Beyond the Awards

This week, we’re joined by Sky London from Aloha London Films to talk about composition, creative choices, and finding your own style as a wedding filmmaker.Sky was shortlisted at the British Wedding Film Festival for his Beyond the Wedding film, a Wes Anderson-inspired save-the-date short. We talk about stepping outside your comfort zone, the potential of films beyond the wedding day, and whether there’s more opportunity for filmmakers to offer couples something different.We get into the difference between cinematography and cinematic language, why Sky prefers a slower, more emotional approach to filmmaking, and how to balance staying true to your style with the pressure to keep up with industry trends. We also discuss directing couples, creating stronger portraits, and what Sky took away from being shortlisted at BWFF for his Wes Anderson-inspired Beyond the Wedding film.If you’re a wedding filmmaker looking to develop your creative voice and make work that feels like you, this one’s for you.The British Wedding Film Festival⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.britishweddingfilmfestival.com⁠⁠⁠⁠Aloha London Filmshttps://alohalondonfilms.comJoce (Lune de Miel Studio)⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.lunedemielstudio.com⁠⁠⁠⁠Jeff (Jeff Wood Visuals)⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.jeffwoodvisuals.com⁠⁠⁠⁠Vidflow⁠⁠https://vidflow.co/britishweddingfilmfestival⁠⁠Deliver a premium viewing experience that looks professional and easily accessible on all client devices.

For this episode of Beyond the Awards, we’re joined by Laura and Pete Lawson, co-founders of the British Wedding Film Festival.With the entry deadline approaching, we talk about why it’s worth putting your work forward, even when you’re not sure it’s good enough. From imposter syndrome and comparing yourself to other filmmakers, to choosing a film you might have written off because the wedding day was difficult, we discuss why you can be your own harshest critic, and why you never know what might resonate with the judges.We also get into the inspiration that comes from seeing other filmmakers’ work, the creative opportunities that can come from stepping outside your usual wedding films, and how simply taking action can help build confidence.If you’ve been sitting on a film, waiting for the right moment or wondering whether to enter this year’s Festival, this episode is your nudge to back yourself and give it a go.---Submit your films now: ⁠https://www.britishweddingfilmfestival.com/awards-2026⁠Submissions close 1st December 2026.Joce (Lune de Miel Studio)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.lunedemielstudio.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jeff (Jeff Wood Visuals)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.jeffwoodvisuals.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Laura & Pete (Lawson Films) ⁠⁠lawsonfilms.co.ukVidflow⁠⁠⁠https://vidflow.co/britishweddingfilmfestival⁠⁠⁠Deliver a premium viewing experience that looks professional and easily accessible on all client devices.

For this episode of Beyond the Awards, we’re joined by Neil Collins, a documentary wedding filmmaker from Sussex.We get into the wedding filmmaking community, whether it can feel cliquey, why some talented filmmakers can go unnoticed, and whether social media and awards sometimes amplify the loudest voices.We also talk about the pressure to follow trends, the rise of short-form content, and whether we’re making films for couples or for Instagram. Plus, Neil shares his thoughts on the British Wedding Film Festival, last year’s winners, and why he thinks professional filmmakers need to keep pushing long-form wedding films.If you’ve ever wondered where you fit into the wedding filmmaking community, or whether you fit into it at all, this one’s for you.The British Wedding Film Festival⁠⁠⁠https://www.britishweddingfilmfestival.com⁠⁠⁠Neil Collins Filmshttps://neilcollinsfilms.com/Joce (Lune de Miel Studio)⁠⁠⁠https://www.lunedemielstudio.com⁠⁠⁠Jeff (Jeff Wood Visuals)⁠⁠⁠https://www.jeffwoodvisuals.com⁠⁠⁠Vidflow⁠https://vidflow.co/britishweddingfilmfestival⁠Deliver a premium viewing experience that looks professional and easily accessible on all client devices.

For this episode of Beyond the Awards, we’re joined by Leanne Perrins, a wedding filmmaker with more than 15 years of experience, who has also expanded into commercial filmmaking.Leanne has seen the wedding film industry change dramatically, from filming on tape and charging £200 for a wedding, to the rise of cinematic filmmaking, social media, content creators and AI. She’s also spent years judging awards, and this year joined the judging panel for the British Wedding Film Festival.We talk about what actually catches a judge’s attention, why technically impressive films don’t always become the most memorable, and why Leanne believes you should enter the film you love rather than trying to second-guess what a judge wants to see.We also get into trends, sound design, natural audio, the return of the camcorder look, content creators, and whether wedding filmmakers are sometimes too concerned with what everyone else is doing.If you’re looking for a reminder to trust your own creative instincts and make the work you actually love, this one’s for you.The British Wedding Film Festival⁠⁠https://www.britishweddingfilmfestival.com⁠⁠Leanne Perrinshttps://bloominglovelyfilms.co.ukhttps://www.leanneperrins.co.uk/Joce (Lune de Miel Studio)⁠⁠https://www.lunedemielstudio.com⁠⁠Jeff (Jeff Wood Visuals)⁠⁠https://www.jeffwoodvisuals.com⁠⁠Vidflowhttps://vidflow.co/britishweddingfilmfestivalDeliver a premium viewing experience that looks professional and easily accessible on all client devices.

For this episode of Beyond the Awards, we're joined by Becky of Thompson Wedding Films, who was shortlisted for Best Storytelling at the British Wedding Film Festival.Becky has been filming weddings for ten years, starting out with little filmmaking experience before leaving teaching to make wedding films full time. Since then, her approach has evolved considerably: from a very minimal, documentary way of filming to working with multiple cameras, while constantly questioning what actually makes her films better.We talk about storytelling, awards, inspiration and the pressure of being influenced by so much work online. Becky shares why she sometimes thinks having more cameras and chasing the perfect shot can actually take you away from the wedding itself, and why talking to people and understanding what's happening emotionally can be just as important as getting the right footage.We also get into long-form wedding films, using real conversations and ambient audio, why she loves weddings at home and in marquees, the problem with overly engineered moments, her own podcast The Becky Sessions, and the changing wedding filmmaking industry.The British Wedding Film Festival⁠https://www.britishweddingfilmfestival.com⁠Thompson Wedding Filmshttps://thompsonweddingfilms.co.ukJoce (Lune de Miel Studio)⁠https://www.lunedemielstudio.com⁠Jeff (Jeff Wood Visuals)⁠https://www.jeffwoodvisuals.com⁠Vidflowhttps://vidflow.co/britishweddingfilmfestivalDeliver a premium viewing experience that looks professional and easily accessible on all client devices.

For this episode of Beyond the Awards, we're joined by Indian photographer and podcaster Shanaya Arora for a conversation about something that's becoming increasingly difficult to ignore: when did weddings become content?Shanaya shares her thoughts on the growing influence of Instagram and social media, couples chasing viral moments, and the danger of being so focused on creating the perfect wedding that we forget to actually experience it.We talk about why the most meaningful moments are often the ones that aren't planned, and why authenticity matters more than ever in wedding filmmaking.And, of course, we get into AI, and what happens when we can no longer tell the difference between what was captured and what was created.A different kind of Beyond the Awards conversation, but one that asks a pretty important question: are we documenting weddings, or are we creating content?The British Wedding Film Festivalhttps://www.britishweddingfilmfestival.comShanaya Arorahttps://www.instagram.com/shanayaaroraaJoce (Lune de Miel Studio)https://www.lunedemielstudio.comJeff (Jeff Wood Visuals)https://www.jeffwoodvisuals.comVidflowhttps://vidflow.co/britishweddingfilmfestivalDeliver a premium viewing experience that looks professional and easily accessible on all client devices.

This week on Beyond the Awards, we’re joined by Roo, founder of Coda and winner of this year’s Educator of the Year award.But this conversation isn’t really about education. It’s about community, and why creating spaces for filmmakers to meet, share ideas and learn from one another can be just as important as the work itself.Roo talks about his journey into wedding filmmaking, how Coda grew into a thriving community, and why he doesn’t see himself as the voice of the industry, but as the person in the middle connecting great people with an audience.We also discuss the importance of staying curious, the changing landscape of British wedding filmmaking, the value of sharing knowledge, and why everyone, no matter how experienced, has something to teach.The British Wedding Film Festival: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠britishweddingfilmfestival.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠britishweddingfilmfestival⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GUESTRoo Films: roo-films.comHOSTSJoce (Lune de Miel Studio): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠lunedemielstudio.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jeff (Jeff Wood Visuals): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠jeffwoodvisuals.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠VIDFLOWDeliver a premium viewing experience that looks professional and easily accessible on all client devices. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠vidflow.co/britishweddingfilmfestival⁠⁠

This week on Beyond the Awards, we sit down with festival judge Badal Jain, co-founder of Badal Raja Company, to unpack his incredible 24-year journey from a jobless journalist to one of India’s most sought-after ultra-luxury wedding filmmakers. Having captured everything from intimate celebrations to mind-boggling receptions with up to 200,000 guests, Badal brings a unique, deep-rooted perspective on what it takes to document love on a monumental scale.We discuss the evolution of wedding cinema, why story should always come before trends, and how approaching a wedding like a documentary allows you to preserve something far more valuable than a social media post: real family history.In this episode, we cover:Handling massive Sscale: What it's really like managing production for multi-day events with thousands of guests.Documentary over content: Why long-form narrative films will always outlast short-form social media trends.The 24-Hour edit: How delivering same-day cuts acts as the ultimate business card for high-end clients.Festival insights: What separates a good submission from an award-winning story in the eyes of a judge.Stripping back the gear: Moving away from heavy equipment and why a single 35mm lens is often all you need.If you want to learn more about ultra-luxury weddings while keeping authentic human emotion at the heart of your work, then this episode is for you.The British Wedding Film Festival: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠britishweddingfilmfestival.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠britishweddingfilmfestival⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GUESTBadal Jain: badalrajacompany.comHOSTSJoce (Lune de Miel Studio): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠lunedemielstudio.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jeff (Jeff Wood Visuals): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠jeffwoodvisuals.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠VIDFLOWDeliver a premium viewing experience that looks professional and easily accessible on all client devices. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠vidflow.co/britishweddingfilmfestival⁠

In this episode of Beyond the Awards, Festival judge and acclaimed filmmaker Toby joins Joce and Jeff to lift the curtain on what separates award-winning work from the rest of the pack.Having reviewed hundreds of festival entries, and created history himself with one of the most-watched wedding films of all time. Toby breaks down what catches a judge’s eye in the first 30 seconds. We discuss why playing it safe is the fastest way to get overlooked, the subtle line between bold artistic choices and forced trends, and how to maintain authentic emotion when pushing your creative limits.If you want to know what it truly takes to create an award-winning wedding film, then this episode is for you.In this episode, we cover:The 30-second rule: What grabs a judge's attention immediately and makes a submission stand out.Boldness vs. playing safe: Why taking creative risks pays off over generic templates.The trend trap: Why crowbarring in trendy effects like Super 8 or drone shots can hurt your film.Going viral: Toby's experience filming high-end weddings, and handling 41M+ views.Future-Proofing your style: Why raw, honest storytelling will always beat hyper-polished or AI-driven edits.The British Wedding Film Festival: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠britishweddingfilmfestival.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠britishweddingfilmfestival⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GUESTHandcraft Pictures: handcraftpictures.comHOSTSJoce (Lune de Miel Studio): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠lunedemielstudio.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jeff (Jeff Wood Visuals): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠jeffwoodvisuals.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠VIDFLOWDeliver a premium viewing experience that looks professional and easily accessible on all client devices. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠vidflow.co/britishweddingfilmfestival⁠

In this episode, we’re joined by Chris, founder of Storybox Cinema, to talk about his decade-long journey from starting out small, to shooting multi-day, ultra-luxury weddings around the world.Today, we’re taking a peek behind the curtain of luxury weddings to talk about managing the elevated expectations of high-end couples and planners, and the reality of filming in world-class destinations.Chris shares the raw, real hustle behind his success, from sleeping in sketchy $50 NYC hostels with a black-tie suit in hand, to bolding his way into a high-end planner network. We also dive into why he shoots exclusively on RED cinema cameras, how he uses vertical reels as his primary creative outlet, and why face-to-face connection will always outperform Facebook ads.If you’re ready to back yourself and go after the work you actually want, then this episode is for you.In this episode, we cover:How Chris leveraged his photojournalism/commercial background into high-end wedding films.The bold moves (and personalised video folders) that unlocked relationships with top global planners.Scaling Storybox: Transitioning from a solo filmmaker to building a global team of cinema pros.Why shooting on RED Komodos gives clients instant trust and simplifies his raw workflow.The Reel era: Shifting creative energy toward short-form vertical reels without sacrificing full-film quality.The British Wedding Film Festival: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠britishweddingfilmfestival.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠britishweddingfilmfestival⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GUESTStorybox Cinema: storyboxcinema.comHOSTSJoce (Lune de Miel Studio): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠lunedemielstudio.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jeff (Jeff Wood Visuals): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠jeffwoodvisuals.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠VIDFLOWDeliver a premium viewing experience that looks professional and easily accessible on all client devices. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠vidflow.co/britishweddingfilmfestival⁠