Vibrant Table has been lucky enough to work with Eric Newland from Hybrid Moon Video on a regular basis, and we are constantly astounded by his amazing work! Eric is the driving force behind Hybrid Moon Video Productions, a national award-winning creative multimedia company located in Northwest Portland.
Hybrid Moon produces and directs “Weddings Portland Style”, as well as creating wedding video packages for brides across the country. Their company also specializes in promotional creative work on a corporate level, and they have the distinction of owning Oregon’s only 1947 “Silver Wraith” Rolls Royce Limousine (available for rental for your events). Following his blog is a trip – the latest post is direct from New York’s Bridal Fashion Week!
We sat down with Eric to talk to him about his work in Portland, and it went a little something like this:
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Q. How long have you been practicing your craft?
A. Since 1991
Q. Why did you choose videography?
A. Long story short: I cannot seeing myself doing anything but this. I love it!
Q. How did you get started doing video for special events?
A. After my search for a vendor to film our marriage in 1995, we realized how badly the market was in need of quality wedding videographers.
Q. Has anything significant changed in your field?
A. Everything has changed. First started with ANALOG tape to tape editing systems to HYBRID editing systems that were under computer control to todays modern NON-LINEAR edit computers. The look of a finished wedding video is so different from long ago!
Q. What/Who are your inspirations?
A. Alfred Hitchcock! My favorite quote from him is: “An edit is never finished, it is only abandoned”. Also, just sitting down and watching TV inspires me.
Q. What ideas, trends, etc. do you find exciting in the video industry currently?
A. I am pumped to see media delivery change… from the old days on VHS, to convergence to DVD, then Blu Ray and now in to the future being web delivered in High Definition!
Q. How long have you been a member of Portland event community?
A. Since I first started shooting wedding video. I am a rare Portland Native!
Q. In your opinion, is there something that makes Portland a unique place for events?
A. It’s great how compact Portland is compared to other spread-out, sprawled-out cities. The closeness makes it cool!
Q. What is your favorite event venue?
A. There really not just one facility that stands out… I do appreciate the downtown locations. I hate locations laden in dust and I can’t stand uneven ground. It’s always frustrating to see elderly guests at suburban locations trip and fumble to walk anywhere because the owners are too cash-tight to pave walkways.
Q. Do you have an event horror story?
A. Oh, yeah! MANY! For now, I’ll keep them to myself, but keep an eye out out for Hybrid Moon’s Wedding Mock-umentary at your local theater soon!
Q. Do you have a professional pet peeve?
A. Working with amateur photographers. It is frustrating to watch people with hardly any professional event experience ruin a wedding because they really have no idea what they are doing.
Q. Where do you see yourself in five years?
A. Owning a cool hip event facility.
