Category Archives: Personal

A WEEK OF EDUCATION & HISTORY IN THE MAKING

In the past week I have been attending a huge event both for my self but also for the industry. I had the pleasure of being part of the organising team for Exposed Down Under – which was a conference for wedding filmmakers for the first time ever in Australia. The aim was to bring together around 50 producers around the country and internationally and invite some of the best wedding film makers around the globe to present various things covering both from the business side and the production side.

To us it is very important that we continually evolve and ensure that we are at the top of our game but also to strengthen our industry and give the opportunity to educate and make new connections. During the event I had the lucky task of blogging (www.exposeddownunder.com.au) and also capturing some footage which then I had only a few hours to put together to be shown on the same day. It makes me feel proud to have been part of it and also to make something for us to remember by.

- Pete

Some pictures from the event

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="I am capturing a bit of the presentation"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="Editor Challenge, bit of pressure never hurts :) "][/caption] [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="Great Bunch of Wedding Filmmakers!"][/caption]

YEPPOON SHOW TIME

As we have finally settled in to our new home I decided to go along to the annual Show in Yeppoon with M, Sarah, Marcus and Paris (who’s story you are about to watch). There is plenty of fun to be had so couldn’t resist and took the camera along. I thought it would be wonderful to tell the story from the child’s perspective and something I would have experienced when I was younger. There was so many things I filmed but I wanted this to cover things that would capture childhood experiences and the song was too cute not to use!

- Pete

ROAD TRIP! Bye Bye Melbourne, Hello Yeppoon!

We have been off the grid for the past few weeks. Let me tell you, packing up all your stuff into boxes is a bearch! OMG, I thought the packing would never end, only for Peter and I to spend a week of 14 hour days painting the place! But eventually we came out the other side of that tunnel, packed up the car and set off for our new life up north!

First we had to drop off the cats to the cattery as they were being flown up at the end of the week. I love my fur kids, but four days is the car with them would kill us all! I can tell you right now, they were not very impressed with the alternative either from the sound of them in the journey to the cattery! After that we headed north, stopping overnight at Wagga Wagga, Narrabri and Miles before hitting Rocky and finally arriving at Yeppoon! They put on a lovely welcome, with sunshine, warm breeze and a welcome sign!

We have moved into our new place – upgraded from a two bedroom apartment to a four bedroom house, garage, pool and a PANTRY! What else does a girl need?!? We picked up the girls (cats!) from the airport and well, lets just say if they were dissatisfied when we left them, they were Very Angry when we picked them up! But I think once the furniture arrives they will settle in just fine. ?

So here we are in the Poon… I think this is going to work out allllrrriiiiiggghhhttt!!!! :P

YEPPOON – Where the bloody hell are ya?!

So, as we announced in our last blog post, we are on our way to Yeppoon!! But since I usually see blank faces when I say that, I will give you a little bit of back ground on where we are heading…

Yeppoon is a seaside town on the Capricorn Coast in Central Queensland. The town itself has a population of about 11,000 and two traffic lights. Just off the coast are the beautiful Keppel Island which are part of the Great Barrier Reef. The city of Rockhampton is 40km inland and has a population of around 80,000. The coast line of aqua blue water, white sand and clear blue skies is absolutely beautiful! And to add to the appeal, it’s also home to my sister, her husband and now my parents too!

QUEENSLAND CALLING

Sometimes in life you just have to stop and figure out what you really want. You have to look at where you’ve been. You have to look at where you are. And you have to try and figure out where you want to go.

So… we have news… some BIG NEWS! Let me tell you the back story….

Peter and I met in Brisbane, Queensland back in 1999 and moved back to Melbourne in 2000 so I could be closer to family and friends. While we have enjoyed the past ten years with all our love ones, on many a cold Melbourne day we have often lamented leaving the warmth and sunshine of Brisvegas.  It may come as no real surprise to those close to us, but we do not like Melbourne winters. At all. That wouldn’t be so much of a problem if winter was just the three months Mother Nature intended, but winter in Melbourne seems to start late March and the grey skies, icy southerly winds and single digit temps do not let up until  eight months later October – EIGHT MONTHS!! And while summer can dish up some stunning days that make you truly appreciate this town, they seems to me to be too few and far between by the time March rolls around again!

We have talked a lot of moving to Queensland, but it’s always been on the list for “some day”. Then my parents (affectionately known as MAD [Mum.And.Dad – geddit?!?!]) announced they were retiring to the warmer climates of Central Queensland where my younger sister lives – well how can you miss a sign like that from the universe?! It was a scary thought; moving our business that we had worked so hard to grow, leaving our great friends, starting to a new place… but after much research and discussion Peter and I decided we were up for the challenge…. so the big news is…

We are moving to Yeppoon!!

FRIENDS AND FOOD – AN ENGLISH FEAST

Over the past year we have been gathering friends for dinner for a “Food from Around the World” night where each of us picks a country and hosts a dinner party with food from that region. So last weekend was Kristie and Mark’s turn, and we all treked out to Emerald to tasted the culinary delights of  England and try a variety of Ciders and Ales. Luckily for me (maybe not for my friends!) I took my new Canon 5DII camera along to capture the fun. I gotta say I was very full by the end of the night but man it tasted great. :)

- Pete

Our Stillmotion Workshop Experience

Couple of weeks ago we posted that we attended the workshop. It was 3 days of intense learning. We walked away with some great things that really made us want to push the envelope even more. The Stillmotion crew put together a highlight of our day 2 which involved coming up with ideas, planning, shooting and editing. They captured both the challenges and the triumphs of of all the attendees.. No doubt I am in it a few times..Just look out for the guy with the flower and Emily’s paper folding skills are shown off :)

- Pete

The 7 year Itch?!

Seven years ago today Pete and I got married! How time flies when you are having fun! :P

Our Wedding!Photographer: Carol from Simply Stunning Photography.

We had a ceremony and our reception at the Royce on St Kilda Road and right about this time seven years ago I would have been burning the dance floor to the smooth tones of Joey D!  (For all the YYT fans!) After our wedding we went to Thailand for our honeymoon. All our photos were taken on film, so we don’t have many scanned – how times have changed! If I got married today, my wedding photos would be up on Facebook within 24 hours!

And tonight we were fortunate enough to spend our anniversary with the very generous Chean and Madalyn! We are shooting their wedding in a fortnights time and had a great dinner chatting and getting to know them before the madness of their massive wedding day!

So… It has been a wonderful seven years of marriage and ten years of partnership and I know there will be plenty more to come! Happy Anniversary Pete!

Lotsa love M xo