Happy 2026! We are back by the fire for our first chat of the year, and we have a lot to catch up on.

In this episode, we dive deep into the current state of the wedding industry. After judging hundreds of films for the British Wedding Film Festival, we’ve noticed some polarizing trends - from AI-generated voiceovers to the resurgence of "home movie" Super 8 vibes. We also discuss the controversial return of the "Dutch tilt" in photography (thanks, Gen Z) and ask the question: are Content Creators actually taking over, or was it just a phase?

On the business side, we open up about a recent painful client cancellation and discuss the ethics of contracts and refunds when things go wrong. We also debate a recent award-winning image controversy - where do we draw the line between photography, digital art, and cheating?

Plus, we share some life updates, including Liam’s new career path, Bee’s Harry Potter-style darkroom, and why Laura is painting in her underwear.

Topics:

•2026 Trends: The rise of AI music and voiceovers in wedding films.

•Gear Nostalgia: Why everyone is buying old DSLRs and 35mm film cameras.

•Business Realities: Handling last-minute cancellations and protecting your income.

•Ethics: The controversy of using stock imagery and composites in photo awards.

•Life Updates: Darkrooms, driving instructors, and car breakdowns.

Whether you are a photographer, videographer, or just a creative trying to navigate the changing landscape, grab a coffee (or a wine) and join the commune.

Timestamps:


00:00 - Intro: Happy New Year 2026


01:05 - Judging film awards & the rise of AI Voiceovers


05:23 - Photography trends: The return of the "Wonky Horizon"


07:00 - The DSLR nostalgia trap
09:30 - Bee’s new cupboard darkroom & developing film


14:55 - Laura’s new painting hobby


21:50 - Liam’s now a Qualified Driving Instructor


29:40 - Have Content Creators actually taken over?


33:00 - Dealing with a major wedding cancellation


36:40 - The Awards Controversy: Stock images vs. Photography


43:00 - Will AI eventually eat itself?


47:00 - Highs & Lows: Client testimonials & car breakdown nightmares


57:30 - Bee’s health scare & 80s nostalgia

Lawson Film School: https://www.lawsonfilms.co.uk/lawson-film-school

Say hi on Instagram @ourcreativecommune

Get a free 14 day trial of Musicbed: https://www.musicbed.com/invite/935Cy

The British Wedding Film Festival

https://www.britishweddingfilmfestival.com/

liamandbee.com

lawsonfilms.co.uk

lawsonphotography.co.uk

#weddingphotography #weddingvideography #filmphotography #creativepodcast #weddingindustry #ourcreativecommune

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It’s just the boys in the studio this week! With Laura and Bee away (all that end of year editing!), Liam and Pete sit down to debrief on a recent luxury wedding they shot together in Whitehall, London.

While the venue was five-star, the day wasn't without its hurdles. We discuss the reality of shooting in high-end establishments - from the stress of strict dress codes to dealing with "smothering" service that eats into your shooting time. We also have an honest conversation about a struggle many creatives face: how do you politely tell a venue coordinator to back off and let you do your job?

Also in this episode, we chat about the physical toll of wedding photography (what is "Photographer's Toe"?), the panic of surprise speeches for videographers, and a terrifying gear malfunction that saw a camera hit the floor in front of the guests. Plus, we catch up on life outside of weddings, including broken cars, table tennis coaching, and life as a driving instructor.

Grab a coffee and join the commune!

Key Topics & Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro: Where are the girls?

02:18 - The 9-hour travel nightmare and the £36 wine incident

05:25 - The Dress Code Debate: Suits vs. Trainers

07:59 - The reality of "Photographer's Toe" and physical comfort

12:14 - Videography stress: Dealing with surprise speeches

19:00 - The "Missing Groom Prep" panic

25:43 - Technical struggles: Banding issues in venue lighting

28:42 - When luxury service ruins your portrait time

31:00 - Learning to say "No" to pushy venue coordinators

44:05 - Pete’s car suspension disaster

47:50 - Gear Nightmare: Liam drops his camera (twice)

51:25 - Highs and Lows: Life as a driving instructor

57:00 - Pete becomes a qualified table tennis coach

Lawson Film School: https://www.lawsonfilms.co.uk/lawson-film-school

Say hi on Instagram @ourcreativecommune

Get a free 14 day trial of Musicbed: https://www.musicbed.com/invite/935Cy

liamandbee.com

lawsonfilms.co.uk

lawsonphotography.co.uk

#weddingphotography #weddingvideography #filmphotography #creativepodcast #weddingindustry #ourcreativecommune

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special episode of Our Creative Commune, we're swapping things around! Pete and Laura are hijacking the podcast with their co-founders of the British Wedding Film Festival, Joce Boissin and Jeff Wood, to dive deep into everything you need to know about this brand-new event for the wedding film industry.

We start off sharing some stories from the end of the wedding season, including Jeff's travel nightmare of losing all his kit right before a huge destination wedding and how he was forced to adapt.

Then, we get into the heart of the festival. We share the vision behind creating an awards ceremony dedicated solely to celebrating the incredible craft within our industry. We discuss why we felt it was so important to have categories that recognise specific skills like sound design, storytelling, and cinematography, and how we hope it will inspire a new wave of creativity.

Thinking of entering? We cover all the crucial details: the surprisingly hefty trophies you could win, the incredible panel of judges (including a James Bond sound designer and a Netflix producer!), the submission process, and what makes a film stand out. Plus, we give you all the info on the awards night itself—a chance for us all to get glammed up, connect, and feel inspired at the Manchester Art Gallery.

This is more than just an awards show; it's a celebration of our community and the art we create. Whether you're considering submitting a film or just want to join the party, this episode has all the inspiration and information you need.

Timestamps

00:00 - Intro & Welcome to the BWFF Team

00:55 - Catching Up: How Was the End of the Season?

01:03 - Jeff's Destination Wedding Nightmare: The Airline Lost All My Gear!

04:50 - The Creative Benefit of Being Forced to Adapt

08:31 - Joce's Adventure with an Anamorphic Lens in Morocco

11:23 - Introducing the British Wedding Film Festival

11:51 - The Reason We Started These Awards

13:10 - Celebrating Individual Skills

14:30 - Using the Awards as a Creative Motivator for the Season

16:17 - It’s Scary Entering Awards

17:45 - Let's Talk About the Trophies

18:21 - The Incredible Judging Panel

22:05 - How the Judging Process Will Work

23:20 - The Awards Night

24:25 - The Venue

25:04 - Submission Deadline: 1st December!

26:07 - The Categories & Submission Rules

28:14 - Best Cinematography & Best Sound Design

32:02 - Best Storytelling

32:31 - Best Cinematic Language: Using Match Cuts & Parallel Action

36:55 - Best Use of Music & Best Colour Grading

38:39 - Best Elopement: Telling a Story with Just Two People

39:36 - Film Length & Password Protection

44:41 - Jeff's Story: The OG of Cinematic Wedding Films

46:57 - Jeff's Thoughts on Shooting with Phones

52:39 - Joce's Story: From iPhone Clips to Full-Time Pro in 2 Years

58:46 - Highs & Lows of the Week

The British Wedding Film Festival

https://www.britishweddingfilmfestival.com/

Pete & Laura

lawsonfilms.co.uk

Joce Boissin

https://www.lunedemielstudio.com/

Jeff Wood

https://www.jeffwoodvisuals.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.