Vendor Spotlight: Caitlyn Cutler Films
Hello Honeys,
This week begins our series of Vendor Spotlights! We'll be introducing you to some of our favorite vendors in the industry and telling you a bit about each one. We hope you love them as much as we do :)
The ladies of Honey & Twine believe that there are few things in life that move you the way that love captured on film does.
If you follow Honey & Twine on Facebook, you know that we share wedding films on our page every Tuesday!
Well this week, we are giving you a special sneak peek at one of our favorite videographers: Caitlyn Cutler!
We spoke with her about her love for film and couples in the industry. Read on to get to know a bit about Caitlin and what it would be like to work with her on your special day! You can also check out her work by clicking here!
Do you remember the exact moment you wanted to be a videographer?
I don't know if there was an exact moment that I knew I wanted to be a videographer, but I remember in 7th grade I was asked to make a video for a science project and I think I spent more time on that project than any school project ever! Ha! My parents gifted me with a little Flip Video camera for Christmas in 8th grade and from that point on I think I made at LEAST three videos a month of just stupid things me and my friends would do all through middle school and high school. By the time I was a senior in high school, I got a job with a company to make commercials and testimonials and I've been doing it full time ever since!
What is your favorite part of your job?
My favorite part of making wedding films has always been the realness of it. With photography, its very easy to stage a moment and make it look perfect but with video, you have a to actually capture the moment in real time and that is very hard to stage. That's what I try to achieve in my videos. I love to capture the tiny little moments that just happen naturally because I think that realness is what is so beautiful.
How would you describe your average work day?
My average work day consists of me going to a nearby coffee shop and editing ALL DAY LONG. Seriously, I've had to buy those weird computer glasses so that I don't hurt my eyes from looking at a computer for too long. Ha! On average, I shoot about one to two videos a week, so I typically shoot those and then edit the rest of the week.
What would you say to a bride and groom whom are unsure about getting a videographer?
I love this question because I have to answer it ALL THE TIME. So many brides will come to me and say they aren't sure if they need a videographer. It's hard for me to try to convince them to get one because it sounds like I'm just trying to sell myself, but in all honestly, if I had a nickel for every time a bride told me that their wedding video was their favorite thing they spent money on... I wouldn't need to charge people to make wedding videos anymore ;) ha! I think videos capture the things that photos can't, you get all the little moments and you put that to music and it makes your wedding day look just as magical as it felt which is why people will watch their wedding videos for the rest of their lives!
What should couples look for while researching a videographer?
Make sure the style of the videographer is the style that you want! My style is not very traditional so typically I get a lot of weddings that are different. Occasionally I'll get an email from someone that sends me a video of a very traditional videographer and they ask me to make one like that. My best work is when I feel free to make things however I want so when I'm asked to copy another videographer, my job starts to feel more like, well, a job ha :) and I think you can see that in the video!
Long story short, watch the other videos the videographer has made and if you like them the way they are, hire them! It sounds simple but you'd be surprised how many times I've seen that problem.
What can couples expect when they sign up to work with you?
It's wayyyyy more laid back than you would expect! I work with so many couples and after we shoot will always say, "That was easier than I thought."
I think that best footage for a video comes when people are being natural so when I do engagement videos I basically will just plan an activity and film the couple doing whatever they want. Ha, we're essentially just hanging out. Same goes for the wedding day; I think a lot of couples get nervous because I kind of become a fly on the wall and try not to interfere with the moment so they worry that I'm not capturing anything but are always surprised when they get back the finished product and realize I was literally filming EVERYTHING, like even the tiny little moments when they thought no one is watching... I'm always watching ;)
Caitlyn, you seem to combine story telling with videography so effortlessly. Do you frame the video around a certain story?
Yes, this is one thing I try really hard to do. When I first started making wedding videos, I HATED it. I think it was because I was seeing so many wedding videos that were cheesy and exactly the same. There was absolutely no emotion and I realized that I was doing the same thing. That's when I switched up my style and decided to have no rules and just make the video based on what happened during the day. No posing, no instruction... just film what I saw and make a video around that instead of planning the video before.
What are your favorite songs to use?
I can't really say I have a favorite song to use for a wedding video. I try really hard to make all my videos different so I've never used the same song in two wedding videos. I think I'm typically drawn to more alternative indie music or indie electronic type stuff but I try to match the music to the feel of the wedding day so I have a pretty wide range of music.
What is your favorite quote to live by?
I heard this quote by JD Salinger a couple years ago and I've never forgotten it. It's about writing but I apply it to when I create basically anything:
"If only you’d remember before ever you sit down to write that you’ve been a reader long before you were ever a writer. You simply fix that fact in your mind, then sit very still and ask yourself, as a reader, what piece of writing in all the world would you most want to read if you had your heart’s choice. The next step is terrible, but so simple I can hardly believe it as I write it. You just sit down shamelessly and write the thing yourself. I won’t even underline that. It’s too important to be underlined."
I try to apply that when I edit a video and when I finish I ask myself, "Is this a video I would want to watch if I didn't make it?" I think it helps me stay an artist and not just someone being paid to make a video.
What does H&T stand for to you?
For me H&T stands for honesty and time. I've always tried to run my company very honestly which is why I don't add in hidden fees and I want people to know exactly what they're paying for. As for time, I don't charge people by the hour. I do a flat rate for unlimited shooting hours on the wedding day because I want to be there for all of the little moments, I think that that is what makes the video interesting. The waking up and getting ready all the way to the leaving late at night, it's all beautiful and I want to be there for all of it!
"How can you not fall in love?"
Check out Caitlyn Cutler:
www.caitlyncutler.com | www.instagram.com/caitcutty/ | www.instagram.com/caitlyncutlerfilms/