Our Hello Vendor profiles give you the chance to meet the people behind the brand. We’ve introduced you to celebrants, stationery designers, musicians, bridal boutique owners and today we are pumped to catch up with Joel from La Lune Cinema, a man who will leave you wondering how on earth you ever contemplated tying the knot without them by your side.
Tell us a bit about yourself? I have grown up in Newcastle all my life. I’ve been very lucky to be surrounded by some very creative people growing up here.
Talk us through a typical day? First things first, a half strength coffee. I can’t do full strength and then sit down for 10 hours. The next event is usually Lionel the studio dashund busting in and terrorising our headphone cords or just generally getting an overdose of attention. We usually have a lot of work to get done so it is heads down after that and they usually don’t come back up again until home time.
Where do you find your inspo? We are not trying to look for the hottest tricks or most hipster filters we can apply to our work, we are looking for the story, so inspiration is really driven by the couple and the emotion that is already there.
Any fave venues to shoot at? One of my personal favourites would have to be Bendooley Estate in the Southern Highlands and also Summerlees. Both have exceptionally good looking grounds but mainly amazing hosts and staff.
Any advice four couples on the fence about hiring a cinematographer? The best thoughts I can offer have to come from what couples tell us when they receive their film. Without fail they are shocked at how much they underestimated the idea before the wedding, compared to after. £This was the best thing we did is a common one.
And what about those shy in front of the lens? Don’t be afraid of the camera, good cinematographers know how to get what they need unobtrusively, without being controlling or turning your day into a pilot for Home and Away. Another comment we get a lot is £I hardly even noticed you were there and that’s how we like it.
Where did the name La Lune come from? La Lune simply means the moon – if a French person said it. I’m not going to lie we just liked the sound of it but I do like the idea that the moon is a light in the darkness. If a couple can whip their film out on a hard day and be reminded of why they love each other then that’s job done I reckon.
Tell us a little bit about who you’ve got working with you in the office? We have a team of cinematographers but our core studio team is Daniel who shoots and edits, Elyssa who does accounts, social media and any other wizardry our boy brains can’t handle, Aaron our sub-editor who is also my weird brother, Brendan who is our second sub-editor, Jess our friendly new intern, and myself.
Describe your shooting style in three words? Neo. Nostalgic. Ninja.
Finish this sentence. When I was getting married I wish someone told me to… find a wife first.
To see La Lune Cinema’s work in action have a good squiz at the below videos and then click here.
CREDITS Photo and cinematography La Lune Cinema.