
What can I say, 2021 was an interesting year for Xceed Media. It started off great with many postponed weddings due to the pandemic in 2020. With that, many weddings have become smaller and smaller. Some with only the wedding couple and officiant and others with like 30 or so people. Our new service of live streaming had been beneficial to some couples as some of their families were not able to attend physically but were able to virtually. We also created a new feature to have the couple say hi to some of the online live stream guests through the Zoom platform. It's pleasing to see those wedding guests can still attend and interact with wedding couples even though they are not present.
We still had large full-day weddings to capture around Central Texas. Those are always fun and with a great team of contractors, family, and friends, we were able to capture the very best. Two weddings that I did were tough due to the winter storm in February. When the ice started the wedding ceremony was outside and yes it was freezing but I was able to capture some very unique footage of ice formations and outdoor scenery. The next day was another wedding and that's when the big storm rolled in. I was in San Marcos and the wedding couple was dealing with issues themselves with the venue because it was too dangerous to drive to and their photographer had to cancel. Luckily they were able to get a small ballroom at a hotel to still have the wedding. I did my job and rushed back home from San Marcos to Pflugerville, TX. It was scary to see semi-trucks jackknifed and in ditches along the toll road as the roads were slippery. However, I knew I needed to get home because I knew I would be stuck in San Marcos for almost a week. I made it safe and the couple paid me a tip for making it out to capture their wedding.
The rest of the year's weddings were great. Some all the way to Victoria, TX, others in small like castles, homes by the lake, on a treetop, downtown Austin, and the good ole countryside. Shout out to my new friends in Fayette County for spreading the word on Xceed Media. I find myself there often in such a beautiful area. This year even my own daughter got married! For once, it was fun but hard to be on the other side of the camera.
Filmmaking is also a love of mine that from time to time I find myself getting involved with. I've made documentaries in the past which was fun and a learning experience. Recently I've worked on a few film projects. With the highly successful movie Man In Me: The Documentary that debuted in 2019, I've teamed up with its producer and director again Mr. Isaac Rowe of The Man In Me organization. Together 2021 was a time of planning and filming his new movie called Fathers Wanted. It was fun filming and traveling to different cities around Texas. The film is told by women of all ages, cultures, and backgrounds and will soon hopefully be another hit. I'm in the post-production stage and we are looking forward to a summer release. Look out for that!
Another project was a docuseries called Music and Mental Health with its executive producer Tina Rix. This was a big project and it took many months to complete. Music and Mental Health is a nine-episode docuseries told by local musicians and professionals on the subject of mental health. I met a lot of great musicians in Austin as well as learned some very good information on why people deal with problems mentally. Tina Rix is a psychotherapist as well as a musician herself and together with the help of other film crews and music composer Jon Keyz, we were able to complete this docuseries in 2021. Since then, Music and Mental Health has been getting really good recognition and winning awards in film festivals around the globe. I even got a "Best Editor" award from one film festival. Nice!
Other jobs that picked up for me were audio/video/and lighting installation as well as website design. It can be hard physical work but I quite enjoy getting up on ladders, fighting insulation, carrying heaving gear, running cables, and figuring out new equipment. Websites are a joy as well to be able to create a tool to help businesses and organizations flourish with their marketing and outreaches.
Overall 2021 was a great year despite me getting COVID-19 during the summer. However, I thank God for good health, strength, and energy to carry on and do what I love. Other good moments I had were photography gigs, other small film shoots for stories, serving at my local church, trying out new gear, meeting recording artists, professionals, and musicians, and just being able to enjoy time with my family as well.
2021 was probably not good for others so my encouragement to you is, it's now gone so just look forward to a brighter future, try new things you've never done before, stay healthy, and enjoy time with the ones you love.
Thank you all who have encouraged and helped me throughout 2021. You're the real MVP! Love you all and peace out!
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