2009 Ava Awards

The results are back from the Ava Awards and apparently they like fusion! Metmedia submitted two projects that I edited to the judges. The first project was Laura and Scott's wedding which was a full length wedding film that was edited completely in fusion style. This film won the Ava Platinum Award, the highest honor in the Weddings and Events Category. I've always been very proud of my work on that film. The clips online show some of the quality, but the film in it's entirety is a very well produced piece. Here are some of the clips from that...




Earlier this year we also took home a Videographer Awards 2009 "Award of Distinction" for my fusion editing in Laura and Scott. I don't think I ever blogged about it.

We also received an Ava Gold award for the Yosemite Love Story I edited for Christy and Jared. While it's not a platinum, I am still proud of the achievement and speaks to the power of fusion style editing.


2010 should be a good year for some more awards. With the new DSLR setup, I think there are some very good projects on the horizon. It's about time I gunned for Weva Gold.

Celeste & Anwar Proposal

Anwar Proposes to Celeste from MetMedia Video on Vimeo.

Here is a special piece I edited for Metmedia. We've been talking about doing proposals for a while now and this was the company's first opportunity to do it. We created this piece in collaboration with Vince Tarry Studios, a company whose photography I love. Jeff (remember the J's?) from VTP was there with Jonathan to capture this enormous moment in Celeste and Anwar's relationship.

Both Jonathan and Jeff sat at a table near where the proposal would be. They hid their camera's under jackets or peaking out of camera bags. Anwar was also mic'd with a wireless lav so that we could hear some of the most important words of his life. After the proposal the couple went around Union Square to shoot some engagement photos with Jeff. They will be getting married in Hawaii where Celeste is from.

In editing this fusion piece I was dying to edit a fast paced video. However, since I only had one camera worth of video, I didn't have enough footage to do fast cross cutting. The song is one that Anwar suggested we use, and since we really want this video to be about the moment he planned for months, I figured it was appropriate to use it. I did only a little bit of color grading to the video. I didn't want to over stylize the moment and I wanted to keep the footage close to the reality of the moment, since it is something they will likely be showing their children and grand children.

-Jesse Tarnoff

Yosemite Love Story

At last! After a week of exporting, compressing and uploading... Jared and Christy's Love Story is finally online. Take a look here...

Jared + Christy Love Story from MetMedia Video on Vimeo.

To edit it, I went for a very composed and thoughtful feel. To achieve this I tried to only use soundbites where Jared or Christy had a special conviction in their voice, aside from all the funny bits. I then put in a music track that also had a very cool and collected feel to it, with different movements that builds and builds into an explosion of feeling.

When I talked to Jared about the piece, he told me he wanted Christy to get the last word in all of their playful bantering. This speaks to Jared's character so well in that as cool as he is, he wants Christy to shine even brighter. I also used mostly video elements rather than pack it with photos because I wanted to have movement that progressed forward.

Again, I need to credit Jeffrey Neal from JNP Studios for his fantastic photo work. I'd also like to thank Jared and Christy for the fantastic opportunity to make a special piece that really hits the type of film I am most passionate about. Please leave any comments you have. Thanks!

Jeffrey Neal Photography Demo

Well. The first video of the Yosemite engagement shoot is here! This is a video I made for Jeffrey Neal of JNP Studios. Enjoy it. My approach to editing it is below.

Jeffrey Neal Yosemite Shoot / Demo from MetMedia Video on Vimeo.

In editing the video, I asked Jeffrey what kind of vibe he wanted the viewer to leave with. I had two ideas in mind. The first mood would be an excited, upbeat, energetic call to action. The second treatment would be more inspiring, airy, and insightful, leaving the viewer with a pensive/hopeful mindset.

Of course, Jeffrey wanted to do a mix. I actually secretly wanted to do a mix also, so I was ready for it. To create the inspired mood I picked a song that felt "cool" with some electronic elements. I then paced it out so that the video builds momentum in an energetic way. Using fast cuts and flashy transitions, I wanted to give it a modern feel. Jeffrey is a very hip, modern guy so getting this across in the video was essential.

The video is about how he runs his shoots. How does Jeffrey act on location? How does he interact with his clients? As you can see, he does everything in a fun way which makes for better photographs.

Stay tuned for the cut I created for Jared and Christy!

More Fusion!

Scott + Laura Romantics from MetMedia Video on Vimeo.

Here is another excerpt from Laura and Scott's wedding down in Southern California. The full wedding video has been completed and delivered, but Laura asked me to upload this section so that she could post it on her blog.

Here is what she wrote about her video.
"Thank you so much for all the obvious time, thought, and care you put into making our video so truly wonderful. It far exceeded any expectations we ever had. Your work is amazing!"

Laura and Scott's wedding was not only a beautiful occasion, but it brought together quite a few very talented professionals. Since the wedding, Metmedia and Jeffrey Neal from JNP Studios have been working together and are planning to do a fusion shoot in Yosemite later this month. Design Visage also did a fantastic job with Laura's makeup and hair. She truly looks stunning!

Vince Tarry Fusion

Kerri + Paul Fusion from MetMedia Video on Vimeo.

Here is a video I shot and edited for Vince Tarry Photography. They'll be using it as a marketing piece and selling a Fusion Video as an add-on to their photography business.

With the advent of the Canon 5d Mark II, Fusion seems to be the next big thing hitting the wedding industry. It allows photographers to collaborate with videographers to offer a sweet product that has a very polished feel to it. I'm very excited to be at the forefront of this movement. I'm also excited to work with so many different photographers. I love being on shoots where I can hang out with other professionals who have a fantastic eye for images. With Fusion, it's not a competition to see who can get the best shot. We're all working together to make the best possible product that we can.

Wedding Reflections

Laura + Scott Wedding Reflections from MetMedia Video on Vimeo.

This is the final segment for Laura and Scott's wedding. Laura and Scott came out of their reception to talk with us about the day which was a fantastic opportunity build some emotion for the end of the video. I inter-cut their interviews with highlight footage from the day, as well as photos, to turn it into a nostalgic piece that I'm sure they will remember for a long time.

When we talked to Laura and asked her about music she wanted to use in her wedding, one of the songs was Transatlanticism by Death Cab For Cutie. I've always liked that song, but had never through about putting it into a wedding video.

Laura and Scott's wedding was such a beautiful day. The happiness and love in their eyes was such an inspiration for me. The venue, Rancho Las Lomas,was absolutely stunning. Their photographer, Jeffrey Neal of JNP Studios, was a fantastic photographer to work with. Not only was his eye sharp and creative, but he helped us immensely when creating the Fusion piece by giving us his photos and feedback.

Stephanie + Matt Fusion

I was in the studio yesterday and realized that I never posted this video. It is the first fusion love story we made at metmedia. I approached this one without a song in mind because I really wanted to get an idea of the couple before creating a look and feel for the piece. After spending some time with them, I got the feeling that they had a real sturdy kind of love. So I wanted to convey that through a timeless song and through light camera moves rather than an action packed 1.5 shot per second video.

Stephanie + Matt Engagement Session from MetMedia Video on Vimeo.

I shot most of the video in this piece. The photography was done by Curtis Myers of Perfect Circle Photography. It's always a pleasure to work with him and his images.

Laura + Scott First Sight

Laura + Scott Fusion from MetMedia Video on Vimeo.

Here is the first Fusion test I edited with footage from Laura and Scott's wedding. Their wedding was at Rancho Las Lomas, an incredible venue with massive trees, rustic architecture and a stunning ceremony area. Capturing the expression's on their faces as they first saw each other was a priority for MetMedia. We had two camera's rolling on them; and with the editing, I incorporated the photos taken by Jeffrey Neal of JNP Studios.

This is a good example of what Video/Photo fusion can create. Video captures moments as they pass, but the viewer rarely gets to pause and look at a beautiful frame or priceless expression. When I edit photos into the video, the viewer can stop and take in the moment. He or she can look at the subtleties and not worry about missing something else.

In an interview Laura gave as she was getting ready, she revealed that she liked the "vintage" look. I took this and ran with it. I added various film effects to some of the footage to achieve an old, muted 16mm film like feel. I also did some bleach bi-pass processing to give it an old, found footage type feel.

The only negative feedback I have gotten is that the camera shutter sound effect is too loud. I agree, and have since altered it to be less obtrusive. I decided to keep this version up until I had some free time to compress the new version. Enjoy!