Today we’d like to introduce you to Courtney Beasley.
Hi Courtney, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My grandfather passed down his old camcorder to me when I was seven years old. I was ecstatic and immediately started dreaming up things to film. My friends on the other hand, were not so ecstatic. Every sleepover or birthday party I had growing up was used as an excuse to goad my friends into “performing” for whatever short film or music video I had dreamt up. Often to my friends’ frustration, any planned activities were instantly pushed aside in favor of directing them around for hours on end to create the perfect video. Frustration aside, I hope they look back on those memories with fondness, because I sure do! Filmmaking as a child with only a camcorder and no way of editing the footage proved difficult, and required precision when stopping and starting music on my pink boom box. At age 12, I was overjoyed to finally have a laptop and access to Windows Movie Maker, and that’s when I was actually able to organize my footage and create the stories I envisioned. Eventually, editing became my favorite part of the filmmaking process, and it remains so to this day. Even though I didn’t realize that it was what I wanted to do full-time until I was much older, it’s crazy to realize how my passion for filmmaking was so evident even back then. My first professional experience with videography was in 2016 when I worked at a summer camp as their videographer. I adored capturing what was often these kids’ favorite moments of their entire year, and wanted to figure out a way to turn that passion into a full time career. In 2017, I filmed my first wedding, thinking it might only be a “one time thing”, but I quickly realized that this was the creative outlet I’d been looking for. Few things can compare to the joy a child feels at summer camp, basking in the sun by the pool with their friends, but the moment a groom sees his bride walking down the aisle would have to come close. It’s an honor to capture these little flashes of joy so that they can be relived indefinitely.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There have definitely been some bumps along the way, but the majority of them have been internal ones, rather than external. Most fields of videography involve redoing a take countless times until you get it exactly right, which isn’t the case with weddings. Not only can the ‘big’ moments like the first look, first kiss, and first dance not (genuinely) be recreated, but you also can’t ask for ‘redo’ of candid moments such as the bride shedding a tear as she embraces her grandmother. Because of this, there is a lot of pressure to capture each wedding day perfectly and, subsequently, edit it together perfectly afterwards. It doesn’t help that I’m a people-pleasing perfectionist, and that the idea of letting someone down is unimaginable to me! That’s not to say there haven’t been external struggles too, from figuring out the business and marketing side of things, to navigating COVID times. Although my chosen field of work is often accompanied by a bit of pressure for me, it is far outweighed by the joy I get from capturing these special moments. After many years of wedding filmmaking, I have settled into a rhythm that, while still challenging at times, helps me to prioritize the important things and look for the heart in each and every unique moment.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I am a wedding videographer in the Kansas City area. My film package includes full-length edits of the ceremony, toasts, dances, etc., which are great to have to look back on, but my favorite part of my package is the recap video, which is a 4-6 minute highlight reel of the wedding. My goal with that video is to recreate the feeling of the day using visuals and audio spanning from the ‘getting ready’ to the reception send-off. To help tell that story, I also capture drone footage, which is especially impactful when showcasing unique wedding venues such as vineyards or beachfront locales. After nearly 10 years of filming weddings, I have found that every one is unique in its own way. It is such an honor to be chosen by couples to capture their day and the aspects and traditions that reflect who they are and tell their story. I look forward to each wedding and how it may vary from the last. After hundreds of love stories captured, I like to think that I have learned the art of knowing how to be in the right place at the right time, and how to carefully curate a video that tells the story of the day in a meaningful and authentic way.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
I’ve always loved creating things, but also enjoying the creativity of others through movies, books, music, and art. After I went through some health issues as a child, my mom made it her mission to take me on every adventure I wanted to go on. It just so happened that the majority of those adventures involved going to a concert, meet and greet, or other form of ‘fangirl’ activity. One of our first celebrity encounters involved my mom sleeping in the freezing temperatures on the concrete in front of the (now defunct) Micro Center in Overland Park with me so that I could meet the Jonas Brothers back in 2007. To this day, I am still a fangirl through and through and my mom still joins me on all of my adventures! Whether it’s a convention for our favorite show (Outlander) or a concert of our favorite band (Twenty One Pilots), we are always finding fun and unique things to do. My mom is also my assistant videographer at my weddings, and there’s no one else I’d rather have by my side.
Pricing:
- All inclusive wedding videography package – $3,000
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/courtneycaptureskc
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/CourtneyCapturesKC
