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Tips
for A Great Wedding Video
by: Shawn
Hickman
What factors should
a bride and groom consider when choosing a
videographer?
How the couple "clicks" with the videographer,
the perceived quality of the work, price and
value, experience, and professionalism are
all important factors when choosing a videographer.
On the first item, realize that you will be
spending lots of time on what is often a rather
stressful day with this person. While a personable
videographer will help the couple relax and
enjoy their day, the exact opposite is also
true.
The nicest videographer in the world, however,
will not compensate for poor work. Shooting
and editing videotape is an art form. Find
someone with the right combination of excellent
skills and excellent tools.
Price and value will always mean different
things to couples on different budgets. The
tired cliche, "you get what you pay for" is
as true here as with any other service. If
a couple finds out how much time is really
involved in producing a great video, they
will realize why prices will often exceed
$1500 to $2000. Certainly, none of us will
advocate going over-budget like they do in
Hollywood, but a video that will hold up to
the scrutiny of friends, family, and time
will not come cheaply.
A videography studio that has done work in
your facility, or one like it, is an invaluable
help. That the videographer is on his 100th,
or 500th wedding, is an asset to you. That
videographer knows what to expect at the wedding,
what questions to ask, and of whom, knows
how to interact with the various people he/she
will come into contact with during the day.
What are some questions a couple should ask
when choosing a videographer?
We give out a sheet entitled "Comparison shopping
questions" to our couples. This is a great
place to start as you shop.
* Who will my videographer be? Will he/she
be the owner, a partner, a full-time employee,
a free-lance person, or other?
* Who will be editing the videotape?
*To what professional organizations does your
studio belong?
*How do the crew members advance their professional
educations?
*Is the sample tape I'm viewing the same format
(usually standard VHS) and same generation
(usually 3rd) that I will receive? Was the
sample tape recorded and edited on the same
equipment that will be used for my event?
*Is your main camera a 3-CCD (3 "chip") professional
model, or something else? What about camera
2, or your back-up camera?
*How many wireless microphones will you use
during the ceremony? Where will they be placed?
All the sources of sound should be clean and
clear.
* What happens if an equipment problem occurs
during my wedding?
*What guarantees do you provide?
*What input do we have throughout the shooting
and editing process?
* How will you light the ceremony? How will
you light the reception?
*Where will the videographer(s) be during
the ceremony and reception?
*How will the crew be dressed?
What are some indications that a videographer
might not be that professional?
You should think twice before hiring a videographer
who
*Does not allow you to visit their studio
* Offers no references
* Avoids answering direct questions
*Speaks ill of other videographers, other
industry professionals, or other couples
* Shows you a tape that he/she didn't produce,
but claims to be able to make one "just like
that"
How can a couple evaluate the quality of a
wedding video they are viewing as a sample?
What are some indicators that the video is
very good--and indicators that the video is
not that good at all?
Here is what I see as the best way to judge:
ask yourself "Is this what I want my tape
to look and sound like?" If your answer is
"no", go on to your next appointment. If the
answer is "yes", then it's time to move forward.
Start with the questions that I list in number
2 above. Seeing a tape from your facility,
under similar conditions, will be a great
visual clue as to how your tape will turn
out.
A major ingredient in the evaluation process
is how the details show up in the tape. Do
the flesh tones look right? Can you see eye
colors? Can the brides gown be seen in fine
detail? Same for the mothers' dresses.
Crank up the sound. At high volume, the sound
should still be clean and clear, not distorted
in any way.
What information should a couple give to their
videographer before the wedding that could
really help the videographer do his/her job
well?
Knowing where to be, and when, is the obviously
best way to start the day off correctly. Please
let us know if anything out of the ordinary
is going to happen, such as your sister singing
with the band, or Aunt Mildred getting a cake
in honor of her 85th birthday. Information
that you are sharing with the other vendors,
such as the caterer, about the schedule of
events, should be shared with us.
Knowing what you expect of us, so that we
can meet or exceed those expectations, is
vital.
What should the couple include in a contract
with a videographer?
The contract should protect both parties,
and not be so restrictive that it needs to
be referred to during the wedding. Obviously,
there should be a clear accounting for what
services are being included, and at what price.
Available extras, and their prices, should
be clear. If the contract is based on hours
of coverage, that should be unambiguous, along
with definition of and charges for overtime.
Any rules about cancellation should be easily
understood, along with the requirements for
any guarantees. And since we work a very long
day, meal breaks should be defined and included
in the contract.
What are some great ideas for videos that
the couple could have made that would be played
either at the church or the reception?
Having been a judge for the recent Wedding
and Event Videographers International Creative
Excellence Awards, I can tell you that some
outstanding videos are being produced across
the country, and around the world. One award
winner was told as an eternal love story,
showing how the couple had been together in
a previous life. They had Shakespearian-type
costumes for that period, and it was shot
with a soft-focus filter. The modern portion
was shot with regular camera settings. Another
entry told a funny "how we met" story, set
to music. The Best of Category winner was
actually rather simple, but told well. It
showed the bride and groom arriving at an
old mansion for a picnic, then cut back and
forth between actual picnic scenes and posed
moments. Those posed moments included the
couple lip-synching to the background music,
and it was a story told with subtle humor.
Do you have any suggestions on how a couple
can make sure a video made ahead of time (perhaps
one of them from childhood on or one highlighting
family love stories) turns out extremely well?
Have a clear idea of what you expect to see
before starting the production, and make sure
the producer understands as well. View the
tape before it is shown. See other works the
studio has produced. Ask those people how
their tapes turned out.
How can a couple save money on videography?
Are there any ways they can negotiate for
a better price?
This is a very difficult area. Some studios
will offer discounts for off-season work.
Just recognize that what is in-season will
vary by region. A Friday night wedding could
also bring savings. Cutting back on the services
provided, or on the number of tapes received,
can make a difference. Shopping with a friend,
where both will choose the same videographer,
can be helpful. Ask if the videographer offers
a Bridal Registry program. We do offer this
service, where friends of the couple can buy
gift certificates toward the price of the
wedding video. There are some videographers,
however, that do not offer discounts of any
kind, for any reason. be prepared to hear
that answer as well.
What special effects can a couple request?
Do you use any special effects in wedding
videos that you think come out really well?
Most videographers have a bank of hundreds
of available special effects. I believe that
the best videos have the least intrusive effects.
Certainly, the Creative Excellence award winners
were F/X minimalists. Certain effects can
make a tape look as dated as the fashions
and hairstyles will in a few years. The classic
film-making techniques, such as black & white,
slo-mo, and letter boxing, also look great
on video. The latest exploding, picture-breaking,
fire-breathing effect will look as bad on
your wedding tape in a year or so as it looks
now on some late night locally produced cable
TV used car lot commercial.
The best special effect is a well-trained
human eye. How the shot is framed, how it's
lit, how it's tracked, are all elements much
more important than what can be achieved through
clicking a mouse button.
What type of things have you done with wedding
video that you feel really came out spectacular?
A personal favorite is where I assemble the
key shots from the wedding ceremony, and edit
them together in black & white letterbox.
Then I superimpose a scroll of the wedding
invitation over that.
Another favorite is when I had the bride and
groom sitting on a bench, talking to each
other. I started my shot with an extreme close-up
of a tree, then moved the camera out to catch
the bride with the most natural laugh you
can imagine. While shooting next to a pond
at a bed-and-breakfast place, we got some
great reflection shots. And that first look
always is magical, whether staged or real.
How can a couple help the videographer on
the day of the wedding, so as to be sure the
video comes out wonderful?
Relax and have a great time. If they have
hired a professional, put their faith there.
If they relax and have fun, that will shine
through on the tape.
What type of equipment should a videographer
bring to the wedding? What type of equipment
should the bride and groom ask be brought?
How the equipment is used is as important
as the hardware involved. While I did indirectly
address the issues earlier, I'll review.
*At least two wireless microphones, plus at
least one extra hard wire mic.
* At least one 3CCD pro camera, preferably
two, and/or a back-up camera
*Tripod and dolly
*Proper lights
* A note sheet, with all the relevant wedding
info, and a place to write new notes, if needed
*More than enough blank videotapes
What are your best tips for brides and grooms
who want a really outstanding wedding video?
*Ask friends, family, and other vendors who
they recommend
*Commit as much of a percentage as possible
toward the video in the budget
*Shop around, and ask the questions in #2
above, so that you can compare apples to apples
* Relax and have fun
About the author:
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