Area pair offers videography services
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Nathan Cox found Connestoga College’s Broadcast Journalism and Documentary Broadcast Programs both productive and comprehensive.
Admittedly however, three years of far-reaching course material did not include the ‘going the extra mile to satisfy the client’ possibility of videotaping congratulations and best wishes from a wedding guest assuming the classic pose of Auguste Rodin’s bronze sculpture ‘The Thinker’, clad only in his underwear.
“It was pretty funny, one of the best we’ve ever gotten,” said Cox. “I think he was a little drunk, but he’s a firefighter, so he’s pretty buff and pretty comfortable with himself.”
The course material also did not include the possibility, early on, of accepting product as payment, in order to gain experience. Prior to the formation of their company, Cox did a project with an award-winning Oxford County cheese maker.
“It was awesome cheese,” he laughed. “Beer too,” he added (from a different client), “unfortunately not at the same time.”
“But there comes a point you have to say I can’t do this for free any more.”
Like his business partner Brent Swance, Cox came to videography at an obtuse angle. Cox’s original intentions were a career in print journalism while Swance was figuring radio. But apart from long-term employability considerations, both found their happy place on the back end of a video camera.
“I found I liked video better,” said Swance.
“We both absolutely loved doing this,” Cox added.
Dedicated videography jobs do exist, but not so much in the smaller areas, says Cox.
“You have to go to the big city,” said Swance.
But after getting along well throughout their education and based on the fact they live within reasonable geographical proximity (Swance is from Tillsonburg and also works at Mill Tales Inn, Cox hails from Long Point), they decided to go into business together under the banner of Sawyer-Swance Productions.
Between school, internships and broader life, they have a variety of video experience ranging through short documentaries, freelance editing (Swance for example, has compiled ample amounts of African safari footage into a watchable short), commercial work, nature studies (Cox is a bird watching and videotaping fan), business profiles and weddings.
“It’s pretty broad,” said Swance. “We’ve done a lot of different types of videos.”
They expect weddings to be a staple product, and have been working the wedding show circuit in an effort to expand business. Their rates for wedding packages begin at $1,000, go up from there and are individually-customizable to different clients.
“You put a lot of time and money and emotion in this day, it’s important to be able to remember it properly,” added Cox.
“We do pretty much anything a wedding entails,” said Swance. “Getting ready, the ceremony, speeches, all the way through the dances and best wishes.”
Cox uses a Canon XA10 HD videocamera, Swance a Canon 60D DSLR with onboard HD video. They have a third HD camcorder for additional angles, and each their areas of focus, so to speak.
“Brent does most of the fancy photography, I handle the communications,” said Cox.
“I think we’re both quite creative,” he added.
“And pretty versatile,” said Swance.
Those seeking more information are invited to email sawyerswance@gmail.com, visit the website www.point59.ca/ssp.htm or phone 226-748-3465.