MANILA, Philippines - "Ang daming iba't ibang concept na lumalabas ngayon. Madaming iba't ibang story ang couple (There are so many different concepts emerging these days. Each couple has a different story)," Ian Cruz says when asked about the state of wedding videography these days, "'Yung story para sa mga video na ginagawa ko, umiikot 'yun sa naririnig ko sa prep, 'yung naririnig ko sa priest, 'dun ko pinaglalaruan. Kailangan ko mag-direct, i-narrate sa video (The story for the videos I make revolve around what I hear during the [wedding] preps, what I hear from the priest-that's what I play with. I have to direct, narrate the video)..."
Wedding videos have a lot in common with filmmaking, except videographers do their own research, determine the angles and try to cobble the couple's story together. It's a difficult task, of course, to find out about the months and years of a couple's life together and condense them into a few minutes, all while shooting with virtually no script in hand. The videographer may have to wait for hours on end, watching carefully for telltale signs and snatches of conversations, all of which have to be shot and shaped into a visual narrative before the reception even begins in earnest. Ian, though, with his eight years in the industry, has had considerable experience in making just this type of film. It was only in the past few years, however, that he's felt that he has come into his own as a videographer.
"Ngayon nagde-develop ako ng sarili kong style (Now I'm developing my own style)," he says, "Inuunahan ko yung sitwasyon. Pagdating ko sa church, hinahanapan ko ng angulo para maiba. Mina-mindset ko yung sarili ko na iiba ako ng angulo para may iba akong ma-apply sa wedding na yun (I get ahead of the situation. When I arrive at the church, I look for a different angle. My mindset is, I must get a different angle so that I can apply something different to that wedding)."
It's a skill that he has had the opportunity to develop while shooting Indian weddings, a clientele that has been partaking of his services more and more in recent years. The first Indian wedding he shot presented a startling challenge, though it was one he met straight on, and it rewarded him with a marked difference in his views.
"Sobrang laking difference sa Filipino weddings. Four days usually yung ceremony. Halos one week ka talaga dun (There's a huge difference [between Indian] and Filipino weddings)," he confides, "Ceremony nang morning, party nang gabi. Five days kang gan'un. Masarap kasing i-shoot. Maraming moments, maraming rituals, makulay. Until now, 'pag pinanonood ko yung video nagfa-flashback sa 'kin 'yung saya 'nung couple nung napanood nila 'yun (The ceremony takes place in the morning, and at night, they party. It lasts five days that way. It's fun to shoot-so many moments, so many rituals, all colorful. Until now, when I watch those videos, those moments flash back to me, the joy of the couple when they watch it)."
Having shot weddings in Bali, Phuket and other locations closer to home, these weddings have allowed Ian to gain a different perspective when it comes to creating videos, and he has applied these principles to his other clients as well. His clients, in turn, have been more than appreciative of his efforts. One even went as far as to call Ian himself as he watched their wedding video after the celebration had long since ended.
"Tumawag sa 'kin yung groom. Sabi niya sa akin, 'Ian, hanggang ngayon pinapanood ko yung video. Bago ako matulog pinapanood ko. Paggising ko, sa almusal pinapanood ko,' (The groom called me. He said, 'Ian, until now I watch your video. Before I sleep, I watch it. When I wake up, during breakfast, I watch it,')," Ian recalls, "'Yun 'yung mga bagay na hindi mo kayang bayaran, na marinig mo sa couple 'yun (That's something you can't pay for, to hear that from the couple)."
"Tapos 'nung ni-refer niya 'ko sa mga friends niya (Then when he referred me to his friends)," Ian continues, "naisip ko, 'Wow pati mga close friends niya pinagkatiwala niya sa kin'. Nakakatuwa. Hanggang ngayon natatandaan ko pa 'yun (I thought, 'Wow, he entrusts even his close friends to me.' It made me happy. Until now, I remember that)."
Through word of mouth, the number of Ian's clients has steadily grown. But even as his knowledge of videography deepens and his experience in the field increases, Ian still wants to continue developing his craft, and his work is worth watching in the years to come.
"Hindi ko mapapangako kung ano pa 'yung mga mailalabas ko (I can't promise what else I'll come up with)," he says. "Ngayon kasi nilalayo ko yung sarili ko sa normal kong nakikita. Abangan nila yung ibang approach sa weddings. Siguro 'yun 'yung maaabangan nila sa akin (Now I can distance myself from what I normally see. Just wait for my different approaches to weddings. I think that's what people can expect from me)."
For inquiries visit http://www.iancruzfilms.com/
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