Style Me Pretty is THE BEST and most popular bridal blog out there. It’s oozing with creativity, inspiration, and wonderful vendors. We are honored to be part of their exclusive club of the “best of the best” vendors from all over the country in their “Little Black Book“. But something that has really picked up a lot of interest lately on their blog is their creative concept, “Inspiration to Reality” shoots. They storyboard an idea, and wedding pros get together and bring that idea to, reality! We are thrilled to team up with Wilmington, NC’s cream of the crop vendors to produce this coastal, dreamy, and very romantic film called, “The Dream”. Here what Style Me Pretty had to say about the film!

” We are going to round out the inspiration festivities with the dreamiest of videos by uber talent Matt Davis of Lifestage Films. He was up at the crack of dawn to film this little ballad and it was so worth it! Quite frankly, we are left speechless and that rarely happens. It is so beautiful, so ethereal, and such a perfect end to the day. Sit back and take a load off  and enjoy one of the prettiest films we have seen in a long, long time.”

Millie Holloman produced some Ah-mazing pictures of the shoot as well, so be sure to check those out for a different perspective on the day. Here is Life Stage Films’ approach to this SMP “Inspiration to Reality” Film -

What was so crazy about this shoot is that we all had to arrive before the sun rose, at 4:30 AM! Salt Harbor Designs and High Performance Lighting we already at work at 3 AM, setting up the scene, and creating some VERY unique beach lighting with Edison lights. Our original model couple fell through at the last minute, but Lindsey and Gray jumped in enthusiastic and ready to go! They were perfect actually. We know Lindsey from Bald Head Island events so it was great to catch up and laugh (half-asleep) before the shoot began.

Salt Harbor did an amazing job at setting up the decor and “feel” for this shoot. With a freaking bed on the beach, a tiny boat, perfectly designed brunch table, and many more tiny intricacies that made this shoot a day in Heaven. That’s where the premise for “The Dream” starts…

I knew it was a perfect time to get a timelapse of the sunrise coming over our little corner of the Atlantic Ocean. But I had to have a reason for doing that. I didn’t want it to be just for the sake of being beautiful (which it was!). Seeing those colors painted across the sky as the morning went on was an amazing feeling. It was also an inspiration into creating a “daydream” sequence. With everything we had set up for the couple, it truly felt like a “dream” day. It felt like a place that couple has kept to themselves. Some place no one else knows about. A place where they can be free, and in love. So, the timelapse of the gorgeous sunrise was intended to show that although time was passing into daylight, the couple was actually entering into their own’ Dreamworld”. A perfect day by the ocean. An intimate dream. We wanted it to feel like an escape. I think we pulled it off.

We hope you enjoy this ethereal and intimate escape into “The Dream”.

Here’s a list of the creative folks that were involved with the shoot:

Event Design and Styling by Salt Harbor Designs
Sweets and Cake by  Flower & Flour
Floral by Salt Harbor Designs
Photography by Millie Holloman
Film by Life Stage Films
Lighting by High Performance Lighting
Rentals provided by Harborside Event Rentals
Hair and Makeup by Melissa Kinnamon – NSalo Salon
Shot on Location at Fort Fisher, NC.

For those of you that have heard me speak at IN[Focus] or at a professional video association (PVA), you learned how we got into weddings, and what the mission of our business is. We are all in such a powerful and important position to impact families and couples in a positive way. We owe it to them to make a killer film for them, because in my opinion, if we make a film they want to watch, that might be one of the things that keep their struggling marriage together down the road. I like to think so at least. Well for me, the same positive impact is true for other projects we produce, and a big part of our business is producing Humanitarian Aid promos and documentaries. I wanted to share our most recent project completed for an aid organization in Managua, Nicaragua. It’s called Save A Generation, and they build homes for jungle villages, as well as provide medical care, clothes and food. They found us through a referral from another aid video we produced, and wanted a video to show churches and large businesses in order to raise support and awareness.

A team was compiled of people from North Carolina and Florida; all with different skill sets, but all sharing the same passion and vision for what God is doing in Nicaragua. We ventured off the beaten path, away from the large capital of Managua, into the mountains. Not sure how we would have found these remote villages without someone knowing they existed.

It was hot, dusty, and smelly! But the food was great, the volcanoes were beautiful, and most importantly, the people were amazing. I get so fired up every time I get to use my gifts and skills to impact not only this generation, but the next. Enjoy this promo/documentary we produced for them. And be fortunate. You are blessed…

Want to get involved? Visit, www.savegeneration.com

I had the privilege to visit Nicaragua and film a promotional documentary for Save A Generation, an organization that is helping restore the health and dignity of thousands of Nicaraguans since the devastation of Hurricane Mitch in 1998. I wanted to share a short film with everyone while the full length video is still being edited. Stay tuned for that soon. In the meantime, please take the time to see the faces of some of the most beautiful, caring people in this short trailer. They live a life none of us have ever experienced.

I had such joy taking these images, because these faces spoke so much to my soul. I hope they speak to yours as well.

I have to admit, wedding cinema wasn’t my first passion. When we started this business, we were living in Mexico as missionaries. We knew we had to return home soon, and wanted some way to make a global impact from home. We started our video business, not because was an expert in it (I wasn’t!). We started the business because we knew how big an impact video has on people. We knew today, video can take a message farther than any person can. It can travel the globe faster than we can. Video is powerful. That of course, translated into our love and passion to creating wedding videos that aren’t horrible to watch. But our mission statement for our business has always been to create videos, documentaries, and films that inspire people, cultivate change, and make an impact.

When Port City Community Church asked me to be a part of something big, I jumped on board immediately. Port City Church has had a very unique relationship with Pastor Jackson Mwangi in Nakuru, Kenya. The story of how the relationship started is hilarious, and only a God thing. Through Port City Church’s organization, HOPE 127, the local Wilmington community has a powerful opportunity to sponsor children in Nakuru, Kenya. This allows these young ones to live with a roof over their head, with food, and water. It provides them a solid education, and while allowing them to be children again, brings back their dignity, and self-worth. With the tense situations in Rwanda and Sudan, people flock to Kenya. But with the influx of population, and the HIV aids epidemic, thousands of children end up on the street, most addicted to shoe glue which leads to heavier drugs. I was amazed at what I witnessed on the streets with my camera. In the dump with people who hadn’t been touched in a long time. And I was humbled when I saw how Mama Helen’s Rehabilitation Center, that Port City Church built, positively impacted these children and brought them back to life.

This video/documentary was filmed to tell the story of their dire situation over in Kenya. It serves to also show the sharp contrast of what supporting HOPE 127 and Mama Helen’s Rehabilitation Center means for these precious children. It’s making a difference. I hope the message resonates in you.

HOPE stands for “Helping Other People Everywhere.” The 127 refers to James 1:27—”Pure and lasting religion in the sight of God our Father means that we must care for orphans and widows in their troubles, and refuse to let the world corrupt us.”

To find out more visit HOPE127.org

“Lifestage captured every beautiful, funny, and poignant moment from our ceremony and reception.¬† From our vows and spontaneous dance-offs to touching moments with our family and friends — nothing escaped them.¬† I think one of the most special parts of the video was their integration of the more intimate clips… my father’s amazing speech and the time we spent with our grandparents.¬† It seems like it would be impossible at such a large wedding, but LifeStage managed to give everyone a cameo!¬† It is just such a blessing to be able to go back and see the faces of the people we love on most important day of our lives.¬† I can’t thank Life Stage enough for giving us this gift.”

-Adeline Bennett, married January 3rd, 2009

“As photographers, working with Life Stage Videography was a dream. Their professionalism, fun demeanor, caring personalities, and their ability to work alongside two additional people with cameras made it feel like we‚Äôd worked together for years.“

-Joanna Bolick of Tuesday’s Frog Photography

“I know that a lot of brides don‚Äôt think they have room in their budget for a video.¬† My advice to those brides would be this:¬† make room, however you can.¬† Life Stage was hands down one of the best investments we made in our wedding.¬† I call it an investment because that‚Äôs truly what it is: something that you will cherish for years to come.¬† We knew that Life Stage was capable of amazing things from viewing their work on the website, yet they still managed to surprise us with an absolutely phenomenal preview video.¬† Matt and Melissa (and Jamie!) were an absolute breeze to work with, and we believe that they truly are the best in the industry.¬† They were able to really understand our dynamic as a couple, and it was captured and reflected beautifully in the work we‚Äôve seen so far.¬† We feel so blessed to have been able to share our wedding day with Life Stage, and we are so lucky to call Matt and Melissa friends!¬† Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts!“

-Dan & Sarah Baum, married May 16th, 2009

“We have enjoyed our partnership with Life Stage Productions.¬† They have the solid foundation of good professionals, an eye toward fine art videography and the added benefit of great personalities.¬† We are always proud to refer them to our clients.“

-Angela Gala of Rogers & Gala Creative Partners

Jamie & Tommy – Wedding Highlights from Matt Davis on Vimeo.

Greensboro, NC

It’s hard to top the ambiance of this wedding. The reception hall draped with beautiful colors, perfect flowers & the family crest was lit by hundreds of candles, of all different shapes, sizes and locations. We had also never seen such a breathtaking cake before! Many kudos to Bronwen Weber, the cake artist, as seen on the Food Network. Jamie & Tommy picked the perfect cathedral to match the mood & “feel” of their much anticipated wedding. We were all very surprised by the Bride and her father as well! They stopped their Father/Daughter dance short to reveal a special song they recorded together, with Jamie, the bride singing! You’ll see this on the blog shortly. It was a pleasure working with Hooman of Vesic Photography. Very fun, laid back photographer and his work is great! And of course a huge shout out to Julia Denton of Tie the Knot Weddings for planning, coordinating and executing this gorgeous event! Thanks Jamie & Tommy for letting us be a part of your unique wedding day. Now, let’s send these two some comment love on the blog to let them know what you think of their wedding film!

Song Produced by Ingrid Michaelson – Buy Song Here

Carmel Baptist -Children’s Camp 2009 from Matt Davis on Vimeo.

Aside from weddings, we do a lot of corporate and church related videos as well. And Every year during the middle of summer (and middle of wedding season), we film a summer camp for Carmel Baptist Church in Charlotte, NC. Its definitely a great experience mentoring and being with the kids, but its also fun filming it because its a break from the norm. It allows us to be different. The kids have grown accustomed to having a mid-week “trailer” of sorts promoting all the fun being had and serves as a teaser for the upcoming full DVD. The theme for this year’s camp was “Boot Camp” highlighting the illustration of the “Armor of God” from the Bible. We decided to have a little fun with it. A little too much fun.
Sean Lee is the Children’s Director. Sorry Sean, speaking in Korean was all “for the kids”. Thanks for being a good sport! Yes, its a little corny, but we think you’ll enjoy it!

P.S. No children were harmed during the making of this film.

Hilton Riverside – Wilmington, NC from Matt Davis on Vimeo.

KMI Wedding Photography – Testimonials from Matt Davis on Vimeo.

I am fortunate enough to know so many great wedding videographers and filmmakers in the industry. So many of my friends and colleagues have influenced me and our work here at Life Stage. I now feel humbled to be part of a great team of business owners and creative artists to make the wedding videography industry even better. Things have definitely changed from the old stereotype of what a wedding video is. IN[FOCUS] is a brand spanking new video conference for wedding videographers, as well as a HUGE online resource with videos and blog posts full of tips, techniques and advice on how to make wedding videography creative, fun, and a profitable business. IN[FOCUS] was started by 3 of the top wedding film studios in the world. Videographers, you need to make it to the inaugural event next January 2010. In the mean time, myself and 7 other studios were asked to be “expert” bloggers on some of the tips & techniques that have helped us along the way in our business. Its very humbling and exciting to be part of this group. I am eager to to share my successes (and failures) with others whether they are just starting out, or seasoned veterans. And I know I will learn a ton as well from the rest of the gang. You can check out a few of our recent video posts on the IN[FOCUS] Blog. There’s also a post that gives a little back story into how Life Stage Videography came to be. You can check it out here. I tried to add a little comic relief. Videographers, we will see you at IN[FOCUS] in January of 2010! And brides, hopefully you will choose a videographer for your wedding that invests time and energy into educating themselves to make your video better. That’s what its all about!

” I have lived the most…wonderful life!” – Pat Hingle

Back in June,

I was asked to film a Gala and celebration kicking off the weekend of (WiFi), Wilmington in the Film Industry. Wilmington, NC is home to the biggest Soundstage east of Hollywood and the weekend event was created to celebrate and educate on the enormous talent of cast and crew Wilmington has to offer the Motion Picture Industry. Thousands of directors, producers, casting directors, actors and locals gathered to honor the life and service of Pat Hingle as well, a locally known friend of Wilmington, but an Internationally renown veteran actor. Everyone gathered to enjoy clips from his work.

“Hingle began his acting career in the 1950s, appearing in numerous television theater shows. His first movie role was an uncredited appearance in 1954’s “On the Waterfront,” which won eight Academy Awards; he played the by-the-book judge opposite Clint Eastwood’s vengeful marshal in 1968’s “Hang ‘Em High,” and appeared as Sally Field’s father in 1979’s “Norma Rae.”

In 1989, he appeared as Gotham City’s Commissioner Gordon in Tim Burton’s “Batman,” carrying on the role through three sequels. His last film role was in “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby,” released in 2006.” (From an article on CNN.com)

This is a short clip from his keynote speech. It was moving and heartfelt. I hadn’t even looked at the footage I had captured until I heard of his death. but it was hard to not shed a tear for this man after hearing what he said that night. I think his legacy his HUGE, and its amazing how many people he has positevely affected. Enjoy this clip, and spread it along to others. What he says will touch us all.

We are excited for many reasons lately! First, because Melissa gave birth to a beautiful little girl last Friday, and she is very healthy. But also, because we are overhauling our blog and introducing a new website design very soon! I have had this video sitting on my computer waiting to be unveiled at the launch of our new website in the next few weeks, but I just couldn’t wait to share it with everyone. Our new website’s homepage will soon have a video upon loading instead of a picture slideshow like we currently have. We like to call it our “Life Stage Commercial” because we edited it in a way that grabs the viewers attention as soon as you enter the site. We wanted to quickly show all the emotions wrapped up in a wedding, and how important it is to hire a videographer that not only simply documents your wedding, but captures the EXPERIENCE. Pictures are great but c’mon, we are videographers! Let’s roll out the video! Let us know what you think.

Melissa Davis is an actress! Yes, it’s true. We took advantage of our available weekends before we get slammed. We both were so excited to be a part of PC3 ’s new video bump for our April series. It’s called “The Pursuit”. It uses the imagery of a car chase scene to highlight the first chapters of Proverbs and its instructions to pursue wisdom at all costs. If you look close, you’ll see another familiar face (hint hint), but Melissa gets all the props for pulling off “The Harlot”. She had a blast! Under the direction of Evan Vetter (our friend and neighbor!), we had an impressive production team that could rival any major studio (I am a little biased). Here are some stats I stole from Paschal’s Blog, another staffer at PC3’s Production Team.

Shot with 3 Panasonic HVX-200’s (with special lens systems)
3 Stunt drivers & Stunt Director that attends our church
Much of the car chase shots were filmed by Joey (16 years old), Parrish (19 years old), and Chris (volunteer)
All Audio tracks (159 tracks to be exact including sound effects) were tracked in house
Score was composed and tracked by PC3 band members and volunteer composing string sections
25 plus volunteers giving up their weekends to create a great film together

Our church is different. No doubt about it. And that’s what we love about being involved not only in video production, but a church that sees the importance of media and the powerful way it gets messages across. I can’t believe all the talented people we live with in our community here in Wilmington. Being involved in something like this is not only fun, but I learn so much about different aspects of film production that undeniably get translated into our new ideas for fresh videography here at Lifestage. Please enjoy the action packed clip below (in HD!). And leave comments….we like to know you guys are out there!

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“Love Story” Winner

Sara and Chris РWedding Date  September, 27th 2008

Chris worked very hard to plan the perfect vacation to Niagara Falls this past October. As we went through the airport security, Chris’ bags were searched and he was getting very anxious. I just figured that he was nervous because it was taking so much time and he did not want to miss the flight. Little did I know, there was a diamond ring in his backpack. They took everything out of his backpack right in front of both of us(except for a ring box). Chris later told me that he thought he was going to have to propose in the airport because he knew they would pull out the ring. We think the airport security must have known what was going on because he left ONLY the ring box in Chris’ backpack.
We arrived to Niagara Falls and it was more beautiful than we ever imagined. Our hotel room was amazing as it overlooked Falls and the view was breathtaking. We went to dinner at The Skylon Tower, a revolving restaurant that overlooks the city and the Falls. After dinner we took a walk along the boardwalk of the Falls. I was busy taking in the scenery and snapping a lot of pictures. Before I knew it, Chris was popping the big question. Of course the answer was YES!!! After he put the ring on my finger, we continued to stroll along the Falls. The next day, we found out that the Fall Chris proposed in front of was called “Bridal Veil Falls.”(He had no idea) How appropriate! We got back to our hotel and there was champagne, the fireplace was on and the Jacuzzi was filled with bubbles. He really thought of everything. The night was perfect!

“Bridal Elegance” Winner

Molly and Matt – Wedding Date May 17th, 2008

Matt and I met at my best friend Becca and Matt’s best friend Adam’s wedding, where I was a bridesmaid and he was a
groomsman. I know, it sounds like the formula for a cheesy romantic comedy and, actually, that’s not a bad way to describe our first weekend.

We connected instantly, and stayed up all night talking, laughing and telling stories. After getting to know him, I couldn’t imagine not having him in my life.
The background for the proposal began in the 60’s when my mom worked on Main Street in Disneyland. Her excitement for Disney when
I was a child set the framework for my love of the company. By the time I was 5 years old, I had already decided that I was going to work at
Disney and would spend hours drawing the characters. I finally got that opportunity in college when I was accepted to work as an intern in the
Disney design department. I loved it so much that I moved back to Orlando after graduating and accepted a job there as a graphic designer.
Last May, Matt and I had been planning a trip to San Diego to visit Becca and Adam (the couple whose wedding started
everything). I was so excited! It was going to be the first time the four of us had hung out together since they’d gotten married and
I knew we would have a wonderful time. We had planned to go to the State Fair, but it didn’t take much convincing when Matt
nonchalantly mentioned that we should drive up to Disneyland instead. We spent the day in the park and ate dinner in a beautiful
restaurant in the Grand Californian (I’d always wanted to stay there!). Months earlier, I’d told Matt about the fireworks show at
Disneyland and how it was the best I had ever seen; I couldn’t wait to see it again so he made sure our reservations would allow
plenty of time to get a good spot for the show. We finished dinner and walked through the park to Main Street – the BEST spot
in the park where the fireworks light up the castle! As the fireworks were going off, Matt asked how long the show was. I started
explaining the progression of the show and then I saw Matt get down on his knee. The moment was so surreal and I was so
surprised that the whole thing was a kind of a blur! I have vivid memories of Matt’s expression when he was down on his knee and
a group behind us clapping when I said yes; and then, I noticed that we were right in front of the shop where my mom worked and I
thought how wonderfully perfect everything was. I was so caught up in the moment that I have no idea how long we were standing
there hugging or how many times I asked him if he really just proposed to me.
I would have been just as excited had Matt proposed to me in a laundromat but he obviously put his heart into it and that meant
so much to me.

Stephen Bon – Bon’s Eye Design – Web and Marketing Experts (Currently helping us with our Legacy media push)

Judy Shaw – LTCA Legacy Planning

Renee Jones – A Creative Touch – Promotional Products

Star Sosa – Spectrum Art and Jewelry

The CRIME (Running Time 8 Minutes) Starring Ben Mabry and Matt Davis
[See post to watch Flash video]

The CRIMINAL (Running Time 8 Minutes) Starring Shon Blotzer and Shaun O’Rourke
[See post to watch Flash video] ]]> http://blog.lifestagefilms.com/2008/03/04/final-cut-film-festival/feed/ 0 http://blog.lifestagefilms.com/2008/02/20/kidstuf/ http://blog.lifestagefilms.com/2008/02/20/kidstuf/#comments Wed, 20 Feb 2008 19:25:14 +0000 Matt http://www.blog.lifestagefilms.com/?p=69 Although our main focus is wedding videography, our passion is producing good quality video, whether it be for families, businesses or organizations. And especially during the winter months outside of wedding season, we love to take on fun and creative projects. Carmel Baptist Church in Charlotte, NC is where my family attended church growing up. I love the people there, and through those connections they have asked Life Stage to do many projects for them through out the past year and even more this year. This video clip is for their “Kidstuf!” promo website. This ministry focuses on high impact singing and acting to relate to children in church in a relevant and powerful way. It comes from the very influential North Point Church in Atlanta, GA and it is sweeping the nation. It’s such on awesome concept! I had a blast filming it, but as you can see, the children (and adults) really love it. Enjoy.

Stay posted for a short preview demo video!

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More posts on LifeStage Videography’s latest news coming soon!