Why the imperfect is sometimes perfect
This is a short snippet from Maisie and Dan's Highlight Film, and it's one of those edits where everything just came together. It goes from the ceremony, into the confetti shot, and then into a speech from Maisie's sister that honestly had the whole room.
What I love about this little run of footage is how much it moves. You go from this quiet, emotional ceremony straight into the madness of confetti. Then just as quickly, I pull you right back into it with a speech that was so personal and real it stopped everyone in their tracks. That shift in energy is something I'm always chasing when I'm editing and when it lands, it’s just gold.
For the confetti shot, I actually gave one of the guests a camera to use. I do this sometimes when I know having another angle is going to add something, and in this case, it acted as a second angle for when the imperfect moment, became perfect.
The funny thing is, the confetti shot nearly didn't happen. It was freezing that day, and the wind was really picking up and Maisie and Dan weren't sure about a confetti shot. But I had a gut feeling, so I pulled them aside and said trust me, let’s do it.
And then Dan tripped.
Genuinely one of my favourite moments from any wedding I've filmed this year. Right in the middle of it all, confetti flying everywhere, and Dan trips as they both walk down the stairs and everyone lost it. When I saw it back in the edit I didn't even hesitate, it was definitely going in the film.
That's the thing about Weddings. The moments nobody planned are usually the ones people remember. You can't fake that kind of thing. You just have to be ready for it and thankfully I’ve the experience in filming weddings to know when to give advice, when not to, and ultimately to know when to keep the camera rolling.
Maisie and Dan — thank you for going for it on a cold and windy afternoon. I told you it'd be worth it :)
If there's one thing that runs through pretty much everything I make, it's this. I want people to feel something, and then feel something different, and then feel something again. Ceremony to confetti to speech, it’s solid commitment, to chaos to tears and emotion. That cycle of emotion is what makes a wedding film actually worth watching back. It's what I'm always building towards when I'm in the edit.