This past Wednesday marked the 1-year anniversary of the devastating earthquake in Port Au Prince, Haiti. Though it hasn’t received as much media attention recently, the work in Haiti continues–much of the infrastructure remains battered and broken, and the nation of Haiti still has a long way to go before it reaches stability.

We were given the amazing opportunity of partnering with Churches Helping Churches, an organization which provides support and development aid to churches and pastors who are often the de facto leaders in the heart of affected communities. CHC worked with local church leaders to organize a memorial service in the heart of Port Au Prince, just across from the collapsed Presidential Palace.

As part of the media team, we were asked to create a recap video of the memorial service which was shown at the church services of CHC founders, Mark Driscoll, from Mars Hill Church in Seattle, and James McDonald, from Harvest Bible Chapel in Rolling Meadows.

We are so thankful to have played a small part in capturing the day and blessed to have been among those present at the memorial service. God is doing amazing things in Haiti and within the hearts of the Haitian people. We are especially grateful to CHC for having us come on board for this amazing celebration.

Cheers,

Chris

For a write-up of the event check out CBS News, this article from The Christian Post | for more photos check out Kenny Nakai and Kenny Kim’s blog pages

Because of the paperwork, it was anyone’s guess as to when he would arrive in the states. We were literally “on call” for a week, eagerly anticipating the big day.

When we arrived at the airport, we were greeted by the Park Family–their whole family. JT & Grace’s two children donned shirts that read “older brother” and “older sister in Korean and their cousins held up homemade welcome signs.

While the grandparents prepped bottles and gifts, JT & Grace nervously and incessantly checked flight monitors to see if Joel had arrived . The look of anticipation on these expecting parents’ faces was so beautiful.

When it comes to creating our films, we are all about the story. Sometimes we can tell a story in a couple of minutes–maybe even a few seconds. Those who frequent this blog are probably in habit of liking short videos. This video, however, is decidedly longer, because we wanted to make sure we told their story in its fullness. So if you have a few minutes, please, take a seat, and enjoy.  You really won’t regret it.

Happy Holidays,

Chris

PS – If you’d like to find out more about Joel, and how he’s getting along in their family, you can follow the Park’s on their blog :]

You can find the entries and vote here: http://stillmotionblog.com/2010/12/11/4303/

I shot this footage this past summer when my wife and I visited Italy. The original cut was 1:23 in length  but in order to meet requirements, I had to chop a whopping 23 seconds of footage off. Ouch. It was difficult… but a worthwhile necessity to submit this piece.

Italy is absurdly beautiful with a lot to see and do. Filming this piece, however, put into perspective the idea that there are a lot of special happenings going on in normal, mundane, everyday moments of life–driving down a country road, kids playing by a fountain, a father helping his children drink from the town pump, stolen kisses in alley ways, and yawning dogs–all things that have the potential to be overlooked.

During my time there, I began developing a personal filming philosophy: there are a lot of special ordinary moments–I just have to open my eyes, pay attention, and capture it. Hopefully, others will pay attention too.

All the entries are a worthwhile watch. Check ours out and vote for chris & oliver cinema // those simple moments if you feel so inclined :]

behind the scenes // mounting-checking-waiting-crouching-driving-sunflowering

Cheers,

Chris

the soundtrack is ‘catching up’ by Daniel Dixon. licensed through with ettiquette.

There was one room in our loft that had loads of potential but we didn’t know what we could turn it into. So for a while it was simply a storage closet under the stairs. Thankfully, after years of shoving things in and out of this “closet”, we put in some work and turned it into something functional… and nifty :]

Since the inception of our company, Oliver and I have been crunching out edits in his apartment. Creating a second editing space became a necessity for our sanity and workflow. Transforming the storage closet into an office seemed to be the logical and natural next step.

don’t be fooled // there’s plenty of space behind this closet under the stairs

prep time // clear out the space and tape up the walls

height // the ceiling gradually slopes up 12 feet

notepad shmotepad // I’m constantly scribbling ideas down and didn’t want to limit myself to a pen and paper :: a chalkboard wall works well for me!

the set up // apparently you’re supposed to apply an initial coating of chalk before you begin using it :: though, I think I could have skipped this step

pepper // my dog. hard at work.

mod floor // a great way to unify the scheme of the room and create a comfortable, sleek feel was to install some carpet tile

start from the center // my brother-in-law was my right hand man through all of this

approved by the mrs. // running decisions by the wife = happy marriage :]

moving in // setting up the furniture

tech support // oliver, installing hardware and software

mod art // I love comics . A LOT. So when I found this art, I was stoked!

heroes // can you name them? art courtesy of modHero by Rogan Josh

men at work // writing out our queue!

cave drawings // I love the chalkboard wall because I can see and manage all our work

from the bottom up // clean and simple :: desk + chair from the Container Store

from the top down // the hanging DVD rack is from the Container Store :: shelving units and storage from IKEA

details // it’s fun to break things up visually, even with storage!

cool containers // this old cigar box has become host to the business cards I’ve collected

hardcover // a throwback to my English Lit days

mix it up // industrial bits and earthy tones

books by color // fun to see how genres mix when you arrange by color

a boy and his toys // I may get older, but I still need my toys

thanks dad // my dad’s old SLR [film] is a nice visual anchor for this space

@ work // a fully functional batcave! er… studio!

peace of mind + creativity // can’t wait to see what comes of this!

Cheers,

Chris

The idea for their Portrait Film was based off of Mikey’s proposal to Becky–he authored a storybook for her where, in the end, the main character, “Mecky”, confessed his love for “Bikey” and told her he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.

We asked Mikey to put his writing talent to the test again and author another piece that was a reflection of the two of them. He wrote this little poem of sorts entitled, What Makes a House a Home? We were invited into their home to put visual legs to the piece.

The Portrait Film played at their reception and both Becky and Mikey enjoyed it for the first time along with all their guests. Just as they let us into their home and gave their guests at their reception a glimpse into their life, I’m confident they wouldn’t mind inviting you into the home they’ve begun to make for themselves either.

Cheers,

Chris

As a Midwesterner, I’m not accustomed to shooting under hot + humid conditions. Oh, I’ve had my fair share of summers in the Chicago heat, experienced mugginess down south in Champaign, and I’ve vacationed in the thick July air of the Philippines–but working with those conditions is a different story.

Who can complain, however, when you’re going from the blasting air conditioning of a five star hotel onto a rooftop deck in Miami? Not me, that’s for sure!

We spent a day in the Four Seasons Hotel in Miami helping out our friends Kenny Kim + Ray Santana with their Portfolio Plus Workshop. It was a fun time filled with learning, teaching, networking, and making new friends. Here is a great photo blog recap from our friend Kenny Nakai who loaned his talents to cover the event as well.

putting in work // contrary to what it looks like, I’m not laying around on the job!

proof // laying down was the only way to get the four seasons from this angle :]

recap // our bts [behind the scenes] from the workshop

Lastly, for those Black Friday enthusiasts, word on the street is that there is a great promo going on for those who register early for the next Portfolio Plus Workshop. Check it out!

Cheers,

Chris

{Burnt Norton, T.S. Eliot

Something I often  find myself thinking about is the concept of time–not in the Back to the Future // LOST // Inception sense of the word–all worthy candidates of thought–but rather this idea that time is both perpetual and brief. What are we to make of our time in light of the limited amount we are given?

Oliver and I wanted to put something together to provoke thought about that very question, and this past weekend, we were given an opportunity to do so.

We showcased our new piece at Entrusted Talents: The  Show–the organizers behind the event invited various artists to perform @ Foellinger Auditorium on the University of Illinois Campus, and we were graciously invited to create something to start off the evening.

This piece afforded us the opportunity and freedom to create something very personal–an opportunity to express our beliefs, to create something broader in scope, to push the boundaries of what we’ve done thus far–and yet, like all of our films, something that would carry much of its weight in its subtleties.  *A lot of this piece is beautifully [and painstakingly]  shot, but I believe there is much more to be said about all the little things found in the layers of subtext.

It would be great if people enjoyed this film on an aesthetic level–after all, we put in some serious hours on this one. However, our hope is that the visuals we produced ultimately lead to and inspire thought.

I’m quite curious to hear yours :]

Cheers,

Chris

*For the record: none of the footage is CGI or animated–everything is completely real and was shot by us. Seriously.

Kudos to Oliver Peng for acting as DP {among many other roles}, Peter Catanus for being our music man and assisting on shoots, and special thanks to Aurum Laguna for hashing out the narrative :]

The temptation, however, was to treat these shoots impersonally, almost like a checklist. I’m glad I had the chance to put another Portrait Film together before the weekend was set into motion, otherwise what deserved to be treated as personal and intimate might have been “just another project.”

The point of our Portrait Films has always been to capture a story—to give people a glimpse into the lives a couple and to give the couple a snapshot of their relationship before they head into their new life together.

After a getting-to-know-you session (and several follow up e-mails), we conceptualized a shoot with Louis and Amabel, and by the day’s end, we found ourselves at a local gelateria, enjoying the weather and some homemade dessert.

When this Portrait Film played at their reception this past weekend, it was like an “aha” moment—sure, it was great to do this shoot with the couple and have them speak on destiny and love, and define “us”, but what was special about it was watching the expressions on their faces as they watched their Film with their guests.

That simple moment framed the rest of our weekend and gave perspective to our shoots.  I’m sure Louis and Amabel would agree that this wasn’t “just another project”—this was “us”.

Cheers,

Chris

I pop DVD’s in and watch favorite movie scenes, listen to music, go for a walk, or rewatch the last 10 minutes of the LOST series finale. Just recently, I’ve taken to drawing inspiration from editing little personal vignettes.

That’s right. I take a break from editing by editing.

I’ve been sitting on this one since I got back from Italy. Putting it together, however, has definitely proven to open up that channel of creativity.

Nothing can do justice to the breathtaking beauty of Italy–its people, sights, sounds, sunflowers, and yawning dogs–but I hope you somehow and in some way, end up inspired.

Cheers,

Chris

After greeting all of their guests, Vladimir and Tamara stole some time away to themselves for photos. Meanwhile, outside the church the festivities began.

Coins were tossed, wooden flasks with homemade plum brandy were passed around, and an accordion player showed up, which led to an impromptu dance line with the bride and groom’s guests and family.

Though this isn’t a Highlight Film, I just really wanted to show one of my favorite moments from their wedding. I guess it would be a trailer of sorts, since their Highlight is yet to come.  But more than anything, it just makes me smile.

Pay attention to the groom’s mom (wearing white), the groom’s best man (wearing the sash), and the bride’s maid of honor who flew in from Serbia (wearing the green scarf)–they know how to throw down.

Cheers,

Chris