Cassandra + Ravi – Next Day Edit
In July of 2010, Cassandra Williams approached us for a concept production, having seen a few productions on our website. She also wanted to take us on for our cinematography services, only she’d already booked with another company. But following our conversations, she decided to opt out of her initial contract and sign up with us instead. And thus began this journey.
And thus began the brainstorming. We met up with both Cassandra and her fiancé Ravi Ramjit to that end…the conclusion of which was the concept film ‘Kismet se Milna’ (A Chance Encounter). But enough about that, let’s get down to the crux of the matter: the wedding itself!
It is Film-Style’s philosophy that our team should come to know the couple very well, so that we can produce work that really brings forth the couple’s personality, and that the couple should come to know our team very well so that they become completely comfortable in front of the camera. To that end, we spent well over 30 hours in Skype conferencing with Ravi and Cassandra over the past year—and it certainly shows. Both Ravi and Cassandra were very relaxed throughout each event, i.e. the mehndi, the pooja, and the ceremony and reception.
Hindu weddings are a bright affair as it is but this one was especially so–it was full of life, colour and a lot of fun. And Dream Party Decor‘s decor was, as always: Stunning. So have a look at this Next Day Edit and check out the much anticipated concept film ‘Kismet se Milna’ (A Chance Encounter), tomorrow.
Destination Wedding – Suri + Ruben – Next Day Edit
In June of 2010, we received a phone call just as we were closing office for the day. A Suri Dhaliwal from Winnipeg was calling to inquire about our Cinematography & Photography services. Normally, we request the client to call back during business hours, but on a whim, I asked Suri to call my cell 20 minutes later.
Twenty minutes later, I was out shopping with the family when Suri called back accompanied by her fiancée, Ruben Karla on speaker phone. While my wife carried on with the shopping, I wandered around aimlessly, immersed as I was in the conversation, which lasted about 30 minutes. Even though I’d never actually met the couple (not yet that is), they struck me straightaway as clientele for whom we would no doubt do something very special.
Our team flew down to Winnipeg for 6 days to cover the pre-wedding events including the mehndi, mayyun and chunni rasm, followed by the wedding itself i.e. the elegant sikh ceremony and then the grand reception.
Getting to know the couple is central to Film-Style’s philosophy. Ruben and Suri proved this philosophy all the more indispensable. We spent a great deal of time with both of them, which is precisely why we believe that their chemistry translated onto the screen as gracefully and as seamlessly as it did.
Congrats to the couple and their families. Cheers!
Sameera + Jagandeep – Next Day Edit
Sameera + Jagan – Next Day Edit from Film Style Weddings on Vimeo.
Film-Style has always had the unique pleasure of working with interfaith couples. Covering an interfaith marriage is loads of fun, not just because of the different cultural and religious traditions that are all wrapped up in one big happy package but also because it’s a rewarding experience to be able to see two very different worldviews, encompassed within those cultural and religious traditions, become as one. It’s a ‘feel good’ kind of wedding that enables and embraces differences even as it reconciles them within the institution of a marriage.
Sameera (the Muslim bride) and Jagan (the Sikh groom) proved to us once again this beauty of an interfaith union. On July 8th, this couple held their Sangeet/Holud where their respective cultural traditions were paid tribute to “desi-style,” with a lot of dancing and a lot of performances. And on July 9th, their respective religious traditions were honored and upheld at their respective religious ceremonies, with a lot of love and respect from their families.
We wish this couple great success in the future and a lot of happy new traditions in the making. Cheers!
Tamana (Wish) – Featuring: Rahat Fateh Ali Khan
In June of 2010, we received a phone call just as we were closing office for the day. A Suri Dhaliwal fromWinnipeg was calling to inquire about our Cinematography & Photography services. Normally, we request the client to call back during business hours, but on a whim, I asked Suri to call my cell 20 minutes later.
Twenty minutes later, I was out shopping with the family when Suri called back accompanied by her fiancée, Ruben Karla on speaker phone. While my wife carried on with the shopping, I wandered around aimlessly, immersed as I was in the conversation, which lasted about 30 minutes. Even though I’d never actually met the couple (not yet that is), they struck me straightaway as clientele for whom we would no doubt do something very special.
Two months later, when the couple flew down to Toronto to visit Suri’s sister, we met up with them, even though it was our busiest weekend of the year. I had 45 minutes to spare in between a ceremony and a reception taking place at the Bellevue Manor in Vaughan. Suri and Ruben drove down there, where we established that their wedding would require a concept production.
Between September of 2010 and July of 2011, the couple flew down twice more from Winnipeg to Toronto, to shoot in the winter and summer seasons, for their concept video. During that time, we communicated mainly through text messaging and skype conferencing. The texting exceeded 150 messages, and the conferencing time, in total, was at least 6-7 hours long.
Once 70% of the production was complete, it was time to film the story element. When I found out, on the couple’s second visit to Toronto, that they were attending a Rahat Fateh Ali Khan concert, I thought of including some concert footage, specifically Rahat’s song “Tere Mast Mast Do Nain,” in the concept video. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to secure tickets. But never fear, when Suri and Ruben are there . These two promised to pull some strings to ensure our attendance with a license to shoot (concert footage) at Rahat’s Winnipeg performance. After a month and a half of Suri and Ruben cajoling the concert organizers, I finally received a call from Suri at 3 p.m. on the day of the concert, informing me that we’d gotten the green light. Luckily, my schedule was open that evening so I quickly checked and booked flights, made arrangements to leave immediately for Winnipeg and just made it onto the plane as the boarding gate was about to close. Very Bollywood, as Suri pointed out . I got into Winnipeg just in time, and got to witness the legendary Rahat live.
After filming the concert, I flew home to Toronto on the first flight back. I had some footage for the story element now, but the whole of it still needed to be filmed. This filming took place literary 2 days before the wedding, as it was the only time that both FilmStyle and Suri and Ruben were open-scheduled. The timeline may have been tight but the effort and enthusiasm was in abundance on both sides, and the end product, I must say, certainly reflects this.
I have to say that Ruben and Suri are not only a strong, steady and ever-smiling couple but they are also quite the pair of dedicated troopers. Despite their extremely busy schedule in the medical field, they devoted a great deal of their time and energy to ensuring the completion and perfection of this project. During all the various shoots, they showed great patience and were very easy to work with. Finally, their real life chemistry transitioned beautifully onto the screen and made this production all the more stunning. It was an absolute joy to produce “Tamana.” To top it all off, we’re all good friends now. So overall: It was a blast. Good stuff guys!
Mim + Riad – Next Day Edit
Mim + Riad, a young, sweet & passionate couple. From the beginning their personalities matched with our approach of filmmaking very quickly. We met at least 3 times from the day they signed up with us leading up to their wedding day.
Whenever we met, they expressed themselves openly and patiently. To be quite honest, the song selections in this edit are reflective of each of their personalities.
