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ABOUT

[ WATCH. RELIVE. FEEL. ]
My name is Michael Papilla, wedding cinematographer and owner of MP Wedding Films. My team and I have been serving the community since 2012 and had the great opportunity of filming over 400 weddings around the beautiful Southern California area. 
 
I had my humble beginnings shooting independent films in 2004, right after high school, and I started my career as a wedding cinematographer after graduating from film school in 2010. I worked in Los Angeles for various TV studios and film productions for two years, but began to fall in love with wedding films after “second shooting” for my friend’s wedding cinematography company. I liked the idea of creating films on the couples’ most important day of their lives, memorializing a story that they can cherish forever. In late 2012, I decided that it was time for me to start my own company and take my art to the next level by surrounding myself with equally talented filmmakers, some who I met in school.
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"Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk!"
My company name “MP Wedding Films” may sound straight forward (my initials films weddings) however the name was chosen by design. I chose the word “film” instead of “video” and “cinematographer” instead of “videographer” because we do not only capture the moment, but also try to tell a compelling story. Hence the name “wedding films” and not “wedding videos”.
 
Our process starts with a collection of cinematic shots (close ups, moving shots, aerial shots, etc.) and intercut them with your personal vows and memorable speeches while tying the film all together with music that fits the mood we are trying to evoke. Our films artfully summarize your day and make you feel and relive the vivid emotions from your wedding. In addition to the summary film, we provide coverage of the entire ceremony and reception, edited in a traditional “documentary-style” so you wouldn’t miss anything from the day. We call the creative highlights video the “Trailer”, inspired by movie trailers and the full video, the “Feature” inspired by feature films.
My team and I continue to improve our skills by testing out the latest equipment and educating ourselves on new techniques (filming, lighting, editing and story-telling). We are truly honored to film every one of our weddings, and we delight in the satisfaction of our clients, many of whom have become friends. We hope we can capture your story too.
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