We all know it’s nice to share, but award-winning Melbourne film-makers John Tummino and Lucy Hayes have taken that philosophy literally. They recently launched Memorokies, a new (and fabulously fun), social media-friendly twist on the humble wedding video.
The clever duo, whose films have screened at Cannes and other international film festivals, specialise in Memorokies, short and sharp, laugh-out-loud music videos featuring the bride and groom and their guests belting out the lyrics to the couple’s favourite song, karaoke style.
John and Lucy, who launched Memorokie Films in July, tailor every featurette to the couple and their style. They attend the wedding ceremony and reception and, depending on just how adventurous the couple and their guests are, they film everyone singing snippets of the chosen song over several hours – and sometimes several takes.
Then mash it all together in the editing suit and the result is one of the most memorable and entertaining styles of wedding video you’ll experience. It’s also eminently shareable and, of course, professionally filmed and edited.
“Memorokies can either replace a traditional wedding video or just be an addition to it,” says John who has been in the film industry for more than a decade.
“After all, how many times will you watch your entire wedding video?” asks John. “Maybe two or three times in your entire life, and realistically most of your guests will never even see it.”
Memorokies are wedding videos for the social age.
They’re short, sharp and fun, making them perfect for sharing on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
Just hit share and everyone of your fans, followers, friends or family can watch it again and again. They can even share it with their own friends and family and so on and on and on. It could even go viral.
The name, Memorokie, is a mash-up (or portmanteau) of the words ‘karaoke’ and ‘memory’, which is what Memorokies are, memories of your big day all lip synched to music.
Guests read the lyrics off an iPad and, perhaps thankfully, the final result won’t include any voices, just the lip synching over which the original song is dubbed.
John says he and Lucy started Memorokie Films are after stumbling across a number of amusing wedding-related videos, including flash-mob related proposals, first-dance mash ups and much more simple karaoke-esque wedding videos.
“In our experience, some of the most fun shoots we’d had were on the sets of music videos,” adds John.
“The vibe is always fun and relaxed and we thought we could use our film and editing skills to add that same vibe to take wedding videos to the next level.
“It’s a potent mix that couples – and their guests – seem to really enjoy.”
The first step in the process is to meet the couple and settle on a song and the style of video they’re after. Then John and Lucy consider the overall style and theme of the wedding, the couple’s personality and the venue before incorporating everything into some basic choreography.
On the day, the lyrics are loaded onto an iPad and guests and the couple themselves are given the opportunity to belt out various bits of the song.
“I love the fact that most guests and sometimes even the couples themselves start out a little bit shy and reluctant but, inevitably during the night, you have to wrestle the microphone out of their hands,” says John who suggests that Memorokies suit couples with a sense of humour, those who don’t mind having fun and, perhaps, even a little laugh at themselves.
“That’s all part of the Memorokie experience,” he adds.
“You have to be able to laugh at yourself and, luckily, most guests are. Most importantly, they really enjoy letting go and unleashing their inner rock star.”
Though Memorokie Films holds all the appropriate licenses and can create a Memorokie to just about any piece of music, John says he can’t wait to film a Memorokie to The Beatles’ Twist and Shout and Bruno Mars’ Marry You.
“Now, they are going to be seriously fun to film.”
John and Lucy are happy to travel nationally and the high level of interest in the videos means they’re already planning on offering Memorokies for other occasions, including engagements and Save the Date videos, which would likely only feature the couple singing a song.
“Lucy and I are storytellers and we love making films,” says John. “Every film maker lives for the moment they share these stories with an audience for the first time.
“I’ve seen couples watch their Memorokies and burst into fits of laughter or even shed tears of joy. It’s absolutely sublime and I can’t wait to give that experience to anyone who wants it.”
The first four Easy Weddings readers to purchase a Memorokie package will receive 25 per cent off Memorokie Films’ usual price, just mention Easy Weddings when you speak with John or Lucy.
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