Happy Friday everyone! Today, I'm changing it up a bit for our Q&A series and I am featuring a fantastic filmmaker from the Kansas City area, Tim Seley Studios! I first met Tim through his awesome band,
Moving Rushmore, and I've been following his work ever since. Enjoy!
Let's start with a little bio, tell me about yourself.
I'm tall, need a haircut desperately and am expecting my first child (a little girl! yikes!) at the end of July. My awesome wife and I have been married six years now and we also have a little cockapoo named Spartacus. If you're into that whole "internet" thing you can find me lots of different places but I'll just include a few:
How did you become a filmmaker?
Short story, long... I used to want to be a 3D animator and work for Pixar. I did a little slideshow for my parents anniversary when I was in high school and they were convinced I should do video. Fast forward to college and I'm living in Haymaker Hall. Every year they have this event called Haylapalooza wherein they bring in a bunch of mediocre local bands. A friend and I ran around with a video camera interviewing band members, pretending like we were supposed to be there, and generally making a nuisance of ourselves. Fast forward a few more months and I ended up taking the camcorder with me on a mission trip and making a little video of the trip. it was the first time that I saw the sort of impact I could have using video as my "voice." Then all of my college friends started asking me to film their weddings.
How would you describe your style?
Documentary style. In wedding circles "documentary style" tends to get a bad rap and is often used to describe videographers that either have zero technical ability or no creativity. But if you watch a compelling documentary it has all of the same characteristics of a regular narrative film:
An interesting cast of characters
TASTEFUL and UNIQUE music
and most importantly... a story
This may sound really egotistical, but I love the cinematography in the TV show Friday Night Lights and feel like my style is similar.
Why should I book you for my wedding?
1) If you like my work
2) If you trust me
3) If you have an extra million dollars sitting around and would like to give me an exorbitant tip
If you had to pick your favorite piece of equipment, what would it be and why?
This is going to sound lame, but my wireless microphone. I really hesitated buying it when I was first getting started because I was on a shoestring budget. I asked my good friend Kirk Hutson what I should do and his motto is "buy once, cry once" and he was so right. I've gone through 7 or 8 different cameras, and all sorts of other misc gear, but that wireless mic was so worth it.
What is the best advice you have received regarding your business?
Charge what you're worth
Its one of my latest and I just loved that I had a couple that would let me use jónsi for the music.
Ryan & Laura: A Steampunk Preview from
Tim Seley Studios on
Vimeo.
This goes in my books as my first "steampunk" themed wedding.
Email us (info@labrisaphotography.com) about your upcoming wedding or to schedule a portrait session!
La Brisa Photography