Wedding videography question - How much is too much?

Captain Pierce said:
The question is, can you do both? Or are you better served sticking to one of these demographics?
Click to expand...

Personally, I feel like I'm kinda in the middle. I strive for cinematic but at the same time, most of my clients want unobtrusiveness so it is a balancing act. My feeling on the topic is whether you're working with an assistant, a small crew, or going solo; I think you can balance both. There are times when you might have to leave the 35mm adapter at home but you can still do a cinematic shooting style. When I think of cinema, I don't automatically say "gee, its all about cranes, dollies, 35mm lenses, and steadicams".

In terms of cinematic in relation to weddings it is: a vision, a personal shooting style, comfort through experience, being prepared, alert, and inspired by the moments as they come, as well as a strong knowledge of storytelling through images. It's also the way you shoot, use natural light combined with your own lighting, as well as the way you edit. And we all know a lot can be done in post in terms of color correction and grading. For weddings it is also how you interact with the client and their guests.

Look at the original Star Wars trilogy. It is primarily static shots. Sure they used a dolly, steadicam, or crane here and there, but it still works without all that stuff too.

Sure some brides want all the bells and whistles and can afford a two or three camera shoot with three videographers/cinematographers, while others want a nice looking video but are working within a lower budget. Of course, some people are turned off by all the equipment and want a more traditional coverage. Nothing wrong with that. I don't see why there seems to be such a battle brewing in the wedding video industry between the traditionalists and what I call the cinematists. There will always be new trends in this field, some of which I personally feel are tacky and cheesy, but sometimes you just have to give the customer what they want while bending your artistic vision a bit.
 
Last edited:
How Much is Enough Then?

How Much is Enough Then?

My wife's cousin found out that I have a DVX and has asked me to shoot her wedding for her. They are not expecting the world but, of course, I want to do a good job. So, what, do I need in terms of capturing sound? Should I purchase some wireless lavs - I'd ask them if they are comfortable wearing them first of course. Or, will a shotgun suffice (pardon the pun).

The only camera mount lighting that I have is a cooLED from VIDLED. Will that do the trick? Or will I need something more?
 
I agree with the, "Fly on the wall" approach, because it works every time--you get great candid moments when people forget they're miked up and you're 20 feet away in the shadows. That being said, it depends on what your client wants. Communication with the couple, as well as trying to give a little face-time with the officiant, is invaluable.

I just watched stillmotions reel and BAM! You talk about going Hollywood?! The steadicam (or Glidecam) shots alone would make him/her a spectacle (during the ceremony--which is when the fire is hottest for not screwing up!), but you know what? One of the biggest comments I've heard from shooting weddings the past few years from the bride is this:

(paraphrased over 20+weddings)

"I was so AMPED up on worrying if the food was right, if the linens were right, if the guests were comfortable, if the dj was going to have sound problems.....and oh yeah, this is the BIGGEST day of my life.........that when I watch the video play back, I realize that I didn't remember any of it."

If your client is happy with you, "doing what you need to do" to get the shot, then on the one hand, you have a contractual obligation to them to do a professional job. Balance this with tradition, ceremony, and respect, and you can step on toes pretty easily just to get your shot, depending on the church/temple/mosque/etc, combined with the master of ceremonies/minister/etc. From my experience though, the bride/groom will put up with someone being upset that you were visible, because they're paying for a film that will remind them forever of that special day. Don't want to sound callous though, tradition and respect are key, but that's why you have to lay everything down up front on what's going to happen to get the shots that are on your demo reel, if they want that sort of production.

Happy St. Paddy's Day lads, go have a Guinness! I am.

Oh.

Rock Punk! You have the basics covered. A wireless lav is absolutely necessary, imo. I usually have the groom wear it, or the officiant if the groom can't. A bad picture can be covered with clean sound, but a great picture usually can't make up for terrible sound.
 
I think the best advice I can give is be ready to shoot in 5 minutes. Be prepared in the worst case scenario to shoot with 2 cams with 5 minutes of preparation. Know and love the wedding coordinator, make her love you, same with the photographer. Notice I haven't said anything about equipment yet...that's cuz if these people despise you...you won't even get a shot off.

One of the most stressful scenarios we have had is having a ceremony scheduled to begin at 2:00pm and we were admitted to the church at 2:15pm. Much of the day is out of your control. You may cover all your bases, have multiple consults, attend all the planning meetings...and still be dealing with a 12 hour migraine. That's just the nature of the business.

Equipment wise we shoot with 2 DVX's, 1 Sony Z7, Kessler 12/8, Litepanels DV Mount and 1x1, on hand Arri Softbank IV kit and assorted audio.

The things that move fast...move fast. The things that are still...are still. Frankly your Prepro is more important than any prepro you'll ever do for any project.
 
I shot a wedding in the Bahamas in the dead of summer and the damn lenses wouldn't stop fogging up!

(Good thing it was my sister's and I wasn't being paid so she was understanding about the whole thing)

It still turned out fine though but man, was that annoying.

But anyway, we used minimal equipment. Just the cameras/tripods and mic's. We thought cruising around the altar with the stedicam would be too distracting.
 
the tools will define your work these days bc many are competing to get the best footage. if you're just doing multicam, pan, tilt, or even zoom, you're just another wedding videographer.

i bet everyone here will feel different if the client pay you couple times more than you asked, then you will go all out, knowing that you have to get the best footage. so what's the different between that and doing a regular job-pay?

slider, steadicam, and crane(if approp) along w/ your other equipments? why NOT!!!
 
Well, alot of times people aren't looking for their wedding to look like a film set, they just want the moment captured clearly and thoroughly.

Granted, a steadicam would help smooth things out but a crane might be a little much. But who knows everyone's different.

It pays to have a good long conversation with the bride/groom and family to figure out exactly what they're looking for.
 
Wedding videos and wedding productions are two very different things.
If wanting a wedding video, it really is best to have uncle Bob shoot it from the second row and edit nothing. The raw footage is what will be savored 30 years from now.
Now wedding productions...these are so mother's of the bride can brag about how much they cost so you can easily get upward of 5 grand for a little music video shot of the day and then played at the reception. I'm not talking ceremony at all in this 3 minute music video. I'm talking about well lit, well executed shots put together in a professional manner. These productions can indeed have visdibl;e gear and crews...it's part of what they are purchasing.

Then they can watch uncle Bob's video in 30 years.

If you try to make both of these into one video, you'll get in the way, spend too much time in post, then get yelled out for leaving out aunt Betty.
To properly pitch one of these productions, it's best to suggest ole unccle Bob for the ceremony. This way they know you are at a different level, hence the pay difference.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top