{ Please excuse length of post...}
Hi,
I'm hoping that folks in the forum might provide some advice on finding a competent videographer for my upcoming wedding (summer, 2008) in Montreal. I've tried to follow the same process that was successful in finding a still photographer (namely looking at websites and emailing and then meeting the good ones), but to no avail... It seems that there are far fewer wedding videographer websites than photographer ones, and I've been amazed by the low production quality of some of the work I have seen (some seriously looked like spoofs). It doesn't help that even though my fiance and I are getting married in Montreal, neither of us live there (so we're trying to do everything remotely). As a matter of fact, while many photographers responded to our emails during that process, not a single wedding videographer (out of 30) that we emailed in Montreal has written back (it's been almost two weeks). So obviously, I'm hitting a brick wall, thus far. I've also tried to search this forum for postings about wedding videographers, but I haven't yet found any local to Montreal...
So, why am I turning to you kind folks for help? While I haven't posted here much at all (and none recently), I lurked a few years back while I was educating myself (at least nominally) on equipment and craft --- enough so to produce a competent amateur "documentary" project capturing the family anecdotes of my grandmother. In my "normal" life, I have no other connection to or knowledge of film-making (I'm actually a theoretical physics grad student, though I've long done amateur still photography), so it was only through the insightful postings of this forum and Barry Green's very readable "DVX Book" that the project turned out as well as I think it did (for what it is, at least). For those interested, we shot about 15 hours (storyboarded ahead of time) over a span of 1-2 months of my grandmother telling stories while seated in her living room. With two family helpers, I shot it on a DVX-100 in 16:9 24pA (thanks to Pana LA7200 anamorphic lens) on a Bogen 501, sound through a boomed Sennheiser ME64, some Arri lights, and monitoring via HD280 (audio) and Pana H1390Y (video). While we've done no post-production (and for this type of project it's not crucial really right now), my family and I have been overjoyed at the results. And I thank all the thousands of helpful commentators here that I read while preparing...
Anyway, the only real downside of this process of educating myself in this field is that I'm now much more discerning when I look at prospective videographers. And the example work I've so far seen online for individuals advertising themselves as "wedding videographers" in Montreal is depressing. Besides the fact that none of them are responding to my emails anyway.
So, I'd be very grateful if anyone here might provide me with recommendations to skilled professionals in the Montreal area. And, when I say "skilled professionals," I'm talking quality of craft, I don't mean specific degrees, etc. I'd be happy to talk to someone still in school, or someone who does videography or film-making for other genres, but might consider shooting this wedding...
If you don't know of anybody, might you have any specific suggestions on how to find someone? If they have their own equipment---great, if they have the technical skills and ability but not the equipment (and don't want to rent it), I have all of the above DVX100 gear that can be used. I'm expecting to pay appropriate market rates, but am happy to discuss any arrangements that might make a potential quality videographer happy.
Thanks for reading this far, and for any potential help with this. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year!
Best wishes,
-Daniel
Hi,
I'm hoping that folks in the forum might provide some advice on finding a competent videographer for my upcoming wedding (summer, 2008) in Montreal. I've tried to follow the same process that was successful in finding a still photographer (namely looking at websites and emailing and then meeting the good ones), but to no avail... It seems that there are far fewer wedding videographer websites than photographer ones, and I've been amazed by the low production quality of some of the work I have seen (some seriously looked like spoofs). It doesn't help that even though my fiance and I are getting married in Montreal, neither of us live there (so we're trying to do everything remotely). As a matter of fact, while many photographers responded to our emails during that process, not a single wedding videographer (out of 30) that we emailed in Montreal has written back (it's been almost two weeks). So obviously, I'm hitting a brick wall, thus far. I've also tried to search this forum for postings about wedding videographers, but I haven't yet found any local to Montreal...
So, why am I turning to you kind folks for help? While I haven't posted here much at all (and none recently), I lurked a few years back while I was educating myself (at least nominally) on equipment and craft --- enough so to produce a competent amateur "documentary" project capturing the family anecdotes of my grandmother. In my "normal" life, I have no other connection to or knowledge of film-making (I'm actually a theoretical physics grad student, though I've long done amateur still photography), so it was only through the insightful postings of this forum and Barry Green's very readable "DVX Book" that the project turned out as well as I think it did (for what it is, at least). For those interested, we shot about 15 hours (storyboarded ahead of time) over a span of 1-2 months of my grandmother telling stories while seated in her living room. With two family helpers, I shot it on a DVX-100 in 16:9 24pA (thanks to Pana LA7200 anamorphic lens) on a Bogen 501, sound through a boomed Sennheiser ME64, some Arri lights, and monitoring via HD280 (audio) and Pana H1390Y (video). While we've done no post-production (and for this type of project it's not crucial really right now), my family and I have been overjoyed at the results. And I thank all the thousands of helpful commentators here that I read while preparing...
Anyway, the only real downside of this process of educating myself in this field is that I'm now much more discerning when I look at prospective videographers. And the example work I've so far seen online for individuals advertising themselves as "wedding videographers" in Montreal is depressing. Besides the fact that none of them are responding to my emails anyway.
So, I'd be very grateful if anyone here might provide me with recommendations to skilled professionals in the Montreal area. And, when I say "skilled professionals," I'm talking quality of craft, I don't mean specific degrees, etc. I'd be happy to talk to someone still in school, or someone who does videography or film-making for other genres, but might consider shooting this wedding...
If you don't know of anybody, might you have any specific suggestions on how to find someone? If they have their own equipment---great, if they have the technical skills and ability but not the equipment (and don't want to rent it), I have all of the above DVX100 gear that can be used. I'm expecting to pay appropriate market rates, but am happy to discuss any arrangements that might make a potential quality videographer happy.
Thanks for reading this far, and for any potential help with this. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year!
Best wishes,
-Daniel
