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We learn something new and beautiful about the Indian culture with every South Asian wedding film we produce. Sapna and Vijay’s gorgeous destination wedding in Aruba was no exception. The week of festivities would be a memorable departure from the norm, with the island serving as a picturesque backdrop for the Atlanta natives’ lavish two-day South Asian wedding. The celebration joined friends and family from all over the world to partake in the couples’ Vidhi and Pithi, outdoor Sangeet and Hindu wedding ceremony overlooking Palm beach. In this piece, the challenge was blending the rich visual symbols of a modern Hindu wedding with an homage to the distinct sights and sounds of the Caribbean islands. Central to our approach was a focus on water as a theme, for its recurrence in the rituals of a Hindu wedding ceremony, to its ever-presence as a symbolic motif in Bollywood cinema. From the blue/green hues in the color palette to the literal moments of washing and rainfall itself, water as a symbol of renewal and purity was a link common to both Hinduism and the couples’ chosen destination of the island.

But the idea to attempt a pseudo concept engagement session in the rain was inspired at the last minute by weather reports showing scattered showers the week of the trip. We are always looking for inventive ways to try new things. So to pull off the shoot, Sapna and Vijay were “on call” the day before festivities were set to begin, and none of us knew if or when we would see rain. But it managed to fall at the perfect moment and we hurried to produce the impromptu shoot on the very same beach as their ceremony. The same-day-edit premiered at their reception just prior to their grand entrance on the last night of the trip. We couldn’t be more pleased with the results and were honored to document this memorable event for such a fun couple. Wedding coordination by Nirjary Desai of KisCubed Events, with Mehndi, hair & makeup by Susmita Patel of Studio Sush, and florals by Ragini Patel. Production assisted by Matt Mangham, Ray Tsang and Ishwar Daryanani.

Ceremony & Reception Venue: Westin Aruba Resort | Event Coordination: Nirjary Desai, KisCubed Events
Mehndi, hair & makeup: Susmita Patel, Studio Sush | Florals & Decor: Ragini Patel | Photography: 6 of Four

Christian & Tatiana’s spring wedding in Miami, FL was filled with classic European and Parisian themes in honor of their engagement in the gardens of the Musee de Rodin in Paris, France. The Spanish inspired Coral Gables Congregational church and Catholic ceremony were a thoughtful homage to Christian’s Argentian roots and heritage. At first sight Christian and Tatiana knew the breathtaking Vizcaya Musem and Gardens would serve as the perfect backdrop for their reception, which was selected for its reminiscent architecture, manicured garden and views. Held on the east terrace overlooking Miami’s Biscayne Bay, the evening festivities included Tango dancers, an ice luge, and a traditional “La Hora Loca,” complete with authentic costumes for all their guests. The many carefully selected details that made this celebration unique were coordinated by Joy Wallace Events under the supervision of Mayrelis Febles, and it was our pleasure capturing all the details for such a great couple. Production assisted by Travis Cossel and Ed Ballart.

Ceremony Venue: Coral Gables Congregational Church | Reception Venue: Vizcaya Museum & Gardens
Event Coordination: Joy Wallace Events | Photography: J Garner Photography

Ami & Sidd arrived in California by way of Boston just days before their epic week of South Asian wedding celebrations. Friends and family arrived from all over the world to participate in the festivities, nearly one year in the making. The fall coast, overlooked by Pelican Hill in Newport Beach and The Ritz Carlton in Laguna Niguel, could not have served as more perfect backdrops for the auspicious occasion. The stage was set with stunning decor and event design by Pink Rock Events, makeup by Jeannie Jeffries, and an all-star photography team of Dina Douglass, Yoshi Morimoto and Robert Evans. But it was Ami & Sidd’s infectious joy, the true love they share for one another, and their families’ reverence for the timeless traditions of a Hindu wedding that made it easy to celebrate their incredible 2-day event in this very special same-day-edit, which we premiered at their reception. Assisted by Drew Renner and Matt Mangham.

Ceremony Venue: Pelican Hill Newport Beach | Reception Venue: Ritz Carlton Laguna Niguel
Event Coordination: Pink Rock Events, LLC | Photography: Andrena Photography

Be sure to check out:
Sameepa & Beeren’s South Asian wedding film in New York City
Melissa & Samir’s epic Indian wedding movie “City of Lakes” shot in Udaipur, India

When Sameepa’s sister, Preeti Shah, creator of Spotlight Style & the Shaadi Studio, first contacted us to capture her sister’s South Asian wedding celebration in New York city, I was humbled by the invitation and knew this would be an opportunity to create something special. Little did I realize that spending the day with Sameepa and Beeren would leave such an impression. Rarely does a couple come along with such grace and tenderness. Sameepa & Beeren’s gorgeous Hindu wedding, held at espace, in the heart of the theater district in midtown Manhattan, is among the most beautiful we’ve had the privilege to capture. And that is due in no small part to the true love these two share for one another. We hope you enjoy their trailer. Assisted by Adam Forgione and Anthony Quintano

Ceremony & Reception Venue: espace NY | Event Coordination: Spotlight Style
Photography: Ryan Brenizer Photography

Be sure to check out:
Ami & Sidd’s South Asian wedding same-day-edit at Pelican Hill Newport Beach & The Ritz Carlton Laguna Niguel
Melissa & Samir’s epic Udaipur, India wedding movie, “City of Lakes”

What happens to a dream when it becomes reality?

Does it still exist somewhere, in some ethereal place, waiting to come to fruition again?

Could a fictional narrative capture an emotional state, and the true meaning behind a real, live event with more drama and conviction than a traditional documentary?

These were just some of the questions that arose when I took on the “CITY OF LAKES” project late last year. First, it would become an unprecedented attempt to combine a fully scripted, produced film with a real, live wedding (central to the plot) into one, seamless film. Second, the live wedding and production would be shot entirely on-location in Udaipur, India over a period of nine days. Third, the skeleton crew I would commission would be made up solely of live event filmmakers from across North America, who would shoot the live wedding events and production simultaneously & exclusively on DSLRs, the Canon 5D MarkII and Canon 7D.

The project would require a leap of faith first from Chicago natives, Melissa & Samir, who initially invited me to document their three-day destination wedding in Udaipur, India, while simultaneously considering a Bollywood concept they hoped to premiere at their reception. I quickly realized no concept film could rival the fairy tale wedding they had planned. So after pitching the idea to combine a scripted concept with their wedding film to produce a much more meaningful ‘hybrid’ feature, they deliberated, and finally took the leap. For that, I can’t thank them enough. It then took a leap of faith from my DP & Co-producer Patrick Moreau, who was skeptical, but eager, followed by talented wedding filmmakers Joe Simon & Casey Warren. Rounding out our team was my jib operator, Chris Geiger, Amish Solanki, and Mumbai-based super-producer, Pravin Thakur; a true miracle worker.

“CITY OF LAKES” is as much a documentary about what it means to return to the birthplace of one’s ancestors, as it is an exploration of the Hindu faith, and the rituals of a Hindu marriage. Central to this is the Ganesh puja, which in simple terms, is a prayer over a fire believed to invoke the spirit of Ganesh, a great deity and protector, who can remove all obstacles from one’s path. The puja is performed several times in the film and carries great significance to the plot and characters in both literal and metaphoric ways.

Melissa & Samir had always dreamed of being married in India. We hope this film helps them cherish that dream. But it could not have been without the acting talents of Anubhab Saha, Sharon Chawda and Rushad Rana, who were consummate professionals and a joy to work with. It also could not have been without the support of our sponsors: Canon, who provided two pre-production 7Ds and a host of L-series lenses; Tiffen, who provided all of our lighting; and Cinevate, who sent us much needed gear and sponsored an incredible behind-the-scenes campaign viewable at Cinevate.com.

The challenges were immediate, abundant and frequent. At times, we were certain the film was destined for failure; I wondered if the film was too ambitious to execute. It took the perseverance of filmmakers who deal routinely in making the spontaneous appear staged and constant script re-writes to adjust to the obstacles.

You won’t find many studios ready or willing to post a full length edit or main feature online for anyone to see; and for good reason. Event films are documentaries meant mainly for the people who lived them. But it’s with pride that we share Melissa & Samir’s ‘hybrid’ feature, “CITY OF LAKES,” which hopefully achieves more than a documentary, and perhaps at the same time, more than a scripted film.

There is a final question we hope you’ll find difficult to answer as you watch our film. In more ways than one, try to answer:

What is real?

Thanks for watching,
-Kevin

Pacific Pictures presents “CITY OF LAKES”
Starring Melissa Kumar, Samir Shah, Anubhab Saha, Sharon Chawda & Rushad Rana
Written & Directed by Kevin Shahinian
Produced by Kevin Shahinian & Patrick Moreau
Line Producer Pravin Thakur
Director of Photography Patrick Moreau
2nd Unit Director Joe Simon
2nd Unit Steadicam Casey Warren
Film Editor Kevin Shahinian
Jib Operator Chris Geiger
Set Photographer Amish Solanki

Relevant links:

“City of Lakes” on Cinevate.com

“City of Lakes” cover story in EventDV Magazine

An article by DP, Patrick Moreau of StillMotion

“City of Lakes” article on DVinfo.net

Interview on Crossing the 180 with Ron Dawson

Interview on 16×9 Podcast with Carl Olson


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