Exactly! which proves my point..

Yes my style is my own.. the angles, the framing, everything.. just because we use the same equipment doesn't mean I am going to film the same way.. just because we use the same editing software doesn't mean it will turn out the same.. these are powerful creative tools.. we are the creator, God has given us that ability. It is not a team vision (although team effort noted through contribution). (By the way.. the finished film that is posted here.. I did completely by myself with two cameras.. no help whatsoever, my wife wasn't there.. it was also my second wedding that day; back to back).

A great example of how things look different (follow me here): subject - a large stick of wood; Three characters: A beaver looks at that wood and thinks "food"; A caveman looks at that wood and thinks "Fire/Warmth"; Archemidies looks at that same stick of wood and thinks "a lever to change the world";

Yes that's deep but point being we all look differently at things.. If I gave my same footage to another editor we would have a completely different product. etc.. Its how we become unique. A movie by Steven Spielberg may be a team effort.. but its still his movie, his style.

As much as I love (my mentors) footage, I cannot reproduce it.. and as much as I would want to.. it never happens.. because subconsciously I am unique and I see things differently.. and it is not better or worse.
Now consciously I can make the decision and effort to try and duplicate things I have seen done.. but its never quite the same.

Quite alright, I appreciate the intellectual discussion :)

I get what your saying about you being unique as well as your footage, but what makes you unique, to a large extent, is your specific collection of experiences. Unless you meditate regularly, it is very very hard to perceive anything without your experience affecting everything you see. It is those experiences which, in my opinion, are a large part of your work, and as those come from so many people around us, I find it very tough to say that anything is completely our own. We are getting dangerously close to the whole nature vs nurture debate though, which is a big part of our different perspectives I think.

Ok, well I hope this inspires and not depresses..

This was our very first wedding (june 4th, 2005.. our kickoff date); very first filming (ever) for my wife and I.. (seriously.. we had never touched a video camera.. only just a couple of weeks before we got our XL2's in the mail); didn't know the cameras (they were 3 day rentals.. FX1's..), first ever editing.. honestly I had never touched an editing system before this wedding.. this is all learning on the job.. the wedding was a free-b;

Really didn't like the colors or the exposure.. goes along with knowing the camera and what your doing.. which I had no clue about.

http://visualmasterpiece.com/quicktime/rachel_chris.mov

(patrick.. vision/framing/eye/style.. doesn't change much.. its raw here but its still there)

Ok, true.. I see you're point on this and would have to agree..
Like saying.. "im a self-made millionaire.." when really it was the contribution and support in your life (wether from parents or whatever) that has helped shape who you are today.. yes I agree with that statement.. however, I do also believe in talent.. and "you have it or you just don't" mentality.. there is talent developed and then there is non-talent being trained/skilled which is never quite the same. I have seen/known many examples of this to be true.. like I tried to be a realtor about 3 years ago.. that was a bad idea.. it was forcing my nature to do something it wasn't designed to do.. thank God I didn't continue that route!

Hi Michael,

Thanks for sharing. Your work has definitely come a long way. I agree as well with what you said, I can see similar spects in this clip as in your more recent stuff.

Did you get my email about your XL2s for sale?

got it.. thank you.. I'll get back to you soon regarding it.