SMAPP has been out for less than a month and we already have a big update out! we’re committed to continually improving SMAPP so we’ve taken all the feedback from SMAPP users and made it even better and more accessible for filmmakers everywhere. if you haven’t downloaded SMAPP yet, then head straight over to the app store and download it.

to those who have supported us by purchasing SMAPP during its launch, we have made a few changes that will affect you directly so please read through this blog post thoroughly.


 

it’s pretty amazing what technology allows us to do these days. but right now, i’m not talking about fancy cameras or handy contraptions. i’m talking about the phone, Skype, and even something as simple as email. it’s amazing how talking through these mediums with someone you’ve never met in person can still allow you to build a great relationship.

we often get asked how much time we spend getting to know our couples. and while it’s different with everyone we work with, we believe that’s it’s not necessarily about how much time you spend, but how you spend it. how you listen, and what you get to learn about them in the process…

when traveling around the country (and the world), every shoot presents its own set of challenges. anywhere from logistical issues, unpredictable weather to missing luggage. you name it, we’ve experienced it first hand. one shoot that sticks out to me was Diti and Anand’s wedding last year. Paul and i had flown into Aruba for a wedding celebration that spanned 4 days and involved flamingo watching, feeding wild iguanas and catching a breathtaking sunset cruise.

what we weren’t ready for though was the thick island humidity that engulfed us as soon as we got off the plane. what this means is that our lenses kept fogging up and the lens housings were constantly wet from condensation. imagine waking up at 5 in the morning to catch a sunrise time-lapse only to have your first hour’s footage be completely ruined by water and haze on the lenses. because every room in the resort was well air conditioned, our lenses got soaked as soon as we brought them into the hot and humid outdoors.
 

Jó napot kívánok, Hogy van? Nem értem.

no sooner had we wrapped up a weekend at toronto’s Exposure Show that we are immediately packing up for a weekend in Hungary for Sophie+Jason’s wedding! i’m still not sure how many timezones we’re crossing but it’s a 12 hour trip with a stop in frankfurt. leaving plenty of time to brush up on my Hungarian.

we’ll also have plenty of reading material. as you may remember, Jason had written a book on his journey of following Pearl Jam’s tour across Canada. you can bet that it’ll be loaded onto my iPad :)

more than just a wedding, Sophia and Jason’s wedding will be an experience for all their guests as they (and we!) will be picked up in buses and taken on a trip involving a guided city tour, biscuits and cheese, wine tasting, and a horse show. we will eventually arrive at Lillafüred where the wedding takes place.

this will actually be my first time visiting Europe and i can’t think of a better way to take it in than with the team and of course with an awesome couple. we’ll keep you posted along the way!

RT

SMAPP is in the final stretch of beta testing and we’re so close to finishing the last of our touch ups before its launch. we know you’re just as excited as we are for its release so sign up here if you want to be notified as soon as SMAPP is available on the app store!

a few weeks ago we released a tutorial on basic interview lighting and how you can quickly achieve the look you want with just a few lights and modifiers. once you’re comfortable with the basics we invite you to continue to push your story through light. you can say so much through your lighting so this week’s tutorial will take it up a notch…