Who does wedding videos?!?

B

BajotierraTV

Member
Ok, most of us have dreams of doing artistic films with multi million dollar budgets (right?), but in the mean time we do what we can to make a living. So I've been exploring the option of doing wedding videos, yes I said it wedding videos.

Is anybody in the business of wedding videos? What is the average wedding shoot? 1, 2, 3 cameras? What is the price range of taping and editing a wedding?

Any answers would be greatly apreciated.

Thanks
 
The wedding market seems to be all over the map as far as pricing goes, even for similar "packages". I'm in So Cal and just shot my first one in many years this past Saturday. I did it for a co-worker at no charge so that I would have demo material. I've been researching the market and the price range for a single camera shoot seems to be between $900 and $1500. For a two camera it's around $1200 to $1800 or so. These numbers are just crazy as far as the difference and it it's a real challenge to find the "right" pricing.

The debate rages on about pricing and perceived value of wedding videographers. They're the last in the "food chain" in the bridal budget, but I know if done right, there's money to be made.

It is alot of work by the time you factor in the shoot and editing and tapes/DVD's. Be prepared to hustle. I shot weddings years ago and got back into it again as an experiment. It remains to be seen if I can make it profitable.

You may want to check out http://www.fastforwardclub.com.
 
Go to http://www.weva.org, that's the website for the Wedding and Event Videographers Association. I think they're the main voice for the wedding industry. They put on a great show here in Vegas in the fall, lots of manufacturers show up to demonstrate gear and there are lots of seminars and things, so if you're looking at getting into the wedding business, they're probably people you should be talking to.
 
Wedding Video Contracts

Wedding Video Contracts

I have a contract written up and I have this client who lives quite a far far distance from me.

I was wondering if it was okay to have the contract signed and FAXED back to me with the signature and info?

Also, Is receiving a fax copy of a check payment possible?

Thanks
 
BajotierraTV said:
So I've been exploring the option of doing wedding videos, yes I said it wedding videos.
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If you really have a hard time "saying" it, maybe you ought to reconsider.

http://www.weva.com/cgi-bin/newsreader.pl?op=render&type=o&storyid=2282

The only thing I have to time to write for you is that anything you put your heart and mind to, if you get good, you can eventually get paid for it. It will take you a few years and thousands of $$$ in equpiment investment to get paid well for wedding video. You should also consider that you should buy at least some music you use. In a short while, you can get paid enough to make you feel like you are making some money. You will certainly get practice, but be prepared to deal with your own mistakes. Shooting mistakes will force you to lose your profit in the edit.

Markus said:
They're the last in the "food chain" in the bridal budget, but I know if done right, there's money to be made.
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things are changing as people see better work out there. I don't think that is true.

It is alot of work by the time you factor in the shoot and editing and tapes/DVD's. Be prepared to hustle. I shot weddings years ago and got back into it again as an experiment. It remains to be seen if I can make it profitable.
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markus has it.
 
Thanks for the info and links everybody...

Pooh,
I appreciate your comments, however I believe you misunderstood me, it's not that I have a hard time saying it, it's simply that in the industry Im currently working on (Television production), the wedding videographer is almost looked down upon, it is unjust and unfair but unfortunately it is how it's seen (by a lot of people). I have a passion for film and video, so even though I wouldn't consider shooting wedding videos as my favorite thing to produce I am simply considering it as a form of additional income.

I'm just basically looking for opinions of professionals in the wedding video industry to see if it's even worth trying to pursue that branch of the industry.
 
BajotierraTV said:
Thanks for the info and links everybody...

I'm just basically looking for opinions of professionals in the wedding video industry to see if it's even worth trying to pursue that branch of the industry.
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I am new in the video industry, but I am choosing to stay away from weddings for a bunch of reasons.

1. You have to give up most every weekend to shoot. (Not the lifestyle I want).
2. You need lots of backup equipment.
3. Every nitwit goes out and offers wedding videos. You can get above the under- $1000 pack, but it takes a while to get the referrals flowing. Maybe as much as two years.
4. It is difficult to stay legal, since lots of the nitwits (your competitors early on) will put anyones copyrighted music on a wedding video. Not impossible, but one more thing to try explaining to prospects..
5. No room for error, no retakes, have to be a belt and suspenders guy.
6. You have to pretend to be having fun at wedding after wedding. Not my idea of how I want to spend my weekend.
7. Husband/wife teams seem to do best. I am single.
8. Everything is so critical that it seems foolish to trust employees with shooting. And editing is where you differentiate yourself, so is a critical business task. So to me, doing high end weddings seems more like a job than a business, since I can't hire/train employees for most tasks.
9. Editing can take a long time (30-50 hours per project is the typical number I have seen).

OTOH some people love weddings, like dealing with brides, and don't mind working almost every weekend. Unless you love it, you need to be one of the $1000 ($500?) guys, because you will never want to put in the time and effort to make really cool edits that can sell the $2000+ packages.
 
galt said:
you need to be one of the $1000 ($500?) guys, because you will never want to put in the time and effort to make really cool edits that can sell the $2000+ packages.
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lots of decent observations. realistic, except for the $1k and under estimate. There, you are losing money--which is hard not to do in the beginning until you get better. the backup gear was what I never knew would add up to so much $$$.

husband wife teams work well, agreed, but you don't have to be, just need at least two partners, totally committed people..and then 1-2 more people who could be your backups in an emergency or a few truly trusted industry colleagues.
 
Pooh, I have heard of several businesses that do sub-$1000 weddings and are pretty large. Hired camera guys (mostly students), minimal editing, no fluff, no highlights, no music, minimal DVD menus, plain packaging, just cheap basic video coverage. If you figure 4 hours (or $100 student) shooting and 8 hours editing, it's decent money. There does seem to be money to be made there, and lots of brides don't care about the differences or can't afford the $2k-$5k people. In fact, maybe I SHOULD do weddings. :D

And FWIW, I find your sig confusing. I thought you were Barry at first since you have his name in your signature.
 
galt said:
And FWIW, I find your sig confusing. I thought you were Barry at first since you have his name in your signature.
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If it is a problem for Barry at all, he can let me know, important observation though--thanks:)

I have the links in my sig because it is a fast, easy way for me to personally acknowledge work, craftmanship, or information that has helped me grow professionally. Probably won't be there forever, but for now, I hope it helps someone.
 
Sure. It would be less confusing if you showed it as:

The DVX Book by Barry Green

But hey, now that I know, it is only the other 5,566 members that might get confused from time to time if they don't look carefully at your posts.
 
I started my own wedding videography business about two years ago. The reason I started was to make some money to open up freetime for what I really wanted to do...personal films. I got a film degree, worked on features, but nothing has given me the life experience that running my own business has. It might not be the ideal atmosphere for what I want to shoot, but it is a HIGH-intensity environment that conditions me to always be on my toes and pre-planning. It also forces me to be extremely observational in this atmosphere, which helps to develop and sharpen my intuition and experience as a camera operator and photographer.
Somedays I freak out because the ebb and flow of $$$ can be scary...Sometimes I feel really successful. Sure I don't "love" weddings, but I do love using my equipment. I do love evaluating lighting conditions and making decisions to best suit these conditions. I love improving my operating skills, as well! I don't care when people call me a "nitwit" because I shoot weddings. I use to think that too.
Now I think it liberates me to a degree, because I am not working for some corporation. I create my own schedule. I generate my own money on my terms, with fairness and hard-work. There is alot of dignity in that. These conditions accelerate my education and force me to learn from mistakes, because it's my ass and business on the line. (And I do have a girlfriend who helps me for free, which IS a huge help watching over the second camera.
Most of all, this job has given me time. Time to continue my self-education in areas that fascinate me, without feeling overworked and tired. Time to take on other projects that are extremely important to me, which I wouldn't be able to do with such flexibility if I had a more traditional job.
In the meantime, I am finishing a screenplay that I plan to shoot this year.
 
slimjimmed said:
I don't care when people call me a "nitwit" because I shoot weddings. I use to think that too.
.
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Hey, I can see where the discipline of doing weddings can make you a better filmmaker. I have even told a couple of fledgling filmakers that very thing. SHooting more with pressure to get it right every time is always good practice. Not everyone who shoots weddings is a nitwit, but every nitwit with a camera thinks he is a wedding videographer. :thumbsup: Good luck with your films. I will look for you on Project Greenlight next year.
 
Charge as much as you KNOW you are worth... alof of people say to charge as much as you THINK you are worth.. but you will either underestimate yourself, or overestimate. Go to friends who have wedding videos, have their wives critique your stuff. If they say you suck... then... you probably do. If they are excited after seeing your stuff, it's definitely a great sign.

If I learned anything from work experience...
...if you charge cheap, people might think you do cheap work.
...if you charge cheap, the people they refer to you will expect the same price.
...the cheapest clients, are the ones who will give you the hardest time. (IMO at least) Because the cheap clients are usually the ones who don't know what they want, but try to give you suggestions(pointers) while you're working.
(Like the old plumber sign... $60 an hour. $80 to help)
 
WaveRiderXIX speaks the truth -- cheap clients are the bane of an independent businessman's existence. The cheap clients are responsible for 80% of the headaches, 80% of the hassles, etc... Good-paying clients are almost always, in my experience, likely to like the work I do, and accept the first cut, and be happy, and refer me to other good-paying clients, always making sure to tell those new clients what a great job I did for 'em.

Cheap clients always want more more more. I've almost completely excised them from my business, I just have two that are clinging on, and I had to deal with both of 'em today... ugh.
 
My wife brought up a good point about wedding video's (and photo's) - people spend thousands on food, clothes, flowers, etc. But when it's all said and done and the memories become cloudy all that's left is that video and the photo's. They are priceless. Don't be afraid to get paid what your worth.
 
I hate to rip off the commercial of other products but Master card has such a good tag line.

A wedding dress to be worn only once $800
Food for all your friends and family, even Uncle Bob that will be eaten only once $2500
Fresh flowers for the church that will wilt in the June heat $500
A quick honeymoon to Maui that is over before you know it. $3000

Wedding DVD that shows the romance and beauty of your special day that you can show your grandchildren over and over again - Priceless.

I have to work that into a sales pitch somehow
 
I don't know, I've shot wedding's for people who are rich and more often they are the stereotypical AssH&*Ls that there supposed to be.... and then the middle class almost alway's turn out to be the most accomidating.....
 
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