The hardest thing I have ever had to do.....

When Leeann and I moved to Knoxville in July of '94, we didn't know what was in store for us.  We didn't know to adventures to come our way.  We had been here for about 4 or 5 months and Leeann was having tough time finding a job she wanted.  She was so over-qualified for everything she went out on.  She was getting so down and so blue.  I came home from work one day to find her in a great mood so I was happy for her.  She told me she found an ad in the paper that day for a little Maltese puppy and she went to see her that day.  I could tell right away that we were getting  a dog.  She, of course, asked if it would be ok if we got the dog and there was no way on this earth I could tell her no.  So, into our lives came Maggie.

Maggie was one of the best dogs you could ask for. She did not shed hair, she was small and for the most part pretty quite.  Maggie was a traveler to say the least.  I have lost count of how many trips she made with us.  Trips to the beach, to Leeann's mothers house, just about any place we went, Maggie tagged along.  

We used to say that Maggie was a lap waiting to happen and it was true.  If you sat in a chair in our house, you had better be ready for Maggie to jump up in it.  People told us not to let her sleep in the bed with us, but anyone who knows us, knows we didn't listen to that.  Maggie took over the bed, she was just nice enough to let us sleep in it at night.  

Maggie ran this home from the day she arrived.  When Brinkley became a part of our family, she put him in his place.  I have never in my life seen a 70 pound dog sit and wait for food like Brinkley did when Maggie was eating.  She would just look at him and he would sit or lay down until she was finished.

When Katie came home with us the very first night, Maggie was there, tail just a wagging.  But, as we added to our home, Hogan and Sophie, we could tell that Maggie was more and more unhappy with us.  She still loved us and still ran the house, but she was not happy about all the additions to the home.

For the past  couple of weeks, Maggie has not been doing well.  She has been eating less and less each day.  She averaged between 10 and 12 pounds in weight depending on what food she snuck from us.  Anyway, two weeks ago, she was down to 6 pounds.  We tried everything we could think of, hand feeding, baby food even forced feeding, but she just kept loosing weight.

Over the weekend, we could tell that Maggie was just not herself anymore, she didn't do anything but just lay around the house, she could hardly walk and even doing the forced feeding, she didn't put up the fight she used to.  So today, we made the decision, along with our vet, to put Maggie to sleep.  

I held her in my arms as she went to sleep and I kissed her one last time.  I know that she is in a much better place. My dad loved dogs and I know that he is there waiting on her to get there.  I will miss that little white fur ball.  

Honey Do's and Milestones

What is it about spring that makes people want to clean?  This past weekend Leeann and I did some serious cleaning and de-cluttering.  We have plans to de-clutter the entire house this spring but plan on doing it one section at a time. The living, dining and rec room were up first.  The couch in the living room left, we got a new entertainment center for the living room, new dining room table and then got rid of a few things in the rec room.  

Knoxville Rescue Ministries was the recipient of all this purging. I think that it helps every one all the way around.  For every $1.70 they make at their store, they can feed someone a meal. We get a tax break, someone in need gets a meal and our house gets cleaner.  Sounds great to me. 

I hit a milestone this week in my business.  I have hired a part time person to help me with some up coming weddings.  I have never hired anyone before as the owner of a business. This was kinda cool in a way.  I had to place the ad, review all the responses (I got 5 just from the craigslist ad alone) and pick who I thought would work out best.  I will keep you updated on how it goes.

Katie is getting ready for a big milestone her self. She is getting ready for a camp this weekend.  This is a camp for kids with vision problems.  She went last year, but just for one night.  She did great and she had such a good time that when we went to pick her up, she didn't want to leave. So this year we are letting her spend both nights there.  Needless to say, mom and dad are planning a few nights out.  I don't know who is more nervous about this weekend, Katie or Leeann?  

Ever wonder what I do??

Ever wonder what it is I do as a wedding videographer? I know people may think it is really easy, but it is a lot of work, work I really have a great passion for. It all starts about a month before the wedding is scheduled, I send out a short questionnaire to the bride and groom. This gives me a chance to get to know them a bit better, who they are and how their video should reflect them. I start thinking about how I want the shoot to go, how I want the video to look and what kind of shots I need to make it look that way. I make a list of all the shots I want, what I will need equipment wise to get that shot. I also make a list of everything I will need that day, equipment, any food or drink I need for myself and the person working with me, if I need someone with me. I start checking the weather for the day to see if I need any special weather gear or not. 

The week of the wedding, I try to contact the bride to go over any last minute changes I need to be aware of, what time is the rehearsal, and do they need anything from me. I start going over my equipment making sure everything is working correctly. I calculate how many video tapes I will need, charge all my batteries and that everything on my list is ready to go.

The day of the wedding is usually a long day. I try to get to the venue about 2 1/2 hours before the bride gets there, this gives me a chance to set up my equipment in an out of the way area, go over my shot list with my assistant if I have one with me. I get some establishing shots of the venue, prep of the location, meet with the location coordinator about any restrictions they might have in place. Once the bride arrives, things really kicks into high gear. I start going down my shot list to start getting the 22 must have shots, keeping an eye out for both the special moment shots and B-roll shots. I then get the groom, go over a few things with him, mic either him or the officiant up, then go and get the equipment set for the wedding ceremony itself. 

After the ceremony is done, I continue to stay with the bride and groom while they are doing the family photos. This is when some of the most emotional and romantic shots come from. Then its time to head to the reception, still keeping an eye open for anything and everything that goes on. I get a short break during dinner as no one wants to see their friends and family eating on their video. I am there at the reception until the bride and groom leave for the night. 

When the reception ends, my work is just starting. Now I have to download the video onto my computer, go through all the video to look for any problems that my be present and fix it. Start to put the clips together in a way that tells the story of the day, add the music, sync the audio to the video, do the titles, go over the video any where from 30 to 50 times looking for anything and everything. It all has to look and feel just right. Once the video is done, then I have to put it on a DVD, create the menus, put any motion to those menus, add any music and/or photos, go over the DVD 15 to 30 more times, make any additional changes to give it just the right feel so that the bride and groom can relive that emotional day. Then I do all the authoring of the DVD, etch the label and then deliver the finished DVD to the bride.

When all that is done, it starts all over again for the next wedding. So the next time you wonder what I do and why it may be a long time between blog posting, now you know.

My Dad

Several weeks ago I made mention of my dad and a few friends have asked me to blog some information about my dad.  I was not sure I really wanted to do this, it is hard to go back over time and try to remember things that happened in the past and get them right, but I think it is good for me to go over those things again.

My dad's name was Cary D. (Danny) Samples.  He was a hard working man.  He always put his family first in everything he did.  I grew up in east central Indiana in a small town.  One of my earliest memories of my dad is of him putting up a swing set in a back yard.  I remember watching him put it up and how I could not wait to swing on that thing.  He had a white Ford Galaxy that he loved so much.  In fact, he kept that car until the rust ate through the floor board  of that old car. He was a Ford man forever.  

My dad worked in a die casting factory making parts for cars, things like the grills, outside mirror brackets and things like that, before it all went plastic.  He worked as much as he could, days, nights, weekends, you name it and he worked it.  Like I said, he always put his family first. He always made sure his kids had all the things we wanted, whatever it was.  I remember one night he went out of his way for me.  I used to stay up late and wait for him to come home, that may be why I still enjoy staying up late.  Anyway, I would stay up late every Friday night and wait for him.  Most everyone of those nights he would order a pizza and bring it home. Mainly because he wanted dinner, but I enjoyed it because it was time I got to spend with him.  Well, I called and ordered the pizza before he got home and he had to go back out and get the pizza.  He didn't really have the money for the pizza that night, but he went for it anyway.  

He taught me how to ride a bike but, he didn't teach me how to stop the bike when I was done.  So, I just rode my bike into a tree.  It worked, it hurt, but it worked.  Well, one day I was on my bike riding around the street in front of my house.  My dad had a rule that we were not to ride over the hill out of sight of our house.  I decided to see what was on the other side of the hill one day.  When I did I knew I did something very wrong and knew that I was going to be in big trouble when I got home.  Sure enough, as I toped the hill, there he was in the front yard waiting for me.  I started crying (I was maybe 3 or 4 at the time) before I ever got home.  He didn't punish me when I got home, he said I had punished myself enough.  I learned a great lesson that day, dad was always right.  

He also taught me to drive, he taught me to work hard and to put my family first.  He taught me to value my friends, to be a good friend to others.  He helped me through many a broken heart, took me and my then girlfriend on my first date.  He taught me to keep pushing myself and to never settle for what I was.  He stood by my side when I struggled, he stood proud when I succeeded. He knew when it was time to let go, and when to reel me in.  But, most of all, he taught me to make decisions for my self.  He never told me what to do, he told me the good and bad of what ever decision I was facing.  The choice was mine.  When I signed up for the Army, I was trying to choose a career choice, I wanted to have him there with me to tell me what I should choose, but I heard him in my head telling me that I had to make the decision my self. I did and I could tell it hurt him to know that his son was stepping out on his own.  But, I think he was very proud as well.

I remember the last time I talked to him.  I had moved to Maryland and was living with my mom at the time.  I wanted to spread my wings a bit and grow.  My last face to face time I had with him was a very, and I do me VERY, heated argument.  I can't remember what it was about, but I know that I said some things I wish I wouldn't have said.  Anyway, I called him on a Thursday afternoon and asked him to do a favor for me.  He said he would the next day and get back to me.  His last words to me were "I love you son".  My last words to him were "yea, me too."  The next day I got a phone call from my dad's wife.  He was gone.  I could not believe it. The one person who guided me for my entire life was gone.  

I know he is still with me, he is still watching over me.  I really wish he could have meet Leeann and gotten to meet Katie. He would have loved her I have no doubt.  But, I know that he is up there looking down on me.  I just hope that he is standing proud, not standing beside me. 

I was not ready for this

My last post talked about how things would really get started for my business after the wedding show. I did not know it would take off like this. I have been getting phone calls almost daily wanting prices, quotes, questions answered and weddings booked. To date I have 4 weddings booked for sure (contract signed, money in bank), two more meetings this week will bring me to six and the list keeps growing. I have had, for the first time in my life, to get a day timer note book to keep track of calls, call backs, weddings, and the family schedule. I really LOVE it!!!!!

I was taking some time to look at other videographers tonight to see what they do and to get some ideas for future videos. Anyway, I ran across this site for a wedding videographer in Maryland and he had an article on his site about how to choose a videographer. I read it and really liked what he had to say, He has the same values I do when it comes to my customers. I put them first. I don't want to do high volume/low quality videos. Anyone can do that, I want my videos to have feeling, emotion. I want it to truly capture special moments from a special day. But the one thing that got to me, was what he said at the end. He said that he really loved what he does and he wants that love of his work to show in his videos. I really love what I do. I love the freedom it has given me, I love that I get to spend time with Leeann and Katie, I love working with people on a one on one basis. But most of all, I love the fact that I am creating something that will last for years and years to come. Knowing that in 20 years, a family is going to sit down one evening and put in a DVD (or what ever format they will use 20 years from now) and watch something that I created just for them. That is such a thrill for me.

I have even started networking with other wedding vendors for more business. I work with Brenda from One Enchanted Evening and she has kept me very busy with more things planned. I hear from her about once or twice a week with information about a bride or two. I also have started working with a photographer that got her start a lot like I did.  She has a link to my website from hers and I have hers on mine.  

On the personal side, we have a been a pretty sick family here lately.  Leeann got a very bad case of Strep Throat last Monday, then Katie got it on Wednesday, and I was at the doctors today with some type of stomach bug.  We are all on medication to fight this.  We are getting better a little at a time.  Oh, and my doctor told me today that I need to loose 10 to 15 pounds in the next 3 months, this should be fun.

Now it really gets started

This past weekend was the Bridal Show. What a show it was, there were over 1,000 people there with the majority of those folks being brides. I had the worst case of butterflies this weekend. I was obsessing about everything, just ask Leeann if you don't believe me. I was making her nuts worrying about every little thing there was to worry about.

Leeann was going to help me at the show, but Katie was not feeling too well and Leeann had to stay at home with her and I was left to working the show on my own. I really wish Leeann would have been there, I was so busy. I got there at about 10:45am and did not get done and sit down until about 7pm last night. But, I have to say, even though I was swamped it was a lot of fun.

I was not able to talk to everyone who came by because there were times I was talking to two or three brides at a time and more were stopping by to get info. Some of the things I heard were "your video is so much clearer than any I have seen", "I love your style", "I love your video". That was most of what I heard, I hope there were more good things as well.

I was able to book 5 weddings yesterday and I had about 6 emails last night when I got home wanting to know about dates. I have been doing emails all day today and answering phone calls all day. Best part of the day had to be seeing my ad in the new Premier Bride Magazine, I am the first ad listed in the videography section of the magazine. I am on the top left of the page, which is great when you think about it, you read from left to right, top to bottom, so top left page is the place to be.

I also had a great location at the show, right in the middle, of the show where everyone had to walk to get anywhere. I could not have asked for it to have been better, I have added a photo of the booth, maybe next year it will look better with more color.

Wedding Show

Many of you know that I have a wedding video business that I run. I have a blast doing so and love shooting the weddings. There is nothing like watching two people start their new life together. On top of that, I am doing something that they will be able to cherish for years to come. I look at this as an art form and what other art form will be people be able to look at years and years later to remember a special day in their life. It gives me such pride to know that I am creating something that 20 or 30 years from now, some kids are going to be able to watch and ask their parents what they thought about that day.

That being said, I have been very busy the past few weeks getting ready for a bridal show this weekend. Since I am a one man operation, I have to do pretty much all the marketing work my self for this. Oh, I get lots of help from Leeann, she is my best source of information when it comes to how things should look and what would work best, but as far as putting it together, well, its just me. Just to give you an idea of what I have been doing, I have had to put together about 500 folders with information about me and my business, I have burned and labeled over 600 DVD's to hand out. I have put a half page ad in the bridal magazine that comes out at the show. This magazine is the bible in this area for brides to be.

I have also been doing a lot more research into marketing my business, I have ordered DVD's from well established wedding videographers to get ideas to help me improve my business. I can only hope that it works well for me.

An old friend of mine stopped by tonight to borrow some equipment for a wedding he is going to shoot for a family member of his. He works for a local TV station that I tired to get a job at this past summer. I did not get the job even though the guy I interviewed with told me he wanted me and was going to hire me. I had a feeling why I didn't get the job but, I did not have a way to prove it. Well, tonight I was told I was right in my thinking. Seems that my old boss at the large cable network did not like the fact that anyone would want to leave any job that involves working with her to go someplace else. Seems as if she went to someone she knew at this local station and spoke poorly of me. Now, I can't positively prove this, but if I could.......

I am not mad about this, it has worked out for the best for me. I am happy where I am and feel good about the direction I am taking. But, if I could only prove this,