"First Coast Entertainer", March 10, 2001 Written by Rick Grant

My long time friend John Malinka has been in the video production business for many years, since 1982. He is really a filimaker with a fertile imagination. JM is all digital. His production studio can now process any type of digital production or post production work.

More importantly, JM uses expensive state-of-the-art digital cameras and professional quality postproduction outboard signal processing equipment.

Although JM can shoot any type of digital work, including commercials and band videos, he is a wedding specialists, with over 2,000 satisfied wedding clients to his credit. Presently, John is booked almost every weekend with weddings for the rest of the year and beyond.

Since I've viewed John's latest work during my visit to his studio, I can say, unequivocally, that JM produces the most creative and finest quality wedding videos in the region, with many services not usually associated with weddings, such as a special video produced for the father of the bride.

John attends all the Entertainer film premiers to get ideas for his work, and also because he loves films. Clearly, John can be called a creative filmmaker. His work is imaginitve and innovative, such as his recent parody of Cops made for the wedding of a police officer and his girlfriend.

It's remarkable how John was able to get amateur actors to perform like real actors. The film opens with the police officer stopping his future bride for a minor traffice violation. It's hilarious and really comes off like an episode of Cops, with the reggae theme. John shows these short subject films at the rehearsal dinner much to the delight of the families involved.

JM's production of a parody of Grease, starring the entire wedding party was another gem. Considering he's working with people who have never acted, he somehow gets them to perform like pros. This magic act is a credit to his directorial savvy and people skills.

Indeed, in the video production realm, JM has found a special niche--high quality DVDs of weddings, that include wedding highlights, honeymoon pictures, rehearsal dinner short film, reception highlights, a romantic walk on the beach, and other creative videos produced on a DVD, that will be a permanent record of this milestone event.

Being all digital is a tremendous advantage in editing the work, which can be accomplished out of sequence. And, John can pull off high quality still shots off his final work.

Then, John makes a professional DVD album cover that looks like a movie cover, with still thumbnail shots of the wedding on the outside.

The client gets a professional product that is well worth the price. Later, when the couple has been married for a period of time, they can view the entire wedding or the higlights. It's a priceless documentary of this major event in people's lives.

"We offer many price alternatives, including two camera coverage, white-on-white segment, portrait of the bride segment, digital or analogue options, free demonstration, and a layaway plan is available. Sure, we're not the cheapest wedding video production company in town, but I can prove to anyone that we are the best, since I have many happy clients as references. Word of mouth is my best advertising."

"Our packages includes wedding and reception; just the wedding; deluxe wedding package; and, the super wedding package, which includes formal intorduction, pre-ceremonial activities, entire ceremony, reception, formal ending, picture montage, romantic stroll, honeymoon pictures, and wedding highlights."

"Since it doesn't cost much more for the digital option, most of all my clients opt for it, expecially when they see the amazing results. When they see that DVD with a professional cover they're sold. And, since it's digital, they can select from on-screen menu as to what they want to watch," John said.

JM Video Productions has been in business since 1982, and is a member of WEVA. Call 904-642-6111 or 888-720-7254 or check out the JM Video website at www.jmvideoproductions.com.

John Malinka is successful at shooting weddings because he's a hopeless romantic and is always inventing new ways to portray true love in creative ways, like the romantic stroll. He treats every marriage like he's personally involved.

Before you hire any video production company to shoot your wedding, you should talk to John first, and see what he has to offer. His high quality product will be a lifetime documentary of this life changing event.