Two years ago I was so caught up in the fast pace of life with a new baby and a toddler, I was grasping at every possible moment I could and begging time to slow down (who am I kidding – I am still living this life!). I had known a few photographer friends who had taken a course in filmmaking and every time I saw one of their films I cried. I cried all the tears. Happy tears, nostalgic tears, tears of total understanding. I signed up as soon as I could.
The movement and sounds of films evoke so many more emotions than photography. You can hear little voices, see mannerisms, and experience a real moment in time. One of my favourite parts of photography and filmmaking is being able to tell a story. I love being able to include various environmental clips and sounds that really allow you to get invested in the moment. Especially for the family, it creates a well-rounded experience that brings them back to a specific place and time. We will never be able to relive these days, so being able to capture little pieces of them and deliver them to a family is a gift I will never stop being grateful for.
Since taking a course in family film making I have branched out a little into creating wedding films, but I have also tried to stay consistent in my own personal film making (…you should see the files of unedited footage on my computer). My boys love when we get to watch them all on our Vimeo channel. Last year I ran a contest on my Facebook page and Lindsey won a family film. It was such a fun afternoon spent hanging out with this little family, and I know that years from now this film will bring back so many memories for all of them. I know this will be meaningful for Lindsey and Nick, but I also hope that one day Lincoln looks back on this film and can see how loved he is.
I would love to create more family films for clients, and if you are interested at all in documenting a special (or ordinary!) day in your life, please get in touch! I can’t say it enough: these films are a priceless gift.
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Brittany VanRuymbeke is an Ontario Family Filmmaker based in Chatham-Kent. She specializes in emotive and fun family photography, films and weddings.
