Chicago Wedding Films

Kris Malandruccolo attends a two-day Jeff Wright Workshop in Chicago

The Illinois Videographers Association brought in Jeff Wright from Blue Skies Cinema in California, to hold a two-day workshop in Chicago on July 20-21, 2009

There we are on the left in front of the Bean in Millenium Park, downtown Chicago.   I attended this workshop along with 30+ other videographers (some who flew in from others states).

Even though I'm a 20 year veteran in the video industry, I never pass up a chance to keep on learning -especially from someone like Jeff Wright who has won 15 WEVA CE Awards and is a well-respected videographer in the industry.   Not only is Jeff a very talented videographer, but more importantly, he's a decent, likeable all-around great guy! 

DAY ONE:  Our first day was held at the Bartlett Hills Country Club in Bartlett, IL.  I was able to leverage some networking connections, so I must give a huge thank you to Mary Gearhart, catering manager, for allowing to use their banquet room and adjoining patio to re-enact some wedding day activities.  The BHCC is a fabulous facility!  I've filmed several weddings there and a bride has so much to take advantage of all in one location!

Jeff is in blue, and standing in as the bride is Jennifer who just so happens to be married to our IVA President, Keith Anderson (standing next to the bride, above).  Jennifer did a fabulous job and turned alot of heads (see photos below).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DAY TWO:  We spent two hours in the classroom before heading to downtown Chicago.   We took alot of footage of our bride strolling up and down Michigan Ave. and all around Millenium Park.   By changing up the shutter speed & iris, we were able to get some cool shots.  The best for last:  Jen playing in the water in the middle of the water walls.

If you would like to schedule your "bridal elegance" video, please call me at 630-876-9604.  Please visit my website to learn more.  Are you game to have some fun in the water at Millenium Park?

 

 

In the Press: Elegant Storybooks by Kris featured in the Daily Herald Newspaper (January 16, 2009)

 Carol Stream business specializes in professional bound storybooks - story by Kim Mikus, Daily Herald columnist

Ths story was in the Business section of the Daily Herald Chicago newspaper on January 16, 2009.

Photo credit: Bev Horne, Daily Herald photographer

Here's the link to the online story.  I'm not sure how long it will be posted online, so I'll include the print version too.

A few behind-the-scene photos of the Daily Herald photographer taking my photo.  It has been so cold in Chicago (below zero!) that the photographer didn't want to take her coat off when shooting the photos.

Making Memories by Kim Mikus:

Kris Malandruccolo's business is all about preserving memories.

For as long as she can remember, the Carol Stream resident has always been the one with a camera in her hands. Now she captures memories through video and professionally bound books.

Malandruccolo serves as a consultant for Heritage Makers storybooks, a company based in Utah. The books, a form of digital scrapbooking, are created through her Web site, ElegantStorybooksbyKris.com. Instead of buying all the materials and papers to scrapbook the traditional way, this allows the user to choose from a gallery of templates and compose the book on the computer. "It's easy and there's no mess," Malandruccolo said.

Heritage Makers storybooks were featured in the December issue of Oprah's magazine as one of her favorite gifts.

"The books bring people to tears," Malandruccolo said. Text is added to the book to tell everything from a life story to a love story. Vacations, a child's sports or school activities, a grandparent's life story and weddings are often covered in the books.

Malandruccolo, who operates Elegant Storybooks By Kris, assists with ideas in making the books and offers deals when items are bundled together. The company also offers an array of other products including greeting cards, playing cards and calendars. The customized books start at $35.

An aspect that drew Malandruccolo to Heritage Makers is that the books are professionally stitched, not glued, and made in the United States. They are comparable quality to a photo studio-produced book, she said.

"These are books to pass down from generation to generation," she said.

In addition to Heritage Makers, Malandruccolo is also a videographer; she preserves people's stories through video. For the past 20 years she has been video taping weddings, anniversaries and recording people's life history.

Right now the videographer is video taping the life story of a 92-year-old man. She video tapes him telling stories about his past and then adds pictures and music and puts it on a DVD.

"Everybody has a story they want to preserve. There is always a story behind the photo," Malandruccolo said.

Malandruccolo and her husband Bob are raising three sons, ages 15 to 21, in Carol Stream.

"It's all about preserving family history," she said.

For more information, call (630) 876-9604.

Happy New Year! Elegant Videos by Kris is now on Facebook

    Happy New Year from Elegant Videos by Kris--Chicago Wedding Films!   

In 2009 I am celebrating 21 years in business! 

I stay current in business by continually keeping up on trends and attending educational seminars.  If you read my December 2008 EventDV editor's pick, you know that I picked Facebook as a big social trend for videographers in 2008.

 I invite you to join my Facebook business page.  You can find me on Facebook under    Friends of Elegant Videos by Kris (Chicago Wedding Films).    You can see where I've been in the news, articles I have written, view photos and videos.  While there, take a moment to become a "friend"    Once you become a friend, stop back often to see what's new!