Bad experience with first wedding shoot

Drew Ott

Drew Ott

Wish I were banned.
Shot my first wedding ever today as B-cam with my XHA1. Everything was going well. Stupidly I turned the display off once I had everything set up perfectly, because I was a locked shot for the entire ceremony part. After about 5 minutes, the auto-power off came up. I barely adjusted zoom forward then back to keep the camera from turning off.

Rolled for another 5 minutes or so and then turned my display back on just because I was bored of the locked shot and wanted to watch my time code run. Paused. I'm not recording. Crap.

Because of my age, my "boss" was already being very trusting in me, and I am feeling terrible. I offered to shoot the next wedding with him for free. Not particularly for him, mainly so I can live with myself.

I feel like John C. Reilly's character in Magnolia when after he lost his gun.
 
try not to dwell. we all make mistakes and you'll learn from this one. you've obviously showed your regret and offered to make good on it. there is nothing else you can do. it used to stress me out immensely to think of screwing up someone's wedding video with an operational or technical problem. well, it is going to happen or could happen. and when it does, you simply have to chalk it up, apologize, refund money, whatever. there is nothing else to do. don't let it get you down, you've got a lot of shooting ahead of you. just let it make you more vigilant about record, the red dot, checking your record. best-aL
 
Thanks.

I'm doing my best to be optimistic about it.

On a side note I showed up not knowing whose wedding it was. It was my dentist's.
 
Yeah the only thing I'd worry about is the next time that drill goes in your mouth. Kidding aside though, thats why you were the b-cam. So it doesnt happen again try this - I picked it up from a pilot friend - scan your instruments - make a list of all of your important settings (shutter, aperture, fps, umm record) and glance at them in a set order every bit while also keeping an eye on your footage. Keeps me alert and very aware of all of my settings. If alot is going on and you have to focus more on footage just dont scan your settings as often. But dont stop scanning. And I bet you never forget the record button again - you gotta learn somehow.
 
Better find a new dentist...
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We all make mistakes. I make them more often than I care to admit after 20+ years of video production. You learn more from your own mistakes than anything else.
 
ive filmed about 80 weddings and that has happened to about 10 of them. These things happen. I was filming a wedding once. I filming the things that didn;t need to be filmed and didn't film things that had to be filmed. Luckly i had my wide shot camera to fall back on.

Thanks,
 
Just tell the bride and groom you'll do better on their next weddings in a few years:Drogar-Love(DBG): ....
 
bballplaya283 said:
Shot my first wedding ever today as B-cam with my XHA1. Everything was going well. Stupidly I turned the display off once I had everything set up perfectly, because I was a locked shot for the entire ceremony part. After about 5 minutes, the auto-power off came up. I barely adjusted zoom forward then back to keep the camera from turning off.

Rolled for another 5 minutes or so and then turned my display back on just because I was bored of the locked shot and wanted to watch my time code run. Paused. I'm not recording. Crap.

Because of my age, my "boss" was already being very trusting in me, and I am feeling terrible. I offered to shoot the next wedding with him for free. Not particularly for him, mainly so I can live with myself.

I feel like John C. Reilly's character in Magnolia when after he lost his gun.
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Sorry to hear that. That's why I hate shooting weddings. No Take 2's! But hey, ya live and learn. Here's one of my personal stories for you:

http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showpost.php?p=810354&postcount=65

You should feel a lot better about yourself after you read this. :)
 
I paid my friend to film my sister's wedding and he brought two guys along. I didn't think he needed 3 guys but he argued for it.

One of them didn't white balance and shot the worst 3 second cutaways Ive ever seen. I can't help but think he could have been replaced by a tripod.
 
c.g._eads said:
Man, I wish I had that job. Set a camera up in one spot for the entire wedding and press record.
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a producer/friend of mine brought me in to man one of three cameras on a tripod for the upcoming Serenity video commentary. just sat in a chair making sure nathan fillion and adam baldwin (who has some great Kubrick stories, btw) were properly framed. easiest money I ever made.
 
Zak Forsman said:
a producer/friend of mine brought me in to man one of three cameras on a tripod for the upcoming Serenity video commentary. just sat in a chair making sure nathan fillion and adam baldwin (who has some great Kubrick stories, btw) were properly framed. easiest money I ever made.
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I am so damn jealous of you right now. Man, I cannot wait for that DVD.
 
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