What Do a Red Bicycle,a Bucket of Paint, and a Bride Have in Common?

First off I'd like to thank Brian Marks, a cinematographer from Red Bicycle Media ,
for sending me a nice email and sharing their work with me. I was so impressed by it I had to talk to owner James Pizzaro and get the behind the scenes scoop on this fresh Trash the Dress they did.

Rachael's Trash the Dress from red Bicycle Media on Vimeo.

Tell me a little bit about Red Bicycle Media. Who are you guys and what do you do?

We are a Cleveland based studio specializing in wedding films. There has been an evolution in the wedding videography industry where we have tried desperately to shed the tacky, cheesy way of capturing a wedding. The advent of digital SLRs has aided in this process of creating a more film-like "experience". We have noticed recently that there also is a danger of falling into the same trap and having our work look similar to others. Shallow depth of field, better low light ability, and camera stabilizers do not necessarily equate to a cinema. We have had to work harder in improving our story telling and making sure we use these tools in a motivated and innovative way.

For people that don't understand "Trash the Dress" what is it?

In simple terms, "Trash the Dress" is a way of prolonging the wedding experience. It has been controversial in that some people think that we are desecrating a symbol of one's wedding. We feel that it is the marriage , not necessarily the wedding, that is the bond between the couple. (Sorry, not to get too philosophical). Some brides realize that they will never be able to wear their wedding gown again and "Trash the Dress" is a way of immortalizing the dress and capturing that on film. It is meant to be fun and a form of artistic expression.

What do you think TTD sessions bring to the wedding filmmaking industry that wasn't there before?

For us it helped push our creativity and brings an element of fun into our filmmaking process. It also gives us another opportunity to work with the couple after their big day. Cinematography is no longer limited to just the day of the wedding, again, a way of prolonging the wedding experience.

What camera equipment did you use for this film and what motivated these camera choices?

Canon 7D , Canon 5D MKII , and an EX1 for Steadicam and over-crank.

What was the biggest challenge you faced on this shoot?

Keeping the paint and the rain out of the equipment was a challenge. Rachael was a great sport and fully cooperated with what we had her do...we must have made her jump through puddles for a half-hour trying to get the perfect shot. We were soaked but luckily did not damage any of the cameras or ancillary equipment. I had actually rigged an umbrella to the steadicam vest to keep me dry during many of the outdoor shots. As an additional note, one of the condemned buildings we shot in was the site of many an unsolved crime. Not a place you want to be after dark.

For more info on this company check these out:
www.redbicyclemedia.com
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