Why I do this
As a child, my father had an old 8mm cine camera. We have fascinating old footage of me and my brothers playing in the sand, talking to the camera with no sound. There's something so compelling about seeing the people you love moving about in a memory you have — right there on a screen in front of you.
I've been taking photographs since I was young, but my love of the image really took hold when my father got an SLR camera. Suddenly I could create images that looked how I saw them in my mind's eye — like stills from a film. That's how I see life when I look through my camera. One big epic film. I know there's a moment there that, frozen, will explode out of the frame.
When I'm behind my cinema camera filming weddings, I often think of the people in the future who'll be looking back at this day through my film. Children and grandchildren who will one day be able to see your wedding like this. It's an incredible thing to be trusted with.
Where I work
I'm based on the Wirral, on Merseyside. The North West is my home territory — Liverpool, Chester, the Lake District, the Cheshire countryside — but I love to travel and am just as comfortable working further afield.
I speak good French and a little Italian, which means destination weddings in Europe feel genuinely comfortable rather than merely possible. If your wedding is outside the North West, travel expenses are factored in simply and transparently. I love getting involved with something different.
How I work
Natural
It's your wedding day and you want to relax. I won't ask you to act or do anything that doesn't feel like you. My goal for the day is to fade into the background so you can forget I'm there — a beautifully natural film of what your day was really like.
Friendly
I try to blend in as much as possible, but I am part of your day, and that means being warm and professional with your guests. I love this job and I think that shows. I always tell guests who ask that I am on their side — I want to make a film you all love.
Coverage
I work from two hours before your ceremony until your first dance, and sometimes a little longer. I capture the ceremony and speeches in full, with audio. Where possible I work alongside your photographer during the portrait session to make the most of that time together.
Audio
During the ceremony and speeches I record the audio in full using a professional field recorder — placed on the ceremony or near the altar for church weddings. I find this gives a more natural, ambient sound and is far less intrusive than microphones on the couple. For the rest of the day, I set the footage to music, which lets me be more creative with the edit and means you and your guests can talk freely.
Equipment
I don't use a large camera on my shoulder — I don't want to distract from you or your day. I use a Canon cinema camera, which is a little larger than an SLR but still discreet. I work alone and carry everything in a backpack so I can move freely with you and your wedding party throughout the day.
Questions
Do we choose the music for the film?
For the full film, yes — you choose music. I'll ask you for three songs that mean something to you, to set the three parts of the day: the morning preparations, the afternoon, and the evening. The audio from the ceremony and speeches remains as recorded, so no music is edited over those moments.
For the shorter preview films you see on this site, music licensing works differently, so I use music from professional cinematic libraries made with filmmakers in mind. I spend more time than is probably reasonable finding exactly the right track for each film.
How do we receive the film?
Your full film is delivered digitally, in Full HD 1080p quality. The shorter preview film is uploaded to Vimeo and linked from this site so you can share it easily with friends and family, keep it offline in the Vimeo app, or download it at any time via a private link.
Do we retain copyright of the film?
You are welcome to make copies of your film for your own use and share it wherever you like. For commercial purposes, I retain the rights to my work — a technicality that protects my business should another commercial entity seek to use my footage without permission. Once you have your film, you can copy and archive it as you see fit.
Can you use a drone?
I don't operate a drone myself, but if you'd love drone footage in your wedding film I can arrange this with trusted colleagues for an additional fee. Operating a drone for commercial purposes in the UK requires a licence and the correct insurance — reputable venues will often ask to see these documents, so it's important to work with someone properly certified.