Episode 17 From Side Hustle To Story-Driven Wedding Films: Wayfinder Films

A wedding film shouldn’t try to outshine your wedding day. It should take you back there. James sits down with filmmaker Ben Mon of Wayfinder Films to unpack how a slow, intentional path—from nine favors in 2020 to full-time in 2025—shaped a people-first, story-driven approach that actually holds up decades later. We dig into why you can’t hear your photos, how vows and voices carry emotion in a way stills can’t, and what it takes to capture the in-between moments that make couples say, that’s so us.

Ben shares the mentors who sharpened his technical chops, the shift from editorial polish to documentary honesty, and the faith-rooted why that keeps him focused on service over spectacle. We get candid about trends: Super 8 film that brings tactile nostalgia, retro music that transports you, and the gentle retirement of detail-heavy edits that forget the humans. Ben’s hot take lands clearly: the depth of your relationship—not production tricks—is what makes a wedding film powerful.

You’ll hear practical strategies for wedding-day collaboration with photographers, steering timelines without stress, and creating calm by reading the room. Ben also outlines a minimalist client experience: one discovery call, one focused planning chat, and custom collections that might include full ceremony and speeches or a FOMO edit with nearly everything. We close with travel-fueled inspiration from Tuscany and the dream list—Iceland and Mexico—plus side projects that keep creativity sharp. If you’re a couple on the fence about video or a vendor refining your craft, this conversation will help you build films that age with grace.

If this resonated, follow the show, share it with a friend who’s planning, and leave a quick review so more couples and creatives can find us.

https://wayfinderfilms.co/

https://www.instagram.com/wayfinderfilmsco/

Transcript

Launching The Show And First Guest

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome to the Preferred List, a podcast about the people behind the best wedding days. I'm James, a wedding filmmaker. I've spent years in the industry working alongside incredible vendors, and this show is all about real conversations with the ones who make it happen. Whether you're a vendor or a couple, you'll get honest insight, good stories, and maybe a little inspiration along the way. Let's meet today's vendor. Hey Ben, how's it going?

SPEAKER_01 0:26

Yo, what's up? We didn't just sit here and chat about a ton of stuff before we got started. We definitely did that. I mean, honestly, we could have had like a whole episode pre-episode.

SPEAKER_00 0:36

We basically did. Um, this is really exciting because um you guys don't know, but this is officially the first episode that I'm filming. And so I'm just glad to have you on.

SPEAKER_01 0:46

Dude, I like wear a cape just to make it more like cinematic and exciting.

Ben’s Origin And Early Weddings

SPEAKER_00 0:50

Yes, definitely. Um, so like I said in the intro, this podcast hopefully will give great insight on um the amazing wedding vendors in the area. Um, so we're based out of the Lancaster area, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. And so um, jumping right in, tell me a little bit about how you got into the wedding industry and tell me a little bit about your business as well.

SPEAKER_01 1:14

Yeah, I'm Ben Mon. Wayfinder films is is my business. Recently actually rebranded. Um so I'm just super excited for that evolution and just everything that entails. How did I get into this? Senior year of college, I was lost. I mean, I was like, what do I do? So I was literally, yeah, in my senior year back in 2020, and I loved video stuff. I started shooting videos in college and like it was super fun for me. And because I was doing that actively, a friend asked me, Hey Ben, like I'm getting married. Do you want to make a wedding video for us? And I was like, Heck yeah. So it was so I accepted totally free of charge. And so I was like, okay, I'm gonna research the heck out of this. Like, dude, I went down the YouTube rabbit hole and just like all the things. And I was like, okay, like what's the bare minimum that I need? Okay, I need two cameras, I need a lot of it. Anyways, I did my homework, did the thing, some some stuff I've never used since, equipment-wise. But like I got ready mentally, like I really got ready for it, and then honestly, like I poured my heart and soul into that film, and it's I think compared to my stuff now, it's like ah, you know, I don't want to re-watch it. But here's the thing like I actually poured my heart and soul into that, and they loved it. And even though it was just like a favor for them, I actually thought to myself, okay, whoa, like this is actually kind of cool. Like, this is a wedding is really fun. I get to play with my toys, my equipment, and it's something that they like that actually means something to somebody. And then then actually, what I did is I was like, okay, wait, there's other full-time wedding filmmakers. So, what I essentially did in my senior year of college, because other opportunities weren't really panning out for me. Like I did an internship, this is a dead end, whatever. I literally went on the knot, I reached out to 15 Lancaster area wedding videographers being like, Hey, I'm a noob, I want to shadow you for free. Is that possible? I mean, kind of cold calling, not good odds, right? But three people got back to me, and that fall, so after I'd shot my friend's wedding, I second shot five weddings with people in the fall of 2020. And I also, again, for free, did three more weddings for friends. That's awesome. So, in the course of 2020, I did nine weddings and it was like, oh, like this could actually be like a job. Alongside of this, while this was happening, I was working with a friend in his business in the construction world. And then literally, I've had a very slow kind of journey. It's 2025, and this is the year that I actually went full-time because the last like four, four and a half years, literally, I kept doing that construction remodeling job part-time while doing weddings part-time because I really didn't know how to like grow it and gain the momentum to be full-time. And really, so like honestly, for me, I that was nothing like an overnight success. I mean, you know, 2020, I had those five weddings, year after that, like a few weddings, year after that, a few weddings, very slow progress, but it gave me time to really learn and look at the kind of the landscape of what so honestly, for me, going full-time, and this maybe is a kind of a headed a different direction, but it's been really fun and like a lot of learning, making the switch from oh, this is a hobby, this is fun, my videos are okay, I don't charge much, to switch and be like, no, like this is my thing, I'm a wedding filmmaker, it's my full-time business, and that kind of switch has been really fun and rewarding just over the last 12 months, and we can get into that, but that's kind of a nutshell.

Mentors, Style, And Constant Learning

SPEAKER_00 4:46

Yeah, that's awesome. It is funny how I feel like a lot of vendors get their start in this idea of like it's just a fun thing, maybe for the camera side of vendors. Yeah, we all start out as just a camera nerd. You're just enjoying taking videos of stuff, or maybe uh for me, like I started in photography first and thought I was gonna be uh wedding photographer only. You've never touched photography, and it's just funny how you kind of like meander your way through, but there's a point where you're like, no, this is a business, I want to run it like a business, and you can start to see like real growth, almost more so as an entrepreneur, instead of just you know, some sort of like standalone, I'm just a wedding vendor kind of vibe. Um, so it's cool to hear your journey kind of going through that kind of process. Um, did you learn a lot shooting with those other videographers?

SPEAKER_01 5:41

Uh, you know, okay, so JK Filmco, that's Jensen and Katrina. They they Jensen and I became friends. We hit it off after shadowing three weddings with them. Like we hit it off as friends. And so I learned a lot from him because he's like a genius with technology. So I learned a lot of my technical skills from him, which built on my foundation of video editing and shooting that I gained from college. But like he was like, Oh, like here's the right like tripod mounting plate, and like a lot of this very technical stuff. Yeah, really helped me out with the gear side of things. And I mean, I kind of learned a little bit from Katrina on the editing side of things, but honestly, I developed my taste in like, okay, what is a wedding film that I actually want to watch? Because from the very, very beginning, I was like, I want to watch this film. Like, I'm making this film, yes, fits for the couple, but like I want to enjoy watching my own film. I would never want to make a film for somebody that I'm okay with. And so I've refined my style and skill just by watching a ton of films. I'm like, I'm constantly watching films. Actually, that's like almost a ritual for me. Like before I really dig deep into an edit, I watch some really amazing films to inspire myself. Um, but those people really helped me when I was starting out, at least with the second shooting. Yeah. Give me some good groundwork.

SPEAKER_00 6:53

It's just cool when you see other vendors in your same category willing to like pull you in, even though at some point, you know, it you could be considered competition, but they're still willing to show you what they know, show you the tricks of the trade, and give you the knowledge to do your own thing and kind of grow your own business. I feel like there most vendors are are kind of that uh community over competition, but it's cool to see it like actually play out and see you here like full time in 2025.

SPEAKER_01 7:26

I'm a big fan of community over competition because I believe there's enough weddings happening. Oh, yeah. And I believe that videography is something that people are growing, it's growing on them more because they're realizing, wait, wow, having a wedding film to relive my not remember, re-experience your wedding day. Like it's I think it's a growing thing. So I don't think there's a lack of demand. I mean, statistically, there's two point like two million weddings in the US last year.

Why Video Matters And Style Debates

SPEAKER_00 7:49

For sure. What would you say? So it brings up an idea in my mind. I I've had so many photographers tell me that, like just a random number come into my mind is like less than 50% of their couples are getting a videographer or have a videographer for like covering their day, creating a memory piece for them in a in a highlight film or wedding film. What would you say when if couples are like on the fence, um, you know, thinking about a wedding film, not sure if it's worth it? What would be your sort of elevator pitch just in uh in terms of value of having one to couples that are kind of on the fence there?

SPEAKER_01 8:32

You can't hear your photos.

SPEAKER_00 8:36

No offense. We love photographers.

SPEAKER_01 8:37

We love photographers. You can't hear your photos, and so photos freeze a moment in time. A video, and I'm not saying one's better than the other, a video allows you to go back in time.

SPEAKER_00 8:51

Yeah, they're just different.

SPEAKER_01 8:53

And so if you want to have something that like is beautiful, you know, wedding wedding photos are gonna be something that you're gonna enjoy looking at, I think the rest of your life. I mean, the image quality is just like pow, it's amazing, but the film isn't even as much about like the image, the visuals, because it's a story. So a film, I think an amazing wedding film, it has to be authentic to the couple. Like this is like its whole own rabbit hole, you know. But there's kind of a raging war between editorial and documentary styles where you are giving direction to the couple and they're doing what you tell them to do. And so it looks magnificent, polished, perfect, and then there's like completely like stuff that's not perfect. When I started out, I'm like trying to be as cinematic as possible. Perfect lighting, perfect composition, all this. I honestly kind of just changed over the last few years because I realized couples love. Just talk to a bride today who is very keen on a home video style. So I've really like the value is having a wedding film that reflects you. I mean, I remember one couple last summer, a couple sent me a reaction video of their wedding film, and there's a moment where like he does like this silly like spin, goofy, like me. And in the reaction video, he's like, ah, that's like so us. Uh, that was like a moment for me. I was like, that is exactly what like I want a film to do for a couple. It lets them see like how they really are. And a different bride shared with me that like her wedding film was an amazing reminder of the best version of herself because like marriage is actually what's way more important than your wedding day. And uh the wedding film is a reminder of who you are, and so I mean, there's the beauty of it, kind of the wow, this is super cool, but it's also I think there's the legacy value where this is this is gonna be something you're gonna watch again when you're old and in a wheelchair. You can actually still go back to that moment the accent you got on that. I used to be in a nursing home, so they is that how they talk?

Calling, Faith, And Finding A Why

SPEAKER_00 10:55

Old and in a wheelchair. Oh, yes. Um, no, but you you bring up a good point. Um, photo and video, and there's not one that's better than another. We might be a little biased as wedding filmmakers, a little biased. Very biased. Um, but they just serve a different purpose. And the reliving the moments, seeing how you experience the day, and even just like pulling yourself back on the day. Um, those are the things that jump out to me in terms of like if you're on the fence thinking about getting a videographer. I literally tell all my couples that we meet with, like, if you don't go with us, that's totally fine. But please find someone that can do your wedding video and and do the style in the style that you like, because there are definitely different styles. There's nothing wrong with an editorial cinematic, slowly. It's hard. There's no right or wrong. Um, but I think I'd probably be more along the lines of what you're talking about, more documentary, just showing the natural moments. Um is there a moment in your journey as a wedding filmmaker that you felt like this is what I was meant to do, at least for this season. I'm not saying you need to be a wedding filmmaker for the rest of your life, but like what if I want to be? Maybe do it. I mean, was there a moment though that you're like, no, this is the job that I was designed to do? That's like, you know, just there's such a good fit personality, or or just career-wise.

SPEAKER_01 12:18

Last summer I was actually sitting in the sunroom with my dad, and I've had this conversation before with my family, but like I enjoyed my job doing remodeling a lot, and I've had a lot of other jobs. I worked as a nurse aide in a nursing home for a couple years, I worked out on dairy farm as a dairy farmer for a few years, I worked at a retail chain selling stuff, and I was like a managing there for a while, so retail, and then I also worked well, so yeah, the construction. Anyhow, I dabbled, right? And I realized those things weren't fulfilling for me. And so even though I make wedding films for couples, I was like, this ha I want to do something that I love. And so, anyway, I was sitting in the sunroof with my dad, and he's like, Ben, like, you like your job doing remodeling. It's a good skill, it's a good trade, it's always gonna come in handy, very safe. It doesn't talk like that at all. Well, I've talked to him like five times, and he does not sound like that. I'm I'm stereotyping what people's opinion is of the construction industry. It's like a good job, but my dad was able to recognize my parents have always been extremely supportive of everything I do. Very blessed for that. He was like, You are a creative person, you love filmmaking, and make you're doing you've been doing both for like over four years. Yeah, long term, do you want one more than the other? And I was like, dang, okay, if I had to choose, I would do videography. And so I kind of had an honest conversation with my boss at the time. Hey, look, I love wedding filmmaking. If I pursued this, like they wouldn't be like, I'm just quitting, but it would kind of look like phasing out. And he was he to as an entrepreneur himself, he totally understood. And so that was like a key moment where it's like, I want to do this, even going a bit deeper. Can I keep going?

SPEAKER_00 14:12

Yeah, go for it.

SPEAKER_01 14:13

A girl asked me over like two years ago, okay, but what's your why? Why do you want to do this? I had that really stopped me into my tracks. I was like, Oh, it's because it's like it's a cool video and it makes them happy. But then I really went deep on it. Read a book, start with why, start with Simon Simon Sinek. And I realized, okay, you know what? The reason I like wedding filmmaking is because it aligns with a number of the things that matter deeply to me. I think marriage is sacred. You know, I'm a believer in Jesus, and I believe just the beauty, the mystery, and the weight of significance that a marriage carries is something that I want to elevate. That was one thing. I also realized, like, you know, marriage is a foundation of people's lives. And there's so many times I'm not married, but there's everyone goes through marital struggles. You know, it's a journey for life. You're in it for life. And I realized I mentioned this earlier, a wedding film is a reminder of who you kind of really want to be because you're hearing your vows, you're remembering that kind of person you were. So if you're gonna actually have that for 50 more years, you know, whatever, right? Like I realize this is something that actually is gonna mean a lot to people. Last thing I'll just say is I realized it's so fulfilling being my own boss because I can essentially like do it's creatively fulfilling. I manage my time differently. Um, but ultimately I don't want to live a life that's about me, that's self-serving. I want, I think that a life best lived is serving others, but it's super convenient being able to control your life and your schedule and your money and all of it.

SPEAKER_00 15:56

Yeah. No, I mean I feel like the it's almost putting to light your comment earlier about the them them and their best selves. Because they're they're showing up and they're and they're saying, you know, the things that they're committing to in their vows or in their letters that they might have for each other. In our case, as wedding filmmakers, we get to capture a lot of those moments. But um, a couple 25 years down the road that might be struggling in some way or another can look back and and remind themselves of what they committed to and hear all those moments again, which would be you know super special uh for the those couples to relive those moments.

Documentary Approach And Authentic Moments

SPEAKER_01 16:36

Can I uh share a hot take? Are we okay with the hot take? I think we could do some hot takes. There's one though, not too okay. One hot take. We don't want to burn too many people. A wedding film isn't gonna be better than the wedding day. If unless you're going for something that feels like a movie. But the truth is, like, I actually heard a wedding planner say just uh uh recently, she's like, honestly, nine out of ten weddings, there's not like an abundance of emotion. It's like honestly, there's like a lot of stress and hubbub and activity. Let's do it. And when we get to the dance floor, we just let loose, sure. But what's interesting is like a wedding film, I think if it's done right, doesn't actually have to wow everyone. It doesn't have to, it doesn't need to go viral on Instagram. It it doesn't have to be something that like you just go, Wow, I'm impressed. I think I have so many voices. Sorry, I do a wedding film. It's a hot take because I don't want to insult any of every people, but it's like uh a wedding film, honestly, like it's it's gonna be as good as you make it if there's a lot of depth in your relationship. I just I just filmed the wedding of a couple that like on and off had a relationship over like eight years. There was a lot of hard moments breaking up, like some big, heavy stuff that they had worked through. That showed on their wedding day. Their vows were intense because it was like, baby, like we are here. Like they talked about some of the stuff they went through, their their journey. So people get married for different reasons. My hot take is that like it's not a production, the depth of your relationship, your love, your commitment to each other, how much that means to you, how valuable your marriage is to you, is actually what's gonna make a wedding film an amazing wedding film. And so I actually don't try to like make wedding films feel like overproduced or something that the couple isn't.

SPEAKER_00 18:37

Yeah. It I mean, it fits with the documentary's style, I feel like it's very much you're just trying to show the couple and their natural. I mean, I know it's not super natural because it's a wedding day with all the hustle and bustle and everything going on, but hey, if I was a bride, I'd wear a wedding dress every day, you know? Um so your approach, is there a part of your approach, whether it's um something vendor-to-vendor, the way you interact with vendors on a wedding day, or your approach in the journey that a couple might take from initially reaching out to the finished film? In your case, you're sending off uh films to couples. Is there a part of your approach that stands out or that's that you feel like is different, or that you even just have, you know, a little bit more intentionality in the way that you do things in your business?

Trends: Super 8 And Retro Music

SPEAKER_01 19:31

I'm gonna admit that it evolves because I pay very close attention to what couples want and what the market and what the landscape of wedding filmmaking looks like. I'm researching all the time. And so my approach honestly has adapted a lot. But I'll say this on a philosophical level, I want everything I do to honor and please God, and I do part of that is by doing my best work. It's not about me. I actually don't want to take people's money if they. Know that like somebody else could do the job better. So I want couples that work with me to know that like I want to put your needs first, your best interest, like your best interest is what I am prioritizing, which is why my style of filmmaking has adapted because I want to give couples something that they're gonna love, not just watch once. It's gonna be unforgettable. So philosophically, my it's it's service, it's serve-oriented, and that's just because I I believe serving other people and not making your life all about you selfishly, I think philosophically is something that I would aspire to. I think it's noble, honors God. In terms of the wedding day, you can hear it. I act silly, I'm an extrovert. I, as I think the young people say, yappers. I just honestly, I don't really think before I speak. So I'm very off the cuff when I'm filming a wedding. Now, I'm very respectful when there's moments for me to pull back because I never want to disrupt. But like, I'm not Mr. Like, I'm in charge, I'm cool, I'm very serious, I'm the cinematographer. No, I literally, I just honestly am like, hey, I'm here for the celebration. Let's have fun, be friends. And it's not just because I'm trying to be liked. I mean, I do want to be friends, but I actually want to alleviate some of the stress that just naturally comes with a wedding day. So because I can do camera stuff on autopilot, like I've done a gazillion weddings, like I don't have to like stare at my screen and like just change settings all the time. I mean, I do that, but I can do it like bam really fast. That way it like it actually allows me to read the room. If people are kind of like honestly, like if there's not a ton of energy, like I'll balance myself out with that. If there is a lot of energy, I'll jump right in because I want people to be themselves. I want them to be comfortable. So I'm actually leading with I am a human and I'm here to celebrate with you, not I'm in a videographer, I'm here to make something.

SPEAKER_00 22:03

Yeah, so you're focused on connection and get I feel like giving space for the couple to just experience the wedding day is super valuable for them. And I feel like I'm hearing some of that in what you're saying. It's like you're just trying to get them to loosen up, be themselves, and just capture that as it's happening.

SPEAKER_01 22:21

I'm very intentional with when I give some direction because they need, they want to look good, they want, they need some direction that doesn't feel just like forced, but I'm also more attuned to when to step back and kind of shut up, zip my lips. And actually, I mean you'll catch me doing it all the time. I actually know that reactions and side conversations are happening, even though everyone's like, Oh, here's the main thing. I am looking around and secretly turning my camera without turning my body and getting these very organic moments. Yeah. And those comprise so much of my films nowadays just because they feel so authentic.

SPEAKER_00 23:01

Yeah. Well, they are. I mean, it's it's stuff that's actually happening. Um, and nothing to say that you can't have a beautiful clip of a couple doing something epic or at an epic spot, but um, it sounds like your films you're focused more in on those in-between side moments that maybe the couple doesn't even notice is happening, but they're able to see that in their films.

SPEAKER_01 23:25

Yeah, I mean, cocktail hour is a great example. You've got like this hour or so after your ceremony. Guests are greeting each other, some really fun social interactions happening. Boom, like I'm capturing that and I'm zooming in so that I'm not in their face, they don't even know what's happening. But we're also with the couple in the bridal party. Once the photos are done and there's like a little bit of time to do some fun stuff with them. Again, maybe we're giving some direction, but I'm not gonna stop rolling because often it's like when they don't, when they don't think that we're still capturing stuff, something funny happens where they just express themselves. And so I'm I come home with so much footage I don't use just because I know that those moments are happening when they're not asking for attention.

SPEAKER_00 24:07

Yeah, and if you're not filming that extra five seconds or 10 seconds, you might miss it.

SPEAKER_01 24:13

Oh, dude, when I hit stop recording and then something happens, I'm like, never stop recording.

SPEAKER_00 24:18

Never stop recording. Well do stop because that's storage, but um No, I've got unlimited storage. Uh you need to send some my way because I'm running out. Um, okay. You're obviously in the wedding industry, there's trends that have come and gone. Are there specifically wedding filmmaking trends that you're loving right now? Oh, yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 24:46

Did you finish that thought?

SPEAKER_00 24:48

Yeah, go for it.

SPEAKER_01 24:49

Well, I own a super 8 camera and I love using that. Not every couple goes with it.

SPEAKER_00 24:54

Oh, you're cool.

SPEAKER_01 24:55

Because okay, look, I realized you can fake Super 8 very well. There's tools to fake it very well.

SPEAKER_00 25:04

Use Resolve.

SPEAKER_01 25:05

Ah. Yep. Dehancer Pro, man. It's an amazing plugin. But Super 8 is a vibe of its own because it's super low quality, but it's like nostalgic as well.

SPEAKER_00 25:17

Give us an explanation if couples are listening or vendors are listening and they're like, what is Super 8?

SPEAKER_01 25:23

Super 8 is a style of user-friendly or like home video cameras that came out in like the 60s, 70s, 80s that shoot real film. And so they're like a very basic camera. Now they're very scarce, but you can buy them, and there's a few labs in the United States that like still develop Super 8. So you can literally typically you have to get a cartridge to film, it's 50 feet long, and it shoots only three minutes of when it's done, three minutes of video, but it has this very vintage look. You've got all these like light leaks, artifacts, color distortions, film grain, kind of like if you the way it's scanned, if you include like the actual film strip and this sprocket hole, it's it looks extremely vintage and it's real stuff because it's actually something that was a huge popular thing back in the 60s and 70s. So I shoot with a digital camera and a real film camera that I have to send off and get developed, and then I mix the two mediums in a finished film.

SPEAKER_00 26:22

Are a lot of your couples? I'm assuming it's an it's an add-on service. Are a lot of your couples adding that on?

SPEAKER_01 26:32

Because I've been showing more Super 8, a lot of people mention it. Not everyone goes with it. Right now, I might say like maybe two out of three of my couples go with it. But that could change.

SPEAKER_00 26:47

What would you say is like a benefit for having um a couple having that optional add-on added in their in their wedding film?

People Over Details And The Edit

SPEAKER_01 26:57

It's best for couples that like stuff that feels nostalgic and candid because there's nothing high quality about Super 8. It it makes you feel like you're a kid again. It makes you feel like you're going back in time. And so it's something that I believe is gonna age well because it just feels so unforced, unproduced. So it's just uh it's kind of a look, and obviously it's fun for me physically shooting both, dude, like ripping open that little film canister and clicking it in, and then it just films. Oh my word, it's it's a feeling, but I think couples love the vibe.

SPEAKER_00 27:34

Yeah, that's a great sound effect too. Um are there trends that you're like that can just be not a thing anymore in wedding videography?

SPEAKER_01 27:46

This is gonna crush a few hearts.

SPEAKER_00 27:48

Is it gonna crush mine?

SPEAKER_01 27:50

Nah. Maybe because I think weddings are really about the people. Yeah. I personally, me, Ben Mon, I'm not crazy about like all the details, the glory, the glamour, the glitz, like flowers, plates, knackins. Here's the thing you can make it super beautiful, and I've been to super beautiful weddings that were stressful, and like their day went fine, and that can work, and that's okay, and that's true to them. There's no shame, there's no judgment. But like using too many details in a film that don't actually tell the couple's story is a trend that I'm like, well, the details are pretty, but what's gonna be something that is gonna make this couple go, wow, that's us in 30 years? I don't know if it's the bouquets or the those things. I think it's seeing your people. So when I use detail shots in a film, because I capture all of it, I usually just kind of like show some quick snapshots. The stuff I linger on is those very candid moments.

SPEAKER_00 28:58

So it's probably definitely a little bit of a hot take, I would say.

SPEAKER_01 29:02

Not not for everyone, but like here's my least favorite detail the hanging dress. Why do I don't why do I not care about the hanging dress? Because that dress was meant to be worn, it's static. It might be a cool photo, but I mean, are we selling a wedding dress here? So I the dress that's like my stereotypical like if I don't shoot the hanging dress, I don't care.

SPEAKER_00 29:20

But so you can expect in your films, if couples are listening in, like wanting to know what your films are about, you're way more focused on people than details, but you're still capturing it all.

SPEAKER_01 29:31

I'm gonna capture everything and I'm gonna listen to couples when we sit down and chat a little before their wedding to know, like, okay, what are the things that really matter to you? Because, like, I mean, this one groom, his his bouton ear, had a bullet from his grandpa's World War II rifle. And like, I mean, I got a close-up shot of that, and like his mom pins it on.

SPEAKER_00 29:49

It's like so he's saying that's important to me. You're listening in to the what the couples are talking about and applying that sort of to your edit, even if you might not have put that many details in. If a couple's wanting it, you're more than willing to kind of accommodate for that.

SPEAKER_01 30:06

At this stage in my wedding filmmaking, the kind of weddings I'm going to are people focused, and so the film is very people-centric, story-driven. But when there's a lot of elaborate thought that goes into putting it together, I'm gonna gauge where that couple's at and make sure I capture for them. But truthfully, it's just because I'm a social creature and I love seeing real emotion as much as I can. Those just always trump the detail shots that I have, and so I usually just squish them in a little part of the film or scatter it.

SPEAKER_00 30:35

So you're still showing it. I feel like that's probably you're not maybe taking quite as much of a hot take if you're still showing it. Um so when you're I feel like a lot of what we do as wedding vendors is working alongside other vendors. I had one more trend question. Yeah, go for it.

SPEAKER_01 30:55

Okay. Trend I'm loving is retro music. So, I mean, cinematic music that's dramatic. That's cool. I mean, I listen to it on my runs, gets me going. But or like piano acoustic music. I mean, it works really well because it's a wedding film, but I've been seeing tons of wedding films, especially wedding teasers, that are using songs from the 90s, 80s, 60s, 20s. I was literally just I just went down a rabbit hole the other day on archives.org looking for like old vintage songs that I could use because those songs are just a throwback that make you feel like you're going back in time. So I am loving kind of the shift in more like non-traditional music.

Working With Photographers As A Team

SPEAKER_00 31:39

Yeah, that's cool. Um, so when you're on a wedding day, we're we're constantly working together with other vendors. Um, I I'd say probably more so photographers throughout the wedding day. Um, but I'm just curious how if there's a curveball that is thrown at at you, the team, I guess. Um how how are you kind of taking on that maybe change, or maybe we're late on the timeline side of things? Um, what's your perspective to help the couple get through whatever that curveball might be?

SPEAKER_01 32:20

It helps for sure when you have a coordinator or a planner, because they're gonna take care of so much of that. And so I can actually bat those problems to them on a wedding day. But there's weddings that don't have plans.

SPEAKER_00 32:32

I mean, sometimes they even already are on it. They're on it. Yeah, they're not gonna be on the phone.

SPEAKER_01 32:35

That's why they have they're they're so good at their jobs, you know. You know, when you're at a wedding with a planner, like they are actually hustling all day long. But you're right, sometimes you're like, oh, the timeline. I have sort of discovered, and I'm just a lowly wedding filmmaker, but the two things in the day that seem less movable, and I'm saying only two things is the start of the ceremony and actually when the catering gets served because it's like food and they have to prepare it and it has to be hot. Everything else I think is subjective. So when we get behind, I mean, I am gauging, well, okay, is it gonna stress them out that we're behind? But like I'm gonna figure out okay, is there a week and way we can save time? Because I used to not care about timelines. I just be like, oh, I'm just like I'm fully documentary, like I'm here, I'm just flying on the wall, I'm just watching as it unfolds. Yeah. But I realize people actually want an expert who has done this so many times to be like, well, here's what we could do. And so I I match I very much pay attention to the timeline, but I also like know how much time things will take. And so I can be like, hey, like we're still gonna capture stuff, like you don't need to worry about it. I actually, as much as I can, withhold information from brides, it's gonna stress them out. I used to ask more questions, hey, do you like this? Do you want to do this? Do you okay? What do you think of this? Actually, they actually feel a lot more at ease when you as a vendor can be say, Hey, let's do this, and they're like, Oh, okay, like this is actually gonna help us stay on time, have fun, instead of making it their job to like figure out how to like make things work or do something that's gonna be fun.

SPEAKER_00 34:11

I I feel like if you're a couple and you're finding vendors that you can place your trust into, I mean, like we talk to couples all the time, and um one of the things I say is like if you like our films, if you could see us being there on your wedding day, and all of that checks out, like style and everything, then we're good to go. If you're if you're finding that person in terms of what what your our category as wedding filmmakers, if they're seeing that your style is what they want, they're seeing that your personality is what they could envision walking through the wedding day, because as you know, we're there for all of the things throughout the entire day. If they could put their trust into you, knowing that you have the experience, you are the pro, and then they just don't have to worry about it. You can make all those decisions, like you're saying, and just run with it. And they they know that they're gonna get an amazing film at the end of it because they've put their trust into you as the professional.

SPEAKER_01 35:16

When I've seen amazing films, and I'm like, well, how'd they get the shot? Well, it just it just happened, right? It just unfolded before them. All they had to do was hit record. I realized, no, actually, there was a lot of communication. There was like facilitating what needs to happen to like be there, right time, all the things to make something happen, whether it's those beautiful moments or those organic moments. I've actually like I sit down and I think through, okay, how are we gonna? I have a vision in my head because I I know the kind of film I want to make. And so when I'm showing up on a wedding day, I'm kind of looking for without interjecting myself. Uh it sounds like I'm taking too much control of a wedding day. I'm just saying I go into a wedding day having a very clear vision of what this I'm gonna capture that they're gonna love. And so I'm making sure that I'm kind of anticipating the next thing. That maybe that's what I'm saying. Yeah, I'm very much anticipating what's about to happen so that I don't miss anything.

Serving Couples And Managing Timelines

SPEAKER_00 36:18

Yeah, I love that. When you're um it's kind of a twofold question here. Um, as a wedding filmmaker, you work alongside photographers. Sometimes we get to work with photographers we've worked with before, and we know the style is gonna go super well with the the way that we capture things. Sometimes we work with new photographers, we have no idea um exactly how that like give and take is gonna work. Um, what would you say, you know, in in your perspective, how can wedding filmmakers and wedding photographers do a better job at serving the couple and still staying true to the style and the kind of like you're saying, you're going to a wedding day and you have an idea of what you want to capture. How can we stay true to that, but also still serve the couple to the best of our ability?

SPEAKER_01 37:11

You know, I always start the day not as a filmmaker, but I greet people and I make sure to like establish, hey, what's up? How's it going? Did you get your coffee? And so I start off on that footing. I want a photographer to know, hey, we're a team. And there is a lot of parts of the day which are more important for photo than actu than for video. And so I know what those parts are for them. And so I'll step back and let them do it. But I've actually, there's something that I do that I don't know if all videographers do this. Sometimes a videographer lets a photographer, sometimes a videographer will let a photographer carry all the responsibility in guiding kind of the events of the day and the couple and telling them what to do. Honestly, I actually feel like I could capture a whole wedding day without the help of a photographer because I know like how it's gonna unfold and what's gonna look amazing in front of my camera. And so I've actually had a lot of photographers express appreciation because I show up like with a creative idea. So a lot of times during like a couple session, I'm throwing stuff out there and it looks amazing because anything that looks good for video is definitely gonna look good for photo as well. And so I've actually like supplied just my creativity. And it also it is also really fun when you you actually show an interest in them as a person. So when we're not like capturing something and it requires all of our attention, I just want to be friendly and like see how they're doing. I ask that all the time. Like, hey, how are we doing? Because I understand the stress that they can be feeling, and I actually would like to say, hey, look, I feel competent. I'm happy to like step in and help lead things if you're just like, if it's if it's hard for you to kind of multitask, okay, wait, I'm shooting, but I'm also trying to like keep people on track.

SPEAKER_00 39:03

Yeah, what's been the reception for if there's wedding filmmakers or photographers that are listening in on this, what's been the reception when you do start to kind of jump in or add some ideas to maybe the couple session or throughout the wedding day? Because it does there is really if there's not a planner, the photographer is essentially the planner in a lot of ways, right?

SPEAKER_01 39:27

I wonder if they love or hate that. I'm gonna say nine out of ten don't love it.

SPEAKER_00 39:32

Probably not. I probably would assume that they would want a planner, but when you are jumping in, I know you've kind of set the groundwork for um some relational equity at the beginning of the day, like, hey, we're here, we're a team, you know, we do a lot of the same thing. But when you are jumping in, does it feel like at that point, because you've set it up well, they're just like receptive, or like what's been the kind of the feedback that you've gotten?

SPEAKER_01 39:58

I generally don't do anything without. Doing a temp check, seeing, is this okay? Is this okay? Do you like to do that? Hey, can I? I'm asking permission. I actually do that all the time because I don't want to step on anyone's toes. I'm like, hey, is it all right if I and I and I don't want to like just interject? Like I'm especially during capturing things up throughout all parts of the day, I'm like, oh hey, could we do this? Because I actually am asking for their permission to make sure that I'm not overstepping them. And if I sense, and it's happened, if I sense that, oh, I'm doing this and they're not capturing something because I'm doing something that only works for video, I actually kind of I shift my attention to them and go, oh, like, all right, let's keep rolling, because I want them to capture as much as they need to as well.

SPEAKER_00 40:49

Yeah, so it sounds like you're really in tune with kind of like you said, the temperature is if if you're jumping in and and they're all for it, then you know, that's kind of like a sort of unspoken green light for you if they're you're jumping in and they're like, oh, it's not really what I was looking for, and you're still getting what you need. I feel like it's you know, you're trying to stay true to to your style and everything, but also we have a lot of people that we end up working with throughout the wedding day to make it go smoothly and for the couple to basically not experience any sort of like hiccups. There might be like hiccups on hiccups, but we just want them to stay present because that makes a better wedding film. Would you agree?

Business Growth And Industry Awareness

SPEAKER_01 41:30

Oh, you can see on people's faces, people on the wedding day are reacting to us in some degree or measure. So if the photographer and I are having a good time, then they're gonna look way better on camera because they're gonna be they're gonna mirror us. We're actually setting the temperature of the room, we're the thermostat. And so if we are having a good time, it actually seems to be reciprocal. And honestly, I don't know if this is a weird thing about my personality, but sometimes if somebody's being really serious, I'll kind of crank up my silliness gauge, or if somebody else is very much engaged with interacting with people, I'll kind of pull it back because I don't want to be there there to be a power play.

SPEAKER_00 42:11

Yeah, yeah, I love that. Um shifting gears a little bit um to to just spend a little bit of time on on the business ownership of your wedding filmmaking business. If you had um, you know, like kind of look back over the years that you've been doing um what the wedding filmmaking um that you've done, is there something that's like helped you you feel like it's helped you grow the most? Um I mean you can think of it creatively, but also also as a business.

SPEAKER_01 42:45

Something that really helps me stay on top of things as a creative filmmaker as well as a freelancer, a business owner, is actually by like seeing and hearing what others are up to. I listen to so many podcasts just so that I can hear what other fit wedding filmmakers are chatting about. There's Facebook groups where people ask questions all the time. I'm reading those forums. Obviously, I have the people I look up to who make amazing wedding films. And so I'm I'm watching and very much paying attention to exactly how they're making films. And so, really, all I'm trying to do is be very attuned to what the landscape of the industry look like looks like. I didn't actually want to pick up a Super 8 camera, but I realized so many couples love it. So if I can give them one more thing that they're gonna love, I can shoot with two cameras on a wedding day. Or if couples are loving retro music, I'm gonna try to find more retro music to use in my films. If couples are liking a documentary style that just means less posing on a wedding day, I'm gonna try to figure out how to capture those moments that they do want. And there are couples that have a very specific vision, and so I kind of go deep when we sit down and plan. I I do think that this is an evolving industry. And so, just honestly, by constantly listening to what other photographers, filmmakers, planners are doing, what their opinions are, I'm actually kind of figuring out where I fall in the lineup of things because I don't think there is a right and wrong. It's just we're just serving couples, yeah, and it takes a shape different shape with every business. And so, because I want to be serving couples as well as I can be, that's why I pretty much have like a regular ingest of just what's the what's the state of the industry look like?

SPEAKER_00 44:33

Yeah, and it probably helps. I mean, it seems like it's helping shift your perspective to, like you said, serve your couples better. Um, if a couple is interested in having a wedding film created by you, what's the process look like? What do they do first? What happens next?

Booking Process And Minimal Touchpoints

SPEAKER_01 44:56

Yeah, because every couple and every wedding day looks different, in order to figure out like what they're gonna love the most, the initial step is just hopping on a call with them face to face over Zoom after they inquire. Some people are a little turned off like that from that. But it actually is in their best interest because it allows you to express this is what I want, this is what I don't want. And I can really listen and dial in and say, I think I could do that for you, or I think I can't.

SPEAKER_00 45:24

Yeah, which is super important.

SPEAKER_01 45:26

And so, yeah, after they hit me up through my website, I'm just trying to hop on a call with them. And before we actually hop on that call, I make sure I ask what like they're into, and I send a few example films that line up with what they're into so that they can have some proof before chatting face to face that I can make something that they're gonna like. And then if that all works out and they book with me, I realized I actually don't need to overload them with too many things. Pretty much all I do is I reach out with a, hey, let's set up a meeting about like six to four weeks before their wedding day, and we jump on another planning call just to break down their timeline. I used to do questionnaires, some I know it's very common, but I realized I actually can gather a lot of that information just by jumping on that planning call a few weeks before their wedding. So, really, from the time of booking to their wedding day, we just have one phone conversation. And of course, I mean, you know, sometimes I get texts or messages on Instagram and I respond to all of those. I mean, I love it when they engage with me that way.

SPEAKER_00 46:31

Yeah, but there's a lot of other people that are pulling the attention of couples, especially if they have a planner putting stuff together for them, um, photographers, engagement sessions, and also maybe doing the timeline. I feel the same way. Like, we don't need to be as wedding filmmakers, necessarily need to be the ones that are like adding more, unless a couple is really wanting more touch points. Um, I'm I'm right in line with kind of what you're saying.

SPEAKER_01 46:59

I actually think less touch points is serving their best interest. Because I used to think, oh, well, if I'm the professional, let me let just like throw all this information at them. What do you like this? Okay, well, and then I collect an image. Maybe I should have two questionnaires. And do you guys actually want to do this? And I have this add-on, like, we you didn't buy this. Do you want to buy this? All this information I'm throwing at them. But I was like, you know what? I actually think they're gonna have a better experience with me if we have very clear communication up front when they book what it's gonna look like. Hey, I'm pretty much hands-off until we have a planning call where we cover everything we need to know and any information I can collect from your photographer or planner or venue, I'll make sure I do that so that I actually do not add to your plate. So it's very minimalist, but I think it serves their best interest.

SPEAKER_00 47:42

And then are you um obviously you're delivering a highlight film? Are there more films that you put together for couples?

SPEAKER_01 47:50

I used to like come up with my own version of packages and like, oh, I can create this, I could create this. Anymore on that initial discovery call, I just hear what they want and I put it together in a custom collection for them to have. So extra edits outside of a wedding film look like seeing your full ceremony cut together with multiple angles, your full speeches cut together multiple angles, sometimes specific moments by request. I I put together something called a FOMO edit, which is essentially all of your raw footage compiled into one crazy long video, minus a few shots that I just accidentally took, which is like pure documentary. Like it, this could be like a five-hour watch.

SPEAKER_00 48:32

Yeah, just every clip.

SPEAKER_01 48:35

Something I haven't done, but I have brainstormed to doing is doing like a story session with a couple outside of a wedding day where we get together. We do essentially a very casual kind of like Friday night jeans sort of deal. And like just capture them in an element or a space that they're very comfortable in that reflects their day-to-day life. Story sessions are something that I want to expand into and incorporate into wedding filmmaking so that it actually reflects more of who they really are, not just what we see on the wedding day. That's something I am exploring right now.

Deliverables, Custom Collections, Story Sessions

SPEAKER_00 49:06

Yeah, no, I love that idea. I've only been a part of one of them. It was not for my own business, but it was definitely fun. Tell me a little bit, is there is there a dream destination that you have to film a wedding at, or, or something that you are dreaming up? Um, you know, that's far away.

SPEAKER_01 49:27

Destination weddings have a certain allure for those who like to travel. And I grew up traveling a lot, and so I want to do more destination work, which actually has its pros and cons. A heck of a lot of planning. Oh, for sure. A lot of stress. I mean, so I just had the fortune of doing my first destination wedding in Italy, countryside in Tuscany, with an amazing couple, who's an amazing day, literally everything you could dream of, and I cannot wait to dive into their film. And it was super exciting, and I learned a lot from it because I realized, oh, like this actually requires a lot of time and thought to kind of pull it together because traveling has its own complications, but it's really exciting because there's something deeply fulfilling for me to go new places. It's also really fun expanding like my horizons as a business because honestly, a lot of these places just have a very unique look and the people are different there, and like the people you'll meet that that are from other places in the states, in the world, just have a different, unique story, and because I just love people and I love seeing the world, it's very fulfilling for me to have the chance to do more destination and travel work. So, a specific place that I definitely want to go is uh Iceland. And maybe it's like everybody wants to go to Iceland, but there's something so cool about it that I'm probably just gonna go there on my own time, get a model couple, shoot something that looks amazing, and then use that because I am kind of manifesting my inner artist a little bit in my work. I mean, I'm making a film that the couple's gonna love, but my creative energy is like, well, what if I could create this? What if I could create this? So actually, I'm gonna go after creating those things on my own and see if if it's something that couples would actually like. Like I did my first like story session or two just for free for the couple because I could tell they were a good fit. And then honestly, like just picking up my camera sometimes and like doing something for fun that's not for work. I've shot a couple of videos like that, or they're they're still waiting to get edited, but literally I've shot some creative videos that are like, I just want to make something cool because at the end of the day, I'm actually gonna serve couples best by being inspired by what I can create with my camera.

SPEAKER_00 51:47

It is interesting too because you do as a wedding creative, if you are trying to branch out into something different, you do have to show that stuff. If you want to be a destination filmmaker or a photographer, you have to show destination work or a mixture, right? You're not just gonna like be booking local stuff and then all of a sudden, oh and now I'm a destination filmmaker, and I go to Iceland every other weekend. Um, destination stuff would not work for me. Family with two kids would be very difficult, but I do definitely understand the allure. Is there another spot besides Iceland that you're like you would go there in a heartbeat?

SPEAKER_01 52:35

Well, the next one is gonna be Mexico. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 52:39

All right, Iceland or Mexico, get this guy there, he will film your wedding. It'll be a great story.

SPEAKER_01 52:43

Yeah, if you pay for my travel, I'm there. Okay. I can speak Spanish down there if you take me to Mexico.

SPEAKER_00 52:52

Are there any fun, exciting, upcoming projects, things that you're working on?

Destination Work: Italy, Iceland, Mexico

SPEAKER_01 53:00

Well, I'm definitely excited to edit my first destination wedding film because it wasn't just because, oh, it looks cool because it's Italy. I literally, that was like a 14-hour wedding day, and there was so much just authentic moments that just unfolded because it was a very intentional group of people. A lot of thought went into putting that all together, and so like I just have some gold that I feel like is gonna resonate with me, the kind of film that I want to create, because it's people being people making memories. It's not about a video, it's not about a production, it's not about impressing anybody with how glorious your event feels. It was just like making real memories. I loved every second of it. Like, I put my camera down and just like soaked it in.

SPEAKER_00 53:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 53:43

Outside of wedding films, I've shot a couple videos of me filming myself when I was in Colorado and Texas, just on a trip for fun. And those videos are essentially just expressing some of the thoughts that I have going through my head. And I actually read some verses out of the Bible that were important to me at the time, and so putting it together with like a video that's kind of just creating something inspiring, it has nothing to do with weddings, but it's like it's a little creative outlet for me because I mean, I reflect myself in my work, inevitably, I can't even help it. Yeah, and so having some of those side projects that I'm working on, and and I know for sure when I find the right couples, I'm gonna offer some story sessions, be like, hey, like, do you want to just set something up? It's like just low-key, like, let's I'll be a third wheel, like you two are just gonna have a lot of fun and I'll give some direction, but let's just like spend a day with you in your life on like something fun. So those are all things I'm dreaming about. I have no end of ideas.

SPEAKER_00 54:49

Yeah, well, I appreciate you being the inaugural guest for this podcast um and kind of stepping into the unknown because this is all new for me, too. So I appreciate you being on. Um, where can people find your work or follow along?

SPEAKER_01 55:08

They just follow the sound of my deep voice. I've always been told I have a great radio voice. I don't know. We'll see how it turns out. Wayfinderfilmsco is my Instagram, and Wayfinderfilms.co is my website. You can check it out there, and if you send me a message, I will happily respond in two minutes.

SPEAKER_00 55:31

Well, you make some amazing wedding films, and I appreciate all of your insight. I hope everyone um, you know, got a ton of value from this podcast, whether you're a vendor or a couple um planning your wedding. Um, that's it for this episode. Um, I appreciate you guys tuning in, and we'll catch you the next time on the preferred list.