“…I soon realized how powerful video is, and that I could positively affect the world through video, so I dropped out of my international development studies University program. Around this time it had been a few years so since I had volunteered in Kenya and Ecuador so I was all about giving back to my planet.”
Have you ever wondered who it is behind that beautiful wedding cake you had? Or who it was designing your dress or who it was who did your makeup? While you may have most likely had some interaction with your wedding vendors during your wedding day, most likely the day was a complete blur and you probably only met them briefly and didn’t get to know the person that well.
In this new series of photographs and brief interviews, I will taking you Behind The Scenes of what makes wedding vendors so passionate about what they do. Why do they do they do? Why do they love weddings? Behind each wedding cake, dress, decor setup, photograph or video is a human being with a passionate flame burning inside them that drives them to make, create and/or organize on your wedding day. #weddingdaybts
Today’s Wedding Vendor is:
Shyah of Shyah K Films
What do you love to do when not working on weddings?
I love hosting friends and hosting dinners. My wife and I have the place where friends get together. “May our home be ever too small to hold all our friends” is a quote that comes to mind.
I also enjoy taking my cat for walks and lately, playing “Enter the Gun-geon” on the Nintendo Switch. I also enjoy watching The Office (the TV show). In my down time, I’m also reaching out to customers whom I want to work with down the road. This currently involves cold-calling breweries as I love craft beer.
What inspires you? What drives you?
My desire is to blend my interests with my creative avenue of videography. Boredom is a reality for an artist so I like to try different things. I’m driven by my need for constant growth and in challenging myself technically. It doesn’t matter what level you’re at; you’re going to get bored. My drive to constantly grow is a way for me to future-proof myself from boredom.
I’m also inspired by other videographers, whether they’re local or abroad. For example: Russian wedding videos are doing stuff that we haven’t even thought of!
How did you start in videography?
Years ago, I was gift a Canon Powershot. Within a week or so, I fully understood the manual functions and inherently understood the artistic aspects of photography. I soon realized that people could see what I saw through my photograph. After that, I fiddled with short films on Youtube. I then pushed the boundaries a little bit more. Through this, I soon realized how powerful video is, and that I could positively affect the world through video, so I dropped out of my international development studies University program. Around this time it had been a few years so since I had volunteered in Kenya and Ecuador so I was all about giving back to my planet.
Why do you love doing videography?
I like to present my points of view and bring people in to see what I see. I really appreciate the small things, from bees to lavender flowers… especially clouds though. I really love clouds (this is something I may have inherited from my grandfather.
What is it about weddings that excites you?
I love the controlled chaos. For example, I went to a rockstar’s wedding where everyone was hammered and despite that, I was trying to get everything organized in order to do a sparkler exit. Believe it or not, this really gives me energy! People are my caffeine. I really enjoy talking and figuring things out with people. I’m definitely an extrovert!
Who is your ideal client?
I don’t really have a preference to a type of wedding. Chinese, Indian or Boho… I’ll do them all. If anything, it comes down their values. I really enjoy working with people that are flexible and are not too stressed when things don’t go according to plan. I also enjoy working with people that value their community where there’s room for lots of hugs, lots of smiles, table toasting and usually a killer dance floor.
I do also enjoy people who step outside of their circle, make things very personalized and bring their own flair to the wedding. This includes things such as bringing fun props or bringing their interests into the morning of their wedding day (e.g. people jamming on their wedding day morning).
What should people look for in a videographer?
Someone that has their client’s back and is there to support them during the wedding. Yes, we are there to capture the day but we are also a part of their team and I don’t want them to be stressed. I want them to have a good time and that they’re fueled.
A videographer needs to be friendly and get to know their clients’ family a little bit. Why? To make sure that the day goes smoothly. The videographer needs to understand that they are a piece of the “wedding machine.” They have to be considerate of the family and considerate of all aspects of the team. The videographer also needs to be interested in making something interesting for the couple that is beyond just developing something for their own portfolio. They have to be genuinely interested in the couples’ needs. Oh, and yes, they should be experienced!
What's your differentiator?
We are providing other people with a different set of eyes. We are trying to capture all of the brief moments around them. i.e. grandma breaking it down on the dancefloor.
I try to make it a good experience for everybody. I know I'm going to be with the couple more than their parents so I’m concerned about the couples’ needs. But I also want to include the family so much that I'll want to learn their language. My level of investment is not just gear and equipment - it's also language classes to connect with clients. Currently I'm learning Mandarin, but I also know some Spanish. I have a film theory background too, and I bring that into my wedding videos so I can provide a cinematic experience to the wedding using techniques that holy directors use.
