take 1 Productions
View in HD Download 1080p Version Visit Take 1 Productions's ExposureRoom Videos Page

NACE Awards Dinner

2008-10-21T22:34:00.006-04:00

Joanne and I were invited to be Laura Davis Events guest at the NACE Awards dinner . Laura Davis is one of our favorite event planner. Laura and her team are so organized and detailed, we love working with them at events. This was my first time at a NACE event because I am not a member. I must say I was impressed with the party as it was beautifully decorated and well organized.

Thanks Laura for a wonderful night!

Joanne & I with Laura and her staff in a photobooth.

Re:Frame New Orleans was Awesome!!!

2008-10-15T23:46:00.008-04:00

Re:Frame – New Orleans was a huge success last week. I had a great time teaching and sharing info with 50 really cool event filmmakers who attended the sold out workshop. It was so exciting to know that this small group shared the Re:Frame vision of moving the industry forward.

One of the best things about New Orleans was the food. Joanne and I love oysters, shrimps, soft-shell crabs, so we were in heaven. Joanne even tried turtle soup which she liked. I was part of The Second Line for the first time and it was great. Having a parade down the street with horns and stilt walker with Police escort was cool.

Re:Frame – Austin is next April and I am brainstorming my seminar topic. One of the Collective is in Austin right now as I am posting this blog entry, to do a second site visit. It’s gonna be great!

Here are some pics...

Check out those clouds!!!

This is where we stayed. Right on Bourbon Street!

Yum!!!

Saw this Cool sign...Re:Fresh @ Re:Frame :-)

Watch your step!

2008-10-15T20:57:00.000-04:00

See more funny videos and TBT Videos at Today's Big Thing.

Re:Frame - New Orleans

2008-10-04T17:52:00.006-04:00

I am off to New Orleans for a week to give a much anticipated workshop with 5 other Top studios in North America. Together we are Re:Frame Collective. We have been planning for this sold out event for a year and it is so exciting that it's starting this Monday. I will be sharing my editing techniques...coloring, cutting, story telling.

Be sure to check the blog all next week as I will be posting video clips from New Orleans each day of the workshop. Also if you are a videographer and you were not able to attend this sold out event, there will be another workshop next April in Texas...Re:Frame Austin.

Mariel and Christian

2008-09-24T23:28:00.002-04:00

Mariel and Christian had their wedding ceremony in the beautiful Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament in downtown Detroit. You could see the joy and love between them from the look on their faces. They had such a fun wedding party too. Mariel was also quite the U of M fan.....Go Blue!! The evening festivities took place at the lovely Dearborn Inn where everything was beautifully decorated. Kim from RC DJ kept the dance floor going. She was great to work with too.

Trailer in HD

Muniba & Asif

2008-08-16T22:13:00.003-04:00

Muniba and Asif had a very unique wedding venue....from the lake view ceremony to the reception on the Infinity....it was beautiful! The skyline of Detroit was breath taking from the water. One would never guess you were in Detroit. There was such a nice "peace and calm" looking out into the water. Muniba's wedding gown along with the bracelets that she wore were filled with lovely details. It was a very enjoyable evening of celebration working alongside with Ray Anthony.

Trailer in HD

the old fashion way

2008-08-11T23:19:00.004-04:00

We get thank you notes by email and voicemails from clients all of the time commenting on how they love our work. But nothing beats getting a letter or postcard by good old mail. To me, spending the time and effort of writing a note, addressing envelope, and putting it in the mail means so much. So when I got a postcard from Shannon, I was over joyed.

Thanks Shannon, you made my day!!!

Maurice and Nina

2008-07-26T21:54:00.004-04:00

Maurice and Nina had an interesting start to their wedding day. To top it all off....one of her bridesmaids got hit by a car!! Fortunately, she was not seriously hurt and there were not any broken bones. This did not dampen things, as Nina was excited to get ready at the Royal Park Hotel. As always, Royal Park Hotel is one of our favorite places to be at and working alongside with Janet is always a plus!! Once the ceremony was over, we went to downtown Rochester with Prem and Cheridy from Arising Images. They are always a blast to work with!! Congratulations Maurice and Nina....you guys were wonderful!!

Trailer in HD

Vote for Us!!!

2008-07-23T11:23:00.003-04:00

We have been nominated as one of the videographers in “Vote 4 the Best” contest that channel 4 (WDIV Detroit) is sponsoring. We are very excited about this opportunity. We have been very blessed to have worked with many wonderful couples. We truly enjoy being able to capture the memories of one of the most important days of your lives. If you feel that we qualify to be voted “The Best”, please go to the link provided below and vote for us. You are allowed to vote once per email address. If you have multiple emails, you can use them and vote again. The voting process is very easy and fast (less that a minute of your time). Once you have voted, an email will be sent back to you to confirm your vote. You have to confirm it for the vote to count. If you have any friends/families that have seen your video and just loved it too, please forward this and have them vote for Take 1 Productions. We appreciate your support! Please provide any comments too.

Vote Here

Who am I

2008-07-17T01:00:00.002-04:00

I had some free time to film some beautiful landscape while I was in Washington state last week to produce a promo video for a great photographer, David Beckstead. My whole family took the trip with me and the kids had a blast staying at David & Kassandra's house and playing with baby Asia. Pics to be posted later.

I am so Blessed with all the things that are going on. I cannot script a better life. But sometimes I do ask myself "who am I?"

Jennifer & Steven

2008-07-14T00:10:00.005-04:00

Jennifer and Steven were such a fun couple. You could see the joy in their faces throughout the entire wedding day. Both had smiles on their faces that went from ear to ear. Jennifer looked beautiful in her Vera Wang gown. The reception event was held at Max. M. Fisher Music Center. We also met David Deutsch who was the photographer. Him and his crew were very nice to work with.

Trailer in HD here.

California Trip

2008-07-08T02:32:00.009-04:00

Don and I haven't seen our kids for about 2 weeks as they have been vacationing in California with grandma and grandpa. We finally took some time off to join them in sunny California to celebrate my grandmother's 93 b-day (their great-grandma) in addition to Serena's and my dad's b-day.

Despite taking some time off, Don is still diligently editing....notice him working in the airport terminal and on the plane!!! I don't think I could ever get tired of the weather out in California. We crossed over the Bay Bridge to get to Walnut Creek where my grandma and aunt/uncle live. We spent some time walking around and shopping (very nice stores), the kids swam in the hotel pool, and of course we also visited Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco. We came home for a short weekend to film a wedding and then we are off again to Washington.....more on that trip later. But no need to fear....we will be home soon again!!

Joanne

@ Metro waiting to board

editing in the air

crossing the Bay bridge

the kids missing Don for 2 weeks

shopping

swimming at hotel

Stacy & Austin

2008-07-06T02:17:00.007-04:00

were married at Christ Church Cranbrook and had their reception at Pine Lake Country Club. The day started off with rain but it cleared up nicely. Both Stacy and Austin got ready at the Townsend Hotel. The event was coordinated by Carolyn from China Closet and we got to work again with one of our photographer friends, Ray Anthony. The reception was quite the party with the Larry King Orchestra playing and "Sparty" showing up for all the MSU fans.

To view the trailer in HD go HERE.

Here is Ray's slide show

California Blue Skies

2008-06-23T16:25:00.005-04:00

A friend of mine from California, Julie Hill of Elysium Productions, needed help to film a wedding for a special client. Julie and Alex Hill own one of the most well known studios in California and they do awesome work. So last Friday, Joanne and I flew to California to shoot the wedding on Saturday. We spent sometime with the Hills for dinner on Friday at a great Mexican restaurant in Laguna Beach. The view of the beach, cliff, and sun set was spectacular. Joanne just loves the ocean and she wants to move now but boy it’s expensive out there. Gas was at $4.79 / gallon compared to $4.09 here.

Alex & Julie treated us to dinner

I worked with a well known photographer, Jose Villa, who shoots in film. I had a chance to look at the engagement pics book with him and they were great. He definitely has the eye. Brooke Keegan of Details Details was the coordinator for the event. She made us feel really comfortable and kept us in the loop as what was going on at all times.

Cali’s weather was beautiful! Palm tress, sound of waves crashing, smell of salt water, and blue skies inspired me to create this trailer.

We are back in Michigan now and it is hailing outside. UGH!!!

2 in the Knot

2008-06-19T19:40:00.002-04:00

Congrats to Kasey and Danielle!!! Two of our Brides are in the Fall/Winter issue of the Knot. Check out the articles on their wonderful weddings and then check out the trailers.

2008-06-19T19:36:00.002-04:00

Kasey & Jordan

2008-06-19T19:25:00.003-04:00

Danielle & Augustus

Happy Birthday Big Sis!

2008-06-19T09:55:00.001-04:00

One of my sisters is turning the BIG 5…0! There will be a big party this coming Saturday but I will not be able to be there because I have a wedding gig in Huntington Beach, California. I am a little bit bummed that I’m going to miss it. :-( I didn’t know she was going to have a party until after I booked the gig in Cali.

I put together a small photo montage of her thru the years to be shown at the party. You will see some shots of me back in Vietnam so don’t laugh too much.

Happy B-day Chi Lyly! I love you!

Same Day Edit - Shannon & Keith

2008-06-16T00:06:00.008-04:00

Wow, what a wedding reception! This was the very first reception at the MGM Casino Hotel and it was awesome! We are honored to be the first wedding filmmaker to document this grand occasion. The Grand Ball room was decorated to the max with butterflies and beautiful lighting. The wedding cake was huge with butterfly decor. The event was put together by Laura Davis from Laura Davis Events. Laura has a knack for details and it showed. Her staff of 4 was all over the place making sure everything was running smooth. The photog of the day was Patrick Able from Special Moments Photography. I have not worked with Patrick for a while so it was nice to see him again. The dance floor was packed thanks to Intrigue. They are one of my favorite bands as they really know how to jam. Also we found out that our favorite paper designer Tifany of Gourmet Invitation produced all of the stationary.

Below is the Same Day Edit of the wedding day which was shown in the lounge after the formal dances. It was a challenge to include the first dance in the SDE in a short period of time.

To view the SDE in HD click HERE

Oh…one more thing. Happy Birthday Laura!!!

Devon & Ralph

2008-06-10T21:58:00.006-04:00

Two words to describe Devon and Ralph's wedding would be unique and exceptional. It was anything but a "typical" wedding. Devon's gown had beautiful intricate designs throughout. The wedding was held at The Royal Park Hotel where the ballroom was transformed with a lovely head table and an awesome stage and lights for their band, Morris Day & The Time. The band was really good as they use to play for Prince (or the Man formally known as Prince). This was probably the first time where the reception was like going to a concert. As always, we had fun working with Prem and Cheridy from Arising Images.

Thanks MIVA

2008-06-08T18:46:00.001-04:00

Thanks to the Michigan Independent Video Association (MIVA) for having me as the guest speaker at the last meeting. I had a great time sharing my experiences thru the years of being an event filmmaker. I’m thankful for all of the positive feedback from the attendees.

“a very valuable presentation…a lot of fresh ideas and encouragements…you used excellent techniques to captivate the audience attention.”

“Mr. Pham is very engaging presenter. He was not lengthy nor was he too brief. This is my first time attending MIVA and I was impressed. I learn a lot from his presentation.”

“I learned a lot and realize I have a lot more to learn. Video field needs more info like this. Thanks Don. Please come back and share again.”

“I was just looking forward to hearing/learning from you. I have viewed your work and was impressed. I was challenged to grow and educate myself, become the best I can.”

“I have been thinking about reasons for improvements…This was it!”

“I learned some hard facts about my company as well as myself.”

Time to Re:Frame in Austin

2008-06-02T17:57:00.011-04:00

Myself and 7 other studios are putting on workshops in Austin Texas next April. If you are a videographer, you need to check this opportunity out.

Here are the Presenters:

Patrick Moreau

Philip Bloom

Terry Taravella

Bruce Patterson

Kristen*

Julie Hill

Chris P Jones

Joe Taravella

Alex Hill

Don Pham

For more info goto www.reframecollective.com

For Professional Videographers : June 4th

2008-05-30T14:35:00.004-04:00

I will be the guest speaker at the Michigan Independent Video Association this coming Wednesday @ 6:00 pm - June 4, 2008. My topic is "How to bring your video creativity out of the Dark Ages" (title was created by the association Prez). I will talk about Image, Value, Blame Game, Education & Watermelons. Yes you read it right. What does all that have to do with getting out of the “Dark Ages”? Everything! There will also be a mini Game Show where I will be giving out Cash Prizes. I will also be showing some of my clips too. So if you are in the neighborhood, stop by and say hi.

Where: Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites 21100 Haggerty Road Northville, MI 48167 I-696 West to I-275 S to (exit #167) 8 Mile Rd (W) 1st Traffic light is Haggerty Road. Turn right & you'll see the sign about quarter mile down on the right

Members $10 at the door. Non-members $30 Pizza & Refreshments included Feel free to bring a sample of your work for sharing.

Contact Scott Bert, President of MIVA, at info@keepsakevideo.net to RSVP so that he can make sure there will be enough pizza and refreshments for everyone.

Christmas in May

2008-05-30T09:31:00.003-04:00

[I meant to post this a few a weeks ago but things got crazy busy…]

I am going thru an ‘Extreme Makeover’ and it is exciting! I am making a wholesale move to HD! What does that mean? It means I am replacing every piece of equipment: cameras, computer, laptop, editing software, encoding software, monitor screens, batteries, lights, camera bags, microphones, ect…

For the last two weeks I have been receiving deliveries almost every day. Feels like Christmas opening all those toys…uhm…equipment boxes. My living room is full off boxes.

Amber Lights - Senior Fashion Show

2008-05-28T00:31:00.004-04:00

I was asked to put together something quick for Amber Lights Photography Senior fashion show. The Seniors did a great job walking the aisle. The show was at Amber's Huge studio in downtown Mildford.

Enjoy the show!

Same Day Edit - Cindy & Eric

2008-05-26T15:51:00.012-04:00

We had the pleasure of doing a Same Day Edit (SDE) for Cindy & Eric on Saturday. For those of you that do not know what a SDE is, let me explain. What we do is we edit a Recap of the wedding day and show it on a projection screen at the reception. This is something NEW we are offering this year. You can add a SDE option to your package or purchase a SDE only package which is limited to certain days. Not only will a SDE make your reception unique but it will WOW your guest.

Cindy was a great Bride. She had on a classic wedding dress which was simply beautiful. Joanne kept on commenting to me on how classy Cindy looked with that dress...she looked liked "Grace Kelly". I agreed of course.

The photogs of the day were Jessica and Nate from Jessica Johnston Photography . We love working with these guys as they are very creative. I will post some of their pics below once I get them from Jessica. Also had a chance to work with Kate from Purple Clover Events again. Kate was very organized and made sure that the projection and sound system was in place for me to show the SDE.

The SDE below also shows the reaction of Cindy and Eric as they watched it. FYI: the ring on Cindy's thumb was her Dad's wedding ring who passed away a few years ago.

Reactions watching the Same Day Edit. :-)

Lindsay & Dominic

2008-05-13T23:24:00.005-04:00

We had the pleasure of filming Lindsay and Dominic's wedding. It was a mixure of "An Officer and A Gentlemen" (except the groom and guys were from the Marines and not the Navy) and a look of Tom Cruise....check out Dominic's smile when he first sees Lindsay entering in.....doesn't that smile resemble Tom Cruise? I have to say that I just love the uniform look!! The whole wedding party was so much fun to work with. Lindsay was beaming all day, even a little bit of rain that came that day didn't dampen her spirit. The ceremony was held at the beautiful Basilica of St. Mary Antiochian Orthodox Church in Livonia. We also met Stacey from Venture Photography who was wonderful to work with. Here's the wedding day trailer....enjoy!! Thanks Lindsay and Dominic for allowing us to capture your wedding day.

Joanne

got some Blog Love today!

2008-05-13T18:23:00.004-04:00

Aletha Vandermaas from Pearls Events gave us some LOVE on her blog. Aletha is an event consultant on the west side of Michigan. Her blog is full of info as she is very active on the blog. I should learn from her :-)

So if you are a west side Bride, make sure to check out Pearls Events!!!

I want One!!!

2008-05-12T11:44:00.001-04:00

Click Here

Yes I'm a Geek!!!

Back from Vegas

2008-04-17T14:57:00.003-04:00

I was in Las Vegas earlier last week to attend the NAB show. NAB (National Association of Broadcasters) is a trade organization for the television broadcast industry. There were so many people there. Last year there were over 111,000 attendees. I was there to look at toys…uhm, I mean equipment as I am moving to Full HD format next month. What a playground…I mean tradeshow!!! It was at least four times the size of the Auto Show. It took me two days to see all that I wanted to see and my feet and legs hurt so badly at the end of each day. I got a chance to check out Ultra High Definition format at the show. One word…WOW!!!!! This format has 16 times the pixel resolution as existing HDTV. The stuff on the screen was so real I wanted to reach out to touch it. Crazy!!!

Now that the HD format battle is over between HD- DVD and Blu-Ray, I am making the transition to Full HD format (1080p). What that means is that I have to pretty much get new cameras, new editing system and start anew. I will be offering Blu-Ray option to all of my clients whose weddings are in June08 and beyond.

Take me out to the ball game...

2008-04-07T16:45:00.006-04:00

Joanne won 4 Tigers tickets the other day not knowing that the game started at 1:05 pm when she put her name in for the drawing. She calls me up and asked me who am I going to take since the game starts at 1:05? I said "the kids". And she said "umm, they have school dear". "Oh...they can leave early." I replied. "I hate it when they miss school." she explained. "It's OK. We got smart kids, they will catchup what they miss at school." this cool dad reasoned. :-)

We had a great time at the ball park. This was Serena's first Tigers game and she was excited. Of course we had to keep up with the tradition of eating all the junk food we can handle. Between four of us we had 5 dogs, 2 killer burgers, 1 huge nachos, 1 basket of fries, hot chocolate, pops, and 2 tall Labbats for dad.

I saw something for the first time at the game...3 pitches...3 runs. Grilli came out to relieve and his first pitch was a double, his second pitch was a single, and his third was a homerun. Oh, and his fourth pitch was a single too. How sad!!!

Tigers lost but I had a great time with the kids!!!

me @ work

2008-03-23T10:49:00.004-04:00

I had a great time shooting the play. It was awesome to see so many people volunteer and dedicate their time for this production. I would like to thank my buddy Bruce Mandel for helping me shoot this play.

Here are some pics of me shooting at the dress rehearsal.

The Best Story Ever Told:

2008-03-10T18:24:00.002-04:00

Easter is one of my favorite holidays….though I never quite understood what the Easter Bunny had to do with it??!! This year I will be filming our church’s Passion Play. If you get a chance to come and watch it, you will enjoy the drama and music. You will see the life of Jesus unfold before you. To get a sneak preview, check out the trailer from the dress rehearsal.

Click here for info and show time

Batter Up!!!

2008-03-03T17:40:00.005-05:00

Once in a while it is a good break producing something other then wedding films. I was asked to produce this promo clip for David, who is a talented baseball player. Not only does he have skills on the pitching mound but he also has a GPA of 4.0. WOW!!! When David makes it to the BIG league, I can say I knew him when... :-)

Kristen & Emmanuel

2008-02-27T22:11:00.005-05:00

were married at St Hugo...but wait that's not all!!! They will do it again in France in April for Emmanuel's family. The reception was at Oakhurst Golf Club and it was wonderfuly decorated with crystals, snow flakes, blue lighting, and lots of candles by Corri of the Corri Design Group & Events.

We met a new photographer, Mary Potts. She was great to work with. Also worked with TwoFoot Creative for the first time. Ana was on her toes all day coordinating the event.

What is Re:Frame?

2008-02-25T19:21:00.003-05:00

Since last October I’ve been working hard on a project with 5 other Top Notched studios in North America. Our goal is to raise the bar in event filmmaking thru inspiration, training, and sharing. It is a huge goal to undertake but we all love what we do and we all have a passion to move the industry forward. Here is an article from Event DV magazine that was published today about Re:Frame.

This coming October, this group will be putting on a workshop/seminar in New Orleans. I’m just so EXCITED to be a part of this.

Re:Frame

2008-02-24T20:54:00.007-05:00

Ok, the wait is now over!!!

Re:Frame is now LIVE!!!

If you are an event filmmaker, you really need to check it out.

Lisa & Brad

2008-02-20T17:39:00.005-05:00

Being an event filmmaker is pretty cool!!! I get to meet a lot of different people and visit a lot of cool places thru the years. Every event is unique and special but once in a while I get a mushy feeling on an event. How & why I get this feeling I don’t know. Maybe it is from observing the couple’s interaction with each other, the way they talk about each other, the way they look at each other. I can’t really pin it. But I get a feeling in my gut that says…”WOW, these two are going to make it. They are going to have a good life together. They will be blessed.”

One such event is Lisa & Brad’s. I would like share a portion of their wedding movie. The wedding was in Flint and the interview was in Chicago.

A note from Lisa's mom:
No WONDER YOU'RE THE BEST! Oh my word!!!!!!!!!!!! That is BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't wait to see it!!!!!!

Beth

Pics and Awards from Video 08 in Orlando

2008-02-19T17:45:00.011-05:00

I finally got the pics from the 4 EverGroup to share.

Flying to Orlando

Joanne waiting for her nails to dry

Award for Post Ceremony

Award for Event DV Top 25

Award for Ceremony

Award for Complete Wedding

Award for Reception

Truely an international event - Lee from Greece, Jason from Philippines, Chris from Texas (that's a country down south...right?)

get ready to ReFrame

2008-02-05T17:18:00.000-05:00

If you are a videographer, then you need to check out ReFrame! I'm part of a team of extremely talented videographers coming together to create something really cool. I can't tell you much about it right now but stay tune for a BIG announcement. Make sure you sign up for the Reframe Newsletter once you visit reframe08.com.

Time to ReFrame? from ReFrame Collective on Vimeo.

Hottest and Most Influential Videographers on the Planet

2008-01-25T00:16:00.000-05:00

WOW…what a week! I am on an airplane heading back from Orlando after attending an international video conference. Not looking forward to the cold weather. The pilot just informed us that the temperature is currently at 14F in Detroit. Ughhh! Monday night was the Artistic Achievement Awards banquet which also includes the announcement of the Event DV Magazine 25 Hottest and Most Influential Videographers in the World. This year’s list is amazing! The names on the list are some of the Best and most Respected in the industry. So when my name was announced as one of the 25, I was so honored and felt extremely blessed as I walked on the stage to receive the award. Event DV Magazine gave out baseball cards with the members on it. This is a mine.

In addition to Event DV 25, I won 5 Artistic Achievement Awards on Monday night for ceremony, post ceremony, reception, complete wedding, and concept video. The awards are for the international competition I have entered. More too come on this in a later post.

I will post some pics soon.

an Opening

2008-01-05T22:47:00.000-05:00

A while back I posted a recap of Mona and Steven wedding day. Now I want to share the opening to their movie. This clip was influenced by the many Chinese kungfu and love story movies I use to watch when I was in colledge. Those movies were very long! Some of them lasted over 72 hours. I would missed class sometimes cause I was hooked on them.

on the knot

2008-01-04T22:35:00.000-05:00

One of our couple is featured on the current Knot Spring/Summer 08 issue. Congrats Susie & Frank!!! I am not an advertiser on the Knot so I didn't get listed in the article. :-(

Here is a short clip of their day.

Happy New Year

2007-12-31T16:30:00.000-05:00

2007 has been a great year! It was filled with challenges, joy, and pain. I have reached all of the goals I set for myself and more. So here is a short recap:

Invited to present at a video conference in Florida
Won 3 international video awards from WEVA & 4Ever Group
Joanne broke her leg and I was Mr. Mom for 4 months
Launched new website
Created new business card
Went to New Orleans for the first time
Got my dream home theater completed
Made alot of new friends in the video world
Made alot of new friends in the photography world
Started a dinner group for local videographers
Refined the Blog
Started the use of Super8 film

2008 will be even better!!! I have got so much in line this coming year so stay tune for the announcments.

Happy New Year !!!

my kids...Nicholas & Serena

2007-12-24T15:41:00.000-05:00

My two little ones were part of their school talent show. I was really proud as I was filming them on stage. I hope that you will find the words meaningful and profound..."Jesus Paid It All"!

Huiwen & Daniel

2007-12-21T00:04:00.000-05:00

were married in Walled Lake and had their reception at Brentwood Country Club. We worked with Ray Anthony, who was the photographer for the event. This particular wedding was special to us as the couple was from our church, Faith Baptist. It was nice to see familar faces as Pastor Woody was the officiant for the ceremony and Mark Kerr played the piano. Huiwen's parents and sister came all the way from China to attend the celebration! Daniel's family had a special bond and his dad was his best man....how cool is that! You could see the love and joy on Huiwen and Daniel's faces all day.

Danielle & Augustus

2007-11-12T20:25:00.000-05:00

were married at St. Joseph's Church in Downtown Detroit and had their reception at the Detroit Athletic Club. The day was sunny and windy which made shooting outside a little challenging but we were able to get some great shoots in the alley. Jessica Johnston and Nathan were the photographers of the day and we had a great time working with them. I'll post some of Jessica's pics below once they are available.

While creating this trailer I had two songs in mind...one was fast and the other slow. I couldn't make up my mind which one to use so a made two trailers. Have a look and tell me which one you like better in the comment section.

HERE IS THE SLOW ONE

HERE IS THE FAST ONE

November 8, 1991 was the Best Day Ever

2007-11-09T17:00:00.000-05:00

Why? Because that was the day I married Joanne. Yesterday was our 16th wedding anniversary. We dated for 6 years before getting married so that is a total of 22 years being with each other. Do you know what’s cool, after all these years I still get excited seeing her every day just like when we were dating. Yes I'm a blessed man. Yesterday we went to our favorite restaurant, The Tribute, to celebrate.

I have shown numerous wedding videos on the web but this one is special. Its mine! This is from a VHS tape so the quality is not too good. Digital video was not around in 1991. My kids love watching it! To me and my family this video is priceless! Now don’t laugh too hard when you watch it.

I Love You Joanne!!!

Emerald City Designs

2007-11-08T16:53:00.000-05:00

We were invited to the Grand Opening of Emerald City Designs new location yesterday. One word...WOW!!! That place was amazing! The show room was packed with beautiful table setups and the offices were really cool. David Mcknight is a great designer. I've done many events where David and his crew decorated the reception hall and they never fail to impress me with their creativity.

At the party we ran into Cheridy from Arising Images. She is expecting in 3 weeks and we are praying for her and her soon to come baby.

Here are some pics:

Cheridy and her belly :)

David McKnight

New Orleans meeting

2007-11-03T12:19:00.000-04:00

I met up with some of the best wedding film makers in the world in New Orleans for three days. Not only did I have a good time partying with those guys but we had 2 long days of discussions on what we can do to better the wedding video industry. More to come on this in 2008.

Here are some pics of the gang:

From the left: Kristen* - Bliss* Video Productions, me, Julie Hill – Elysium Productions

From the left: me, Terry Taravella – Studio Vieux Carre, Chris Jones - Mason Jar Films

From the left: Joe Taravella - Studio Vieux Carre, Alex Hill – Elysium Productions, me, Victor Sizemore (cool photographer) – VCS Photography

Bruce Patterson – Cloud Nine Creative

Mona in Flash

2007-11-02T12:08:00.000-04:00

I've posted this before in windows media format but I think it looks so much better in flash.

2007-10-28T11:35:00.000-04:00

Sorry I've been away for a month. So much is going on and doing long hours of editing. So I'm popping in to say "hi" so you know that I'm still alive. I got an iphone last week to help me keep in touch with everyone easier. I love this thing!

I will be going to New Orleans this coming week to meet up with some of the best videographers in the world. I'll blog while I'm there with my iphone :)

Marissa & Kevin

2007-09-25T18:42:00.000-04:00

were married in Birmingham and had the reception at Oakland Hills Country Club. We finally had a chance to work with Carolyn R. Hefner of The China Closet. We have heard so much good things about Carolyn from other planners. The dinning room was beautifully decorated by David McKnight's crew from Emerald City Designs. We also worked with Ray Anthony who we haven't seen in a while so it was nice working together again.

Bridal Fashion

2007-09-16T19:06:00.000-04:00

This is what I will be offering in 2008.

Real Films...Real Super...

2007-09-15T19:35:00.000-04:00

I have been wanting to produce weddings with film for a long time but I have never had the courage. Well I finally stepped up and did it! I just love how film looks. It's just so romantic, so sexy, so nostalgic, so warm, so beautiful. Don't get me wrong, digital video is great especially with HD. But film has a unique feel that can not be duplicated with any special effects...believe me, I've tried.

I am making preparations to launch Don Pham Films next year with film in concert with HD as part of my productions. So here is a film clip for you to enjoy.

I'm a Cool Dad today

2007-09-11T18:20:00.000-04:00

Those of you who know me knows I'm a workaholic. I get around 5 hours of sleep per night with all the things I have to do. But don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. I have been blessed with this crazy schedule and I welcome it. However I do stop working from time to time to spend quality time with my kids. After all, they are the reasons for me to work so hard.

Three months ago I planned to take my boys to a Tigers game without telling them. I wanted it to be a surprise. However, good tickets were so hard to come by cause the Tigers were so hot. In addition, I wanted to go to a day game cause I wanted to pull the boys out of school to go to the game. But the plan went south due to no tickets available other than nose bleed seats. How cool will that be to have me show up at the school and tell my boys "Get your stuff son, we're going to the Tigers game RIGHT NOW" in front of their class mates. My wife thought it was a BAD idea to pull the kids out of school but hey...I wanted to be a cool dad :) .

My prayer was answered when the Tigers added a makeup day game on September 11th. I quicky bought the tickets and boy were they great seats...11th row behind home plate! Yeah Baby!!

I picked up the boys in the middle of class today and they were very surprised. We went to the ballpark and had a great time. One of the rules of the Pham family is, when we go to a pro sport game, we must eat all the junk food we can handle. And boy did we...no dinner for me tonight.

Oh and the score was 13 to 6...Tigers got killed!!!

facelift of The Blog

2007-09-10T18:12:00.000-04:00

I have made some changes to the blog. Hope you guys like it.

Katie & Michael

2007-09-03T14:11:00.000-04:00

were married at Cherry Creek Golf Club. It was my first wedding at Cherry Creek but I have played golf there many times years ago. The weather was perfect! We worked with Prem and Cheridy from Arising Images again. Those two made us laugh all day :)

Here are some cool pics from Arising Images.

Kristie & Michael

2007-08-21T23:07:00.000-04:00

We had such a unique venue to film at this wedding. Kristie and Michael were married at the Herry Ford Museum. The ceremony took place on a theater stage and the reception was in the center of the museum. Talk about cool decorations! You had an airplane flying overhead, train coming down the hallway, and an old vintage McDonald sign. It was definitely a reception site like no other. As a guest, you get to take a step into the past while celebrating a new beginning with the bride and groom. Kristie and Michael, along with their children, celebrated their new life together.

Kasey & Jordan

2007-08-20T22:06:00.000-04:00

Kasey and Jordan had a wonderful outdoor wedding at Meadow Brook. The weather was just perfect. Kasey and her bridal party got ready at Royal Park Hotel. She then met Jordan on the beautiful grounds of Wyndgate Country Club before the actual ceremony. The reception was held outdoors under an elegantly decorated tent....it even had a cool lounging area! I am still at awe by the tent...it just took my breath away! The night was filled with great music by the band Joyride. We had such an enjoyable time filming the wedding too with Arising Images. It was definitely a beautiful wedding!!

Here are some cool pics from our friends Prem & Cheridy of Arising Images.

Wahoo!!!

2007-08-14T11:36:00.000-04:00

Found out late last night that I won a Creative Excellence Award from WEVA, the largest video association in the world. Weva is having their annual Expo out in Las Vegas this week. Last night was the opening ceremony where they announced the winners of the International competition. Regarded as the most prestigious video award in the wedding and event industry, the Creative Excellence Awards Competition honors those who display outstanding achievements in creativity and technical excellence.

I was blessed with a Silver Award in Short-Form Wedding Production. I would like to thank Illana & Noah for allowing me to produce their wedding which was the winning entry. Boy I wish I was there last night to receive the award but I have too many weddings to edit.

Here is a sample clip of the reception party of the winning entry. Illana & Noah rented a night club to have their party. How cool was that!

Christina & Brian

2007-07-31T22:34:00.000-04:00

What a cool couple! They were so laid back and fun. The ceremony was at the beautiful Ukrainian Catholic Church in Hamtramck and the reception was at the Ukrainian Cultural Center. We headed to Belle Isle for a photo session with Deborah Lambrecht after the ceremony and ran into some skate boarders. A light bulb went on inside my head as soon as I saw them. I asked the skaters if they could do some freestyle around Christina and they agreed. Check out the footage!

Vote for Us!!!

2007-07-19T21:03:00.000-04:00

Trash The Dress

2007-07-17T17:17:00.000-04:00

So what are you going to do with the wedding dress after the wedding day is over? How about Trashing It!!! Trash the Dress has been a growing trend. So much so that it has been on The New York Times, Good Morning America, ABC News, Entertainment Tonight. So what is it you say? Well…it is a photo and/or filming session of the Bride wearing her wedding dress posing and playing in unique environments. If you are working with a good professional, the outcome will be amazing.

Trash the dress is not for everyone. You either Love it or Hate it. There is a website that photographers and videographers around the world submit their work to get posted. I was fortunate to get my Trash The Dress video posted yesterday. Go to the website and see some amazing work by really talented artists. But first a word of WARNING. If you get queazy seeing wedding dresses costing thousands of dollars get dirty, wet, muddy…don’t go there. If you Love what you see and want to Trash your dress…we can help you! :-)

The website - trashthedress.com
My post – Trash The Dress Detroit

Here are some photos of my TTD session and some cool pics from the TTD site.

feets

2007-07-10T20:20:00.000-04:00

I was reading over my blog entries when I realized that I write about weddings too much and hardly anything about my life, my interest, my thoughts, my family. Well I should...I think. I'm going to start anyways.

First thing I would like to announce to the world or at least the cyberspace world is that I LOVE my wife. She is more than I deserve and ever dreamed of. God was truly generous to me when I married her. My three kids are great! Each is truly unique in character which makes parenting fun and challenging. Here is a pic of the kids.

Melissa & Ryan

2007-07-08T19:30:00.000-04:00

got married at St. John Lutheran Church and had their reception at the beautiful Royal Park Hotel. We had some time between the ceremony and reception so we went to downtown Rochester for some cool shots. Prem and Cheridy from Arising Images were the photographers of the wedding day and they were so fun to work with. Check out some of the pics at the end of this entry. And now, the Teaser…

Here are some cool pics by Arising Images.

Lisa & Rastko

2007-07-01T18:03:00.000-04:00

Their wedding and reception was at the beautiful Royal Park Hotel. We just love filming at this venue! Janet and Julie are great coordinators to work with. The conservatory and reception hall was wonderfully decorated. Lisa and Rastko were such an awesome couple to work with. Just by looking at them, you could see their love for one another. Before the ceremony started, we had a chance to go with them to downtown Rochester. We were able to capture some great shots. We also meet a new team of photographers. Jessica and Nathan from Jessica Johnston Photography were so nice to work with. They are a husband and wife team. It is always nice to meet someone new in the industry and be able to work well together. Oh yeah….the coolest thing was the Persian Ceremony that Lisa and Rastko had after their announcement into the reception hall. It was very unique! Here’s their trailer……

Here are some pics from Jessica.

Something Different

2007-06-24T22:59:00.000-04:00

It has been a while since my last entry but I have been so busy. I guess that’s a good thing. I want to share a new feature I will be offering. I don’t have a name for it yet but in the video industry it’s called Bridal Highlights.

I want to thank David Beckstead (American Photo’s Top 10 Wedding Photographers in the World) and Kevin Kramer (Expert Wedding Fashion Photographer) for allowing me to work with them on this project. A special thank you to Jessica for being such a great Bride. When watching the video you would never guess that she is a Doctor specializing in Radiology.

Sabiha & Julius

2007-06-03T22:05:00.000-04:00

Sabiha & Julius had their wedding at Wellers Carriage House. The day was full of excitement with sun and rain. It was raining "cats & dogs" in the middle of the outdoor ceremony. Everybody ran for shelter and the ceremony continued. Sabiha and Julius did not let the rain put a damper on their day.
I met two new photographers from Arising Images. Prem and Cheridy are a husband and wife team and are wounderful to work with.
Here is the teaser of their wedding day.

Here are a few pics of the day by Arising Images.

and the Winner is...

2007-06-03T21:52:00.000-04:00

Lisa from Illinois. Congradulation on sending in the winning picture of your rings. Lisa won a $50 Macy's gift card.

Don Pham Films

2007-06-02T11:39:00.000-04:00

Coming in 2008 will be a NEW branch of Take 1 Productions. Don Pham Films will be developed to meet the needs of the most dicriminating clients and destination weddings. If you like what I produced now, you ain’t seen nothing yet!

Jennifer & David

2007-05-30T23:09:00.000-04:00

The wedding day started off with rain but it turned out to be a beautiful day for Jennifer & David. Both the ceremony and reception took place at the Carriage House which is at Pine Knob Golf Course. Jennifer was such a relaxed and fun Bride, it was really easy to work with her. It was really cool when I received an email from Jennifer's maid of honor asking when the trailer will be up. It is a wonderfull feeling to know that people are really anxious to view my work. So here it is...the trailer.

A Wedding in Ohio

2007-05-16T14:06:00.000-04:00

Last Saturday I was in Ohio for the wedding of Amanda and Michael. Michael is such a laid back kind of guy. It was a riot seeing him cooking breakfast with all the Groomsmen in his pirate hat Saturday morning. The ceremony was at Olivet Lutheran Church and the reception was at Sylvania Country Club which was decorated with an Asian theme. As I was filming the table settings, I noticed that the table number cards and the seating chart were really nicely done. Come to find out later that they were designed by the well known Tifany from Gourmet Invtations.

It was a 16 hour day for me to cover 5 different locations. I was really tired at the end of the day but being able to capture special moments for this nice couple made it all worth while. I would like to thank Ralph Cabildo for helping me out as 2nd camera man. He was fun, full of energy and great to work with. I also worked with a new photographer Roy Katalan.

Here is the trailer.

A Thank You Gift

2007-04-28T10:37:00.000-04:00

When I started this blog I thought no one would ever be interested in reading it. To my surprise, the traffic on this blog is awesome. Way beyond what I expected. To say ‘Thank You’ I would love to offer everyone a gift. But since I’m broke, I can only afford to give one gift. So I’ve decided to have a contest. All you need to do is e-mail me a picture of your wedding or engagement ring. Be creative…think outside of the box. You don't have to be one of my clients to enter. You can be married or not, male or female, pretty much no rules. I will post the winning picture on May 31, 2007. Oh yeah...the prize will be $50 gift card to Macy’s. Have fun!!!

E-mail your picture to yestake1@aol.com

12 Angry Men

2007-04-25T17:47:00.000-04:00

I love a good story. It can make me laugh, cry, angry, happy, shocked, inspired. A good story can create so much emotion. But a story is only as good as how it was told. Over 20 years ago I watched a move call “12 Angry Men”. It was made in 1957 staring Henry Fonda. The whole movie took place in a jury room where 12 men debated on a murder case. I was riveted to the screen and I enjoyed every minute of it. After the movie was over I asked myself why did I enjoy the movie so much? After all there were no action scenes of gun fights and special effect explosions, no bad villains, no grand sceneries…nothing. All it was were 12 guys locked in a room debating and yet it was a great movie. How can this be? And look at all of the awards this movie got:

Best Foreign Actor (win) - Henry Fonda - 1957 British Academy Awards Best Director (nom) - Sidney Lumet - 1957 Directors Guild of America Best Picture - Drama (nom) - - 1957 Golden Globe Best Actor - Drama (nom) - Henry Fonda - 1957 Golden Globe Best Supporting Actor (nom) - Lee J. Cobb - 1957 Golden Globe Best Director (nom) - Sidney Lumet - 1957 Golden Globe Best Adapted Screenplay (nom) - Reginald Rose - 1957 Academy Best Director (nom) - Sidney Lumet - 1957 Academy Best Picture (nom) - - 1957 Academy Golden Bear (win) - - 1957 Berlin International Film Festival Best Picture (nom) - - 1957 National Board of Review

The reason why it was such a good movie is because of how the story was told. The director took the script and with his vision and interpretation, successfully created this drama using what I believe to be the basics of movie making: composition, details, lighting, soundtrack, and most importantly timing. Of course good acting helps a lot too.

As a wedding film guy, my goal is to create movies that tell a good story using those 5 principals. It does not matter if the wedding is extravagant or modest, if the couple is shy or outgoing, if the wedding day is short or long, my challenge is to use my vision and interpretation of the wedding day and create a one of a kind movie for my clients. Unlike Hollywood I have no script to follow, no retakes, no control of lighting…actually no control of anything. It’s a challenge but I welcome it.

The following are short clips of various wedding movies I have produced using those 5 basic principals. See if you can spot them.

Ouch!#@!? My Leg...My Leg....

2007-04-16T18:14:00.000-04:00

It’s been a while since my last post. I’ve been extremely busy with projects, marketing, and of course tons of editing. As if that was not enough…I am now Mr. Mom too. My darling wife slipped on some stairs and broke her left leg. So now I’m the cook, the chauffer, the laundry guy, the bath guy, the what ever needs to be done guy. But I’m not complaining…life is good and God has blessed my family and I beyond my comprehension. OK, enough of my adventures…back to wedding flicks.

I would like to share a Music Video Recap of Emily and Steven. They had the reception at Comerica Park. How cool was that! As you listen to the lyric of the song, which was Emily’s choice, notice the name on their Tiger jersey. Now that was even cooler!

The Resurrection and The Life

2007-04-01T16:34:00.000-04:00

This is a trailer of an Easter play I produced last year for a local church. The play is on again this year and I encourage everyone to go see it. It's a nicely produced play with lots of great music.

April 5 & 6 - 7:00 pm
Faith, 3411 Airport Road, Waterford
248-623-7330 www.hisfaith.net

Amber Lights

2007-03-15T16:47:00.000-04:00

Back in December I met a new photographer at a wedding I was filming. Amber from Amber Lights Photography was a pleasure to work with. Joanne recently visited Amber at her studio in Milford to share ideas and our work. When Joanne came home, she kept talking about how big and impressive the studio was. Amber's photographs are very stylish. Brides in Florida hire her to shoot their weddings all the time. You can check out some of the pics of a wedding we worked together below.

It's A Remix!

2007-03-12T21:11:00.000-04:00

I had an opportunity to re-edit a trailer I did last November for a client. The Bride, Jennifer, has no idea that I'm doing this. So if you are reading this Jennifer...Surprise!!! If I had all the time in the world, I would never stop editing my work. Cause everytime I look at my work, I see things that can be changed or altered to make the movie flow or look better. Of course no one ever sees these minor changes but myself. OK...I'll admit it. Most of the time I edit for myself not for the client. Oh well...

3...2...1...Launch!!!

2007-03-06T17:07:00.000-05:00

I launched our New Website last night! I'm really excited and pleased of the look and feel of the site. It's more of a representation of our creative style than the last website. I have a lot of positive feedback already and it's not even 24 hours yet : )

Check it out www.capturingthemoments.com

Lovett Hall

2007-02-22T19:36:00.000-05:00

We were recently invited to The Henry Ford in Dearborn to show our International Award Winning clip of Lovett Hall to the staff. The staff loved the clip and asked us to provide the clip for them to share with Brides. We are honored of the request.

For those that do not know, the Lovett Ballroom is a 1930’s ballroom with glittering chandeliers, polished teak floors and a grand staircase setting the scene for any elegant event. We have filmed many wedding receptions there so I can say first hand that I do get a feeling of stepping back in time when entering the ballroom where Henry Ford once hosted his guest. Very Cool.

Here is the Pre Reception clip of Lovett Hall.

Coming Soon

2007-02-19T22:43:00.000-05:00

I'm working on a face lift of my website. It's going to be cool, hip, and edgy. I don't have the exact launch date yet so stay tune. I would like to thank Kevin Kramer of Advantage Photography for allowing me to use his awesome images on the site.

This year will be an exciting year for me as I'm taking my productions to an even higher level. Having a new website is only the begining. Oh yeah, I also have a new businees card...check it out.

Gigi & Fawzy

2007-02-02T22:28:00.000-05:00

GiGi and Fawzy was such a gentle and soft spoken couple. Their love for each other was revealed to me by their whispers of how much they love each other after the ceremony. The whole bridal party was packed in a small room after the ceremony awaiting the guest to leave the church so they could do the formal pics at the alter. The room was loud and hectic but Gigi and Fawzy were too much in the moment to notice. They just stared at each other and whispered ‘I love you’s’. Although the room was packed, I was able to get into position and captured this special moment on video.

The photographer at this wedding was Gary Seraphinoff and he was great. As a matter of fact, Gary did my engagement photos 16 years ago. Gary does not have a website yet but you can go to Brides of Detroit to see his work.

Here is the teaser of this wedding.

Back From Florida

2007-01-13T12:08:00.000-05:00

Just got back from Florida last night. The video convention was awesome. I had a little problem getting to Florida Monday when I missed my flight. The traffic was terrible due to the heavy snowfall that morning. I finally got to Florida around 11:00 pm. I was really bummed that I missed the award banquet Monday night. I had submitted a few videos for the International Competition and would of loved to have been there to find out if I was lucky enough to have won one. As I was walking thru the hotel, I was greeted with a big hug by fellow videographers from Oklahoma, Mark And Trish of Picture This Productions. They told me that I won 2 Awards and one of them was First place (Diamond Award). I was overcome with joy and it made Monday not to be so bad after all. That’s 2 years in a row I’ve won first place in one of the categories. I feel so Blessed!

My presentation of the Live Edit went well on Tuesday. I was given 8 hours of raw footage of a wedding in New York by the Association. I was to edit a recap with the footage on stage in front of an audience. Here is the Promo for it.

After the presentation and thru out the convention week, I was approached by many saying that they had enjoyed my seminar and learned a lot from it. That made me feel really good to be able to pass on my knowledge of editing to videographers around the country. The other two editors, Chris Watson from Texas and Julie Hill from California, did a great job with their Live Edit. It was cool to see how each of us created different styles of edit from the same raw footage.

Here is my Live Edit.

I learned a lot from the convention and I cannot wait to implement some new ideas and techniques to my wedding movies.

Sarah & Ryan

2007-01-05T00:10:00.000-05:00

Sarah & Ryan got married at The Royal Park Hotel in the conservatory. The reception was held in the Royal Grand Ball Room elegantly decorated with lots of candles and projected stars on the ceiling. Sarah & Ryan surprised the guest with a choreographed first dance as they entered the ball room. The toast was made extra special with a lighted cube in every champagne glasses. I have never seen anything like that before…it was cool.

The band Mega 80’s packed the dance floor all night. Their name saids it all. They specialized in 80’s music and they were very good. I see lots of bands in my years and I must say they were unique and entertaining.

I met a new photographer at this wedding. Amber of Amber Lights Photography was very nice to work with.

This is the teaser of Sarah & Ryan wedding

GO Nicholas!!!

2006-12-11T22:32:00.000-05:00

I'm so proud of my son Nicholas. His inline hockey team made it to the Finals this year. His hard work over the summer with an instructor has really paid off. His team did not win the Finals but Nicholas left it all on the rink. He gives 100% at everything he does and that is what I'm most proud of. Here is highlights of the game.

Mona & Steven

2006-11-24T15:02:00.000-05:00

Mona and Steven’s wedding ceremony was at Kirk In The Hills. The grounds were beautiful for taking pictures and one of my favorite photographers, Kevin Kramer of Advantage Photography, was working with me. Kevin's style is best described as wedding photography with a fashion flair. The reception was at The Townsend Hotel where the dance floor was packed all night long. The band Intrigue was excellent. They performed a famous Chinese song flawlessly with Stella on vocal. The guests were surprised and amazed.

Mona’s mother was unfortunately in China and could not be at her daughter’s wedding. Mona asked if I could produce a video clip to share with her mother when she goes to China next month. Here is the trailer of their wedding day.

I love the video trailer! It was really beautiful , powerful. I can't wait to share it with my mother and everyone else.

have a happy holiday season,
Mona

I'm Going to Florida

2006-10-29T20:01:00.000-05:00

A national association has invited me to be a presenter at a conference this January in Florida. The thought of being in a warmer place in January for 5 days was inviting. What I will be presenting is called LIVE EDIT. I will be editing a wedding recap in front of a live audience for two hours with raw footage supplied by the association. I have never edited a recap from footage that I have not filmed myself, so it is going to be interesting. As I am editing, I will be talking about my methods, thoughts, and why I edit the way I do.

A Sweetest Day Wedding

2006-10-24T22:14:00.000-04:00

Last Saturday I had a Sweetest Day wedding. Jennifer and Joseph tied the knot at St Hugo and had their reception at Oakhurst Country Club. This was my first time at Oakhurst and I must say I was impressed. The decoration Jennifer had was perfect for a fall wedding. I always keep an eye out for details and I noticed she even had a little leaf on the table number cards which was cool. Tifany from Gourmet Invitation made all of the paper products and they were very classy.

Check out the Movie Trailer for Jennifer & Joseph posted on 'It's A Remix!' .

This is amazing. Just got back from the honeymoon and opened this up. I started crying!!! Thank you so much for everything - we cannot wait to see what comes next!

Don, I have to say - I LOVE the trailer. I love the music - I absolutely love it - if it works with our final, please include that same music - it's my favorite!

Sincerely,Jennifer and Joseph

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I just wanted to say WOW about Jennifer's wedding video. It is truly amazing and I can't wait to see the whole thing.

Tifany

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Jennifer, that was the best wedding video (trailer) I've ever seen. You must be thrilled. You looked wonderful as well as the church, reception, etc. The camera angles were great. I don't know how they did it. I think my favorite part is you walking up the spiral staircase.

I hope your proofs come out just as good.

Thanks for sharing this.

Anna

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Wow - that is really pretty. It makes me want to get married again!

Catherine

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I had tears in my eyes watching the trailer too - I can't wait to see the full thing. They did a REALLY, REALLY nice job. Very cool.

Raegan

The Start of Something New

2006-10-18T15:02:00.000-04:00

This is the start of something new…THE BLOG. I am pretty excited to use this as a means to share my thoughts and work. I am so blessed with so many weddings that I may have a hard time keeping up with updating this blog but I will surely try.

Recently I was asked to produce a ‘Trailer’ for Royal Park Hotel. That place Rocks! The conservatory is a great place to have a wedding ceremony. You can check their website out.

Take a look at the Royal Park Hotel Trailer