david robin | films

David Robin may underwhelm you with his soft British accent and subtle charm, but he’s one of the most dynamic event filmmakers in the country. To him, event filmmaking is an art form, and he would like the whole world to feel similarly. A member of local and national videography organizations (he actually founded the American Videographers Association in 1989), he educates and trains videographers all over the U.S. to raise both the technical and ethical standards of the industry. Since David started working in the industry, he’s been a sterling advertisement for quality itself, winning 25 Creative Excellence Awards from the International Wedding and Event Videographers Association, as well as being inducted into the WEVA Hall of Fame and being honored with the Bob LeBar Vision Award. In 2005 EventDV Magazine announced David as one of the top 25 most influential and talented event filmmakers in the country, and he has remained on their list for four consecutive years (2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008).

David is not just technically topnotch, but equally gifted in the people skills department. “I’ve seen a lot of guys come and go in this business, but David really understands how to relate, not only to his clients, but to vendors like me,” says one professional. “He is a true gentleman and very moral, very sincere.” David takes an emotional approach to film. In fact, a designer who admires his style says, “He can catch every bit of emotion you could have in your body and translate it into video.” Another professional agrees: “I’ve been to more weddings than any human ever should, and David Robin’s movies even make me cry!” How does he pack so much feeling into each film? “Experience puts me in the right place at the right time.” David says.

His shooting and editing techniques also give his movies an emotional impact. “We’re film buffs here, so our films are a bit more artistic than many. We try to emphasize composition, lighting and camera movements rather than special effects,” he adds. “And at david robin | films, everyone shoots and edits his own work. That way, we maintain a connection with the client and with the event.” David has pioneered many new styles of event filmmaking, including 35mm HD “Auteur” movies, Timeshift edits, and truly unique 3D photo montages. With the introduction of new professional HD cameras, he and his associates don’t need any bright lights! Instead they can manipulate ambient and natural light to their advantage, achieving stunning cinematic results. They also remain very low-key, hardly noticed by the wedding party. New technology in editing also makes their work look like it should be on A&E, TLC or Style Network, not your typical wedding film. 

“A well-produced film should run about 30 to 45 minutes—not two and a half hours,” cautions David. “It should keep people so enthralled, they never put their finger on the fast-forward button.” david robin | films manages to stay on the cutting edge because, as David explains, “We’re constantly finding creative ways to shoot and edit.” His peers certainly think so. As one musician put it, “You look at David and say, ‘This is the industry standard, this is what you should be working towards. He seems to be doing everything right.’”