I was in my second year of film school when my best friend asked me if I’d be interested in filming her cousin’s wedding.
I’m not exaggerating when I say I jumped out of my seat at the thought.
My very first freelance job – my very own client.
I sent the bride-to-be my very small showreel, but I had the job regardless thanks to my friend’s recommendation.
We agreed on $300 for the creation of her wedding video and I was over the moon.
It all suddenly became very real. This was the moment I knew, or rather decided, that one day I would run my own video production company.
But, first thing’s first… I hadn’t even attended a wedding since I was ten years old, and I had no idea what to expect. I spent the weeks leading up to it asking everyone what I needed to look out for, and of course talking to the bride about what was most important for me to capture.
My friend (who happened to attend film school with me) helped me with the filming on the day – thanks girl!
And it was a marathon. I learnt then and there that it would be very difficult to film every element of a wedding by myself.
Terrified I would miss something I ran around like a headless chicken filming every detail I saw.
Rotating camera batteries, setting and resetting my audio device, filming the reception under the romantic, but very dim glow of fairy lights… it was definitely a challenge!
The bride wanted the video to include the full ceremony and all the speeches. Being an utter perfectionist (back then even more so) I agonised over the edit for days… actually it might have been weeks… I think all my friends were sick of the phrase ‘I can’t hang out today, I’m working on the wedding video.’
I produced a 1 hour and 40 minute feature film of the wedding.
My poor old laptop struggled with the might of rendering the video, and there was a lot of panic on my part when it crashed a few times before successfully exporting.
Just like a boiling pot, a watched video never renders.
But eventually it was finished. I packaged it up in a beautiful box with a personalised ‘Mr & Mrs’ Flash Drive and shipped it off to my client.
I was so nervous about what the bride and groom would think. I must have refreshed my emails a thousand times over the next few days – breathing in and out of a paper bag – waiting for a verdict.
To my absolute joy (and relief) they loved it!
It was the most amazing feeling. I had finished my very first job for my very first client and I was hooked.
Hooked on the feeling of having clients. Hooked on the idea of being my own boss. And especially hooked on that warm fuzzy feeling of someone loving something I’ve created for them.
To this day, that $300 was the best $300 I have ever earned.