Wanting to shoot weddings in NY/Metropolitan area

[davidcheok]

Create a demo reel. Visit the production houses and pass them your resume. If your work is good, they will contact you. Don't forget to price yourself accordingly. Remember, you are also looking for experience and resume materials so your price should reflect that. Actually, before you do that, you should find out more about what you are good at. Maybe they can hire you as an assistant editor or whatever else that helps you gain more experience and up your levels of expertise. Whatever it is, at the end of the day, its the passion and determination to succeed that governs the results.

 

[alexgutterson]

Create a demo reel. Visit the production houses and pass them your resume. If your work is good, they will contact you. Don't forget to price yourself accordingly. Remember, you are also looking for experience and resume materials so your price should reflect that. Actually, before you do that, you should find out more about what you are good at. Maybe they can hire you as an assistant editor or whatever else that helps you gain more experience and up your levels of expertise. Whatever it is, at the end of the day, its the passion and determination to succeed that governs the results.

Thank you.

 

[ezpop]

I would strongly suggest you to work (even for free) 2 - 3, more is better, weddings as an assistant with an experienced wedding videographer, that will give you answers to the most of your questions and will save you from doing most common mistakes, plus that's the best way to see if you actually can do that, cuz I know some really good operators that can't .
Being a wedding videographer is not about keeping your camera straight, it is mostly about being a good director.
It is only My Horrible Opinion.
Good luck

 

[slimchrisp]

uh, it is so not "impossible to get work without a close family reference/recommendation". here's what i did. post on craigslist that you want to shoot some videos for free. just say you're trying to build a reel. i guarantee you, you will get TONS of people writing you back.
shoot a few, and from that alone you'll get referrals. that's what i did.

my wife is a photographer, so i had that advantage, and we do a video/photography package. i'm guessing you won't have that option, but maybe you can hook up with some photographers in your area and set up a similar deal. it could help both parties. check out flickr.com and schmooze with some people in the "starting a wedding photography group". you're bound to meet someone.

last of all, you gotta spend money to make money. we advertised on theknot.com. yeah, we had to drop several grand, but that has more than paid for itself.

oh yeah, one more thing. check out cinematicbride.com. this guy has chops. i won't say i do the same type of work that he does, but i do try to be myself and not churn out the same crap most wedding videos look like. if you have your own style and a solid product, you'll make some $$$.

my wife and i are doing so good now that i'm planning to quit my web development job before too long. shooting and editing for a living. that's definitely a good thing.

hope that helps a little.

 

[alexgutterson]

uh, it is so not "impossible to get work without a close family reference/recommendation". here's what i did. post on craigslist that you want to shoot some videos for free. just say you're trying to build a reel. i guarantee you, you will get TONS of people writing you back.
shoot a few, and from that alone you'll get referrals. that's what i did.

my wife is a photographer, so i had that advantage, and we do a video/photography package. i'm guessing you won't have that option, but maybe you can hook up with some photographers in your area and set up a similar deal. it could help both parties. check out flickr.com and schmooze with some people in the "starting a wedding photography group". you're bound to meet someone.

last of all, you gotta spend money to make money. we advertised on theknot.com. yeah, we had to drop several grand, but that has more than paid for itself.

oh yeah, one more thing. check out cinematicbride.com. this guy has chops. i won't say i do the same type of work that he does, but i do try to be myself and not churn out the same crap most wedding videos look like. if you have your own style and a solid product, you'll make some $$$.

my wife and i are doing so good now that i'm planning to quit my web development job before too long. shooting and editing for a living. that's definitely a good thing.

hope that helps a little.

It's funny you mention that as my girlfriend of 3 years is a photographery student looking to get to a similar place as myself.

But everyone seriously thank you.

I figured things would work fairly similiarly to how it has been depicted by everyone.

But the confirmation from experienced/advanced individuals in the field really gives me reassurance as to the direction that I should take.