This spring Philip and I traveled to the great state of Texas to film a series of videos for Seminary of the Southwest, an Episcopal seminary in the heart of Austin. Having seen our festive wedding film for James & Samantha (James is a seminarian), we got a phone call from the school’s Director of Recruiting & Admissions, who said “I want THAT energy in a film about our Seminary!” One film quickly evolved into six, and we spent weeks on the phone and email with the brilliant team at the Seminary: planning the five-day trip, coordinating shooting schedules, and arranging interviews.
I still remember our first hour at Seminary of the Southwest and being so excited to pick up our cameras and begin shooting the gorgeous live oak trees and historic buildings that created the lovely setting. And Austin! Oh how we love this great city with all of its creativity, independence, beauty, kindness, and yummy food trucks. We’re crossing our fingers that we get to return to Austin very soon!
But with all of the beauty and energy on the campus and surrounding it, it was the people of the Seminary of the Southwest that made us want to return! The work environment we encountered at Seminary of the Southwest is hard to describe in one blog post, because I believe it’s so rare in commercial filmmaking to experience such a bond with clients. There is a genuine warmth on this quaint campus that extends beyond common courtesies or southern hospitality. After five days on campus, Philip and I left with new friends and new perspectives on Christian higher education. It was the perfect balance of support and creative freedom, and we are so grateful for the contribution of so many wonderful people in making these films.
To our new friends at Seminary of the Southwest: thanks for fostering an environment where we could create. Thanks for sharing your meals (and your beer!) with us. Thanks for making us laugh so hard while we work. Thank you for opening up to us about a deeply personal educational experience. We hope to see you very, very soon!
Here are two of the films we created for Seminary of the Southwest. To watch all six films, visit our Vimeo page!