Goodbye Old Blog

Thank you for visiting but we thought it was time to build a new blog and would like to redirect you to our new blog at:

http://www.northernlightfilmworks.com/blog/

Northernlight Filmworks on LensFlare35

John was recently interviewed by an organization that provides resources to photographers called LensFlare35. LensFlare35 happened to see one of our recent films that we used the Canon 5D Mark II. It was the Heirloom Session that was previously highlighted on our blog. John enjoyed speaking with the show's host Dave Warner. You can check out the interview here...LensFlare35... and some other cool interviews on the site.

Jennifer + Jaime | The Mercados|

Jennifer + Jaime from Northernlight Filmworks on Vimeo.

This was a wedding we filmed in Indianapolis, IN at Saint Mary's Catholic Church. This is one of the city's most beautiful old churches. As luck would have it, we actually filmed a wedding the day before in this same church and the Groom from the first wedding knew the couple for the wedding the next day. Jennifer and Jaime were so easy to work with and they really meshed with our laid back kind of style. The reception was held at the Conrad, downtown Indianapolis. We worked with Rockstar photographer Chad Franz, who we had a blast working with.

Heirloom Session | Moore Family |

Heirloom Session - Moore Family from Northernlight Filmworks on Vimeo.

NOTE: Press PLAY then PAUSE and allow the video to load before playing.
This is a new offering by Northernlight Filmworks. It's called the Heirloom Collection. The concept is that we capture moments during the family photo session. These moments give legs to the personality of the family and how they interact with each other, including the photographer. Our style is to film very similar to a lifestyle shoot. We believe that this style is best at capturing the authentic personalities. In addition to the photo session, we also offer the parents the ability to talk about each child and to discuss funny stories or milestones. This provides the parents the opportunity to talk about their own relationship and how it has evolved as a family. We also like to offer the opportunity for the children to sit with each other or by themselves and just talk. Our job is to help them relax and to engage and interact with each other. Can you imagine, 20 years from now, watching a mini documentary about your young family? Priceless.

We look at what we do as poetry in motion. Life is short and we want to be able to help families document their lives and those important milestones or moments in time.

The Heirloom Collection doesn't stop with young families. It could be young couples without children or even Grandparents. Each Heirloom project is unique and hand made to each client. Life is a documentary.

We shot this session with Carpenter Photography and Design, who did an amazing job with the images. The relationship the photographer has with their client is critical in getting the images you see in this film. The Moore family were so much fun. It was fun watching how the children engaged with each other and their parents. They sure do love each other.

Thank you to the Moore Family for letting us in on just a little snapshot of your life and your family. The children are so cute and they are going to break some hearts someday.

Victoria & Jason

Vicky & Jason from Northernlight Filmworks on Vimeo.

We really enjoyed Vicky and Jason and their wedding and reception was beautiful. We met with them a couple times before the wedding and filmed their engagement shoot, which you can see here: http://northernlightfilmworks.blogspot.com/2008/08/jason-vicki-save-date.html


We used a little Super 8 film to sprinkle in their wedding highlight. The wedding was held at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Indianapolis, which is a beautiful church. We worked again with our good friends Kevin and Alicia Monahan with Kevin Monahan Photography. We had perfect weather on the wedding day. The wedding planner was April Foster of April Foster Events and she did an amazing job and was very helpful. Having a planner takes so much of the stress away from planning to even the wedding day itself. The reception was at the Crowne Plaza, which just happens to be one of our favorite places to work. The staff there are first class. Souled Out Band rocked through the night, they are such an entertaining band.

While editing this film, I kept thinking about how much these two are in love. You can see it in their eyes and just how much fun they have with each other. When we spend a period of time getting to know our couples, the films always mean more to us and Jason and Vicky were certainly no different. Jason and Vicky are two of the nicest people you could meet. We wish them all the best. I'm sure we will remain in contact with them.

John & Jennifer Moon
www.northernlightfilmworks.com
Wedding Cinematography

Woodstock CC Classic - Maggie & Hunter

Woodstock Country Club Classic - Maggie & Hunter from Northernlight Filmworks on Vimeo.

This is a short trailer of a wedding we recently shot at Woodstock Country Club in Indianapolis, IN. The wedding was beautiful and was something you might find in Town and Country Magazine. Everything from the Bride her dress, flowers, cake and setting set the stage for a memorable wedding. We enjoyed working with Photographer Jennifer Driscoll. The flowers by Posh Petals were amazing. The intro to this film features members from the Buffoons, which Hunter was a member. Cool stuff. More of them in the final edit.

Congratulations to Maggie and Hunter who are currently on their Honeymoon in Aruba.

Northernlight Filmworks
Wedding Cinematography
*Watch for our new website*

We are Featured on "The Bride's Cafe"

We were excited to learn that some of our Super 8 Film work is being featured on a popular wedding blog called The Bride's Cafe. If you want to stalk a blog, this is one to keep an eye on for the latest trends and to get some ideas for your wedding.

The film featured is a film we shot at the Ambassador House for the now married Jessica. The Ambassador House is one of those quaint places you might find in a magazine and is a fabulous place to have your wedding and reception. We shot this along with our good friend and Photographer Jennifer Driscoll. This shoot really fit her style so well. Jennifer does an amazing job creating art out of photography. Kiralee of eyeMAX was the makeup artist and she did a superb job as always.

We shot with a vintage 1965 Canon Super 8 camera and used a combination of color and black and white film stock. Film has a romantic feel to it and has an organic quality to it aside from screaming Vintage. It's not so much about obtaining a crystal clear image as it is about setting a mood and film is an archival medium that allows us to be artists and to think in terms of cinematography and being selective about each shot. In addition to Super 8, we also shoot 16mm film. We really love 16mm and particularly the black and white stock....beautiful stuff. All of our film is purchased from a lab in California on an as needed basis so that it is always fresh. The film negatives are then sent to the same lab for processing and any special effects passes that we might want.

We have also been shooting 35mm high definition, which has the look and feel of true movie cinema. The 35mm HD is a nice compliment to any film stock that we might shoot.

We are Featured in an International Magazine

We were interviewed some time ago about a concept video we produce. When we started doing them, it was something that we didn't see being done, so we tested the waters a bit. We started offering Save The Date videos for couples to use as they see fit. The couple could purchase DVD's to send out or at no extra charge send out a link to the digital file or if they had a wedding website, they could embed the file in their site. The great thing about it was it was original and set us apart and it was also something unique and cool for our clients to use.

Each one of the Save The Date videos we produce are different than any other that we do, primarily because we plan it that way and we also look to the personality of the couple.

Here is a link to a digital copy of the magazine should your heart desire. http://www.eventdv.net/Articles/News/Feature/Coming-Attractions-Selling-and-Producing-'Save-the-Date'-Videos-56016.htm

The Wedding of Aaron and Cindy

The Wedding of Aaron and Cindy from Northernlight Filmworks on Vimeo.

We absolutely love when couples put a lot of thought into making their wedding unique. Cindy and Aaron's wedding is to date the most unique wedding we have ever captured. We found out while Cindy was at the salon that she and her mother made her wedding dress, and this was not your typical dress. She asked Aaron how he envisioned her walking down the isle and that is what created. Cindy loves butterflies and the entire wedding theme revolved around butterflies, from some of the fabric in her dress, to the flower girls, to Cindy's wedding band, to the cake, to the matron of honor's speech. Cindy and Aaron even wrote their own vows, which always makes me tear up. We had the pleasure to film in the beautiful Chapel of the Resurrection at Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, Indiana. the stained glass windows are breath taking. The reception was held at Sand Creek Country Club in Chesterton, Indiana. One of the highlights of the reception was the amazing band they selected, Crawpuppies. Thanks Cindy and Aaron for choosing us to document your day. We had a blast!

Romantic Super 8 Film

Alicia & Chad - In romantic Super 8 from Northernlight Filmworks on Vimeo.

This is a short film shot all in Super 8 film. Super 8 film was very popular back in the late 60's and early 70's. We shoot this on a vintage Canon Super 8 camera. The film is ordered on an as needed basis from California. We shoot the film and then have it processed at the same lab in California.

Super 8 does have a different feel to it. The texture is more organic than video and it enhances the romantic feeling of the day.

We also shoot 16mm film with another vintage 16mm Canon camera. 16mm is a very beautiful format.

This particular film of Alicia and Chad was shot at the historic Scottish Rite Cathedral in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana.

Haiti

Nehemiah Vision Ministries from Northernlight Filmworks on Vimeo.

This is a very short documentary of our trip into Haiti. This trip really opened my eyes to an incredible need and how even my worst day does not even compare. Simple things we take for granted are a luxury in Haiti. Haiti has been hit hard by natural disasters and it was quite evident as we flew along the coast.

We believe in paying it forward. Every year, we focus on a project that allows us to use our talents and resources to bring awareness or to further a cause we believe in.

A special thanks to Nehemiah Vision Ministries for flying us down to Haiti and a special thanks to Espérandieu Pierre for allowing us to stay at his home....the food was great!


John

Emily & Clint - At the Columbia Club

Emily and Clint - Columbia Club from Northernlight Filmworks on Vimeo.

This was a beautiful wedding we filmed at The Columbia Club in Indianapolis, IN. We always enjoy filming there. The history of the facility alone radiates romance. We really enjoyed spending time with Emily and Clint. Emily's father gave such an eloquent speech and it adds great depth to the film. We spent just a brief moment with Emily right before she descended downstairs and we always love the authentic feelings we get at moments like that. We also spent a few moments with Clint right before he walked in for the ceremony.

We worked with Eventfull Planning, who did an amazing job. We heard both Emily and her Mother comment on how happy they were with the way things looked. The wedding day is full of unexpected things and Eventfull Planning kept the event moving along and on time. We also worked with Photographer Stuart Meyer of Stuart Meyer Photography for the first time. DJ Bryan Whitis, who we always enjoy working with, kept things alive and well and rocked the place. The yummy cake was from Classic Cakes and the floral arrangements were from Posh Petals (some beautiful flowers).

Northernlight Filmworks - Opening doors to your Story

Northernlight Filmworks from Northernlight Filmworks on Vimeo.

This is just a short sample of some of the weddings we shot recently. There are many tools that we use to help communicate the story of you and your wedding day. We enjoy the different personalities that each couple offers and the interesting backdrops that help establish sense of place. To us, each wedding has it's own texture and although every wedding is somewhat structurally similar, we believe that each has it's own identity.

Thank you for taking the time to view and comment.

Randi & Whitney

Randi & Whitney from Northernlight Filmworks on Vimeo.

This was such a fun and beautiful wedding to witness. Randi has a natural beauty about her and is complimented by an authentic personality. Randi and Whitney were surrounded by great friends and family. We always enjoy just putting our cameras down, sitting back and watching the interaction between those people that have touched the couples life. There are moments during this film that we tried to capture that told a bit of a story of the day. One of our favorite moments in the film is when Randi is with her Grandfather preparing to walk down the isle to be escorted to her Father who stood in wait midway, center isle. This to us is a pivotal moment. We never asked Randi what she was thinking but all the planning all the times she dreamed as a child of getting married the memories, the anticipation and excitement was expressed right then and there.

The wedding party was so much fun and we enjoyed heading down to Broadripple to Chumley's to document them hanging out with their wedding party before going to the reception. The reception was held at the faboulous Indiana State Museum and was beautifully decorated.

We worked with some of the best in the business that day. Tonya Shadoan of Circle City Planners did an amazing job with all of the details. Setting that aside, Tonya and Randi developed a great friendship and that is one of the reasons you will see Tonya in the film. Jennifer Driscoll and her assistant Jordyn were the photographers and Jennifer worked her magic in stills and she was even wearing a cast. And DJ Brian Whitis, who did a phonomial job keeping the party going.

Thank you Randi and Whitney for making this a memory for us.

Sean + Sam - Converse, IN

Sean + Sam from Northernlight Filmworks on Vimeo.

PRESS PLAY AND THEN PAUSE AND ALLOW THE VIDEO TO LOAD. ITS A LARGE FILE. WE THINK ITS WORTH THE WAIT.

We enjoyed filming Sean and Samantha's (Sam) wedding last Friday. This is an express edit that we offer as an upgrade. Just because it says express doesn't mean we sacrifice quality. We spent the same amount of time and effort in terms of editing and color grading. Sean and Sam will be celebrating again this weekend in New Jersey so that family and friends there can experience this special time in their life.

We really had a good vibe going with this couple. You can really tell that Sean and Sam are so much in love with each other. They had wonderful family and friends and the moment we walked through the door we felt welcomed.

It was a pleasure working for the first time with Jessica of Lemon Grass Photography.

Emily & Clint - Columbia Club

Emily and Clint - A Columbia Club Classic from Northernlight Filmworks on Vimeo.

This was a refreshing wedding for us and we really enjoyed the beauty surrounding the couple. It was quite evident that both Emily and Clint were close to family and friends and this is a centerpiece of both of their lives. We love the opportunity we have to just sit back and observe the relationships and listen to what they say to each other and how they interact. The wedding day goes by so quickly and we enjoy the responsibility of documenting the day. We build our edits on the basis that everyone has a wedding day story to tell.

We enjoyed working with Teresa and Deanna with Eventful Planning. I have to say, they did an amazing job with the decor and the entire Wedding ran so smooth, even with some time crunch situations. A special thanks to AJ at the Columbia Club for making our job so much easier. Brian Whitis was the DJ who kept the momentum moving and we always enjoy working with him. The cake was created by Classic Cakes. We worked with Stuart Meyer of Stuart Meyer Photography.

In[Focus]

We recently were asked to be part of In[Focus] as featured experts and to contribute as bloggers. There is so much happening right now in the world of wedding cinematography and we are excited to be part of this wave. In[Focus] was born out of a need to continue to educate and raise the bar for those interested in event videography. In fact, the tag line for In[Focus] is "Progressive Education for the Modern Videographer". We look forward to covering some of the tools and techniques we use and to share that to help propel other studios. We are big on looking for and finding things to inspire us and we will share this as well. Just like an artist uses different brushes and colors of paint to express and communicate the art to the viewer, we believe that the tools we use are only a means to communicate your wedding day story.

Randi & Whitney - MARRIED!

Randi & Whitney from Northernlight Filmworks on Vimeo.

This was a beautiful wedding we filmed last weekend and this is just a short teaser for the final film. Randi and Whitney really made our job much easier and they had faith in our production ability and allowed us to be creative with getting the shots that we felt would enhance their film. It was a touching moment when Randi's Grandfather walked her halfway down the aisle to hand her off to her Father who then walked her to her waiting Groom, Whitney.

We had the pleasure of working as a team with Photographer Jennifer Driscoll and Jordyn Kirtley and Assistant Cherilyn Grubba. Jennifer has this amazing ability to connect with her clients, which only helps in getting the best shots. We also worked with Tonya Shadoan of Circle City Planners and my hat goes off to Tonya in her ability to keep things running so smooth and the details of the Wedding and the reception looked stunning. The wedding was at Saint Maria Goretti in Westfield, IN. The reception was held at the Indiana State Museum, which we really enjoyed. The reception was kept alive and well by DJ Brian Whitis.

Thank you Randi and Whitney.

John and Jennifer

ReFrame Austin

We will soon be heading to the wonderful State of Texas to attend ReFrame, which will be held in Austin. We are looking forward to seeing some good friends from around the country and around the world. This will be a 3 day workshop to help hone our cinematography and filmmaking skills. This is an opportunity to learn from some of the top studios around and to collaborate and build relationships. We were in New Orleans last year and could not wait for the next ReFrame. We love any opportunity to study our craft. We will be working with some of the newest equipment available and will be meeting with some amazing talent while at ReFrame.

We believe that pushing our skills and our equipment to the edge will only bring about the best in our ability to create a custom handmade film, just for you and loved by your family.

Thanks,
John, Jennifer and Steve
www.northernlightfilmworks.com

The [Art] of Wedding Cinema

Konrad and Michael discussing Cinevate 35mm adapters.

Ryan Koral and myself working with the Canon 5D Mark II rig

One thing we promised ourselves nearly 5 years ago was that we never wanted to be comfortable with the status quo. As visual artists we need to remain open to new ideas and techniques and to evolve over time. We were invited by Ryan Koral of Epic Motion in Michigan, to attend "The Art of Wedding Cinema" workshop. The workshop was presented by Still Motion, which just happens to be one of the most influential studios around. About 3 or 4 years ago, I stumbled upon the work of Patrick Moreau of Still Motion and have been a fan ever since. Two other presenters with Still Motion, Michael Y. Wong and Konrad Czystowski. I had watched both of their work before they joined Still Motion.

Wedding Cinematography has progressed to such a high level and many of our collegues around the world have amazing talent. The sharing of information and the constructive feedback they share has and continues to improve our ability to provide a wedding film with higher and higher production value.

The Still Motion workshop was an opportunity for us to learn and network with some good friends. But more importantly, setting the technical aspects aside, we learned more about using our skills to communicate a story. We have tools at our disposal and we select those tools as an artist would choose a brush or a color of paint. We discussed optics, light, composition, color grading, etc. We believe that education is an investment in ourselves and our company, which translates into a wedding film that you invested in.

We will be heading to Austin, TX toward the end of April to attend ReFrame, which is a multi-day workshop. We will be among a group of elite wedding filmmakers from the US and abroad.

Photos provided by Studio67.

John & Jennifer

Haiti Documentary

The genesis of this project started a couple years ago with a chance meeting with Esperandieu Pierre and Aarron Sherick with Nehemiah Vision Ministries. Pastor Pierre was in the States trying to raise money for a water well in Chambrun Haiti. As he spoke of the need for clean water, I remembered thinking how we, myself included, take for granted the water that we have. We turn the faucet and expect water to come out. I approached Pastor Pierre and offered to donate my services and talents to help propel the message to a larger audience. Fast forward to a couple months ago and Pastor Pierre was in the US again and we met at our studio and to my surprise, he asked if he could just fly us down to Haiti to shoot what we needed. I told him we would be honored to do this. I would be lying if I told you I was not a little concerned with our safety after reading the US State Department warnings. I then remembered Pastor Steve Poe from Northview Christian Church who once said, "God tends to nudge and present opportunities and you just have to be able to recognize them and sometimes you have to step outside your comfort zone to make a difference." My hesitation was brief after remembering this short but powerful message and I recognized this as my "nudge".

I had performed some research before our trip to Haiti, seeing pictures and learning about the history and the struggles the people of Haiti have gone through and continue to experience. It was a realization that humanity often gets caught up with disputes between governments. The people of Haiti, like you, me and your children have hopes and dreams and have prayers they want answered. Haiti is a melting pot of every social problem you can think of. Working on this project gave me a new appreciation for law and order and that we have an infrastructure that is probably the best in the world. I left the US hearing news of the recession and bailouts and arrived in a country that has an extremely poor economy. The poorest nation in the western hemisphere. People in this country are in survival mode, doing what they need to do to survive, which includes adults and children looking for food in dumps along with dogs and pigs. Women and teens using their bodies as a means of income or for food. There is a multitude of health problems and many people cannot read or write. My brother Steve purchased a wood carving from one of the markets and we asked the man to write Haiti on the bottom....he could not spell his own country. People in Haiti are begging you for money, not for any vice, but for food, to get them through a day or two.

We spent much of our time in a small village which once thrived as a community of people who worked and harvested sugar cane. This was once a lush area. The fields of sugar cane are gone for a number of reasons. There is nothing here. The trees on the mountains were stripped long ago and all is left is the bare mountainside as far as the eye can see. I say there is nothing here, except for small children and adults looking for hope and direction. It was not uncommon to see a little boy or little girl with little clothing on, dirty, and hungry. A young girl while at the school Nehemiah Vision Ministry built, had to lay down on the ground because she was so hungry. Some children will go days without eating. You hear stories of children making mud cakes. Mud cakes are a combination of mud and butter, mixed and then left to bake in the sun. There is no nutritional value but it kills the hunger they feel. But when the children saw us, an incredible contagious smile spread across their face. It broke my heart to look into their eyes knowing their parents were dead or had abandoned them. There are still some children that have a mother or father present but they are all in need. In need of affection, love, food, medical, education, etc.

We met a little girl named Fedlane who was approximately 5 or 6 years old. She was abandoned by her mother and she was found under a small bush, near death, covered with flies. Nehemiah Vision Ministries rescued her and nursed her back to health thanks to the medical mission team. Fedlane and many other children are being cared for at the childrens home in Chambrun, which was created by Nehemiah Vision Ministries for the people of this small community. Images of Fedlane and others will be with me forever.

This was an amazing experience for me and my brother Steve, who also shot with me. As we captured images through our lense and although we witnessed many things this way, we would debrief at the end of each day, sometimes quietly sitting and thinking and other times discussing what we saw and the stories we heard. You wonder how and why we are so blessed. Why not them? Possibly they do feel blessed. Blessed for what they do have. We realized that we have the luxury of traveling to this part of the world but we also have the luxury of escape.

Our trip was short but one last message was sent my way. On our way to the airport Steve pulled to the side of the road to visit one of the street vendors one final time, looking for something to take back. I stood outside our vehicle and watched as Steve negotiated with the street vendor. I felt a slight tug on my shirt and I turned around to see a young boy about 7 years old. He was barefoot and his clothing was tattered and worn. His face and arms were dirty. He didn't speak any english except to say "one dollar?" Without hesitation I pulled my cash out and found a dollar bill between some other higher currency. I handed it to him and he rolled it up, placed it in his pocket and he gave me a hug. This made me think quite a bit because this was a boy who should have been in school. Who was he? What is his story? Our flight back to the States, I looked out my window watching the clouds and thought about the little boy. I wondered why I didn't give him more money. Why not the $5.00 bill or the $10.00 or $20.00. It was one of those moments I wished that I could go back and do over.


Thanks to Esperandieu Pierre and his wife Deanne for there hospitality during our stay. Special thanks to our new friends Aaron Sherrick and Aaron Elliot and for being help behind the scenes.

We look forward to piecing the footage together.

John

Paige & Jonny

Paige & Jonny from Northernlight Filmworks on Vimeo.

We had a wonderful time filming the wedding of Paige and Jonny. This was our first time at St. Luke's Catholic Church and it was wonderful to work there. We decided to arrive a little early and get our establishing shots. There were so many things inside and outside the church to shoot. My favorite shot was inside the sanctuary and the sun light was coming through the stained glass. We were so excited to work with our good friends Nate & Amanda Reynolds of Turtle Pond Photography. We always have a great time when we get to work with them.

We also had the pleasure of working at the Historic Grand Hall at Union Station downtown Indianapolis. The staff there where fabulous and this is one our favorite places downtown to shoot.

Allyson & John

Allyson & John from Northernlight Filmworks on Vimeo.
We had a wonderful time filming Allyson & John's wedding. We met with the entire bridal party at the White River State Park in downtown Indianapolis for photos before the Ceremony. The very talented Melody & Jeremy Carpenter of Carpenter Photography & Design did an amazing job on the photos and we had a blast working with them.

The ceremony took place at New Hope Church in Greenwood, IN and the reception was at the Indiana Historical Society in downtown Indianapolis.

We could tell from the start that this was going to be a very fun wedding.  As soon as the girls arrived at the park they were laughing.  Allyson's father gave a very humorous speech at the reception that had everyone laughing, including me.  Everyone was on their feet dancing the night away and having a great time.  

Thank you John & Allyson for letting us be a part of your day.

Whitney and Mike

Whitney & Mike from Northernlight Filmworks on Vimeo.

This was a beautiful wedding we filmed in the quaint little town of French Lick, Indiana at French Lick Resort. This resort dates back to the mid 1800's and the water in the Springs was thought to be "miracle water". The original Hotel burned in 1897 and was rebuilt by 1901. The Hotel has been visited by gangsters and even a Presidential candidate in 1931, Franklin D. Roosevelt.

This was an emotional journey for both Whitney and Mike. The importance of family seems to always surface when we film a wedding. Even through all the tension, the heat and stress of the day, they always seem to turn out just right for the couple. Whitney looked beautiful in her wedding dress and even though I saw it on her before hand, seeing her come down the aisle in it was breathtaking. We shot alongside Bobbi and Mike who were tons of fun.

Thank you Whitney and Mike.

2009 Bride's Choice Award

WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding technology company, just announced that Northernlight Filmworks has won the 2009 Bride’s Choice Awards™!

In its inaugural year, the Bride’s Choice Awards recognizes and honors vendors from the WeddingWire Network that demonstrate excellent quality of service, responsiveness, professionalism, value of cost and flexibility. This year’s recipients represent the top three percent of WeddingWire’s vendor community, which includes over 100,000 wedding vendors from across the US. That means Northernlight Filmworks is one of the very best videography companies.

Unlike other awards in which winners are selected by the company, the Bride’s Choice Awards are determined exclusively by recent newlyweds through surveys and reviews.

“We are excited to launch this annual award program to honor high-performing vendors based solely on the experiences of our WeddingWire community,” according to Timothy Chi, WeddingWire’s Chief Executive Officer. “This year’s recipients have set the bar high, exhibiting excellent service and expertise in the wedding industry.”

Northernlight Filmworks would like to thank our past clients for speaking on our behalf and helping us win the 2009 Bride’s Choice Award.

Haiti

As many of you know, we are leaving for Haiti to film a short documentary about a school and a church through Nehemiah Vision Ministries. We are moving closer to our goal of $3,000.00. The money will be used to install a lift kit on their bus to keep it out of the water and mud as best as possible. So far, we have raised $820.00. We are departing on March 12th and hope to have the full amount before we leave.

If you would like to contribute to this cause, please send a check made payable to Nehemiah Vision Ministries. Please mail your contribution to Northernlight Filmworks 23 South 8th Street, Suite 700 Noblesville, IN 46060. Your cancelled check should suffice for a tax receipt but if you would like a receipt, please indicate to us that you would like one.

Thanks so far to:

Genesis Church
Jack & Myrna Moon
Tim and Madelyn Clark
Andrew & Brittany Ramsey
Michele and Todd Reel
Metody Popov and Kendra Allen
Scott & Becky Miller
William Reiner

Featured on April Foster Events

We had the pleasure of meeting April Foster of April Foster Events and sharing a little bit about us and our studio. We are looking forward to working with April this year. She has a very nice blog with lots of helpful information.

You can read our feature here: April Foster Events

Thanks April for taking the time to meet with us.

John, Jennifer & Steve
www.northernlightfilmworks.com

LeAnn and David - Indianapolis Wedding

LeAnn & David from Northernlight Filmworks on Vimeo.
This was a beautiful wedding we filmed for LeAnn and David. A great couple and a great family. This was a memorable wedding for us since we filmed their engagement shoot, the rehearsal dinner and then the wedding. The rehearsal dinner was more like a wedding reception and the guests had a great time. The dinner was held at the Woodstock Country Club.

We filmed this in high definition and you will also see a section where we shot Super 8 film. Primarily this was when LeAnn was getting ready. We worked with Wedding Planner Casey Scott of Etcetera, who did a remarkable job. Andrew Scalini was the photographer.

The wedding was held at St. Luke's United Methodist Church in Indianapolis and the reception was at the Indianapolis Museum of Art, one of our favorite places to shoot.

This edit is an example of our long version highlights. These do take longer to edit because of the focus in building the edit to tell the story of the wedding within about a 20 minute window. There is also several hours involved in color grading each clip.

The most memorable part of this wedding for us was the speech that LeAnn's father gave. It was moving and emotional. We love witnessing the families and how they recall the important memories. It's not the "stuff" but the things you do with each other. The moments that seem suspended in time until you come back to retrieve them.

Sincerely,
John and Jennifer Moon
"Don't forget the story of who you are"
www.northernlightfilmworks.com

Super 8 Film - Bridal Elegance *Jessica*

Super 8 Film - Bridal Elegance - Jessica from Northernlight Filmworks on Vimeo.
This was a Bridal Elegance shoot we did with Jessica, who is getting married later this year. She is a natural in front of the camera and could easily grace the cover of any style or bridal magazine. This was our first to shoot alongside the incredibly talented Jennifer Driscoll. Jennifer has the most authentic and sincere personality, which is so critical when connecting with couples.

The location is a rising star as a unique venue for weddings. The house is called "The Ambassador House". This is a historical structure dating back over 170 years ago. Go here Ambassador House, to read more about the history.

This film was shot with Super 8 film stock. We used Kodak film both in color and black and white stock. The film was processed at a lab in California. There are 3 or 4 shots that we shot using 35mm lense adapter, which gives video a very film like look. These are just a few of the tools that we utilize to give your wedding film a professional timeless look.

After spending the day shooting, we collected our thoughts and recreated in our mind what we thought the day portrayed. I kept getting a French style vibe. Jessica just had this French elegant style look that day. The song French Song by Kate Walsh was a perfect fit. If you like folk style music, you have to check out Kate Walsh.

A special thanks to April Hensley at the Ambassador House for allowing us access to the home and for being so patient. The makeup was done by one of our all time favorite makeup artists, Kiralee with EyeMax by Kiralee. Jessicas stunning hair was done by Irina Green. Flowers were donated by McNamara Florist. Thanks for Leslie Jones of Leslie Jones Weddings & Events for handling the wedding dress for us. We are grateful to be surrounded by true professionals who are passionate about what they do.

Finally, thank you Jessica for being so gracious with your time and sucking it up and walking around on that cold day. Your soon to be husband will certainly have one of the most beautiful brides.

Thanks,
John and Jennifer
'Life-Love-Laughter'
www.northernlightfilmworks.com

Make a Difference - Haiti

John and Steve will be traveling to Haiti to film a short documentary about a school and a church in Haiti. We need your help. We made contact with Nehemiah Visioin Ministries today to find out what their most immediate needs are. They indicated that their bus needs a lift kit for safe passage after a heavy rain. The cost of installing a lift kit is $3,000.00.

The departure date for this trip will be somewhere around March 12th and we would like to raise the needed $3,000.00 before that date. There is not a lot of time but we know it can be done.

If we just get 600 people to give $5.00 it's a done deal. We will be posting photos and some video of the trip. If you would please help us spread the word, I know there is a village in Haiti that would be so grateful as would we.

Please make the check out to Nehemiah Vision Ministries and send to our studio at 23 South 8th Street, Suite 700, Noblesville, IN 46060. Your cancelled check should serve as a tax receipt but if you would like a receipt, please indicate so and we would be happy to e-mail or mail you a receipt.

Thank you.
John, Jennifer and Steve

6 years of marriage

 

This Sunday, January 25th will be our 6 year anniversary. It's hard to believe 6 years have gone by. We are so blessed with our 5 children, family, and friends. Thanks for all your love and support. We are so thankful for our growing business and the best clients.

I was looking at our photo album remembering our wedding day. So many emotions were flowing. I remember crying as soon as I got my dress on. I was so overcome with happines. I had found my Prince Charming. Then when I walked down the isle and saw him waiting there for me. Wow, did he look awesome in his suit. I am reminded of our wedding day weekly as our clients get up in front of their family and friends to say their vows. I always look over at John when the vows are being said. That is one of the perks of our job.

Happy Anniversary John! I love you and I am so blessed to be your wife. You truely are my soul mate and other half. I can't wait to discover what our next 6 years have in store for us.

Jen

Adam and Kimberly - A Classic Wedding

Adam & Kimberly from Northernlight Filmworks on Vimeo.


We travelled to Chicago to film Adam and Kimberly's wedding. We didn't get a chance to meet Adam and Kim before the wedding but thanks to Facebook, we were able to peek a little into their personalities. We remembered when we first arrived and walked into the house where Kim was getting ready and how beautiful she was. She thanked us for traveling up to Chicago, which meant a lot to us because we were the ones that wanted to thank them for hiring us. We love starting the day out with the Bride and seeing how the day starts out slow and the banter of talk and laughter between family and friends gravitates to a frenzy of activity. Kimberly had this romantic charm to her that begged to be captured on Super 8 film. We shot about 3 rolls of Super 8 film and mixed it in with the HD footage. Kimberly's dress was stunning and it complimented her very well. We met up with Adam and his buds at his house. Adam is one of those guys who probably treats everyone the same, strangers or friends. Thanks Adam for the cheeseburgers :)

There are several moments that we love. The moment the Groom sees his Bride coming down the isle, the vows, the kiss, etc.. We also enjoy observing the relationship that the daughter has with her father. Kimberly's Dad gave a wonderful speech that really made us realize that its sometimes the simple things you do with your children that matter the most. Those things that create memories are often hidden in the moment, but in time, those moments become so cherished. The Father Son relationship was very evident with Adams father and his strong commitment to faith and family. We couldn't help to notice how obviously close Adam was to his mother and their emotional Mother Son dance.

Thank you Adam and Kimberly.

Life Love Laughter
John and Jennifer Moon
www.northernlightfilmworks.com

Patrick + Tiffany = Southern Charm

Patrick and Tiffany - Southern Charm from Northernlight Filmworks on Vimeo.

This was a mini destination wedding for us. The place: Morganfield, Kentucky. A small southern town was the backdrop of this emotion filled wedding of Patrick and Tiffany. Being in Morganfield for a few days really helped us observe the family, friends and the couple and how they all interacted with each other. It was always quite evident from the first time we spoke with Patrick on the phone, that relationships and family were top on their list. Being in the wings we picked up on how well connected the family was to the town of Morganfield. Not in a political sense but a connection of the heart. The Groom and the Brides family seemed to dance in concert with each other and lean heavily on their faith. The family's of both were so sincere and the hospitality was very much appreciated. We had an opportunity to interview both Patrick and Tiffany and these are always very relaxed and it just becomes a conversation, which inherently brings out true and authentic emotions. Spending time with the couple without being invasive props the edit up as being true and sincere.

My colleague Chris Jones of Mason Jar Films, coined the term "Indie Cinematic" and that's how this edit feels to us.

Thank you Patrick and Tiffany, for making this a memory for us and we wish you both all the best in your quest to leave your mark in life.

Sincerely,
John and Jennifer Moon
www.northernlightfilmworks.com

Molly and Jeff

Molly & Jeff from Northernlight Filmworks on Vimeo.

This was a wedding we filmed for Molly and Jeff in Anderson, IN. We also filmed their love story, which was shown at the reception. We love doing the interviews because it helps us get in touch with personalities and to observe the chemistry of the couple. The wedding was beautiful.

We worked alongside one of our favorite photographers, Matthew Gordon. We always enjoy seeing the work he places on his blog.

Experience the Difference - Wedding Cinematography

Photo by SB Childs Photography

It's hard to believe that 2009 is here. We had an outstanding year in 2008 and we met some of the greatest couples and worked with some of the best wedding professionals around. We have so many memorable stories and funny things happen. We keep saying that we need to keep a journal and write a book someday. When all 3 of us are working together the chemistry is so good and we really do enjoy the work we do. We made several trips to Chicago this year and we always enjoy filming there.

In 2008 we were voted Indiana's number one videographer by Channel 6. Setting the award aside, it was the heart felt comments that we received from current and former clients. We traveled to New Orleans as part of an elite group of wedding cinematographers called ReFrame, to network and discuss techniques and just have fun. In April we will be traveling to Austin for ReFrame again. But before that, John will be traveling to Haiti to film a short documentary on a school that has been built and a water well project. Stay tuned for that.

2009 is going to be yet another great year. We are very excited about some new collaborations that we have in the works. We will continue to film weddings in HD, explore some new technology and continue to push our work to the edge. We are always aware that the heart of your film rests with the story of the courtship, the proposal and the wedding day itself. Too often we get caught up in the technology and how great HD looks or the latest and greatest camera. We have been guilty of that ourselves. But our commitment is to focus on the relationships. The parents, the couple, family and friends. Wedding Cinematography is as much about the stories as it is the imagery. Our style is not to be invasive but to capture those candid moments. This is one of the most important days of your life and we take the responsibility of capturing those brief moments in time seriously.

Northernlight Filmworks produces highly customized films so that your wedding film will be tailored to your personality and to mirror the emotions of the day. What sets us apart from others is our ability to be true storytellers. We specialize in wedding cinematography. If you want your wedding to have a more vintage romantic feel, we are the only studio in Indiana that shoots Super 8 and 16mm film for weddings. All stock is purchased fresh and processed in California. (Super 8 sample) We also shoot with 35mm adapters to give the video a more film like appearance. Northernlight Filmworks also offers Same Day Edits. A Same Day Edit is a highlight of the day, which is shown during the reception. (Sample here)

As always, we look forward to meeting new couples and fostering a positive relationship from the day we meet and beyond. We have so many former clients that we feel are friends. Its always bitter sweet for us as we pack up our gear at the reception and say our goodbyes.

Give us a call or e-mail us and we would be glad to meet with you at our studio downtown Noblesville or wherever it is most convenient for you. We are rapidly booking dates for 2009 and we are looking forward to some fun places this year.

John, Jennifer & Steve Moon
Northernlight Filmworks

Schedule Consultation

If you like Jack Johnson

I happened to run across this artist on Pandora radio on my iPhone over the holidays. If you like Jack Johnson, you will love Donavon Frankenreiter. It's such great cruzin music and if you close your eyes, you just might flash back to those days of doing nothing but diggin your toes in the sand and staring out at the ocean blue. When I first heard his music it had the same vibe as Jack Johnson and I did a little research and discovered that they are actually good friends. The lyrics and the music itself have such great depth and soul to it.

I love the song "Life, Love, Laughter". Isn't that what we all want :) I told Jennifer last night that the song was going to be our theme song for 2009. I can't wait to see him in concert sometime.

Check the song out here.

Adam + Laura

Adam + Laura from Northernlight Filmworks on Vimeo.

This was an engagement shoot that we shot for Adam and Laura. They will be able to use this as a Save The Date video announcement. This is not meant to replace the traditional Save The Date cards but only to enhance them.

This was shot at the Indianapolis Museum of Art (IMA) grounds and also at Broadripple Village. We liked how the two location contrasted with each other. We shot for the first time with Jessica Strickland, who does some amazing work and she does a great job in relaxing the couple to bring out the natural personalities, which makes our job much easier.

Adam and Laura were so much fun and they just rolled with whatever the environment was and made this a fun evening. We are looking forward to spending the day with Adam and Laura on their wedding day.










John, Jennifer and Steve
www.northernlightfilmworks.com