{The Wedding Standard}

Josh Morris is one of the few wedding videographers I know with a BA in Film Production. One look at his work and it is obvious that this guy has not only the creativity but the skills to back it up. His wedding trailers make you feel like you are previewing an upcoming movie. Like a real movie. Enjoy his fun answers to my questions both great and random, grab a bag of popcorn and watch a couple breathtaking trailers he has recently created.

To start things off watch Adriana + Steve's wedding from this August!

Where did you come from?
Me come from rocket ship. Land on earth to dominate world. Okay, well… close enough. I moved up to San Luis Obispo from Corona (SoCal) with my family when I was 13. When I got married, my wife and I moved to Santa Margarita and lived there until we bought our home in Atascadero. Lord willing, it’s where we’ll stay till' I kick the bucket.

What is your education background?

I received my BA from Biola University, with a major in Film Production and a minor in Biblical Studies.

Where did the name “Rain Studios” come from?

I know the thought of rain for a production company specializing in weddings seems a bit odd, but there’s a good reason behind it. I’ve always loved the imagery of rain. It’s something that brings cleansing and life. Our tag line is, “Bringing life to media.” And that’s just what I’m striving for – a fresh perspective that isn’t confined by what is, but what can be. That may sound a little cheesy, but it’s what I’ve founded this company on.

Your style is unlike typical wedding videos. How would you describe your cinematic style?

In my opinion, when you hire a “professional,” I think you should get a professional product. When we shoot and edit a wedding, we’re trying to create an experience that people other than just the bride and groom will want to share in. Weddings are such amazing events – I mean really, think about it – two people are committing their everything to each other for the rest of their lives. Sometimes I feel like even our “cinematic style” will never do full justice to such an awesome moment.

Tell us about the trailers that you post on your website. Do couples see that before they receive the final movie?

Definitely! The ‘movie trailer’ idea was a concept I accidentally stumbled across a few years ago. It was one of those moments where you can’t believe you didn’t think of it sooner! The reason being, that for the most part, people don’t often have the time to sit down and watch an entire wedding day unfold on video (especially if they were a guest at the wedding). The trailer provides a means for friends and family to get a glimpse of the entire day in just a few minutes.

How long is the finished project?

This will vary greatly depending on the couple’s wedding and what package they choose to go with. Typically, we run a 3-5 minute “highlight reel” of the preparations (makeup, hair, getting in dress/tux, setting up décor, floral arrangements, etc.) followed by the entire ceremony, from processional to recessional. From there we follow the couple (usually for a few post-ceremony pictures) and then segue into the reception. This will consist of primarily the highlights (bouquet and garter toss, cutting the cake, some dancing, etc.) along with any and all toasts or speeches. On average, the run time for the finished product is about an hour.

Can couples just purchase highlight movies?

Of course! While couples love the packages we offer, we don’t have a set or mandatory format. I really try to make an effort to meet with the couple prior to the wedding day to get a feel for their style and vision. Often, I’ll attend their rehearsal to get an idea of what will work technically and stylistically, and note the details that will make the couple’s special day one-of-a-kind.

What kind of fancy equipment do you use?

We definitely have a few tricks that add a little cinematic flair to our work.

The first is the Glide Cam. Consisting of a vest and a Robocop-Terminator-looking arm, I can literally run with the camera and record a smooth, bump-less, floating feel. I’ll usually bust this piece of equipment out for the reception and dancing.

The second is our jib (also known as a crane). With a 12-foot swing, I can go from shooting between blades of grass to a bird’s eye view of the entire ceremony. Very cool.

I’m a big advocate for being as “invisible” as possible during the ceremony. I would hate to think that capturing aspects of the ceremony interfered with a guest’s experience, so I came up with the ‘Aisle-Cam’. This tiny, HD camera is discretely placed at the lower, front corner of the aisle, and gets a wonderful front-row seat of the processional. Without sacrificing any important shots, disturbing any guests or coming between that moment where the groom gets to see his bride for the first time, we subtly capture every moment.

Do you shoot and produce High Definition movies?
For sure. We offer full HD services, including mastering to BluRay. And now I get to be geeky. ☺

A lot of HDV footage might have a larger pixel aspect ratio than standard definition, but its increased compression will create a very digital and “flat” feeling image. Bottom line: there are a lot of videographers out there claiming “HD” when it’s really a cheapened, compressed version of true HD. It would be wise to research and know the differences so you don’t end up paying for something you don’t need.

If you’re looking for jaw-dropping image and color quality, then HD is the way to go. And for those who want their wedding shot in HD, but don’t have all the necessary viewing equipment yet, we do offer a hard drive storage solution, where we dump all the footage onto an external hard drive for archival, so when you’re ready to go HD, we can bring your video back to life in 1080 progressive lines of beauty.

Where do you get your filming inspiration?

Honestly, much of my inspiration comes from the couple. Every wedding is completely unique and I do my best to tailor our general style to each client’s distinct qualities.

What are your top 5 favorite movies of all time?

This answer is always changing, but for the most part, they are:

1) The Princess Bride. Because “As you wish”, “Inconceivable” and “Hallo, you killed my father, prepare to die” are quotes I could use in just about any situation.

2) Boondock Saints. Because brotherly vigilantes are just rockstars.

3) 300. Wicked dedication. “Spartans, what is your profession?”

4) The Notebook. Yes, I’m a guy. Yes, I watched The Notebook. And yes, I would secretly run away with Ryan Gosling if he asked.

4b) Love Actually. Sorry, I had to slip this one in. Because, let’s face it, love can be messy and lines like, “Alright, let’s get the s**t kicked out of us by love!” are so real-life.

5) Magnolia. Because no matter how many times you watch this masterpiece by P.T. Anderson, you’ll find something new.

What kind of effect do you want to have on your couples the first time they watch their wedding movie?

Many couples have described their wedding day as a blur and it’s my hope that we help them relive every kiss, word, smile and tear with their wedding movie. I can’t tell you how many times I meet married couples that say one of two things: A) “One of our biggest regrets is not hiring a professional videographer.” or B) “We are so glad we hired a professional videographer! We never realized how much we had missed or forgotten during the day!”

My ultimate goal is that as they watch their video and hear the vows exchanged, they find their marriage strengthened and encouraged.

Do you have a family?

Yes! My wife, Katherine, and I are expecting our first! She’s 16-weeks along and in just a few more weeks we’ll find out if ‘Thippa’ (what we’ve temporarily named the little baby after seeing its heartbeat) is a boy or girl! We also have three American Bulldogs (Link, Clutch and Zee-Girl) that have served faithfully as our children until now. ;-)

Did you have your wedding filmed?

Oh boy… I’m in trouble now. Yes, I had a good friend and fellow film student capture our wedding on video. Unfortunately, I have yet to edit it. Katherine keeps reminding me, but it’s definitely a tough thing to do when you always have half a dozen clients’ videos ahead in line.

Where are you going with your career?

Ha. This sounds like a question my dad would have asked me in high school. The fact is, I love telling stories. Weddings are no doubt a means of doing that, but I have found other outlets that are equally exciting. From the deception of African governments (a documentary we’re working on now) to independent short films dealing with the sometimes-not-so-pleasant struggles of real life, I can’t see myself doing anything else. I’m a storyteller. Where that takes me, God only knows.

Do you make other films?

I think I may have accidentally answered this in the previous question. We do make other films, ranging from documentaries to independent films to reality shows for television. We’re currently working on the second season of a series called “The Wine Makers” which, we’ll be shooting in France. Season one airs this Fall on PBS.

Check out this beautiful trailer of Katie + Derek’s wedding that we shot together last February!