Name: Megan Hill
Age: 33
Location: Brooklyn
Education: B.A. in film from Emerson College in Boston. Certificate in graphic design from UCLA in Los Angeles
Job Title: Founder and owner of Hello Super 8, a company that makes wedding films using vintage cameras
What She Does: Megan captures memorable moments from a couple’s wedding day and then edits them together into a keepsake that has both modern and antique appeal. While the films are set in present time, Megan and her team shoot on 8mm film, a throwback to a pre-digital world. (Think home movies without sound.) The result is classic, contemporary, and not an ounce of cheesy. You won’t find baby pictures and bad love songs on her reels.
How She Got Her Gig: Though she was earning a nice living as a freelance graphic designer, two years ago Megan realized she missed making films. “I had this old Super 8 camera and my friend was getting married, so I figured I’d shoot her wedding and see what happened,” says Megan, whose love for film was ignited by childhood movie outings with her dad. After the wedding, Megan edited her footage into a short film, included songs that were played at the event, and sent it to her friend. “She was beyond thrilled. It moved her to tears,” she recalls. “That’s when I started thinking I should do this for more people.”
Getting the Word Out: Once she had amassed a few examples of her work, Megan gave her business a name (“I went through 20 different ones before deciding on Hello Super 8,” she says) and created a website to showcase her talents. After bringing another cinematographer on board (the plan is to hire filmmakers across the country—and the globe), Megan is hitting the marketing front from all angles. “I’d love to make a connection with magazines like InStyle, The Knot, Modern Bride, and New York,” she says. “The marketing is definitely the hardest part. Everything takes a really long time.”
Words of Wisdom: “Always have backup. I was at a wedding once and had two cameras break down on me. Luckily we had four with us, but I was totally stressed out for about 20 minutes running back and forth across this huge field to get my other camera before the ceremony started,” she says. “Now I’m always totally prepared with backups on me. It was a good lesson learned.”
This Job’s for You if: You’ve got equal parts technical chops and effortless social skills. “You really have to be a people person and be able to interact with the crowd, but also hang back and not interrupt the moment,” she says. “People are there to see the couple, not a line of cameras.” Also, never forget that the client is always right. “If you have a happy customer, you’re good,” she says. “And if they recommend you, you’re even better.”
