Heartline Films

Meet the Filmmakers

I always wanted to be in the film industry, picking up my first camera in 2007, and I gained some experience and side money by filming weddings in high school and college. When the film industry left NC, I realized I actually LOVED filming weddings and it was a great way to pursue a career in videography, even though it wasn’t what I’d expected. I met my wife in film school, and we love working side by side at weddings. We also do nearly all of our editing in-house and enjoy being part of every step of the process. 

Before I started focusing on wedding films, I worked corporate video for a while and it was absolutely draining. I’d put in a bunch of work, go through dozens of revisions, and get a general “Thanks, this is great.” The finished product didn’t produce an emotional reaction, but with wedding films, couples would cry, gush about our work, and send the sweetest thank you messages. It didn’t take long to realize that filming weddings was more satisfying than corporate work, and because I loved the work, I never felt burnout. 

I picked up an old 1960s Super 8mm camera not too long ago and fell in love with it. Something about pulling the trigger and HEARING your film run through the gate is magical. It requires so much more intentionality because you only have 3 minutes of film to burn. And not being able to see the product until a few weeks later when you get it processed creates anticipation.

I also have a VHS option listed on my site. While I’ve never shot it, I did edit my parents’ wedding video (90 minutes of VHS footage) and it turned out so cool. I just love the organic, non-professional look of it that gives you a feeling of a bygone time, even if we shoot with either of these formats now. My dad passed when I was 10 and wrote that song for my mom. I had someone professionally record it so I could use it for the video, which I gave it to my mom for her birthday a couple years ago!

Focusing on Exceptional Service

We like to focus on the experience from start to finish, from a client’s visit to our website and the booking process, meetings that range from phone and zoom chats to coffee and beer meetings, the wedding day, and all the way to delivery. Above all, we always want to provide an exceptional service and experience. We love to focus on what we’re best at, which is why we only offer video services.

Guest service matters, no matter how tiny of a moment it was. Once, we were getting ready for a first look and the bride looked noticeably hot. My wife saw her, put her camera down, told the planner to keep the groom back for a moment, and ran off to get some glasses of water for both of them, and this simple moment was something they mentioned in their review of us. We love to serve our couples and make sure they’re having one of the best days of their lives!

We always keep our eyes open for the small, intimate moments you never could have plan and don’t want to miss. There is magic in the excited jitters that fill the room while getting ready, the way your partner’s eyes light up as you walk down the aisle, and in the emotional celebration that fills the room when you say, “I do.”

One of my favorite things about being a wedding vendor is meeting new people! Whether it’s other vendors or the wedding party and their friends and family, it’s so nice to meet new people in a fun setting like a wedding. Many of our couples are our good friends now! During one of my favorite elopements, I shot video, a friend I subcontracted shot photos, and my wife did double duty shooting video and running the show. We were the only 3 vendors and it was a super fun experience!

Creating a Magical Experience

I personally have an obsession with experiences. My wife and I went to Disney World for our honeymoon and we go back every anniversary. I went to Disney twice as a kid, but 6 times from our honeymoon on. Plus, Haley used to work at Hollywood Studios in college! My cliche answer to my favorite area is Main Street at Magic Kingdom. The awe you feel when you enter the park, round the roundabout, and see Cinderella Castle at the end of Main Street is like nothing else. You don’t even need to be a big Disney fan to feel the magic at that very moment. But it’s also the guest service there; nowhere else in the world will you feel as welcomed as you do in Disney World. Everyone is so friendly and ready to help you with whatever you may need.

While we both love the entertainment and attractions, I especially love everything that goes into creating the magical experience — so much so that I utilize bits of their processes from a handful of books they’ve put out.  I like to use Disney’s 5 keys as a guiding principle: Safety, Courtesy, Inclusion, Show, Efficiency, in that order. This is key to Disney’s guest service and it helps guide any decisions we make before, during, and after wedding days.

Even our business name is inspired by the magic of Disney. A heartline roll is the name of a rollercoaster’s 360 degree barrel roll, and a wedding day can feel a lot like a rollercoaster. There is a steady build of anticipation and a rush of adrenaline as you near the top before soaring through the air, followed by a sudden stop as the day comes to an end. Our job at Heartline Films is to capture your ride-of-a-lifetime so you can relive the thrilling experience over and over.