Normally, when we jump on this little love-filled corner of the internet, it’s to share the adventures in romance we’ve chronicled recently.
Like this moody boho dream, complete with gentle rains and furry friends.
This week, we’re doing something a little differently, because photographing weddings and engagements is only one part of our storytelling process. Obsessed with details and the intricacies of love stories, our team shoots, crafts, and edits wedding films, too!
While photos offer memories that last a lifetime, having your wedding captured on video means you can truly relive the most special moments of your life over and over again. Plus, the mountains, mesas, and magnificent historical venues of New Mexico create a filmic experience unlike any other.
To get a sneak peek at the Miller Media wedding videography approach, keep scrolling to read a film-focused interview with our founder, Cheyenne.
When did you fall in love with making wedding films?
When I was in college, I majored in media and graphic design fully expecting to become a graphic or web designer.
But, as luck would have it, I ended up falling in love with videography! My professor hired me to film a wedding and that's where it started. The year I graduated from college, I had the honor of filming my friend's wedding and it snowballed from there.
How is your filming process different from your photography process?
It’s soooo different! In wedding photos, couples can look posed, but with video, you’ll see if there’s any awkward movements or hesitation. Posing for wedding videography needs to look as organic, comfortable, and natural as possible while still being directed for detail.
I organize my videos and work with clients in the same way for film and photography, but video editing is a whole other level of creativity and precision. With the latter, I have to feel and infuse emotion into films during the editing process, whereas the most creative part of photography is already done when the wedding ends.
Why do couples love film in addition to wedding photography?
You can’t hang a wedding video on a wall necessarily, but experiencing the memories through film is completely different than photos. You hear laughter, vows, tears, raw emotion, and true love happening right there, in the moment.
Rewatching your wedding film is like stepping back into the happiest day of your life — you might not realize how much of a difference it makes until you’re crying along to the video yourself!
What are your favorite moments to capture on film?
The moments that pull at my heartstrings the most are when the groom, dad, or mom see the bride for the first time — it’s so easy to get swept up in the love of that interaction.
Other than that magic, I love capturing couple portraits on film too, because they’re super fun and bring out the artist in me!
What's your favorite part of the filming process?
There’s really nothing quite like filming the moment and then getting to rewatch and relive the day during editing. It’s amazing for my growth as an artist as well, because I can look back and see where I need to improve, or where I took one heck of a shot!
My shots are usually planned in my head before the wedding day, so I can fit a certain vibe or aesthetic when I’m shooting and editing. All together, using the shots to the fullest and creating a unique film is the best part for me.
Do you have multiple shooters capturing video content at weddings, or does one member of your team specialize videography?
We have two other team members, my hubby and Thorin, who also film with me! Having a competent team is an important part of our wedding videography approach, because we need groom and bride content at the same time, and different viewpoints of the ceremony to make a beautiful and moving wedding film.
While I usually lead the videography, my husband leads when we’re capturing both film and photos for a wedding. Watching my husband film is a pretty fun part of the process, too, because he absolutely loves it. It’s where he really thrives!
What has been your favorite wedding film to create thus far & why is it your favorite?
Ah! I can’t choose just one! Every wedding is special, but my two recent favorites are Robert & Lauren’s wedding, and Jeff & Karissa’s, too.
For Robert and Lauren’s wedding, the energy was wild and contagious. The venue was dope, the florals and decor were super elegant and upscale, and we got to work alongside incredible vendors that I had always dreamed of collaborating with as well. So many amazing things happened on their wedding day!
Jeff and Karissa’s day was just as special, but in different ways. Capturing an intimate elopement in a gorgeous setting is basically our favorite thing ever, and the couple had booked an incredible Airbnb overlooking the valley. It was a super chill, comfortable, and commitment-focused day — one we’ll definitely never forget.
How do you hope to see your wedding films grow in the future?
As we continue creating wedding films for couples in New Mexico, I hope we can refine the number of weddings we shoot, and put even more focus into the filming and editing process.
Wedding films require a huge amount of creativity and conscientiousness on the backend, and I’d love to be in a place where we’re dedicating considerable time to just a few, inspiring love stories that fit our vibe.
P.S. - You can continue getting lost in the love stories we've filmed by popping over to our YouTube channel right here!
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