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 whethe...

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 da...

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 whet...

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 judg...

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, docum...

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 perf...

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...

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 perspecti...

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...

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. Ch...

In this episode of Beyond the Awards, we are joined by James Tracey, an award-winning documentary wedding videographer from Yorkshire. Boasting over 14 years of experience and 500+ weddings under his belt, James was nominated at the British Wedding Film Festival in the highly coveted Best Use of Cinematic Language category. This episode is a deep-dive masterclass in how to use editing theories, vi...

In this episode of Beyond the Awards, we sit down with Jason from Afterglow Wedding Films to explore his journey from a heavily micromanaged corporate photography job to becoming one of Scotland's most innovative wedding videographers. Jason shares how a pre-lockdown epiphany gave him the freedom to break the traditional wedding video mold, moving away from slow-motion orchestral edits to inject g...

On this episode of Beyond the Awards, we are joined by Rob, the creative force behind Pretty in White. A seasoned filmmaker with a background in art school and illustration, Rob was nominated for both Best Cinematography and Best Use of Music at the festival for his striking, vampire-themed film, Till Death and Beyond. Despite finding an aesthetic that clients love and pay for, Rob opens up about...

This week on Beyond the Awards, we sit down with wedding filmmaker and Festival judge Philip White. After reviewing 268 entries for the British Wedding Film Festival, Philip walked away questioning his own creative habits. In this episode, we talk about how that judging experience pushed him to step out of his comfort zone and shake up a style he spent years building. We discuss: Moving away from...

On this episode of Beyond the Awards, we're joined by Scottish wedding filmmaker Stevie, the creative force behind Journal. After 16 years as a photographer, Stevie recently transitioned his primary focus to film, bringing a unique philosophy centered on patient framing. Instead of relying on constant camera movement or hyper-polished staging, Stevie explains how holding a static shot, letting...

In this special episode of Beyond the Awards, we sit down with Mathias from Callenes Films, winner of Best Cinematography at this year’s Festival. This episode was recorded in French and dubbed for our international audience. For Mathias, everything begins with light. From mastering natural and artificial light to creating emotion, atmosphere, and meaning within a frame, he explains how light has...

In this episode, we sit down with Drew from JST Married, winner of Best Elopement Film at this year’s Festival. We venture into the raw beauty of the Scottish Highlands to discuss what it takes to craft an intimate, two-person story. We dive into how he manages the delicate balance between active creative direction and letting a couple’s day unfold organically without spoiling the moment. We also...

In this episode, we sit down with Philip London, winner of Best Use of Aerial or Drone footage at this year's Festival. We dive deep into the art of drone cinematography, and why less is often so much more when it comes to capturing a wedding day. Philip shares his unique journey into the industry, from flying manual, high-speed model jets to picking up a camera, and how that precise backgroun...

In this episode, we sit down with Scott from Mackenzie Wedding Films to talk about the journey from working solo to building a fully realised studio. Scott shares how he transitioned from being a one-person operation into leading a creative team, and what that growth really looks like behind the scenes, from finding the right people and building trust, to maintaining a consistent visual style and...

This week on Beyond the Awards, we’re joined by Alex from Molehill Media, known for his interview-led documentary wedding films and winner of Best Use of Sound Design at the Beyond the Awards Festival. Alex shares how a deeply personal experience at his own wedding inspired his now-signature documentary style, built around interviews, real conversations, and immersive sound. From interviewing pare...

In this episode of Beyond the Awards, we’re joined by Jordan from JGVP, winner of Best Storytelling at the British Wedding Film Festival, to unpack what really makes a wedding film resonate. Jordan breaks down his approach to crafting films that go beyond aesthetics, focusing instead on narrative, emotion, and meaning. From the way he shoots to how he edits, everything is built around telling a st...

In this episode of Beyond the Awards, we sit down with Katharine from KAS Films , winner of Breakthrough Filmmaker of the Year at the British Wedding Film Festival. Kas shares her unexpected journey from high-pressure TV production to building a thriving wedding filmmaking business in just a few short years. With a documentary-led approach and a deep focus on authentic human moments, her work stan...

In this episode, we launch Year 2 of the Festival, building on our mission to redefine excellence in wedding filmmaking and celebrate the craft behind the lens. For 2026, the Festival evolves. With new categories, an expanded judging panel of industry filmmakers and visionaries, and the same uncompromising dedication to storytelling, this year marks a significant step forward for the global weddin...

In this episode of Beyond the Awards, we sit down with the creative force behind The Wild Strawberry, Marisa and Ghislain - the duo who took the industry by storm with their unforgettable, rule-breaking films. Fresh off a standout performance at the awards, where they were both heavily nominated and multi-time winners, Marisa and Ghislain dive into the mindset, risks, and instincts that define the...

In this episode, we sit down with Ayla from Wagtail Productions , one of the most distinctive visual storytellers in the wedding film world, to explore the creative power of colour as narrative. Ayla shares how colour grading goes far beyond aesthetics, becoming a storytelling device in its own right. We dive into how she builds a visual language for every couple, why no two films should ever feel...