michel’s request: a rockin’ family
my request: backyard bbq, football out front, lisa’s margaritas
when deciding what video or videos we would like to do to build our portfolio, we decided we wanted to find two very different families to work with. so that we could create two things with very different feels in order to try and reach many types of families. our first collaboration was a magical, almost fairy tale of a piece with a family of little elfin girls. the best way to change things up? find a family of wonderful and energetic boys. and make a funny, happy, energizing movie for them. and i knew just the group.
i guess i am incredibly lucky, because lisa is another friend of mine in whom i have a sister. our boys connect. major. we connect. major. my childrens eyes light up when i tell them we get to visit seamus and finn. they all think lisa is the best thing since money in a birthday card. she is like an auntie to them. they adore her. lisa is like the pied piper. kids will follow her anywhere. i love watching her interact with her kids and mine. i learn so much from her open interest in them. how she spends her time with them.
her two young men are ALL BOY. they have a portion of the backyard dedicated to “seamusland”. its a dirt section with a tree for climbing, a picnic table, and a small fort. complete with holes dug and then covered as traps, contraptions, and did i say dirt? the boys spend a lot of time there creating and scheming and i love that she gives them that space. i love so much about her house and yard. its got the greatest vibe. she has family photos hung almost floor to ceiling along her hallway, where skylights shine sun upon your head once you stop to admire them. and you will. the boys artwork is framed and hung for everyone to see when walking in the front door. she is surrounded by beautiful trees and the sun shines on their home in the afternoon like it was created just for that purpose. you are naturally drawn outside, because there is always a cool breeze. you can hear her wind chimes along with the slam of the screen door as the kids play and we relax on the front porch. there is always music playing too. great, great music. in fact, the song used in the movie was heard at her house that day.
i knew that her family would be able to give us exactly what we were looking for.
we showed up as the lobsters went on the grill and the margaritas were poured. and then spent two wild hours hanging out with them as they had a typical afternoon at home.
Mcgarvey Family Film from Michel Sandy on Vimeo.
music: ray lamontagne, you are the best thing
michel, you did it again! xo
So much fun! You guys are very versatile!
You guys did it again….I cried like I did when I watched the Falconbridge family…..I feel like I know both families….and makes me want to be adopted by both.
This almost brought me to tears! Tara and Michael you are unbelievable! I can’t wait to see more of you both working together!
Tara, that was beautiful. I loved it. You are such an inspiration!
Ohhhhh Myyyyyyy Gooooood. We are so getting this done if we have to drive our Canadian butts down there to do it!
Way to go guys!
Sweet! So cute! You guys did it…AGAIN!
OMG!!! I soo dig this idea! Both of them are just amazing! I am in awe….and oh so inspired! ;)
Keep up the good work
Mikaela
AWESOME WOW WOW WOW
amazing and fab and SUPER cool! well done :)
if i were a boy i would totally want lisa to be my MUM!
i love this :) so happy and such a cool/different vibe to ours. i think you guys are pretty.clever. xx
CRAP! You made me cry … now I have to go rinse my contacts out before I can go anywhere today! I have a nine-year old boy and this “life with boys” video just socked me in the gut. Who thought to have them rolling around in their T-shirts? Cause that was brilliant. Amazing piece of art, Tara and Michel.
so very cool!!!
HUUUUUGE Smile was plastered on my face while watching this! Amazing! :)
The only word that comes to mind is “WOW!”
i want an invite to lisa’s for dinner! or even just to stand in her hallway! that was just excellent you tara and michel – the boy energy made me tear up (boy momma to the core).
amy-the boys started rolling in their tshirts all by themselves!
grinning from ear to ear!
Thanks for the info Tara.. thats my favorite lens these days
Love this! We have four boys and this reminds me of my life…but it’s more on the line of baseball than football (my poor husband would much rather it be football!)
it brought tears to my eyes :)
Thank you!
no.1, they have great taste in football teams. no.2 you are everything that is wonderful and amazing and beautiful. what an amazing gift for a family.
I cant find the words to say how much Im grateful.
Ive watched this video so many times and I cant help but wish that everyone could feel how I do when I see these images.
You make me fall in love with my family over and over again.
Thank you – to you and Michel.
Love you.
And thanks for all the comments everyone. :)
WOW!!! I am speechless and would give anything to have something like that for our family!!
warmed my heart (being a mom to mostly boys!) and can so, so relate to this!
Awesome work you guys!
Bridget
Beautiful….if you need another family to build your porfolio, we could totally help you out :) Really, we could :)
Just completely full of amazing-ness! You BOTH rocked it!
So great!! Everyone should have this for their family!!
This is insane. I knew I wasn’t going to cry on this one and I SO did. When I watch these I feel like I am hovering above my body looking down, lol. Like a white light kind of thing. I can’t even imagine being Lisa or Emily. This would make me finally go out and buy the fireproof safe:) I miss Lisa:( You’re amazing Tara and Michel.
Oh, wonderful wonderful!!!
you. did. it. again. amazing. everytime i watch one of your videos i have to run to itunes and buy the song. i loove your work.
smiles
ria
oh yes, there are tears…
it kills me though how i want to see ALL the photos from the session like IMMEDIATELY. i can be patient, i CAN be patient….
omg! i think i am SERIOUSLY lacking in what i thought was having fun with my family!!!!!
perfectly done;)
I am torn between wanting to be Lisa’s new bff because her family is so fun, or being insanely jealous of her and secretly booking a session behind my husband’s back. Hmmmm. Don’t run out of rad songs before it is our turn! Awesome work!
That absolutely ROCKS! I love love love it!
Such an inspiration of how to capture life in all its simplest forms. Thank you for sharing…..
WOW I am just blown away again!! What a beautiful thing to have for your family :)
what more can be said….goosebumps…so many fabulous real moments. really well done :) AND I adore Ray Lamontagne…he is playing here friday night, but I am off to a wedding :(
Oh how I wish I could afford something like this. It’s so wonderful. What a treasure. Someday if I win the lottery….. unless! you need a family with awesome older kids, a couple so in love still after 15 years, two dogs and a happy peaceful life in idaho. We’d be happy to be your models. ;) Awesome work Tara!
i am absolutely, positively in love…
so.darn.cool.
so.darn.cool. what a treasure!
You two make an incredible team. I would die to have something like this done. Come to South Carolina sometime……..please!
fabulous!
So. Damn. Good.
So beautiful! Love your work.
I want to be in their family!
I am in awe of the emotion that you capture both in stills and movie! Blubbering over this one too…but it feels so incredibly different. Amazing job.
t
love it. beats 3 hours of making me dizzy, fast forward already, old vhs videos… great job you two!
dang dude. you always make me cry. what a big fat baby.
i was just on someone’s blog and saw a ray lamontagne photograph. weird, huh? like right before i came onto your blog just a second ago, i was staring at it admiring it. spooky.
Another “WOW!” movie. You and Michel are truly making magic!!
this is beautiful! you guys really capture the beauty of family. i’ve never been big into videos, but you guys may have converted me. =b
tara – speechless. you are everything I want to be as an artist! You guys create something so magical.. keep it up :)