Miles Stiebel Band

on Mar 16 in Corporate Video, wedding video

I have another life outside of wedding videos.  I produce corporate videos.  I write and perform commentaries for WAMU.  I write and perform stories at various storytelling venues.

Like me, Miles Stiebel, of MSE Productions, has an alter ego.  Miles is a Jazz musician, and the Miles Stiebel band makes beautiful jazz, for audiences all over the country.  I recently got to videotape them performing on the Mall, and it was a great performance.

Check out this highlight reel to see and hear just a little jazz from a great show:

To find out more about the Miles Stiebel Band, click here.

To find out more about booking a deejay or musicians through MSE Productions, click here.

Washingtonian Bride & Groom

on Mar 03 in Awards/Honors

Jessica Pi Productions is once again listed among DC’s best vendors is the 2011 Washingtonian Bride & Groom Wedding Guide.  The vendors listed in the guide were carefully selected by other area wedding and event vendors.

Bride’s Choice Award

on Mar 01 in Awards/Honors

Jessica Pi Productions is happy to announce that we have, for the third year in a row, won the Bride’s Choice Award from Wedding Wire. That means we are in the top 5 percent of videographers in our region.

I am so pleased by this award because we earned it by being voted the best by our clients - the brides and grooms whose wedding day memories we’ve captured over the years. My goal is not to win awards, but to make my clients happy, but this award shows that that’s exactly what we have been doing, year after year.

Sharing your wedding with those near - and especially far

on Feb 20 in wedding video

When a couple gets engaged, there almost always follows a flurry of phone calls, get-togethers, and electronic communiqués to announce the happy news. In response, there will likely be two questions: “When?” and “Where?”

And as you ponder the possible answers to these questions -

• commemorating an anniversary or meaningful date,
• a favorite season, time of year, or a holiday weekend,
• the availability of that special place that you’ve always dreamed of having your wedding,
• your hometown or your fiancé’s,
• the place you live now, or
• inviting your guests to fly off to some location full of exotic beauty, history and Old World charm, or ocean breezes -

your thoughts may turn to “who”. Of course, the date, location, and many other circumstances, may make traveling impractical or impossible for some of your special guests, but they can still share in your wedding as it happens.

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Bristow Manor Ceremony

on Dec 21 in Wedding Planner, wedding video

Jessica Pi Productions recently worked with the wonderful event planner, Myrna Grossman, of For All Occasions.  Myrna planned a beautiful wedding at the Bristow Manor Golf Club.

Michael Alvarez, an associate videographer, captured the ceremony and reception.  Here is a short clip from the wedding video.

Myrna had this to say about the wedding:
“Jen and Frank were a full plan.  I worked with them for over a year after meeting them at a bridal show at Bristow Manor. They were delightful to work with every step of the way, having their definitive ideas of what they envisioned their wedding day to be, yet, always open to suggestions. I just finished watching Jen and Frank’s video and loved it.  Thanks so much.”

Myrna Grossman, CWS
For All Occasions, Inc.
Wedding Planning and more…
Fairfax, Virginia

Bergerons Flowers and Events

on Dec 17 in Wedding Flowers

I recently videotaped Christi Lopez, of Bergerons Flowers and Events, as she presented her floral designs at a Teleflora Design Show.

She showed different styles of holiday decor and you can see from these two different videos how much range there is in floral arrangements for the holidays.

Teleflora hosts 4 educational programs each year across the country. Currently, Teleflora is one of the only wire service companies that promotes education on a local level by providing professional designers demonstrating the latest trends for designers at the local level.

Jerome Raska AIFD, PFCI, flew in to commentate on Christi’s work. He owns several florist shops in Michigan and is a member of the American Institute of Floral Design. He is also the chairman of the board of Professional Floral Commentators International.

Film or Video?

on Dec 13 in wedding video

I think I’ve always enjoyed telling stories, in one format or another.  So I went to New York University to study the art, history, theory, and technique of crafting stories through the visual medium of film.  After graduating with honors with a BFA in Film and TV Production from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, I began my filmmaking career.  I worked on feature productions like Happiness, Pollock, and Ghost Dog, alongside such directors as Todd Solondz, Ed Harris, and Jim Jarmusch.  Check out my IMDB profile.

These days, and for more than 10 years, I’ve chosen to tell more personal stories as I capture and preserve the emotion, romance, and details of one of life’s greatest celebrations.  I am a wedding videographer.

Every production benefits from my education and experience in the film industry, as well as from my passion, creativity, and technical skills.  Despite that, you’ll notice that I do not bill my current work as filmmaking.  The videos are cinematic, and narrative, but they are videos, not films.

I’m sure it’s the film nerd in me that requires I make this distinction, but there are real and important differences between film and video, and you should know what you’re getting when you hire someone to shoot your wedding.

A film is shot and printed on film stock (8 mm, 16 mm,  or 35 mm, for example).  Movies and other motion picture projects can also be recorded  on video and these days are often shot using HD (high definition) video.  The medium and technology that are used define whether the result is a film or video and affect the look of the finished product.  Some of the differences between film and video are:

• how  color is captured;
• the response to light;
• depth of field;
• image quality and resolution;
• noise and graininess;
• finishing and editing process;
• cost.

So, what does all of this mean when it comes to preserving the cherished moments of your wedding?

• If your vendor talks about “filmmaking,” find out whether they are trying to convey the cinematic nature of their productions or if they are actually shooting film.
• If your wedding is being shot in film, I strongly advise against 8 mm.  The quality is poor and it is not worth paying extra for the results you will get.
• You may desire some of the characteristic qualities of film without the associated cost.  Many of these, such as the softness of the images, graininess, and vivid colors, can be affected during editing to make your video look like film.

If you’re interested in a film of your wedding, I am happy to offer you two options.  The first of these is that I can shoot your wedding on 16 mm film; please inquire for pricing.  The second option – and the one I would most recommend for cost-effectiveness – is that I will shoot your wedding using professional digital video technology.  During the editing process, I will add effects and filters to mimic film and create a classic, elegant movie that captures all of the romance of cinema and your personal story.

Jessica Piscitelli presents at TEDx

on Dec 02 in Awards/Honors

I am speaking at TEDx Glen Echo on December 8th, 2010. The event is a women’s conference, so my presentation is about the status of women in today’s society. It’s a fairly heady topic, but I feel up to the task. I am excited to be associated with TEDx. I have enjoyed watching their programs online in the past and am happy now to be one of their future videos!

For more information, see below!

Pre-Ceremony Video Montage

on Nov 17 in wedding video

A lot of brides want to know why we suggest arriving an hour before the ceremony. This video, shot by Michael Alvarez, shows the type of footage we capture after we arrive at the ceremony location.

The bride and groom had this to say after receiving their wedding video:

“We LOVE our video!! Absolutely LOVE it! You did such a fantastic job, we couldn’t be more happy about it. Michael deserves kudos too, obviously-he did great work shooting. We will recommend y’all to everyone we know getting married in the area in the future!!!! Is there a chance we can purchase the raw footage as well? I don’t think I can get enough video right now!  Have a good night, and thanks so much!”

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A Simple Wish Wedding at Strathmore

on Nov 08 in Wedding Planner, wedding video

As always, it was a pleasure to work with Jennifer Arezzo, of A Simple Wish. Michael Alvarez, one of Jessica Pi Productions’ Associate Videographers, recently captured some beautiful footage and touching moments from an outdoor ceremony and indoor reception at Strathmore Music Center.

“I received the videos and watched one last night. We loved it! Thank you so very much for a job well done. You really seemed to catch all the highlights and it was so much fun to relive it again!” - Mother of the Bride

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