As the film has just been released, look for the free download to arrive soon! In the meantime, feel free to give the short a gander and let it take you on the emotional ride it offers. There are adult themes at play as well as strong language, so mind your surroundings before you press play.

Soulmates

From Whatsabudget Films and Arbent Creative Media comes a story of a love so deep it can only be described as that shared between soulmates. As Carlyle tells the story of two such star-crossed lovers in this new short film, we follow the tale and see it unfold. This is the story of Julia and Monty.

This was our first wedding (but hopefully not our last) at this venue, which was as remarkable as any venue could be. The staff and setting we the perfect accents to this day devoted to Koji and Claire’s love for each other. Below is just a preview of the beautiful ceremony, and just overall the entire day we spent with the pair as they prepared to begin their journey together anew. It was an inspiring day filled with fun and inspiring people. We hope the video reflects at least a tenth of the love and joy of that day.

We have begun shooting, though we were delayed due to scheduling issues and then the flooding which occurred in Manitou Springs on August 9th. But we did have enough of the film shot to cut together a trailer that Maya could take with her to the RomCon she hit up earlier this month in Las Vegas. You may have seen us sharing and hyping the project on social media.

Be sure to follow along with all the action as this project develops! More to come.

I routinely fall into the sleep patterns of those deemed night owls by the masses, and therefore the idea of getting up early enough in the morning to capture such an event was a possibility that felt out of reach at the time. And remained as such for months to follow. Then an odd thing happened. We shot a wedding, and as I fought the Sandman tooth and nail to keep myself awake and alert enough to finish editing a promo video of the coverage for our portfolio, I found myself up at sunrise. And immediately I thought of the conversation and idea from months before.

This was my chance. So still running on the fumes of the night before, I grabbed my camera and tripod and headed out the door at 5:59 a.m.. Just knowing the magic was waiting. I had forgotten to grab some water, my phone, watch, or any means of communicating with the rest of the world. Or knowing exactly how long I had been out there. Which was very freeing in a way…except for the lack of water part.

It was an odd sensation, that turned into an awesome and breathtaking experience. I had never before watched the sun come bustling up over the buildings and hills in our little burg, and was taken aback by the beauty unlocked at that early morning hour. I stayed out and recorded until my shot was completely ruined by a garbage truck which parked on the curb right beside me (and in my shot) to collect the trash from the bins that line the downtown streets.

It was a good hour and a half of awesome (with only one minor camera positioning adjustment…okay, so two), that we sped up and condensed to just under a minute. Check out the wonder of the town waking up to a brand new day.

Below is a preview of the wedding that we cut together to act as a promotional piece for our portfolio, and to help Wayne and Nancy spread the word about the video we made them of their special day. Take a look at the video below and see some of the ways we can creatively cover your next wedding or event.

The Wedding of Wayne & Nancy a Preview from Arbent Creative Media (ACM) on Vimeo.

If there are any couples who are on their way to the altar and are looking for some creative and engaging ways to cover the service and tell your story, then consider hiring us to do the job for you!

As news began to spread on social media as to what was happening in Manitou, news stations I had shared footage with of past flooding began to ask me if I had any footage of what was happening. So I grabbed my camera, an instinct that normally comes to me much quicker but that shock had managed to keep at bay, and captured footage I still cannot believe played out before me.

Flood Footage

We were lucky that day. We lost nothing compared to many. The walk through town that night was another surreal experience. One that I think would have been much harder to take without the disconnect offered by looking at it all through my camera. It was a rough night, followed by some extremely rough weeks.

Aftermath Walkthrough

After several instances of flooding over the summer, we were sort of bracing in disbelief that things could or would get this bad. We were desensitized to flood sirens that had sounded their song all summer long, and so that day when all hell broke loose, it took many in town by surprise. A shock that I am not sure has completely worn off of some.

The townsfolk came together in a remarkable and heartwarming show of strength and resolve to pick up the pieces and put them back together again. What seems like tons of mud and debris have been pulled from the creek, the streets, homes and businesses that were impacted that day, while volunteers from all around came to town to help lend us all a hand.

When the hot water returned to our building today, it was a huge step to life getting back to normal. Its powerful spray helping to free my creativity from the stagnant grips that had been holding it back since the flood waters swept through town. In fact, with all that has been going on, this post was the first thing I have written since the flood. And that is more than unusual. So look for a lot more posts to flood our stream as we get caught up here at ACM.

We were slowed by the floodwaters, but not stopped. The footage we shot and shared with the world was used by national news agencies across the country, so that was one sliver of a silver lining we managed to see. But the much stronger memory we will take away from that day (beyond the PTSD that lingers) is the overwhelming support of the community to rise up and come together to help with the devastation. Thanks to everyone for reaching out and checking in.

We donated our time that day to this worthy cause and creative project, and since have been working to edit together the footage we shot that day. With the video nearing completion we wanted to put together a little promo short that would stand as an example of the work we did to capture this wonderful work of art being unveiled to the public, and the shared experiences of some of those involved in making it all happen.

Today we are proud to present a look at this upcoming video. We hope that you will share this with your friends and family in the area, and continue to support this important group, the Mural Project as they continue their mission of impacting and touching lives with hope and art.

Mural Project Promo – Mountain Living Studios from Arbent Creative Media (ACM) on Vimeo.

We took to the editing room, and actually produced three different ads for the restaurant. Owing both to our desire to really highlight the various reasons people keep coming back to this little gem, and our love for Maya and her amazing menu. Below are the fruits or our labor. We hope that you will not only enjoy them, but will share them around too.

The Goods

Uchenna Promo Spot (full) from Arbent Creative Media (ACM) on Vimeo.

Uchenna Promo (medium) from Arbent Creative Media (ACM) on Vimeo.

Uchenna Promo Spot (short) from Arbent Creative Media (ACM) on Vimeo.

Claire and Koji are an extremely fun and playful pair who are tying the knot in August of this year. As the run up to the wedding takes place, we are filming with the couple to create a comedic and warm video that highlights and their days together and tells the story of their love. Below is a small sample of what we are putting together.

Claire & Koji: On the Way to the Altar Promo from Arbent Creative Media (ACM) on Vimeo.

If there are any couples who are on their way to the altar and are looking for some creative and engaging ways to cover the service and tell your story, then consider hiring us to do the job for you!

Seasons Change is a very personal short from our team, as it looks at depression and the feeling of isolation that can come with it. We did some things stylistically with this short that we hope really feed the feeling and emotional impact of the piece. Another thing that we love so much about this new short, is how much of our lovely little mountain town of Manitou Springs, CO we got to feature through all of our exterior shoots.

Both cinematically and thematically, we are so proud of this poignant short, and we hope that it will speak to our viewers on numerous levels. Even beyond those we intended. So without further ado, we present to you the free digital download of Seasons Change! But look below for ways to support our mission.

**Edit** If you haven’t seen the short yet, you can watch it below where the film is now being distributed online through IndieReign! If you want to donate to the cause, you can opt to buy or rent the short film through IndieReign. Thanks for supporting independent media.