We have been passionate about motion picture since we first picked up video cameras when we were six years old. Our skill and our styles have developed considerably since then, but our enthusiasm and creativity hasn’t changed. We create energetic and emotional cinematic wedding films that you will treasure for a lifetime.

Getting the beautiful shots on the day whilst managing to be everywhere and nowhere is only part of what we do. The real magic happens during our lengthy post-production process when we pull out the essence of the day we captured and put together a story that maximises the beauty and emotional intensity, with selective use of audio and music where appropriate.

We believe any videographer can get great shots, but few can craft a real narrative and we specialize in the production of high-end wedding films.

We are certified accredited members of the Institute of Videography (IOV) and members of the Society of Wedding and Portrait Photographers (SWPP). We are based in Colchester in Essex.

What is a Cinematic Wedding Film?

The key elements of a Courting Whale cinematic wedding film are a beautiful aesthetic and a cohesive narrative with emotionally provocative storytelling. A wedding is not just the story of 2 people getting married, there are hundreds of miniature stories that will take place through the day. Our talent is in following the “stories” and capturing the action as it happens, focusing on the details without obsessing over them.

When we reconstruct the stories, we create a film where every frame, every word spoken and every note played is for a reason, to tell your story like it was written for the silver screen.

Can I use my own soundtrack?

We scour the deepest depths of the musical spectrums and pride ourselves on our soundtrack choices so you may choose to leave this part of the creative process up to us.  Alternatively, you are more than welcome to choose your own songs or music.  Just be aware though some songs might not necessarily fit the flow of the story or our editing style.  We’ll let you know if we don’t think it’ll work.

What video equipment do you use?

We use HD 1080p DSLR cameras, crucially with sensors the size of 35mm film and lenses that cost more than our cars. This allows us to achieve a highly cinematic look. Our kit is actually used for TV and movie Production. But don’t panic, we won’t turn your wedding into a film set. Our equipment is small and discrete and reflects our intention to be as unobtrusive as possible.

We are big fans of available-light shooting and the tools we use allow us in most scenarios to capture beautiful footage without the need for intrusive additional lighting. Do you want to remember a guy wandering around your wedding reception blasting a video light in people’s faces? Neither would we.

What audio equipment do you use?

We use audio selectively in our cinematic films and normally use dual-system audio for ceremonies and speeches with Shotgun microphones or wireless lapel microphones as appropriate.

What is the situation with regards to copyright?

Any music played during your wedding is subject to copyright law as does any commercial music added to your film during the edit, all of which require clearances. All copyrights involved in your wedding film will have been observed and the fees paid and each DVD/Blu-ray disc has a holographic sticker to confirm this. The copyright for the finished wedding film remains with us. Additional copies of your film can be purchased from us at any time.

Where can I see examples of your films?

We often post highlights films on our blog. Please feel free to browse through them here. Please contact us if you would like to watch our full-length (~20 minute) films. We keep these private for our couples but are very proud to show these to prospective clients.