Waterford Wedding

On Friday I was in Waterford, CT for Emily and Bryan’s wedding. All events took place at the Eolia Mansion in Harkness Memorial State Park. It’s a beautiful location, overlooking Long Island Sound, with extensive grounds.

It was one of those days we’ve had most of June, threatening rain. After a brief shower while the bride was putting on her gown in an upstairs room, the weather cleared and the decision was made to go ahead with the ceremony outdoors as planned.

The rain held off until the reception began, followed by clearing, and a rainbow appeared over the Sound. (Which always makes the photographers and videographer happy!)

Sports Recruiting Video

On Saturday, I was at the New Haven Track & Field Center, shooting a recruiting video for two runners, a brother and sister. Sports recruiting videos are often used to give a college coach their first impression of a high school athlete. They are more commonly used in basketball, soccer, baseball, or football recruiting.

I taped each athlete running a 1600m race, and they each won their heat! What’s usually done next is adding graphics & text, like a short bio or list of accomplishments. Freeze frames and graphic arrows can be used to highlight a player, so the coach knows who they’re supposed to be watching.

With scholarship money hanging in the balance, recruiting videos are becoming a common investment for potential college athletes.

Mount Holyoke College, Hotel Northampton

1st Anniversary thank you from a bride’s mother:

Dear Tom,
Okay, I know I already sent you an email about the wonderful job you did on my daughter’s and son’s-in-law video, but I just had to write again. Because they just had their first anniversary, and because we were together with relatives for the fourth of July, we played the video for everyone. They couldn’t get over how truly beautiful it is. We are amazed that you took a whole day and managed to condense it into a beautiful work of art. I guess in these days, anyone can point a camera and record an event, but your artistic choices on what to film and how to edit it (I suspect the most important part of the job) made it stunning. Thank-you again.
Lorraine

(Laura and Jeremy were married at Abbey Chapel on the campus of Mount Holyoke College, with a reception at the Hotel Northampton.)

The Bradley Home

The Bradley Home video has been finished for a while, but now is online on their website.

Built in 1938 to serve the aged community of Central Connecticut, The Bradley Home is located in Meriden, CT. The staff were great, and the residents were amazing. Everyone we talked to couldn’t stop praising the place. They have some beautiful gardens which the residents help maintain. We spent a day and a half there shooting a promotional video which they will use on their website and distribute on DVD to potential residents and their families.

Humorist

So, what was I doing in a room of 120 women last Friday night? Rudy Wilson Galdonik, a very funny woman, was entertaining a lively crowd at the Girls’ Night Out at Trinity Covenant Church in Machester, CT. I was videotaping Rudy so she could use the footage as a demo. Her humor covers a wide range of topics, including mammograms, ugly cars, cancer, raising children, religion, hiking, and dogs!