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!

Look Who's Talking, Part I

One of our most favorite event planners, Jubilee Lau surprised us recently and blogged about us on February 23. Here's what she said. Thank You Jubilee!!



There's No Take Two!

Are you considering a wedding video? If the answer is no, may I urge you to RECONSIDER! I think this is the #1 regret of many couples. After the wedding day, they realize how quickly the day had gone by and they wish they could relive it all over again. Well, you can. Sort of. By hiring a wonderful, fabulous cinematographer like Chuck and Jewel Savadelis you can come close to reliving the most special day of your lives.

I've had the pleasure of working with Savadelis Films on many weddings, and they have always amazed me in their ability to capture in the most genuine way the love, the joy, and all the different emotions that arise on the wedding day. Their videos are movies, but in no way are they surreal. In fact, the movies are so tastefully shot and edited that it can even bring tears and laughter to a total stranger.

'How do they do that?' you may ask.

I think it lies in their passion for what they do. They shoot each wedding with heart. Prior to the wedding day, they go to great lengths to understand the couple. They try to grasp the couple's vision of the wedding, they note who the key family members and special guests are (as well as where they are seated at the ceremony and reception!), and they treat each wedding as a very special, unique day. They don't go by a 'must shoot' list, because they capture each detail as it unfolds naturally. Yet, they never miss an important moment...like when the groom first lays eyes on his bride. There is so much preparation that they do prior to the wedding day, such as meeting with me to go through the timeline intensively because they do not like to leave anything to chance.

I've heard so many couples say that they can relive their wedding through the photos. Let me tell you, I have the greatest respect for photographers but you must realize that it's a completely different medium! Tell me how photographs can make you relive that toast by your Best Man that made everyone roaring with laughter. Tell me how photographs can make you relive that beautiful first dance as husband and wife to that special song you picked. You can't! You may remember the toast a year from your wedding day, maybe even five years. But 30 years go by, and how can you remember? How can you describe it to your children, to the children of your Best Man?

Every couple deserves a wedding video. Remember, on your wedding day there's no 'Take Two', so get the best videographers you can to capture it!

Sample video from a wedding that I did with Chuck and Jewel at the Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay:

MAC Version
PC Version

Mona Lisa Smile

Is the world’s most enigmatic smile a fake? Is Mona Lisa really smiling or is she faking it?

Because real and fake smiles are controlled by different parts of the brain, different muscles are used to create them – and this indicates whether a smile is genuine or not. When faking a smile, the brain signals the major muscles in the cheeks to contract and pull the corners of the mouth outwards.


Genuine smiles are triggered by feelings of pleasure which pass through the part of the brain that processes emotion. When a smile is real, the eyes crease up, and the end of the eyebrows dip slightly.

Looking at the right side of the painting of Mona Lisa it is instantly evident that she has definite up-turned lips for a smile.

But her eye on this side does not show 'laughter lines' at the outer corner of the eyes where the skin crinkles up. There is no smile evident in this eye. Overall, this side of her face indicates her mouth is smiling but her eye is not part of it. This is a gentle 'polite smile' we all can turn on and off at will.


On the picture's left side, the body language indications are reversed. Her lips do not have a smiling up-turn, but, we can see that this eye hints of the tension associated with a true smile. The upper and lower eye lids have a slight upward pull at the outer edge. But a smiling eye without a smiling mouth contributes to an uneasy feeling of mystery and bewilderment of this painting.

The body language indicators are conflicting in this face. It is easy to understand how this could happen if Leonardo painted different parts of her face at different times. Her mood may have been different over several days. Her left eye may be her Monday eye, her right eye may show her Tuesday mood, her right mouth side possibly Wednesday, and maybe he painted her left mouth last and that gentle smile was for Leonardo on Thursday as he finished his masterpiece!

So the answer to whether Mona Lisa is smiling or not is...it depends.

So what does this have to do with us? We spend a lot of time behind the camera lens and in the editing suite. We are practiced observers and can spot a fake smile from 50 paces. Fake smiles rarely "make the cut" into our wedding movies. Although it is a very subtle cue, viewers can also spot a fake and can feel there is something "a bit off" even if they can't place a finger on the inauthentic smile. That is why we film a lot on a wedding day; so we can be very, very picky and make each wedding movie feel unstudied and real, in the best possible way.

Some brides fear they will not look good in their wedding movie. We find that people who behave in a contrived fashion don't look their best. So, we don't pose people, ask for "re-enactments" (which can never capture the original feeling), or ask people to do cheesy unnatural things like throwing the veil over the groom's head of having the groom dip the bride. Because we allow the action to unfold naturally, we are much more likely to capture people's natural expressions. And, people are less anxious because they are engaged in actions that they would naturally do. So...with us, everyone looks their best.

Editing Oscar Award Winning Movies

Here is a 7-minute video of the 5 Academy Award nominees for Best Editing. Mark Helfrich, who edited Rambo, Predator, Rush Hour, Family Man, X-Men and 30 more movies, gives incisive commentary on the style of each of the nominees and why they were chosen.

Excellent editing is a series of decisions. One key decision is the length of the individual clips. In the Bourne Ultimatum the clips were unusually short (1-2 sec), creating a tense, edgy feeling. In No Country for Old Men, the clips were rather long (7-8 sec) and also led to an almost unbearable tension. In There Will Be Blood, the unflinching camera stays on a static shot of Daniel Day Lewis for an unheard of 25 seconds, cuts away for 6 seconds, then returns for another 25 seconds. The editing does not allow you to look away. It compels you to be involved.

The key is to know which length of cut should be used in different parts of a movie and to understand the impact of that decision. During a particularly emotional vow or toast, we tend towards longer edits to capture the passion and intensity. And when the intensity is boiling just under the surface, and is expressed in a very subtle way, it's even more important to "hold the gaze" and not cut away or it would dilute the impact.

During a fast dancing piece, 1-second cuts (or faster) convey the high level of energy. As Mark Helfrich says, "Imagine having to sift through all your footage to find that perfect 1-second part of the take and stringing these 1-second shots end-to-end to create a fantastic story. A great amount of effort goes into it...and the results are fantastic." Exactly.

Another decision is whether to tell the story in a linear or non-linear way. In Into the Wild, the story was told in a very non-linear way, jumping from the present to the past and back again. Actor Hal Holbrook credits his Supporting Actor nomination to the editing on this film.

Another decision is which 'take' to choose. Good editing can put together the best of each take. How does this apply to us, since we don't direct on the wedding day or ask for a second take? We still have 2 or 3 or 4 camera angles on certain scenes and need to select the angle which is most flattering and which tells the story the best.

Another decision is whether or not to use music. In No Country for Old Men at the moment of greatest intensity, there is no music, just the sounds the protagonist would hear. And because there is no music, each sound is intensified.

World's Best Film Festivals

Tonight something interesting is going to happen at the Academy Awards. I can predict with 100% confidence that the Best Picture Oscar will go home with a film-festival filmmaker because all five films nominated for Best Picture were seen at the world's top film festivals. This trend started In 2005 when Crash was the first film festival acquisition (2004 Toronto Film Festival) to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards.

Atonement debuted on opening night at the 2007 Venice Film Festival. Michael Clayton premiered at the 2007 Venice Film Festival and was later seen at the 2007 Toronto Film Festival. Juno, made on a budget of only $6.5 million, was judged Best Film at the 2007 Toronto Film Festival. No Country for Old Men by the Coen Brothers premiered at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival, six months before its limited commercial release in the U.S. It was also seen at the New York Film Festival and the Toronto Film Festival. And There Will Be Blood's director, Paul Thomas Anderson just won the Silver Bear Award at the Berlin Film Festival for Best Director.

Is this a good trend? I think so. We can derive so much inspiration from people all around the world who have different experiences, different views of the world, and different styles of visually expressing themselves. Is it ever a bad idea to gain a greater global understanding?

So, in order to get a jump on next year's Academy Award nominees, here are the World's Top Film Festivals, based upon popularity, quality of films, and prestige.

Cannes International Film Festival - May 14-25, 2008

Cannes is graced by some of Hollywood's A-list celebrities, and its roster of past winners includes: "Easy Rider" (1969), "Taxi Driver" (1976), "Apocalypse Now" (1979), "Pulp Fiction" (1994) and "Fargo" (1996).

Venice Film Festival - Aug 27-Sep 6, 2008

The Venice International Film Festival is the oldest film festival in the world. It evolved out of a Venice art exhibition in the mid-1930's. Federico Fellini once said that "entering the Film Palace of the Venice Film Festival was like passing a final exam."

Berlin Film Festival - Feb 1-Mar 1, 2009

The Berlin Film Festival was founded in 1951, just six years after the end of World War II, as part of an attempt to restore Germany to its former artistic glory. The first film screened at the Festival was Alfred Hitchcock's "Rebecca". The Berlin Film Festival quickly gained momentum, and within a few years it rivaled Cannes and Venice as one of the premiere film festivals in the world.

There are plenty more film festivals from Anchorage to Zanzibar. Here is the A-List of international film festivals, according to the International Federation of Film Producers Association:

Mar del Plata International Film Festival- Apr 24-May 8, 2008
Shanghai International Film Festival -June 14-22, 2008
Moscow International Film Festival - June 18-27, 2008
Locarno Film Festival - Aug 6-16, 2008
Montreal Film Festival - Aug 21-Sep 1, 2008
Fresh Film Festival- Aug 27-31, 2008
Cairo Film Festival - Aug 29-Sep 1
Toronto International Film Festival - Sep 4-13, 2008
San Sebastian Film Festival - Sep 18-27, 2008
Tokyo Film Festival - October, 2008

Festivals well-known for showcasing independent films are:

Sundance Film Festival - Jan 17-27, 2008
Vail Film Festival - Apr 3-6, 2008
Sonoma Valley Film Festival - Apr 9-13, 2008
Tribeca Film Festival - Apr 23-May 4, 2008
Telluride Film Festival - Aug 29-Sep 1, 2008
New York Film Festival - Sep, 2008
Raindance Film Festival - Oct 1-12, 2008

And a few festivals close to home are:
Cinequest Film Festival - Feb 27-Mar 9, 2008
San Francisco International Film Festival - Apr 24-May 8, 2008

If you can't attend in person, then live vicariously through these blogs of the goings-on at the latest film festivals:
Film Festival Today
Short Film Review
Independent Films

Extravagant Valentine's Day Gifts

Valentine's Day is a day of fantasy. Since we are fantasizing, we might as well go all the way. Here are some extravagant Valentine gifts that will put the romance in your day (and night).

For Her

Champagne: Krug, Clos du Mesnil 1995 - $750 per bottle; comes from one small walled vineyard of just 4.5 acres; only 12,624 bottles were produced in the 1995 vintage.
Chocolates: Knipschildt $250 per dark chocolate truffle
Perfume: Clive Christian No. 1: $2,350 per ounce
Romantic Getaway: Private Reserve, Soneva Gili Resort & Spa, Maldives, $10,000 per night; 15,000 sq ft suite in 6 buildings built over the water; 2 personal assistants included.

For Him

Lamborghini Murcielago, $362,000; This convertible is sleek , fast and stylish. Or for a million dollars more, you could buy a Bugatti Veyron.


Or you could pack a picnic lunch, and read her the poem you wrote for her under a spreading oak tree.

Savadelis Films Featured in Your Wedding Day Magazine

We were surprised and delighted to open the latest Spring 2008 issue of the beautiful magazine, Your Wedding Day and see ourselves mentioned in 'Things We Love'. Event planner extraordinaire Cindy Danbom of Belle Notte Events shared what's hot in San Francisco including Miette, The Pampered Girl, the Rotunda at Neiman Marcus, the SF Giants, Courting Eileen invitations and...us! Here's what she said about us:


SAVADELIS FILMS
A good movie tells a story. It's a series of unfolding moments - as is your wedding. Savadelis Films professionally and poignantly documents your wedding for those who couldn't be there as well as for everyone who attended. Chuck and Jewel Savadelis can also broadcast your wedding day live to friends and family members around the world.

Thanks Cindy!

Savadelis Films Featured in Brides.com

We've been featured and quoted in the Spring/Summer 2008 issue of Brides.com - in at least three editions - Northern California, New York and Philadelphia! Here's the text:


For guests who can't attend, weddings can be streamed online in real time. "It used to require a permanent setup with Internet access," says Jewel Savadelis of Savadelis Films in San Francisco. "Now all you need is a cell phone signal." Improved technology, including faster Internet connections, guarantees a higher quality video than ever before - think YouTube, not webcam. "Couples can share their wedding videos the same way they share their photos," says Jewel. With online hosting, through your videographer or through sites like Viddia.com, your wedding video can be easily emailed, or downloaded to a video iPod.

"One of the most creative ideas we've seen lately: sending guests a video save-the-date. "It's sort of a tease - it lets guests know to expect a wedding full of surprises," says Jewel. These videos range from simple, personal messages to extravagant productions. Typically, videographers use shots from the venue and interviews with the couple, to give guests a sense of what's to come.

High -definition DVD packages are becoming increasingly available, and while HD will become the standard eventually, the preferred format remains foggy. [Note: The world of technology moves fast. Since my interview last autumn, the format wars have been decided. It's 99% certain that Blu-Ray and not HD DVD will be the standard.] Talk to your videographer about the pros and cons of an HD DVD; if you're alredy hooked up at home, we think it's a great investment.

Some videographers are using a "surround sound" approach to capture more of an event's auditory details. "In addition to mic'ing the couple, readers, officiant and musicians during the ceremony, a sound engineer also places a few mic's discreetly throughout the space," says Jewel. "Those mic's record guests' reactions. It's a big hit," she says.

Kooza and The Alps

This was a great week for us. We went to opening night of the latest Cirque du Soleil show Kooza with its featured 'Wheel of Death' act, and then a few nights later we went to the opening night for the Imax movie 'The Alps' in which a trio are filmed climbing the Eiger in Switzerland. Both were spectacular and had our hearts in our throats. During both, you felt fearful that one wrong move could result in death. It was very intense.


Chuck and I watched a scene in the movie 'The Alps' where you are soaring over the jagged mountains and then you fly over the last peak and, without warning, the earth drops away. We felt a sudden drop in the pit of our stomachs. We gasped along with the rest of the audience. We asked ourselves, would our hearts be pounding if we were shown individual still images, or a slide show of the same scene? No. Not at all. So, what is the difference?

While a photo can artfully and beautifully capture a single moment in time, what it can never do is capture the fluid motion, voices and sounds a video can. It isn't that emotions can't be captured in a photograph, they can. The challenge to brides and grooms is that the number of photographers who are able to capture and convey true emotion in the same manner and to the degree a video can are few and far between.



For 1 million years, our brains have been finely honed to perceive and interpret the slightest movement because our survival depended upon observing and interpreting movement correctly. We are wired to automatically respond to movement. Sometimes it's a benign response when there is no threat present. Because a photo is an abstraction of reality, it rarely triggers the same level of response.

When Chuck and I make a movie, we keep these things in mind. When we are filming, we look for the broad and subtle cues in each movement. We look for the flash of his smile, the gentle lowering of her eyes, his hand that gently finds the small of her back and pulls her to him, the sweep of her train. We all have the visual vocabulary to interpret each of these movements as being joyful, demure, sensuous, and elegant respectively. We assemble all these cues and skillfully edit them into a sequence with a pace that will enable the viewer to experience those emotions.

There are hundreds of these emotion-triggered moments every day, but most pass without our conscious notice. We are more likely to notice them when our senses are heightened and we are fully engaged in an activity. It happens while watching a sporting event, attending the theater, praying at church, on a first date. Or on your wedding day. That is why you may find your experience is more powerful when watching your beautifully filmed and edited wedding movie, than looking at still images.

Because that's the way we are wired.

Style Me Pretty

Remember the phrase, "The best part of waking up is Folger's in your cup"? Well today there was a better reason to wake up.


The ever-lovely Abby Larson of Abby Jean Press has invited us to join Style Me Pretty's Little Black Book of the best wedding professionals! Abby, author of 'the Ultimate Wedding Blog', is the arbiter of good taste and all things chic. She is very diligent when it comes to researching whom she personally recommends. So it is a special honor to be featured in Napa/Wine Country.

We have worked with many Style Me Pretty San Francisco wedding vendors and highly recommend them, including: Angela Nelson of Lulu Events, Bridget Brown of Bella Bridesmaids, Nick Brown Photography, Lisa Lefkowitz Photography, and Barbara Callow Calligraphy. In Napa, where we are listed, you'll find fine professionals such as Dee Merz of Everlasting Memories, Jessamyn Harris Photography, Sabrina Moyel of Hello Lucky!, and Karen Hsu from Grandi-flora.

For those of you in the perspiration, oh I mean preparation stages of your wedding planning, Style Me Pretty is a blog full of ideas and inspirations for creating a wedding that reflects who you truly are.

The Flirty Guide

We are so excited to have been selected to be in The Flirty Guide. The Flirty Guide is a brand new online resource for brides which features wedding and special event professionals who share the same high standards, honorable ethics, positive attitude and flirty image.

The editor, Stacie Tamaki, has a philosophy that every couple should evaluate which traditions they want to keep and which ones they want to re-invent with a twist so that their wedding uniquely represents them and honors their guests. Stacie walks the walk and talks the talk. At her own fun and flirty wedding a few months ago, she and her adorable husband John set out two extra place settings at each table. Then, instead of just toasting each table for 30 seconds, she and John actually sat down and visited with the guests at every table. We all felt like VIPs.

There were so many more flirty ideas, most of which do not cost very much money - just a little imagination. Come browse The Flirty Guide site and visit our page.

World's Most Expensive Cell Phones

We were looking for a case for our iTouch and found a few possibilities. As we were looking, we stumbled across the most expensive cell phones in the world, which you might enjoy if you have some spare change.

For the Ladies

The Diamond Cryto Smartphone
Price: $1.3 Million

Designed by diamond encruster extraordinaire Peter Aloisson, The Diamond Crypto Smartphone is sometimes quoted as the World’s most expensive cell phone (depending on exchange rates). Russian firm JSC Ancort has developed a Windows CE-based smartphone ready for Aloisson’s bejeweling that employs “powerful encryption technology” to “provide secure protection of information against kidnapping, technological blackmail, financial racketeers and corrupted state officials” — sounds like marketing speak for a password-protected wallet app. Of course, with its $1.3 million price tag and 50 diamonds (10 of which are blue) you might start to have more trouble with mugging than with technological blackmail.

The Goldvish "Le Million"
Price: $1.2 Million

The Goldvish “Le million” was exhibited at the three-day Millionaire’s Fair in Cannes, France and was bought by a Russian businessman for his wife for 1 million Euros. Created by GoldVish SA, a Geneva based luxury communication goods company, the cell phone is made of 18-carat white gold, mounted with 1800 (totaling 120-carats) VVS-1 graded diamonds and equipped with the latest in mobile technology.

Bucheron for Vertu Cobra
Price: $310,000

Parisian jeweler House of Bucheron linked up with Nokia subsidiary Vertu on this limited-edition series of eight cobra phones, which include a two-carat pear-cut diamond, a one-carat round diamond, two emerald eyes and 439 rubies totaling 21 carats. Vertu phones also link up to a special concierge service with information about travel, entertainment, restaurants and events.

Vertu Signature
Price: $81,000

Vertu, a subsidiary of Nokia, claims that it took expert craftsmen three years of training to learn to make their phones. This classic, the Vertu Signature, contains 943 diamonds on its bezel and 48 more on its keypad, each set in place by hand in Switzerland.

Motorola V220 Special Edition
Price: $51,800

Austrian designer Peter Aloisson, has taken a standard Motorola, studded it with 1,200 diamonds and added a keyboard inlaid with 18 carat gold.



Diamond iPhone
Price: $41,000

The diamond iPhone boasts an impressive 420 diamonds at a total weight of 5.65 carats set in 18K white or yellow gold. It can also be ordered in white, black or pink sapphires. The phone, by UK blingmeister general Amosu, at a blustering $41,000 is sure to not make any “Will it blend” videos anytime soon.

For the Gentlemen

VIPN Black Diamond Smartphone
Price: $300,000

The creation of Swiss manufacturer VIPN, the titanium construction known as the “Black Diamond” is a one of a kind actually a 1 of 5 to be exact, and for generously shelling out 300,000 big ones, you get a Quadband phone with WiFi and Bluetooth, a 2 inch 256K TFT screen, 4MP camera, VOIP and 2 huge diamonds.

Gresso Black Aura Collection
Price: $13,000

Gresso boastfully claims that its Black Aura cellphones are 200 years old - due to the age of the African Blackwood on each phone’s case. Black Aura series ranges from $6,500 to $13,000 with the most expensive featuring an 18-carat gold front panel.

Gold Edition Nokia 8800
Price: $2,700

One phone bitten by the Gold Bug is the exclusive Nokia 8800 which will now be available in 24K gold. By owning one of these babies you'll no doubt be the talk of the town. However the features found on the Gold Edition are the standard 8800 features (bummer). It includes a 0.5 Mega pixel SVGA camera and a 2, 62,000 colors, TFT (208 x 208) display. Connectivity options include EDGE, Bluetooth, Infrared, Java, MMS, SMS, USB, WAP and it has 64 MB of internal memory. Some other features found on the phone which may now look standard include, 64 polyphonic, FM Radio, MP3 Player, Video Recording and 180 mins talktime.

Mobiado Professional EM
Price: $2,200

Made from ebony wood, hard-anodized aluminum and titanium, Nokia driven Mobiado Professional EM handsets are individually unique due to the variations in wood patterning per instrument. It features a 1.3 MP camera, music playback and an FM radio.

A Life Well Lived

Sadly, our friend Tim, who valiantly battled ALS, Lou Gehrig's disease, passed away last week. When we started out as videographers, Tim, a fellow-videographer, was the only one who extended his hand to us and gave us advice on how to prosper. He was among the top videographers in the Bay Area at the time. How lucky we were to have him as a friend! And, as his star was waning and ours was ascending, he took so much pride in our achievements, as though they were his own. His brother said at Tim's funeral, "I never understood why Tim so freely shared his trade secrets with you. You were competitors." But the brother did not realize that first and foremost, Tim was a good man, and we were good friends. Only after that, were we videographers.

Tim's memorial service was an extension of the courage and grace he exhibited during his life. So many things that his three devoted sons said had a depth of wisdom that belied their 20-some-odd-years. Here is a sprinkling:

1. What is the value of happiness? Without happiness, life is meaningless. You can subsitute the word love for happiness, and it would also be true.

2. Bring humor to every life situation.

3. Tim was truly the most wonderful father. He was actively and lovingly involved in his sons' lives every day of their lives. These were the happiest moments of his life.

4. Tim never complained - not once. He lived a life with gratitude. Even after he was diagnosed with ALS, Tim said every day, "I'm the luckiest man in the world."

5. Tim showed by example how much more you could learn from sympathetic, non-judgmental, non-manipulative, patient, compassionate listening. He listened with an open heart.

6. First you must accept a thing before you can deal with it. By his acceptance, he made it easier for all of us to accept his fate.

7. Although Tim was not a simple man, he often had simple answers to the troubles plaguing those around him. It was as simple as the zen philosophy of, "When you are hungry, eat. When you are thirsty, drink. When you are tired, sleep." When a son called on the phone and cried how homesick he was at college, Tim said simply, "Then come home."

8. Acknowledge the presence of others in your life - often. He thanked his sons 10,000 a day for taking care of the most intimate needs, and for giving up their lives for him. They responded that they didn't give up their lives; they found their lives and the meaning in their lives from being with Tim.

9. What he wished for us all was the peace and bliss he had come to know during his illness, but without having the illness.

10. Tim said that if God gave him the choice to live out a normal life span of 80+ years, or to have only six months to live, but in that six months he would be cared for and loved like no one before had ever experienced, he would choose the later. And that was his fate, so do not feel sad for him.

11. The clergyman said to the many, many people gathered at the funeral, you have given Tim a favor he cannot return. You are here today to honor him. Because he cannot return it, it is the highest form of a favor you can give.

12. Despite his passing, Tim will always be connected to life so long as one person who knew him, or knew of his gentle soul, still remembers him. We already miss him very much.

Cork Chair Competition

Since so many people liked the One Sheet of Paper contest, here's another. The retail store, Design Within Reach, just held their annual DWR Champagne Chair Contest™. The rules are to create an original miniature chair using only the foil, label, cage and cork from no more than two Champagne bottles. See http://www.dwr.com/champagne/.

World's Largest Plasma TV

Once you've bought your new Blu-Ray HD player, what HD TV should you buy to view your wedding movie on? Why the 150" high-definition plasma Panasonic TV, of course! Its screen is the equivalent of nine 50" TV sets, with an effective viewing area of 11 feet. This is a step up from the 103" version which cost $70,000 when it was launched.

If that's not quite your cup of tea, there's always the 42" Panasonic HDTV which uses half the energy but stays as bright or the ultra-thin 50" panel which is less than 1" thick. We're seriously considering the Sharp Aquos.

If you engaged us to film your wedding movie in January, 2006, right now, you'd have a beautiful reminder of one of the best days of your life - in high definition. It might not have seemed important 2 years ago, but right now, while sitting in front of your 52" hi-def TV, you've got to be silently congratulating yourself on your foresight. We didn't charge any extra for HD at that time, and we still don't. Back then our clients engaged us, in part, to advise them on realistic options based upon our assessment of where technology was likely to go. They still trust us to advise them well so that their wedding movie will be viewable for 50+ years into the future, no matter what technology changes occur. And because we "hold the cheese - no cheese, please", it will still be a classic with style and not a laughable relic of the early 21st century.

We were ahead of the pack then as now. What's the latest? We offer live internet broadcasts of ceremonies from areas with poor internet access. We are the only wedding cinematographers, to our knowledge, who offer true surround sound. And we are continually scanning the horizon for technology that will improve the images and sounds of your wedding movie, yet remain within a realistic price range.

Blu-Ray Poised to Win HD Player Wars

The war is all but over. Warner Brothers may have started the domino-effect last week by announcing at CES that they will offer their titles on Blu-ray disc, not in the HD DVD format. But it was Toshiba that may have finished the job today by slashing prices on their HD DVD players, apparently conceding defeat.

It's about time for the wars to end! During the several years that the marketplace was holding its breath and waiting for the knockout punch, no one was a winner. Not the movie studios who couldn't sell DVDs, not the equipment manufacturers who couldn't sell HD players, and not us. We could film in HD but couldn't deliver until the stalemate was broken.

At this point, Blu-ray has sewn up 70 - 75% of the market with all the titles from Walt Disney, 20th Century Fox, MGM, Lionsgate and Sony. Only Paramount Pictures, Universal Pictures and DreamWorks Animation are still releasing their movies exclusively on HD DVD. Paramount and Universal may well jump ship when their agreements expire later in the year.

Then today, Toshiba announced they were slashing prices on their HD DVD players by 50%. Even so, who wants to own a piece of equipment that will be obsolete within the year? This could be the death knell for the HD DVD format. Last time Sony was engaged in a format war - Betamax vs. VHS - they lost. This time, however, the technologically superior format has won. Fortuitously, last week Sony announced the debut of a Blu-Ray player under $200. To the victor go the spoils.

So what does this mean for the average consumer?

Q: Can you use a Blu-ray player if you don't have a hi-def TV?
A: Yes, but there's not going to be much of a difference in the picture between hi-def and standard def until you get a new HD TV.

Q: Does size matter?
A: Yes. The bigger the TV (>40") and the closer you are to the TV, the more it matters.

Q: Do you have to replace all your standard-definition DVDs?
A: No. Blu-ray players will play standard DVDs, but some will do a better job than others.

Q: What does a Blu-ray player cost?
A: Prices will most certainly be dropping in response to increased demand and in response to Toshiba's price slashing on their HD DVD players. In the meanwhile, prices are $300 - $1000. Or, buy a PlayStation 3 which is basically a Blu-ray player AND a gaming console for $500.

Q: Which Blu-ray player should I buy?
A: Depends on what quality you are seeking in picture quality, design, load times, sound and extra features. See product reviews on C|NET, Consumer Reports and HD Guru. Here's a summary:
The player with the highest ratings was the Pioneer BDP-94HD ($1000).
In the next tier were Samsung BD-P1200 ($800), Samsung BD-UP5000 ($800), Samsung BD-P1400 ($300); and the Panasonic DMP-BD10 ($1000) and Panasonic DMP-BD30 ($450).
The Sony BDP-S1 ($400) and Sony BDP-S300 ($450) were rated a fraction lower.
Or you can buy a Sony Playstation for around $500.

One Sheet of Paper

<-----Holding on to Myself

You would think these are just papercuts, but once you see Danish artist Peter Callesen's unique form of art, you will be saying that this is the kindest cut of all. Oh the cleverness of the human mind! See more of his remarkable work at his website: www.petercallesen.com.




<--Tower of Babel






Many of the artist's pieces are inspired by fairytales. Others explore the relationship between 2- and 3-dimensionality. There is an aspect of the tragic in some, the ironic in others. But no matter what the underlying thought, each piece of art is precise, clever, and incisive, sometimes provoking thought long after we've stopped looking.


Looking Back

Citizen Kane and Apocalypse Now

I gathered up my birthday money and registered for a seminar on The Aesthetics of Editing. It is enlivening to get inspiration from new sources. I thought I was critically evaluating movies. But, now it seems I was only giving them a cursory glance. The good news is that beginning with the first wedding movie we edited, we've intuitively edited according to the five basic criteria for excellent editing. We just didn't know it.

How should a movie be judged? By the story and message? By the the art and style? By its influence on other movies?

I decided to go back and look at the Top 25 movies ever made with a more critical eye. But, which Top 25? Who says they are the Top 25? The American Film Institute has one of the most popular lists of the Top 100 Movies. But they are all produced by, well, Americans. Here is the AFI List of the Top 25 Movies. No surprises here. Movies we've all heard of and seen.

AFI Top 25
1. Citizen Kane (1941)*
2. Casablanca (1942)
3. The Godfather (1972)*
4. Gone With The Wind (1939)
5. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
6. The Wizard of Oz (1939)*
7. The Graduate (1967)
8. On The Waterfront (1954)
9. Schindler's List (1993)
10. Singin' In The Rain (1952)
11. It's A Wonderful Life (1946)
12. Sunset Boulevard (1950)
13. The Bridge On The River Kwai (1957)
14. Some Like It Hot (1959)*
15. Star Wars (1977)
16. All About Eve (1950)*
17. The African Queen (1951)
18. Psycho (1960)
19. Chinatown (1974)*
20. One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
21. The Grapes of Wrath (1940)
22. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)*
23. The Maltese Falcon (1941)
24. Raging Bull (1980)*
25. E.T. - The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

Rolling Stone Magazine's list of the Top 100 Maverick Movies broaden the horizon, but it's still an American horizon. Here are Rolling Stone's Top 25. The movies listed under the AFI with an asterisk were also in Rolling Stone's Top 25 list.

Rolling Stone Magazine's Top 25
2. Vertigo (1958)
3. The Searchers (1956)
8. Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)
9. Blue Velvet (1986)
10. Pulp Fiction (1994)
11. King Kong (1933)
12. The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
13. Fargo (1996)
15. Do The Right Thing (1989)
16. Night of the Hunter (1955)
17. Sherlock, Jr (1924)
19. Nashville (1975)
21. Sweet Smell of Success (1957)
22. Brazil (1985)
23. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
24. Badlands (1973)
25. Don't Look Now (1973)

Why not widen the list to include foreign films? But once again, whose list do you look at? The British Film Institute, the Online Film Community, winners at the Cannes Film Festival? It's hard to say, so here is an amalgam of all three. For a wonderfully complete list, check out the movie critic Roger Ebert's list.

Top 25 Foreign Films
Australian - Strictly Ballroom (1992)
British - The Third Man (1949)
Chinese - Curse of the Golden Flower (2006); Farewell My Concubine (1993); Raise the Red Lantern (1991)
French - 400 Blows (1959), Amelie (2001), Beauty and the Beast (1946), Breathless (1960), Earrings of Madame de... (1953), Rules of the Game (1939)
German - Aguirre, the Wrath of God (1972), M (1931), Nosferatu (1922), Run Lola Run (1998), Wings of Desire (1988)
Italian - The Bicycle Thief (1948); Amarcord (1974); Cinema Paradiso (1989); The Leopard (1963)
Japanese - Rashomon (1950), Ran (1985), Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters (1985)
Russian - Battleship Potemkin (1925)
Swedish - Seventh Seal (1957)
Vietnamese - Scent of Green Papaya (1993)

Finally, here are some of my personal favorites not mentioned on any other list. Each is my favorite because the combination of artistry (acting and cinematography) and storytelling created an unforgettable impact the first time I saw it, which has stayed with me, and continues to effect me the same way every time I see it.

Jewel's Top 25 Not Previously Mentioned Films
A Christmas Carol (1951)
A Man for All Seasons (1966)
Anne of the Thousand Days (1969)
Amadeus (1984)
Body Heat (1981)
Color Purple (1985)
Crash (2005)
Das Boot (1981)
Empire of the Sun (1987)
Excalibur (1981)
Gods Must be Crazy (1980)
Good Morning, Miss Dove (1955)
High and Low (1963)
Joy Luck Club (1993)
L.A. Confidential (1997)
Legends of the Fall (1994)
Like Water for Chocolate (1992)
Lone Star (1996)
The Natural (1984)
Out of Africa (1985)
Scotland, PA (2001)
Seabiscuit (2003)
To Catch a Thief (1955)
Three Days of the Condor (1975)
Witness (1985)

Best Movies of 2007

So why do they always cram the releases of the best movies of the year into the last 14 days of the year? Yes of course - to be fresh in the minds of those who make Oscar nominations.

What are my criteria for Best Movie? First, it tells a compelling story, engages you and holds your interest. You never once look at your watch until the ending credits start to roll. It makes you care about characters whom you've never met. It entertains, informs, or moves you emotionally. It can change the way you live your life.

Second, the technical qualities of the film are excellent. And they do not call attention to themselves. At its best, the color palette conveys emotion (whether ethereal blue, parched desert or super-saturated warm tones). The soundtrack is richly layered with voices, sounds and music which subtly convey a mood. The images are ordered in an interesting way. The editing is tight - not one frame more than is needed to tell the story. The pace helps create the emotion whether you feel fidgety because time is hanging heavy or because you are breathlessly running from danger.

So, there are a big bunch of movies I want to see soon, and will update my Best Movies of 2007 list as we see them. So far...

Best Movies of 2007
Atonement - Keira Knightley, James MacAvoy
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead - Phillip Seymour Hoffman
Eastern Promises - Viggo Mortensen, Naomi Watts
Great Debaters - Denzel Washington, Forest Whitaker
Michael Clayton - George Clooney
Nanny Diaries - Scarlett Johansson, Laura Linney
No Country for Old Men - Tommy Lee Jones
Ratatouille
Rendition - Jake Gyllenhaal, Reese Witherspoon
Stardust - Michelle Pfeiffer, Clare Danes

Movies I Want to See
Away from Her
Diving Bell and Butterfly
Golden Compass - Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig
In the Shadow of the Moon
Juno
Kite Runner
Lives of Others
Love in the Time of Cholera
Lust, Caution
Once

Christmas in San Francisco

Dear Diary,
When the end of wedding season comes and our colleagues in other categories return to their families and a normal life, we are just kicking it into high gear to deliver wedding movies by Christmas Eve, yet without sacrificing quality. But, let me take a short break and tell you what's new.


The holiday season started the day after Thanksgiving. Chris and Anna Williams (Anna, of McCall's Catering fame, www.danmccall.com) invited us to attend a party at a 100,000 square foot Barrango showroom in South San Francisco showroom where fabulous Christmas displays are created (www.barrango.com). I went with my friends Stacie Tamaki of The Flirty Guide (www.flirtyguide.com) and Edward Bellingeri (www.edwardbdesign.com), a very talented floral and visual designer. We saw Morgan Doan of Events by Morgan, Neil Adams of Neil Adams Events, Isabella Boyer Sikaffy of Florabella, and so many more fun friends. But the 50' tall creations stole the show. They had dozens of animated creatures, beautifully restored carousel horses, 50' Christmas trees, and a winter wonderland of frozen delights.

Chuck and I went to see San Jose Repertory Theater's show This Wonderful Life. It is a one-man show interpreting It's a Wonderful Life. Yes, we wondered too, how one person could portray the scene where George and Mary fall into the high school swimming pool, or put their ears together to hear Sam Wainwright on the phone. But, amazingly, this guy played all the parts simultaneously and very believably. It definitely put us in a Christmas mood.

Proposal Planner

Deck the Halls with boughs of holly
Fa la la la la, la la la la la
'Tis the season
To make a proposal

Yes, we are coming into "high season" for gentlemen to go down on one knee. We've heard of so many wonderful proposals. The most successful were not the ones that cost the most, but the ones that were created with a lot of thought toward what the bride would cherish.

The first question is whether to ask her Father for permission. Would she find this sweet or outdated? If she is quite close to her family, it might be a nice touch to arrange for them to meet at the restaurant after the proposal. Our good friend Karen Miyanaga at the Ritz Carlton thought she was just going for a lovely Sunday brunch with her boyfriend. But he surprised her with an unforgettable question. What followed is something that she will never forget. He flew her parents from Japan to California to surprise her and share in the joy. We happened to be at the Ritz finishing up filming a morning-after brunch and saw her. I will never forget the joy in her face. It went so far beyond joy to a place for which I have no word. What a great way to start a marriage, with the utmost consideration.

We've heard of creative proposals which clearly had the bride in mind. Some have been simple - a Scrabble board with "Will You Marry Me" spelled out to a bride who loved to play Scrabble. Some have been elaborate vacations to a tropical paradise, or a trip to a restaurant that has become "our place".

I don't know why, but a large number of proposals do not go as originally planned. Our friend John planned to ask Stacie to marry him while vacationing in Quebec. The weather was rainy and blustery, but he plowed ahead with his plan and took her outside, set up a small camera and proposed anyway. It is hilarious to see, because you can't hear a word over the 30 mph winds! He created a short video with sub-titles, which makes it even funnier. Until you see Stacie's reaction. Then, you cry.

And if all else fails, there are proposal planners who can help you come up with an idea and plan it so it is perfect. There are some independent ones, some at luxury hotels and resorts. The skills required are similar to those required of wedding plannes, so that may be a route to go. Or, you can advertise on Do My Stuff to find a proposal planner. www.domystuff.com/rfp.php?id=18037598

And of course you'll need a ring. The proposal is something she will always treasure, remember and talk about - so make it a good one.

A Fun and Flirty Wedding!

Chuck and I attended Stacie and John's wedding a few weeks ago and had a smashing good time. Stacie is the genius behind The Flirty Guide. In the Guide she advocates that every bride and groom should create a wedding that both suits them and uniquely caters to their guests. It doesn't have to cost a lot of money, it just has to be authentic. Everything she advocates, she did at her own wedding.

Stacie had an original Colleen Quen gown (a dear friend of Stacie's and one the most talented couturiers in the US). Stacie, being a talented seamstress herself, created a wonderful, colorful bustle of several kanzashi flowers (see photo), which honored her Japanese heritage. She also had a beautiful display of 1000 origami cranes forming the backdrop to their ceremony. Since Stacie loves origami, all of the gentlemen's boutonnieres were origami flowers, unique to each gentleman.

John was on the Apple team that brought you the iPhone. This theme was creatively integrated into the cake. The icing was simple, but three iPhones, trimmed with Swarovski crystals, were mounted on the front of the cake, each playing a different movie of Stacie and John's life together.

One of my favorite Flirty Moments was when John and Stacie took the dance floor for their first dance. Neither particularly likes dancing, so as soon as they took 2 or 3 steps, another couple dressed as the bride and grom waltzed in from the sidelines and performed a steamy hot tango. Then, John and Stacie stepped back in at the very end for the final dip, and of course, the thunderous applause. It was fantastic! It didn't cost anything, yet it totally suited Stacie and John and entertained everyone who was there.

Oh, and the wedding took place on a Thursday because that was the day of the week that they first met. How romantic!

These were the outward expressions of their personalities as individuals and as a couple. But what really made this a wonderful wedding was the love and respect they have for each other -- the look on John's face when Stacie floated down the aisle, the truly heartfelt speech John delivered at the reception to honor his bride, the way Stacie lightly touched John's arm to reassure him she was there by his side. These are the moments we will cherish. We wish them a lifetime of happiness together.