Beyond the Awards

British Wedding Film Festival

Beyond the Awards is the official podcast of the British Wedding Film Festival, featuring conversations with leading wedding filmmakers, nominees, winners and industry voices.

  1. 21 Aug

    S01. EP21. Roo Films - Community over competition

    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.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠britishweddingfilmfestival⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ GUEST Roo Films: roo-films.com HOSTS Joce (Lune de Miel Studio): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠lunedemielstudio.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Jeff (Jeff Wood Visuals): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠jeffwoodvisuals.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ VIDFLOW Deliver a premium viewing experience that looks professional and easily accessible on all client devices. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠vidflow.co/britishweddingfilmfestival⁠⁠

    S01. EP21. Roo Films - Community over competition
  2. 14 Aug

    S01. EP.20. Badal Jain - The story comes first

    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.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠britishweddingfilmfestival⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ GUEST Badal Jain: badalrajacompany.com HOSTS Joce (Lune de Miel Studio): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠lunedemielstudio.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Jeff (Jeff Wood Visuals): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠jeffwoodvisuals.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ VIDFLOW Deliver a premium viewing experience that looks professional and easily accessible on all client devices. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠vidflow.co/britishweddingfilmfestival⁠

    S01. EP.20. Badal Jain - The story comes first
  3. 7 Aug

    S01. EP.19. Handcraft Pictures - Why playing it safe won’t win awards

    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.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠britishweddingfilmfestival⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ GUEST Handcraft Pictures: handcraftpictures.com HOSTS Joce (Lune de Miel Studio): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠lunedemielstudio.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Jeff (Jeff Wood Visuals): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠jeffwoodvisuals.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ VIDFLOW Deliver a premium viewing experience that looks professional and easily accessible on all client devices. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠vidflow.co/britishweddingfilmfestival⁠

    S01. EP.19. Handcraft Pictures - Why playing it safe won’t win awards
  4. 31 Jul

    S01. EP.18. Storybox Cinema - Stop waiting for clients to find you

    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.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠britishweddingfilmfestival⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ GUEST Storybox Cinema: storyboxcinema.com HOSTS Joce (Lune de Miel Studio): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠lunedemielstudio.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Jeff (Jeff Wood Visuals): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠jeffwoodvisuals.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ VIDFLOW Deliver a premium viewing experience that looks professional and easily accessible on all client devices. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠vidflow.co/britishweddingfilmfestival⁠

    S01. EP.18. Storybox Cinema - Stop waiting for clients to find you
  5. 17 Jul

    S01. EP16. Afterglow Wedding Films - Shaking up the traditional wedding edit

    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 genuine energy and personality into his work. We dive deep into the logistics and creative thrills of crafting highly unique, themed wedding films, including his award-nominated Wes Anderson teaser, an immersive The Office edit, and his upcoming Trainspotting and Halloween horror-themed projects. Jason discusses how he balances heavily directed cinematic aesthetics with preserving authentic, comfortable moments for the couple, and why the Festival left him feeling inspired for the season ahead. If you’ve ever wondered how to break the traditional mold and inject true personality into your creative work, this conversation is for you. The British Wedding Film Festival: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠britishweddingfilmfestival.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠britishweddingfilmfestival⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ GUEST Afterglow Wedding Films: afterglowweddings.com HOSTS Joce (Lune de Miel Studio): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠lunedemielstudio.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Jeff (Jeff Wood Visuals): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠jeffwoodvisuals.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ VIDFLOW Deliver a premium viewing experience that looks professional and easily accessible on all client devices. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠vidflow.co/britishweddingfilmfestival⁠

    S01. EP16. Afterglow Wedding Films - Shaking up the traditional wedding edit
  6. 26 Jun

    S01. EP13. Journal - The art of letting the frame breathe

    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 the clip breathe, and giving the couple physical space allows a deeper, more intimate story to unfold naturally. Inside this episode, we discuss:- The art of patient framing: Why Stevie prefers monopods, tight lenses, and long, unhurried clips over constant movement and quick cuts.The second narrative: How looking past the obvious timeline of a wedding day helps uncover the deeper story of why the couple is there. The photographer’s eye: How 16 years of composition and lighting experience served as a springboard for his documentary film style. If you’ve ever felt pressured to keep your camera constantly moving or want to learn how to trust the space within your frame, this conversation on patient filmmaking is for you. The British Wedding Film Festival: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠britishweddingfilmfestival.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠britishweddingfilmfestival⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ GUEST Journal Wedding Films: journalweddingfilms.com HOSTS Joce (Lune de Miel Studio): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠lunedemielstudio.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Jeff (Jeff Wood Visuals): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠jeffwoodvisuals.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ VIDFLOW Deliver a premium viewing experience that looks professional and easily accessible on all client devices. ⁠⁠⁠⁠vidflow.co/britishweddingfilmfestival

    S01. EP13. Journal - The art of letting the frame breathe
  7. 19 Jun

    S01.EP12. Callenes Films - Mastering light to craft meaning and emotion

    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 become the foundation of his visual identity. We also dive into his love of cinema, his use of anamorphic lenses, and his belief that the most powerful wedding films are driven by time, memory, and storytelling. Whether you're a wedding filmmaker, cinematographer, or creative storyteller, this conversation is packed with insight, inspiration, and a fresh perspective on creating meaningful visual work. The British Wedding Film Festival: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠britishweddingfilmfestival.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠britishweddingfilmfestival⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ GUEST Callenes Films: callenes-films.com HOSTS Joce (Lune de Miel Studio): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠lunedemielstudio.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Jeff (Jeff Wood Visuals): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠jeffwoodvisuals.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ VIDFLOW Deliver a premium viewing experience that looks professional and easily accessible on all client devices. ⁠⁠⁠vidflow.co/britishweddingfilmfestival

    S01.EP12. Callenes Films - Mastering light to craft meaning and emotion

About

Beyond the Awards is the official podcast of the British Wedding Film Festival, featuring conversations with leading wedding filmmakers, nominees, winners and industry voices.

You Might Also Like