From making award-winning television documentaries (she even has a BAFTA!) to the missing antique wedding dress that saw one of her wedding films praised on BBC Breakfast News, today we’re going behind-the-scenes with Jo Pirie of Bowery Productions to find out what she loves most about being a filmmaker.
How did you get into wedding filmmaking?
I was a TV producer for 14 years and gave up a staff job at the BBC to start Bowery Productions. When we got married I struggled to find a videographer that would tell the story of our wedding day and not just feature Donald and I.
I trained as a journalist and spent many years making documentaries. I felt inspired to film for other couples, in the same way I wanted when we got married.
Sadly, not long after our wedding I lost my amazing step mum and Donald lost his wonderful dad. They were such a major part of our life and I realised that it is even more important for a wedding day story to be told. It is not often you get everyone you love all together on the same very happy day.
I thrive on being able to find and capture moments that the couple and their family can look back on for years to come. I don’t personally believe in setting things up, the day is so beautiful and happy, I film things as they happen, in the way I have always done when making documentaries.
What do you love most about your work?
Meeting so many interesting couples and the great friends I have made over the years. I love people and I adore hearing their personal stories. I get to attend couples’ happiest days and to be part of that is such a brilliant experience. If I had to pick one absolute highlight it is seeing the wedding dress and the shoes, I have a major love for style and detail.
What has been your favourite bit so far?
When a Bowery Productions wedding film was shown on BBC Breakfast News, after a story broke of a missing wedding dress, the presenters Sally Nugent and Ben Thompson announced…“this is like a movie, it is very beautifully filmed, yeah this is incredible, it is not your average wedding video, it is not shaky, it is all in focus. We are looking at the film from your wedding now, can I just say it is the best wedding video I have EVER, EVER seen!”
I could not have been happier. Thank you Sally and Ben and thank you to the lovely bride Tess, who thankfully did get her stunning antique dress back. (You can see their film below).
Who/what inspires you?
Every year I attend filming workshops to refresh my wedding brain and bounce ideas with filmmakers from all over the world. This year it was organised by the well known Instagram favourites, The Costa Sisters. Not only did I love hearing the girls’ stories, we all drank Prosecco, ate vegan doughnuts and worked together to create a fantastic stylised shoot.
I am also fascinated by light and constantly watch to see how images change, due to the sky, time of day and the season of year. Living in Scotland, the light can be really quite dramatic… I find it inspires me every single day.
Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?
In five years time, if I can still be doing what I am doing now and still working with such awesome couples then I will be a very happy girl. I would possibly like slightly more sleep and even a wee day off now and again. However, not many people love what they are doing as much as I do and let’s face it, who needs to sleep?!
Tell us something you’d rather nobody knew…
I met my husband and second shooter by telling him I fancied him off the TV – River City hunk, Donald Pirie – the tabloid newspaper’s words, not mine! I had been at a friend’s house who loved River City – funnily Donald happened to come on the screen and I commented to her that I thought he was very handsome.
Coincidentally, a few nights later I spotted him out in Glasgow, I walked up to him and used the very classy chat up line, “I fancy you off the telly!”. However, it obviously worked as we have just celebrated our 10 year wedding anniversary and 14 years together. (Embarrassingly, I am still in his phone under Jo Stalker).
On a day off, we’ll find you where?
Most definitely at a yoga class, then hanging out with my family and friends having coffee in one of our local Southside cafes in Glasgow.
Feeling smitten? We don’t blame you one bit! If you would like Jo to document the story of your wedding day, then she would love to hear from you. Head over to Bowery Productions to see more or email her on jo@boweryproductions.tv
This is a sponsored post written by We Fell In Love. We are incredibly proud to have Bowery Productions as part of #TeamWFIL. All stills and film copyright of Bowery Productions..
