BlogHer

I met a most interesting lady at a weekly dinner last night. Elisa Camahort, one of the founders of the very popular BlogHer.com. 

She's a mover and a shaker. She saw a need for a community of bloggers back in 2006 and a scant 2 years later over 2200 bloggers are interconnected worldwide, providing a tremendous resource in diverse fields from health to finance to law to mommy issues to feminism. The BlogHer annual conferences have attracted keynote speakers such as Arianna Huffington, Elizabeth Edwards and Carol Lin (CNN).

Elisa's accomplishments are impressive. But what really impressed me about Elisa was her passion for what she does. She spoke with fervor about why she started the business and what she was trying to accomplish. She provides a welcoming environment for both women and men to help one another by sharing information. Many of the blogs are quite inspiring - like the cancer survivors. Many are informative and entertaining on topics a little less earth-shattering - like the BeautyHacks comparing Creme de la Mer's $125/oz anti aging cream to Olay's Regenerist Cream at $15/oz. [The verdict: they are both good.]

In a world that is increasingly isolating (if measured by the number of people connected to electronic devices rather than talking with people), BlogHer is an entity that brings people back together.  Way to go Elisa!

A Calmer Gentler World

I used to be a Type A personality with a CAPITAL A! I lived my life in CAPITAL LETTERS. EXCLAMATION MARK! But over the years I calmed down quite a bit. And even more so recently when I resolved to try to take 5 minutes - just 5 minutes a day - to breathe and relax. It's been a struggle to remember to integrate it into my life. But, when I'm in the car waiting at a red light and have nothing better to do, I somehow manage to do it.

I believe there's been a reaction to my action. I see a kinder, calmer, gentler world out there. Take last night. I went to Whole Foods to satisfy my craving for fresh oysters. Felix, the man behind the counter stepped up to serve me, with a smile. I told him what I wanted. As he reached into the tank to retrieve the mollusks, he accidentally squirted me with water - all over. Rather than getting mad, I laughed and thanked him for cooling me off. He was a bit horrified, asked if I was OK, and offered me a towel. But it was nothing. As he was shucking those little guys, he was explaining the difference among oysters, and how to tell if they are fresh. [Tap the shell. If it sounds like a rock, it's OK. If it sounds a little hollow, it is not OK.] By the time he was done, he'd filled my order, given me two samples, and sneaked in two extra oysters to make up for the soaking.

It's a small thing, but rich or poor, we all like to get a little something for nothing every now and again. I knew I'd be coming back many more times to buy oysters from Felix. Felix's act of kindness made me feel gentler as I moved on to the checkout. There, the cashier rang up my produce incorrectly four times. She was getting more and more flustered even though I told her not to worry, I was in no hurry, it was OK. I didn't have the heart to call her attention to another error. So, I headed over to customer service to correct the error.

The customer service manager confirmed I'd been overcharged. She cheerly refunded the entire amount for the produce in crisp dollars bills. I smiled and waited expectantly for her to weigh the red trevesino and tell me what I owed. But, she just smiled back, thanked me for my patience with the cashier, said it was their error, and apologized for my inconvenience. She said, "No charge." For the second time that night I felt calm begets calm. A smile begets a smile. In my Type A world, there would only have been misery. In my calmer, gentler world there is only peace.

The Flirty Guide

My ears were burning! Stacie Tamaki, founder of The Flirty Guide blogged about us yesterday. She has her finger on the pulse of 100's if not 1000's of professionals in the wedding industry in the San Francisco Bay Area. She's very selective about who she chooses to feature on The Flirty Guide, so we were all the more honored when she chose to shine a spotlight on us. Here is what she said:

"Savadelis Films never does anything the fast or easy way, they only know one way to do things: The right way.

The amount of preparation they devote to each client is, to me, beyond impressive. Their professionalism always leaves me in a bit of awe because they are uncompromising in producing films of the highest quality no matter how much effort it takes for them to do so.

Their impeccably edited wedding films range in style from modern, romantic, documentary, to period pieces. You can view two samples here and can also visit their website portfolio page to view more trailers. Especially view "Come What May." It's only 1 minute and 22 seconds long and is one my favorites. From the moment the groom sweeps his bride off of her feet at the top of the staircase, the reception montage is high energy and exciting because of how beautifully it was filmed and edited..

"Fever" (A fun, high energy, dance, reception trailer)

Chuck and Jewel Savadelis are absolutely passionate about creating films that tell the story of the wedding day. I know a lot of companies in many industries say they are passionate about what they do but Savadelis Films doesn't just talk the talk... They produce films that back it up. They work exclusively in High Def and a third camera at each event is standard, not an option. There is nothing accidental, lucky or left to chance when it comes to gathering the elements they'll need to create their finished films. Rather it is planning, forethought and intention that guarantee the quality of their content. After, they insist on editing each and every video in-house to ensure the highest level of quality and control during the editing process.

"Memoirs of a Wedding"
(A venue, pre-ceremony, ceremony, reception montage trailer)

Watch one of their video trailers and you might not know what to call them or what they do. To many of their fans their work transcends traditional videography. Recently, after viewing their "Fever" trailer, I listened to one bride describe their work using words like "cinematography" and "mini-movie" to another bride who had asked her about a videographer recommendation.

I'm so proud to have them on The Flirty Guide and to be able to introduce them to you here today :D"

Thank you Stacie! By the way, Stacie was just interviewed by Ralph Mucci on The Wedding Planning Audiocast because she is widely considered to be one of the Top 10 wedding bloggers in the country.

She's right up there with Abby Larson of Style Me Pretty (we're featured in San Francisco and in Napa),
Christy Weber of Junebug Weddings,
Vane Broussard of The Brooklyn Bride,
Melissa of Melissa's Smitten and
Janie Medley of The Bride's Cafe.

Liberated!

The other day we had a little visitor in our house - a hummingbird! We live in an Eichler-like home with sliding glass doors in every room leading to an interior atrium and an exterior garden. All of our doors were open and we were enjoying a nice breeze. Then we heard some chirping. We looked around and there, up near the top of the 16' ceiling near the clerestory windows was a little hummingbird beating his wings furiously.

We tried to guide him down to one of the open doors, but the chirping got louder, and his stress was increasing. So we left the room and he found a splinter on the beams on which to rest. When we came back, he was lying on the floor, poor exhausted thing. So we scooped him up and gently put him outside. It only took a moment for him to fly into the nearest tree. There are times when I know how frustrated and then how liberated that little bird felt.

Our cat was very disappointed that she wasn't given an opportunity to get 'up close and personal'.

Mary's Wedding

Mom and I went to see a short play yesterday at the California Theater Center, Mary's Wedding. This wasn't a lavish production, but it was very moving. It had just two actors. But what a magnificent job they did!

The play is set on the eve of World War I in which a young woman recounts a dream, more like a nightmare at times, that involves two scenes that are beautifully interwoven: Mary and Charlie's early courtship in a barn safe at home and Charlie's harrowing experiences on the battlefield. Though the action jumps in time and place, "Mary's Wedding" was well-balanced in its alternating story lines of love and war. At times it was pure poetry.

The characters seemed so real. Mary was chaste and demure in a silky white dress that looked like a nightgown. But she displayed more mature qualities of intelligence, compassion and strength when she calmed Charlie's fears during the thunderstorms. Charlie was confident and daring on the battlefield, but sheepish and youthful when meeting Mary's mother over tea. They had many dimensions, some conflicting, like all of us.

The story was one that transcends time and place -- the agony of being separated from a loved one. And it was about regret over what might have been. You know it's a good play or movie when you were mesmerized during the performance and speechless when it was over.

Bliss

After the last post about Happiness, I decided to go out and actively pursue a little Happiness. So what is happiness? The Oxford Happiness Inventory, a broad measure of psychological well-being measures happiness as an aggregate of self-esteem, sense of purpose, social interest and kindness, sense of humor and aesthetic appreciation. Aesthetic appreciation - yes! That's for me!

So, Chuck and I decided to finally use the wonderful gift certificate our friends Linda Hylen (Julia Morgan Ballroom), Terry Adams (Nob Hill Ensembles), Teri Menchini (La Bocca Fina Catering), Leighsa Smyser (Branch Out), and Marilyn Tabatsky (Have Your Cake) gave us five years ago for a stay at the Gables Inn in Sausalito. Our anniversary was coming up, so this was a perfect opportunity. This was a beautiful piece of architecture, so we were off on our aesthetic journey.

The Gables Inn was indeed charming and romantic, very clean, spacious, comfortable, and run by very nice people. We went to various corners of the Bay Area and played tourist for 3 days.

We started our journey at Audobon Canyon Ranch in Bolinas, near Stinson Beach, which is only open on weekends through July 13. What a wonderful preserve. There were over 50 egrets and herons nesting in the trees. These elegant birds which are 5' tall swoop down to the lagoon for some fishing, then fly back up to the treetops to feed their young. You get a remarkable view from across the canyon with high-powered telescopes placed at strategic places and docents ready to answer any questions. We were so glad the third-generation owners of this tract of land decided to preserve it so we could all see the beauty of nature and the grace of these birds, rather than selling to a major corporation that had designs to fashion a resort with golf course, condo's and other activities that would have driven the birds away forever.

We took a leisurely drive to Limantour Beach, walked and enjoyed the view, which was just exquisite. Then, we had dinner at the Olema Inn out on a terrace overlooking a tranquil garden. Lovely.

The next day, we visited the Conservatory of Flowers where one room was dedicated to butterflies - live butterflies flying in every direction. They were beautiful, but it was the wonder and joy on the faces of the little children that was even more terrific. We should all be like little kids - seeing things as if for the first time.

Then we went on a docent-led tour of Women Impressionists at the Legion of Honor. Our docent was such a skilled storyteller that she allowed you to get inside the heads of four very talented painters and understand the restricted lives they lived and how it affected their paintings. Before we took the tour, we wandered through the exhibit. We had commented that the subject of many of the paintings were women and children. The women in the paintings seemed to have a far-off gaze as though they had time on their hands, they were bored or sad, or trapped in some unhappiness or another.

After the tour, we understood why. In the late 19th century, respectable women required a chaperone to go out in public. And even then, many public places were off limits to decent women. Women of this strata of society had few duties. They were not even allowed to care for their own children; a nanny did that. This shaped the way women lived. Many of the male impressionist painters of the same time were free to paint either portraits or landscapes or anything they chose to. Thank you Berthe Morisot, Mary Cassatt, Eva Gonzales and Marie Bracquemond for making inroads for all the women who came after you!

On our third day, finally relaxed and almost entirely blissed out, we got up late, had breakfast with some international visitors, then slowly drove home via Route 1 past Half Moon Bay where we scouted a few locations for a piece were are filming for a bride and groom in early July.

It didn't take long to rediscover what relaxation and happiness are. And, we didn't have to travel far to find it.

Happiness

I just had to go see S*x and the City, so I went with one of my good friends, Stacie, founder of The Flirty Guide.

So here we are with our gal pals Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte 5 years after the TV show ends. Carrie and Mr. Big finally tied the knot. But will it lead to Happiness, with a capital 'H'? Probably not. The How of Happiness by Sonja Lyubomirsky says that only 10% of our happiness can be attributed to life circumstances such as whether you are rich or poor, beautiful or plain, healthy or unhealthy, married or single. So now just because Carrie is married and is much richer because she married Mr. Big, her happiness will probably not change much.

Of our four heroines, it seems that Charlotte understands the secret of Happiness best. When Samantha asks her, "How often are you happy in your relationship?" Charlotte answers; "Every day." Sam asks again, "Every day?!!" and Charlotte answers, "Well, not all day every day but yes, every day." That would seem to be because Charlotte (always my favorite of the bunch) has a variety of traits shared by the happiest people.

o They express gratitude.
o They practice acts of kindness.
o They cultivate optimism.
o They savor life's pleasures.
o They learn to forgive.
o They practice spirituality.
o They exercise and are active.
o They are committed to pursuing lifelong goals and ambitions.
o They show poise and strength in the face of adversity.
o They nurture relationships.

To me, Charlotte is definitely a heroine for living life to the fullest every day. Every day? Yes, every day.

Baguette Quartette

Yesterday I attended a fabulous affair hosted by the incomparable Paula Le Duc, renowned as one of the best caterers in the Bay Area, and with good reason. The event was held at Beaulieu Gardens, one of the most beautiful gardens in wine country. The food was fabulous, the sun was shining, with just the hint of a breeze to blow the fine linens gently.

I was in the company of some of the best event planners in the business: Julie Nunn Martin, Rebecca Feeny, Traci Steuteville, Brooke Menconi, Angela Nelson, Mary Mix, Michelle Barrionuevo-Mazzini, Kathryn Kalabokes, Dee Merz and Kristjan Gavin among others. It was a heavenly day.

One of the carefully planned elements was the musical group Baguette Quartette playing real parisian cafe music. Oh my goodness! I have never liked accordion music, but this entirely changed my mind. This quartet of talented musicians played lively pieces from the 1920's and 1930's. If you closed your eyes you could imagine yourself in pre-war Paris at an outdoor cafe watching the beautiful people walk by.

When we edit an event, we get to observe how good or how bad a musical group is.
o Do they play on key? Do they hit any sour notes?
o Do they play as a group in a cohesive manner or does it sound like they have never played together before?
o Is there a nice balance among the instruments or do they all scream louder and louder to compete for your attention?
o Do the musicians play with expression, feeling and intensity - with passion?
o Do they transcend the notes on the page and take you to a another place?
o Do they entertain you?

Well, this group was perfect -they were technically excellent, they were beautifully balanced, they played at a perfect volume to lend an air to the party yet not so loud that you had to shout to be heard. They went beyond that. They dressed the part of 1930's Parisians and their repertoire was thoroughly unique. Mon dieu! They were superb! They made beautiful music and delighted our hearts.

A Trio of Quirky Little Movies

What makes a good movie?

Well, it has to have a good story that compels you to keep watching until the end. The choice of camera angle should be surprising but completely consistent with the story. The script and acting should feel natural and authentic. And the editing should not call attention to itself.

Sometimes a great movie is epic, such as Citizen Kane, The Godfather, Indiana Jones, Schindler's List. But sometimes it can be a quirky little picture. Here are three for your consideration:

Scotland, PA (2001)

This is a satire that retells Shakespeare's Macbeth, while satirizing fast food and suburbia. Joe and Pat McBeth work at Duncan's hamburgers joint in the small Pennsylvania town of Scotland, in the 1970's, They plot and carry out Duncan's murder and it looks like they will get away with it. That is until Christopher Walken, as police lieutenant Ernie McDuff starts investigating and brings a "Twin Peaks"-esque feel to the movie. He delivers his lines with his usual unconventional cadence and it's perfect here.

There are plenty of great lines - "We're not bad people, we're just underachievers that have to make up for lost time." and plenty of little jokes - Duncan, it seems, made a fortune by selling a chain of donut stores.

Strictly Ballroom (1993)

Before Baz Luhrmann produced Moulin Rouge and La Boheme, he wrote and directed this little gem. It spoofs the stuffy world of ballroom dancing in which two young competitors attempt to be spontaneous and improvise novel dance steps while being told by The Federation that "there are no new steps". There is a madness in most of the characters that only the dancing couple seem to notice. This is a charming tale of taking on the powers that be and winning on your own terms.

Kinky Boots (2005)

The crazy thing about this movie is that it is based on a true story. A young man with ambitions to shake the dust of a small town off his boots and move to the big city is forced to reconsider when his father, the third generation to run a traditional men's shoe factory, dies suddenly. Charlie, the son, comes back to town, only to discover the company is about to go under. He searches for a way to keep all the workers employed. Ah ha! He finds a new niche market: thigh-high boots with stiletto heels that will bear up under the weight of a man, for drag queens.

There is a transformation not just of the products the factory turns out, but of people's prejudices about each other, resulting in triumph all around.

For more movies that are out of the mainstream, see Roger Ebert's Overlooked Film Festival.

On Wealth and Ethics

I was encouraged by Brent's appreciative comment to write a little more about Peter White's philosophy about ethics and wealth. Mr. White's principal interest is helping people find meaning in the context of material abundance. I am quoting liberally from Alice Cornwell Strauss who wrote a wonderful article on her fellow alum from Kenyon College. The full text can be found here. I have excerpted a few points that can apply to any business.

After returning from a summer at a dude ranch at the age of 13, Mr. White said, "I learned that there were other things of value besides the material things on which we tend to place too much emphasis. Once you have satisfied the basic survival needs, you must find meaning in your life. If you find meaning, the rest flows."

He applied this to his current business. His work stresses facilitation over advice. "Getting the family to decide what it wants to do and where it wants to go is the sine qua non of effective consulting. The real work is listening, making sure that everyone who has a stake in decisions also has a say, creating a safe place for the group to come together as people trying to solve a problem or reach an answer together, and moving the group toward resolution."

By age 32, Mr. White had achieved material success, was a partner at the fourth largest law firm in America and was deputy counsel for the House Ethics Committee. After chasing success but not finding happiness, White founded International Skye Associates, to provide personal counseling services in the field of private wealth and philanthropy. He stressed "taking advantage of opportunities and solving problems according to the needs and goals of each family as defined by them, integrating modern thinking about business and finance with timeless wisdom from religion, philosophy, and the social sciences. The Rockefeller Family was an early client.

Mr. White's concerns led him to expand his services to offer the Skye Summer Institute, an educational program for young adults who had inherited considerable wealth centered on living a complete and purposeful life, helping them to realize what's important to them in life. An heir to the General Electric Company fortune, remarked that White's "emphasis on finding meaning in their lives--and not focusing on their money--helps them evolve from being merely wealthy people to being wealthy with a cause to spend their money on."

In Mr. White's opinion, you can "indoctrinate people when they are young, or you can shame them when they are older, but real philanthropy comes from going beyond one's own immediate needs, being connected to the world and realizing that the world is hurting in many ways and that one can do something to alleviate that hurt."

In the words of the "king of soul" Sam Cooke, if we all took this view, "what a wonderful world this can be".

The Ten Elements of Care by Peter White

Peter White has spent more than 20 years counseling wealthy parents and privileged children about how to better understand the adverse effects of wealth and to search for more meaningful lives. Over time he created a list of the 10 things parents should provide for their children, which he called “The 10 Elements of Care.” It seems like a good list regardless of the amount of wealth in a family. In fact, #3-#7 are general principles we share with our clients and they with us, and in doing so, we often arrive at #2.

1. Necessaries — food, clothing, shelter, medical attention, basic education.

2. Affection — This involves “the great big person who takes care of me opening him or herself to me, making him or herself vulnerable and human in a way, connecting with me physically and in spirit, and thus affirms my significance as a person.”

3. Affirmation and Support — This is basically about expressing sincere belief in the child: “You want to be a cheerleader – or a doctor or an astronaut – and you can do it!”

4. Boundaries — Peter says that “we are living in an age where the lack of boundaries for children is epidemic. Boundaries, of course, reflect a closing value – that certain, reasonably well-defined behaviors are unacceptable, and that when these behaviors occur, unpleasant consequences will result.”

5. Guidance — “Telling and showing children how to cope, how to deal, how to create, how to succeed. Guidance involves how-to techniques such as how to do the dishes or drive a car but at essence guidance is about beliefs — belief in the sense of action motivated and circumscribed by values held by the parents. In the wealth context, guidance on budgeting is essential, and guidance on philanthropy, which may come from participating in family philanthropy together as a group, are good examples. Parents of wealthy kids are worried about passing their values to their children, but they needn’t worry about that if they are present to them, in quality and non-quality times.”

6. Respect — “This is really about listening. It is respectful to listen seriously to what the other person is saying seriously and to empathize with what the other is feeling genuinely.”

7. Trust — This means “relying on the other to act responsibly,” and to allow someone the opportunity to do the wrong thing.

8. Forgiveness — This is not about the glib “I forgive you.” “Forgiveness does not erase the hurt; by definition, it feels the hurt but decides to carry on the relationship despite the hurt.”

9. Religion or Spirituality — “My experience over the last 20 years tells me that children raised in an environment of religion tend to be more in touch with themselves than those who are not. When I use the word religion, I am not referring only to the organized religions — though I am not excluding them either — but I am speaking about an aspiration to higher and enduring truth.”

10. Letting Go — This is the most difficult and along with Necessaries and Affection, the most important. We must say to our kids, ‘I’ve done the lion’s share of the motherly or fatherly work, and I’m here and will be here for you as long as I can be; but the responsibility for you is now yours.’ ”

Real Events

I attended a fabulous event this week at Merryvale Vineyards, sponsored by a terrific caterer, Real Events. Gaspar Sayoc, the Director of Sales and Marketing at Real Events in St Helena, 707-963-0100, not only knows how to cater exceptional food, but he knows how to create an exceptional experience.

We have long been fans of the Real Restaurant Group which includes Fog City Diner, Betelnut, Buckeye Roadhouse, Bix, Tra Vigne and 8 more hip, spirited, reasonable restaurants in the Bay Area. And now, the Group is offering catering and event coordination. Because of its origins, one unique aspect of Real Events is that it feels more like a restaurant experience than a stodgy ol' banquet experience.

Signature dishes from the various Real Restaurants were offered at serving stations including sushi and assorted pot stickers; deeply decadent and velvety macaroni and cheese, prime rib with three out-of-this-world sauces and so much more. It allowed guests to move freely and it kept the party lively. Gaspar is the master of orchestrating a party so it has energy and sizzle. If we had to do it all again, this is exactly the format we would choose for any event we hosted. It allows you to eat as much or as little as you wish, and it gives you a CHOICE.

Other professionals who contributed to the success were:

Merryvale Vineyards- they served superb wines which were thoughtfully paired with the fabulous foods. Their Cask Room (see photo above) is exactly what you envision when you think of a Napa Valley wine cellar. Dark and atmospheric.

Julie Stevens Design - Julie and Anthony created large, lush floral arrangements for each food station that echoed the theme whether asian cuisine, California cuisine, comfort food, or the dessert bar. My favorite was the profusion of cascading white phaelanopsis orchids from backlit blue glass vases. It looked like the orchids were suspended in mid-air.

Weddings With Michael Peterson - Michael carefully created a song list that was perfect for the occasion, and was played at the perfect sound level so you could comfortably speak and hear your companion. You know how uncomfortable it can be when the music is so loud you are screaming and still can't be heard. Michael provides very sleek, modern speakers that blend into the decor, not those huge, ugly black boxes you usually see. Michael perfectly created the mood that Gaspar had in mind - casual, sophisticated, fun.

Heavenly Sounds at Grace Cathedral

We just filmed a commitment ceremony at Grace Cathedral. What a magnificent house of worship! Everyone we worked with was so wonderful: Mary Wood, the wedding administrator, Jayson Kincaid the Production Director, and Elaine the verger.

The Gregorian chants and the 1273-pipe organ echoed and reverberated magnificently in every corner, calming and uplifting our spirits. We were all transported to another realm. We wanted our couple to be able to feel this same spirit every time they watched and listened to their ceremony, so we recorded it in surround sound. Now, when they listen, the sound will be as close as possible to the real thing.

The 275 guests then walked a block to the
Mark Hopkins where they were treated to a fabulous cocktail party and 5-course dinner. Lisa Tomasi, Catering Manager, really pulled out all the stops and treated our couple and their guests like royalty. Rebecca Reategui, the wedding designer, and Karen Axel of Tapestry Flowers, designed a ballroom that made you think you were in a rooftop garden with bowers of orchids and twinkling lights everywhere. We were delighted to be working with Michelle Walker of Michelle Walker Photography - always so pleasant, and soooo talented.

A big hit of the evening was the chocolate tasting and favor-making provided by Cocoabella. Each guest was invited to select 10 chocolates from among 50 choices. The hand dipped chocolates were from the best chocolatiers in the world such as Michael Cluizel, Christopher Elbow, Knipschildt. The chocolates were then carefully arranged in little blue boxes and finished with ribbon to take home as a favor.

There were energetic performances of Phillipine folk dances from the Hiyas Dance Group , a photo booth provided by Red Cheese, and so much more.

On Film Editing

I've been reading a good book lately. A real page turner. Well, at least it is to me. It's "On Film Editing" by the film director Edward Dmytryk, most famous for directing The Caine Mutiny and 50 other movies. He started out as a film editor, and has some insights that are as relevant today as when he wrote the book 25 years ago. Here are some of his pearls of wisdom.

Dmytryk makes a distinction between a cutter and an editor. A cutter is a technician who merely assembles the pieces, mostly in the order they were shot. An editor is a thinking, creative person who carefully juxtaposes cuts to obtain the greatest audience involvement, to allow the viewer to be caught up in the mood, to arouse the viewer's own emotional responses. And a good editor senses the viewer's attention span, holding a shot long enough to deliver its desired effect, but never so long that interest fades, and never repeatng a clever shot.

Dmytryk notes:

o Film is the most dynamic of all the arts and is the most popular art form in the world.
o The development of film technique has been primarily the development of editing.
o Without film editing, the best movie would be only a photographed stage play.
o Film editing is the art of filmmaking.
o By means of a "cut", a filmmaker can fly through space and time, and can intensify emotions.
o A film's first viewing should evoke an emotional reaction.
o Substance first, then form.
o Reactions are essential to a good movie. Cause and effect, action and reaction.
o The "human situation" is what good films are all about and technical skill counts for nothing if it is used only to make films which have little to do with humanity.

An editor...

o ...Improves a film by eliminating redundancies, by creative manipulation of the film's pace and the timing of reactions.
o The finer the editor's technique, the less noticeable is his contribution.

Here are some movies that are beautifully edited. Through careful arrangement of images and sounds, they create strong emotions such as joy or sadness, desire or revulsion, compassion or anger, confidence or fear, triumph or despair. And they make you feel that way every time you watch them. They make you care.

Amadeus
Apollo 13
Citizen Kane
The Color Purple
Crash
E.T.
Field of Dreams
The Godfather
High Noon
It's a Wonderful Life
Jaws
Joy Luck Club
Mr. Holland's Opus
Ordinary People
Rainman
Rear Window
Seabiscuit
The Verdict
You've Got Mail

It's Not Easy Being Green

Yesterday I attended an event at the newly renovated Bently Reserve. I am reminded of what a beautiful venue this is! In this 85-year old majestic and stately structure, Jon Retsky of Got Light and Neil Adams of Blueprint Studios designed a very contemporary, airy, fresh feeling. Hot lighting punctuated with cool, white leather seating areas surrounding a custom-made 360-degree bar in the center of the room created drama and intimacy. McCall's fabulous catering added to the opulent and festive mood with groaning boards of sushi, caviar stations, passed hors d'ouevres- one tastier than the next. A fun time was had by all. Thank you Vivian Perez, Events Manager, for your kind invitation!

But what is so noteworthy is that such a beautiful place, with all of the latest technology in the conference center upstairs, is GREEN. This doesn't just mean that the floors are made from sustainable Brazilian cherrywood forests. Being certified Green entails a deep commitment to use 75% recycled materials in construction, to reduce energy consumption, to diligently recycle, and to serve local organic food from local green caterers.

I had a chance to speak with the modest, nattily-dressed Chris Bently, owner of the Bently Reserve. He is youthful, cultured, has a droll sense of humor, is unpretentious and has a great joie de vivre. He owns several historic properties around the Bay Area, all operating under strict green business practices. It is refreshing to see that what's good for the environment can also be good for business. It may not BE easy being green, but with a great sense of style, Chris Bently makes it LOOK easy.

What Happens When the Bubble Bursts?

We're not usually fans of special effects, because when they are not well-done, they are cheesy. Let's face it. That's more the norm than the exception. But every now and again, an extraordinary special effect perfectly suits a situation. That's the case with this 90-second commerical with very cool slow motion effects. It was shot with a special high speed video camera.

Over a century ago, Eadweard Muybridge completed one of the first scientific slow motion studies. He was commissioned by Leland Stanford Sr, then governor of California, to photograph his race horse Occident to find out whether the horse ever had all four feet off the ground at any one point in time. Today, you can apply super slow motion as an artistic device. The frame rate of the camera that captured the scenes in this commercial was 2000 frames/second. For comparison, standard video is shot at 30 frames/second. In order to see every tiny movement of the water droplets exploding from the burst balloons in a continuous series of perfectly sharp images, you need a camera capable of very high frame rates.

Oh, and the horse was completely airborne for a fraction of a second.

Brides of March

Every now and again we all need to do something a little different, something a little crazy. So, Chuck and I went to see the 10th Annual Brides of March last Saturday in San Francisco and produced a little 3-minute gem. Hundreds of ladies (and men) dressed up in their white wedding gowns and converged on Union Square, making a quick stop at Shreve & Co to admire the engagement rings. Oh what a vision of loveliness!

Here's what people are saying about our movie.


"Finally. A movie that shows the fair, sweet, innocent side of San Francisco."
---Mayor Gavin Newsom

"If you are searching for enlightenment, you will not find it here."
---His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama

"Joel and Ethan Coen, step aside. Here come Chuck and Jewel."
---Chuck's Mother

We hope you enjoy the show.

The Ritz Carlton

I attended a wonderful event yesterday which the Ritz Carlton at Half Moon Bay hosted for their Preferred Vendors. They hosted a half-day conference which encouraged open communication about how we can work together to better serve our joint clients. Debra Hertzog and Tony White are the most farsighted, innovative and creative people when it comes to serving their clients well.

What a beautiful venue! We've enjoyed working there because of the view, the fabulous food, but most of all, because of the people who work there. They treat us like a guest even though we are there to serve our brides and grooms. There's no other place like it. And if they treat us like a pampered guest, imagine how they treat their brides and grooms and their hotel guests.

We are honored to be on the Preferred Vendor List. Some of our favorite people share that honor:

Bridal Consultant: Jubilee Lau
Day of Wedding Planners: Jean Marks,
A Bride's Best Friend, 415.216.6139
Cakes: Elegant Cheesecakes, Butterfly Cakes
DJ: Ron Grandia
Entertainment: Bay Music
Florist: Florabella Designs
Furniture Rental: Neil Adams, 415.563.6816
Hair/Makeup: Armando
Harpist: Harpeggio
Lighting: Got Light?, Enhanced Lighting
Linens: Wildflower Linens, Classic Party Rentals
Photographers: Geoff White, Michelle Walker, Kevin Chin
Stationery: Alia Designs

Because of the level of service the Ritz Carlton offers and their world-renown, they are in great demand. So, if you are looking for a site for a fabulous wedding, call them as soon as you are engaged.

Macbook Air Bling With Gold And Swarovski Crystal

Under "I can't live without it", file this: Selfridges & Co in London is offering just 20 Golden Age Macbook Airs. Over 12,000 Swarovski crystals were applied by hand, over 24K gold, covering every inch of the case. At $39,750 they will be going fast. For more well-dressed electronics, go to Bling My Thing.

Look Who's Talking, Part II

One of our most favorite officiants, Diana Morgan, surprised us recently and blogged about us on February 28. Thank You Diana!! Here's what she said.



I have had the opportunity to work with some amazing people in my travels. Today I want to talk about two of those people, Jewel and Chuck Savadelis, owners of Savadelis Films.

I recently had the opportunity to view one of the amazing Savadelis Films of a wedding in which I participated. It is particularly relevant that I was the officiant because of my experience of viewing the movie.

Let me see if I can begin to describe this experience. I was at the wedding. I was there the entire day. Yet when I viewed the movie, in some ways, it was as if I hadn't really been there. It was almost like I was watching the full experience that I was involved in, but had only experienced maybe 30% of it in person. From the views of the ceremony site to the reception site, to the different stages of the day, it was like reliving the experience of being at the wedding and viewing it for the first time all at once. I kept thinking, "I don't remember that... ", "How could I have missed that?"

Subtle things...like I was noticing the drops of condensation dripping down the outside of the glass of champagne and the sparkles of the bubbles in the glass... I didn't notice that the first time.

On the wedding day, I didn't get to see the bride and groom each individually getting ready for the day. Who does, except maybe the moms...and the photographers? But Jewel and Chuck captured every moment of emotion on film.

I didn't get to see so many things, but the movie captured EVERYTHING! As I watched the movie of this wedding, my eyes welled up with tears. I felt like I was there and it was happening all over again.

All I can say is if I had my wedding to do all over again, the only thing I would change is that I would have Jewel and Chuck create my wedding movie. Then I would actually watch it over and over again, and show it to people. (Unfortunately, all I have is the video that a kind friend shot which I watched a few times and tucked away for posterity... sigh...)

Take a look at their site and call them!