Solstice Video Productions

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2010-04-27T16:32:00.001-07:00

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Ahna & Kyle's Short Feature

2010-02-03T11:39:00.000-08:00

As featured in a recent article of The Oregonian, this was an amazing wedding that left no rock unturned. It also utilized some of my favorite vendors to work with. Coordinated brilliantly by Blush Bridal, still photography captured perfectly by Artistique Photagraphie, flowers stunningly designed by Blum, and DJ services expertly provided by Shawn Whittemore of Event Team Entertainment. The ceremony took place at the gorgeous First Congregational Church and the reception ended the grand affair at the illustrious Portland Art Museum, with Vibrant Table providing their perfection in catering. And when you combine it with a fantastic couple with their fun friends and family, it doesn't get much better than this!

Get a chance to see a condensed short feature of their incredible day by clicking here.

Tanya & Vadim's First Look

2010-02-03T11:20:00.000-08:00

Tanya and Vadim were a fun couple that went all over for their wedding day! But first, Tanya got ready at her parent's home and waited for her soon-to-be husband to arrive and see her in her white dress for the first time. Although only performed by one camera/operator, it was filmed in such a way that you would have thought multiple cameras were around. These are the techniques that Solstice uses regularly to enhance the "tell the whole story" experience.

Their ceremony and reception all later took place at the Columbia Edgewater Country Club and still photography was exquisitely captured by Kevin Meyers Photography, who we always have a blast working with.

Check out the excerpt from their movie by clicking here.

Teresa & Chase's Proposal Story

2010-02-03T11:10:00.000-08:00

Utilizing again Solstice's unique documentary style of filmmaking, Teresa and Chase got to have the story of their proposal memorialized forever to begin their wedding movie. This was done while they were getting ready and was totally off the cuff. They were married at the John Knox Presbyterian Church in Normandy Park, WA. Still photography was masterfully captured by Jennifer Wohrle Photography.

See their video clip by clicking here.

Solstice Featured on Champagne Wedding & Event Coordination BLOG

2010-02-02T11:32:00.000-08:00

The lovely and talented Mandi Downs of Champagne Wedding & Event Coordination approached owner Greg James of Solstice Video to do a little Q&A for her January series featuring some of the best vendors in the wedding industry. We loved being able to contribute to this informative dialogue. Check it out!

Day 26 of 30: Solstice Video

0 Comments • Posted by Champagne on February 01, 2010

Every wedding day is unique… like a snowflake, there’s no two exactly the same, but one thing that is true for all, is the day flies by. Having a coordinator can definitely help so you are able to relax, enjoy and soak up all of the memories of the day, but a videographer will capture the day on film allowing you to see moments you may have missed and relive the first day of the rest of your life, anytime… Greg from Solstice Video is passionate about preserving memories into a video that your grandchildren’s children will want to watch… Get to know Greg and view some samples below…

Champagne: How would you describe your videography style?

Greg: I am mostly known for my documentary style of doing things. That is a “tell the whole story” approach, but done with a tight and entertaining edit. I use all the elements of music, dialogue, and stunning imagery to craft each client’s unique story. It’s not my goal to make cheesy wedding videos, for sure.

See the entire Blog Article by clicking here.

Sarah & Bill have a Wedding Joy Ride

2010-01-22T11:35:00.000-08:00

Sarah and Bill had an amazing time on their wedding day! They got married at the Baker Pioneer Church and then headed off to Wild Bill's NW for their event-filled reception. Coordination was performed masterfully by EJP Events and still photography was beautifully captured by Impression Arts.

Take a look at this fun video excerpt of the two of them engaged in their photo session while borrowing one of their friend's sweet ride.

View it by clicking here

Solstice Video Wins 2010 Bride's Choice Award

2010-01-19T12:31:00.000-08:00

WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding technology company, just announced Solstice Video Productions, a Northwest based company, has been selected to receive the 2010 Bride’s Choice Awards™ for Videography Services!

The annual Bride’s Choice Awards™ recognizes and celebrates excellence in quality and service within the wedding industry, as determined by recent reviews and extensive surveys from over 500,000 newlyweds.

Solstice Video Productions is among the top five percent of all vendors in the WeddingWire community, which includes over 100,000 wedding professionals across the US and Canada. Awards were given to winners across 19 different service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers.

Read the Full Press Release by clicking here.

Trami & Hiep - Wedding Music Video

2009-12-21T19:41:00.000-08:00

I was asked to do something a little different and loved every minute of it! This awesome couple chose to have a music video made from their wedding day, complete with lip syncing to the song "All I Need" by Method Man and Mary J. Blige, and it turned out to be a lot of fun.

Check it out now by clicking here.

The wedding and reception all took place at the beautiful Garden Vineyards in Hillsboro, OR. And, it was a blast working with the huber-talented Jonathan Michael (images above are his, by the way).

Jill & Krieg On Top Of The World

2009-09-29T14:56:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of fun clips from Jill & Krieg's fantastic day. The first captures the intro of their day and the second clip shows documentary footage of the moment after their ceremony. This is a great example of what two skilled videographers can do to capture the essence of the fragile moments.

Their wedding and reception both all took place at the World Trade Center in Downtown Portland. Provided a magical and urban backdrop for this magnificent day for this lovely couple.

View the clips by clicking here:

Clip 1 - Introduction

Clip 2 - Moment After

Here is what the bride (Jill) said on my Facebook right after watching it: "Krieg and I just watched our wedding video... WOW! It was amazing... the shots, editing and MUSIC were perfect. Thank you, thank you! You are very talented."

Erin & Kenneth Get Married

2009-09-29T14:28:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple excerpts from Erin & Kenneth's amazing day. The first clip demonstrates again Solstice's ability to capture true documentary footage and the second incorporates their cake cutting, first dance, and romantics. They got ready and had their reception at the elegant Avalon Hotel & Spa in Portland, OR and their ceremony and formals took place at the beauteous Leach Botanical Garden.

It was wonderfully coordinated by my good friends
at EJP Events and still photography was brilliantly captured by David Barss Photographer. His stills are used for this blog entry and during the second video clip. If it has been awhile since you've seen his work, visit his website and blog now!

View the clips by clicking below:

Clip 1: Each Tells It

Clip 2: Cake & Dance

Here is the bride's (Erin) lengthy and appreciative response after watching it: "I must start by explaining that my husband was a huge videographer skeptic when we started planning our wedding. I had to work hard to convince him that we should hire one. After a few interviews and many samples, Solstice video changed his mind.

We made many requests to Greg regarding our video…1) we asked that he make it a documentary-style film rather than the “generic” wedding video (where silent video footage is dubbed over with music), 2) we asked Greg to collect spontaneous interviews from our friends and family throughout the event, and 3) we asked him to capture raw emotion and the true essence of our day. He delivered everything we wanted and more. The richness of the footage was superb…layers of slow-motion footage with regular time footage, B&W shifting into color, still photos interspersed (courtesy of our photographer David Barss)… It is incredible. We watched our 1 + video and were left wanting even more because it was SO good. He captured our day to a tee and in such a beautiful way. If you want a cheesy wedding video…go elsewhere. If you want a quality “film”, Greg is your man.

Greg’s lively energy and good nature made him a true pleasure to work with. I am one of those people who feels awkward in front of a camera, let alone a video camera. Greg made both my husband and I feel so comfortable. Thanks for everything Greg. You are awesome!

Oh, I might mention that my husband is now SELLING the idea of a videographer to friends who are also skeptics. Greg has him convinced that our video was some of the best money we spent. I couldn't agree more."

Salma & Michael Get Married at Palos Verdes, CA

2009-08-11T18:37:00.000-07:00

Here are three excerpts from Salma and Michael's wedding day. You get a cool glimpse of this amazing day as you'll see their first dance, photoshoot, and reception moments. Even though a more intimate gathering, the excited guests all made for a massive celebration.

View the clips by clicking below (as always, depending on the speed of your internet connection, you may to give some time for the video to load first before viewing):

Photo Shoot

Cutting Cake & First Dance

Reception Dance Party

Their ceremony and reception all took place at a gorgeous estate Chateau La Mer located in Palos Verdes, CA provided by Estate Weddings and Events. Their still photography (including the two photos on this blog!) was fantastically captured by David Barss Photographer. Expert (triple-eyelashed) make-up was performed beautifully by Event Cosmetics. And, the weekend was coordinated brilliantly by Soiree. All of which are not only great friends of mine but incredible artists for anyone's wedding day!

Here is what the bride said after watching it: "Hey Greg! Mike and I watched the wedding video last night...it was absolutely amazing!!! Thank you so much! Best video I have EVER seen!!!"

Enjoy the show!

Katie & Matt Use The Force To Get Hitched

2009-07-09T15:45:00.000-07:00

Here is the whole wedding film created for Katie & Matt split up into five clips for easier loading and viewing. As always, depending on the speed of your internet connection, remember to give time for each video to load (for best results, you may have to pause it a few minutes to load it first before viewing).

It is so sweet when two friends of mine get married. Better even, when the groom is a big Star Wars fan and allowed me to really play with their film edit (see the opening clip). I incorporated their rehearsal dinner into their feature presentation, which made for a complete telling of this incredible weekend. Their ceremony took place at the fantastic Sunriver Resort located in (where else?) Sunriver, OR.

This is what the bride said after watching it: "Greg, our movie is a masterpiece! The attention to detail, editing, and integration with the music work together to make us laugh, cry, and experience the joy of that day all over again. It's a thrill to share with our friends and family and a treasure to cherish forever. Thank you!"

Enjoy this great piece!

Samantha & Dennis Get Married

2009-07-09T15:18:00.000-07:00

A shorter one, I basically only handled the shooting of this beautiful couple's ceremony and reception afterward. But with just one operated camera, I was able to capture the stunning event in the dark but romantic environment of the Treasury Ballroom located in Downtown Portland. Also, the photography was brilliantly captured (see photo above) by my good friend David Barss. DJ services masterfully handled by Eric Wright of All Wright Music. Coordinated with elegance and grace by Soiree Events.

See the beginning excerpt of their wedding film by clicking here.

Samantha & Steve's Wedding Day

2009-06-15T17:06:00.000-07:00

Here are links to six excerpts from a wedding film (pretty much the whole thing) created for Samantha & Steve:

This is an amazing couple who really knew how to throw an incredible party with their friends and family. They also happen to be great friends of mine - what a bonus! They were married at Copper Creek in Mt. Rainier, WA.

Whether you were fortunate enough to be a part of their beautiful day or not, check out the clips above and share in their fun!

From the bride herself: "I love love love our video!"

Farnoush & Afshin Tie the Knot

2009-06-15T16:57:00.000-07:00

See this lovely couple's first dance in this Persian wedding celebration. The wedding took place at the majestic Portland Art Museum and photography was wonderfully captured by Jim Semlor.

See the short excerpt from their wedding film, by clicking here.

Amber & Ryan Get Married

2009-06-15T16:47:00.000-07:00

Amber and Ryan had a lovely intimate wedding day at the Willamette Valley Vineyards. Photography was expertly captured by Doreen Wynja of Eye of the Lady Photography.

Here is what the bride said after watching it: "We watched our DVD again and again last night and it was great!! We loved it and it reminded us of how fun that day really was. Thanks for the wonderful job you did and the time you took to make it perfect."

For a small excerpt of their wedding film, see their first look and private photo session by going here.

The Fox Pomona Theater - The Living Fox Documentary

2009-04-21T15:45:00.000-07:00

Celsol Productions just returned from Pomona, CA where the first (of two) part of our documentary premiered at the Grand Opening of The Fox Pomona Theater. The gala featured ceremonial ribbon cuttings, various speakers, as well as a guest appearance by Hollywood legend Carol Channing and her husband.

You can view the entire first part of this incredible documentary by clicking here.

Enjoy the show!

Kelsey & Chris Get Married

2009-04-21T14:52:00.000-07:00

Kelsey Loper and Chris Adams were married last September that made for an amazing day and evening. Incorporating the stunning images of AJs Studio into their wedding film (a big thanks to JP and Amy!) provided a great way to add drama to their presentation. After starting out in Downtown Portland at the Embassy Suites to get ready and have their "first look," they moved over to the Aerie at Eagle Landing in Happy Valley, OR for the ceremony and reception.

See a short clip taken from their wedding film by clicking here.

Rudy Fernandez Slideshow

2009-04-13T13:17:00.000-07:00

Check out this link to David Barss Photographer's blog, and see a slideshow of more images from the recent Rudy Fernandez commercial shoot. Some really great shots were taken by my buddy as he did an incredible job of capturing these photos under some pretty tight conditions.

Just click here and enjoy the show!

Rudy Fernandez Commercial

2009-04-01T11:57:00.000-07:00

Well, here is something that doesn't happen everyday! A few weeks ago, a company in Spain called us to see if we would be able to shoot a commercial and perform chroma "green-screen" taping for broadcast and web usage, starring the Portland Trailblazers rookie sensation Rudy Fernandez (also, a major star and Olympian in Spain). They also wanted to animate a character later into the commercial, so this one involved also getting HDR images to "mirror" the lighting environment we were shooting in.

After telling this Spanish/English translator we could do this for them, we did not hear from them again for a few more weeks. Then, with just ONE day's notice, they called back and told us they needed to get this shot the next day!

So, we pulled off a production miracle, and with the amazing (and last-minute) help from Kyle Christman (boom operator/HDR Image consultation), David Barss (still photography), Eugene den Daas (green-screen drop & lighting setup), and Krissa Swan (production assistant and animated character stand-in), I was able to produce, direct, and shoot all of what they needed in less than 3 hours of actual production time!

Because I had to work through a translator to get and deliver all the necessary information to Rudy and the folks back in Spain, it made for a bit of a challenge. But, I have to say Rudy was a champ and extremely gracious to work with. Also, Club Sports in Tigard, OR (the location where we shot) was great to work with as well.

As soon as I hear that the commercial is finished (it is being edited in Spain), I'll let everyone know. But for now, here are some photos to check out. These were all brilliantly shot and provided by David Barss Photographer (but I must mention they are only in their native/raw format right now per the client's request, so no "touching up" has been done to the photos at this time)...

Enjoy!

- Greg James

Kim & David's Love Story and Wedding

2009-03-25T15:48:00.000-07:00

This couple had a fantastic back story that they wished to document in an engagement video session. First, we performed a private video shoot in Downtown Portland. Then, both of them were interviewed separately (using two cameras) and were asked the same questions. Then, through the magic of editing, their stories came together later in this beautiful piece. They later played this video to begin their ceremony proceedings. It was an incredible and unique way to begin their once-in-a-lifetime event.

See the clip here: Kim & David's Love Story

In addition, Solstice is now asking input from the couples as to what 5-10 minute excerpt they would like to see on-line from their wedding film (a new bonus in order to share with family and friends from all over!). Here is the one Kim and David chose:

See the clip here: Kim & David Getting Ready

The ceremony later took place at the First Unitarian Church and the reception followed at Montgomery Park in Portland, OR. The day was elegantly coordinated by An Affair To Remember.

For best results on watching: As a reminder, these are LARGE video files. Depending on the speed of your internet connection, you may have to roll over the video (to open the control panel at the bottom of the clip) and press the "pause" button for a couple minutes in order to allow the clip to load for a bit before playing.

Oregon Olive Mill - Olive Press Promo

2009-03-25T15:28:00.000-07:00

Durant Vineyards was starting a new venture of producing olive oil. They worked on the olive crop for many years in preparation for the oil. The oil is then made by using a sophisticated press brought in from Italy.

This family-owned company had the foresight to get this unique event documented. This piece now can be used for their promotional purposes (website, lobby, news channels, features, etc.) as well as be an incredible archive for their historical record as they continue to build this new business.

The still photography used in the clip was masterfully provided by the Eye of the Lady: Doreen L. Wynja

See the clip by clicking here.

Brittany & Ryan's Wedding

2009-03-12T12:46:00.000-07:00

This excerpt is taken from the first 10 minutes of this beautiful couple's wedding film. In it, you get another excellent example of the documentary work Solstice puts into each of our movies, as you see both couple's getting ready and move onto their first look prior to the ceremony. They were a lot of fun!

The amazing photos you see on this blog (and incorporated in the video clip) were generously provided by AJ's Studio, who are always wonderful to work with. The couple's ceremony took place at the First Baptist Church in Portland, OR, and the reception took place later at the Oregon Golf Club in West Linn, OR. As always, the event was coordinated brilliantly by Marilyn Storch of Portland Wedding Planner.

Here is what the bride had to say after watching it:

"I just watched our wedding video and am incredibly happy with it!! You did an AMAZING job - the way you edit different parts together and what music you put where - it couldn't be more perfect. I was able to appreciate the little things I missed on our wedding day and your attention to detail was evident. I am truly grateful for all your hard work. This is a priceless gift I will cherish forever. Thank you so much!"

Click here to see the clip and enjoy!

Reminder: More "Complete" Wedding Day Samples

2009-02-26T15:38:00.000-08:00

Don't forget to look at the bottom of this BLOG for more complete (4 excerpts from each!) wedding samples!

Juliya & Alex's Wedding

2009-02-26T15:22:00.000-08:00

In this photo session excerpt of this wonderful Russian couple's wedding day, you get to see why it is so much fun to have video captured even when the photos are being taken. Both your TV viewing and photo album/walls will appreciate it!

Photography was brilliantly captured by TJ Cameron in some amazing locations!

Their ceremony and reception later took place at The Oregon Garden in Silverton, Oregon.

Here is what the couple had to say after watching their movie:

"Thank you so much for our beautiful wedding video creation. Honestly, we cannot be more satisfied with it. You were amazing to work with before the wedding day, on the wedding day and after the wedding day. We really appreciate the fact that you listened to our requests (especially the detailed bride’s requestsJ) and you tailored it to exactly how we wanted it to be and even more. The video and the way that you work with your clients really shows that this is not just your business, but it is your passion as well. We were blessed to have chosen someone with passion to capture our memorable day. We will definitely be recommending you to all of our friends and families and will look forward to seeing you at their weddings J"

View the clip by clicking here: Juliya & Alex

To see more of their amazing day or get further information, please contact Greg James at greg@solsticevideo.com or 503.890.4930.