It’s Wedding Wednesday! And that means it’s time for me to introduce you to another of the Raleigh-Durham area’s wedding industry’s best vendors. Consider today a “two-fer” because I’m introducing you to one business – Inkspot Crow Films – and the TWO awesome people behind it – husband and wife team Mackenzie & Philip Henry.
Mackenzie, Philip and I worked together on an amazing wedding in DC last fall and I fell in love with not only their work, but with the two of them as well. They’re fun and quirky with a complete love for each other, their life together and their craft. And their wedding films are amazing. No wait — they’re more than that. They’re AH-MAAAAAY-ZING!!! (Gotta hold that A out a long time for effect! Seriously.)
A couple of weeks ago I visited with them in their office (isn’t it the cutest?!?) in the Golden Belt Complex in Durham. We chatted over juice and diet coke about life, love and business and they were gracious enough to allow me to photograph them while I was there, too (super easy since they’re so adorable together!). Read what they had to say in our recent interview:
MACKENZIE + PHILIP with INKSPOT CROW FILMS
Located in: Durham
Email: films@inkspotcrow.com
Web site: inkspotcrow.com
Phone: 910.639.7205
Bio: Inkspot Crow Films was founded in 2010 by husband and wife duo Philip and MacKenzie Henry. After completing college in Nashville, TN, Philip spent a short residency in Los Angeles studying film (writing, shooting, directing, editing and production). He has worked in live event production, film score composition, and most recently as a high school English teacher in Raleigh. He taught MacKenzie how to use a camera. After working for a New York-based jewelry designer for several years, MacKenzie found her way to Durham via Jewelsmith, where she worked as a designer on staff for three years before leaving to work full time at Inkspot Crow Films with her husband.
Q. How did you name your business? It’s memorable and different – like a rock band!
A. Philip and I met on match.com! We didn’t use our real names because it’s unsafe, so we each had a screen name. Philip= Inkspot Music (his music label at the time); MacKenzie= crow (a combination of my first and last names). And so when were were brainstorming names for our business, we wanted something meaningful but quirky. And Inkspot Crow was born.
Q. How did you become interested in working in the wedding industry?
A. We didn’t have a videographer at our own wedding, because we’d only been exposed to traditional, “boring”, videography. The photos of our wedding are so precious, but we missed capturing the music Philip arranged, the story our best friends read, the toast MacKenzie’s sister gave at the dinner. A week after our wedding, my sister sent me the link to a VERY cool wedding highlights film, from a cinematographer in California. We thought: “we can do that!” The rest is history.
Q. What is the most rewarding part of what you do?
A. Working together. We love the ability to travel together, meet new couples (who usually become our friends!) and be creative together daily. I will say, it wasn’t always a walk in the park. We’ve had to learn how to balance work/life and divide responsibilities to keep our marriage, and business, working smoothly. Meeting cool couples. Seriously, we have the best clients! We find that the couples who hire us are really genuine, creative people and we’ve made many new friendships through filming weddings.
Q. What unique quality or qualities do you possess that sets you apart from other wedding filmmakers?
A. In short, we’re “quality rather than quantity” people. Whether we’re with you on your wedding day or shooting a promotional film for your business, our goal is the same: to shoot thoughtfully and purposefully and to compose a structured narrative through a moving image.
Q. Finish this sentence: “I wish more brides/couples would…”
A. …prioritize spending their wedding budget on the things that last and can be shared (photos and video). We never hear a bride who has a video say, “I wish I wouldn’t have spent money on that”. But we DO hear people constantly tell us “we wish we had a video of our day!”
Q. What is the best piece of advice you can offer to brides/couples as they plan their wedding/reception and think about their videography?
A. Let us meet you before your wedding day : we find that our films are better when we get to know a couple before filming them, even if that is through phone calls or Skype.
Q. What current wedding trend do you like most? Dislike most?
A. Like: barns and vintage details. We love the nostalgia it creates!
Dislike: Asking your videog to create a “music video” like this at a wedding
Q. What inspires you and helps you keep your ideas fresh?
A. We LOVE watching good movies! We’re inspired by: Coen Brothers, Pixar, David Fincher, Wes Anderson, Aaron Sorkin.
Q. If you could compile a WEDDING FAVES list, what would be your:
- Favorite wedding song? We love soul music at a reception. It gets everyone out on the dance floor!
- song NOT to include on a reception play list? We’re REALLY tired of hearing “Single Ladies” during the bouquet toss!
- Must-use flower? Peonies
- Menu item? Wedding cake, of course! (MAJOR points to them for this answer – it’s how I would answer it too!)
- Drink? If we’re working, lots of water. If not, local beer
- Wedding Tradition? Both parents walking the bride down the aisle
Q. Besides filming weddings, what else do you do with your time?
A. Hike with our dog, Charlie. Eat at Durham’s great restaurants. Volunteer at Reality Ministries. Enjoy local beers with friends. Prepare for our first baby’s arrival.
Q. What are 3 things you can’t live without?
A. Humor, faith and friendship
Q. Are there any other fun facts that we should know about you that would increase your “coolness quotient” even more?
A. I don’t even think we register on the “coolness” chart! Philip is a font-nerd and I get my kicks by making spreadsheets to organize our life. 😉
A special thank you to Mackenzie & Philip for taking time out of their busy day to share with us. Be sure to check out their work:
