VIDEO
A wedding videotape should never be considered a substitute for still photographs. However, by virtue of its sound and movement, a video tape can preserve a distinct and important part of your wedding. Imagine being able to see and hear your vows being said, reliving again the emotions of the moment. A video of your wedding and the following festivities will capture the “real life” that otherwise goes unobserved, and is a poignant, often humorous, accompaniment to the traditional wedding photographs. Once you’ve made the decision to hire a professional, hold interviews with several. Observe and ask questions.
• Find a professional videographer the same way you shop for a photographer: Look at his work, and talk with him about his style of taping. Start looking at least six months before your wedding, and reserve a date as soon as possible.
• Has the video you are viewing been done with more than one camera? Your demonstration should include examples which help you to understand the difference between one and two camera coverage. Is the video you are viewing taken by the videographer who would cover your wedding?
• Experience and training: Ask how many years this person has been producing videos. How many weddings has he/she done in the past year?
• The costs for professional video equipment have dropped in recent years, while quality has increased. This has spurred a growth in the number of companies offering wedding videography. Be aware that many new companies charge extremely low prices in order to gain experience and footage for demonstration purposes. Your wedding video is an investment in one of life’s greatest moments, and it is well worth the money to hire someone you have confidence in. As with many things in life, you often get what you pay for.
• Be sure there is a contract outlining all the responsibilities and costs. It should include, in writing, specific coverage that you want on the video. Expect to pay a deposit when you reserve the date; expect to be charged if you cancel.
• Observe how the camera covered the ceremony and reception. Coverage should flow with the proceedings, interacting with guests, not intruding. The technique should be smooth, not jerky - the scenes should not look contrived. Poor scenes should have been edited out.
• The current trend in video is to create a more cinematic feel to your wedding video. Through editing techniques and newer cameras, some video now has the look and feel of motion pictures. The video may be shot and edited in widescreen format, for example. Certain filters also give the video more of a film look, adding to the realism of a motion picture type video. Creative camera work can also add more depth to a video. Shots filmed from one angle and one camera tends to give the video a flat, one dimensional look.
• Make sure the videographer will spend time editing your wedding and reception properly. A properly edited wedding and reception will take many hours to edit. The 2 or 3 cameras at the ceremony must be combined smoothly together and the camera at the reception will capture hours of footage that must be edited into an interesting highlight. On average a complete wedding video will be 1hour to 1 1/2 hours long.
• You may want to design your own package to include footage of the rehearsal, the bachelor dinner, a bridal shower, you and your groom in final preparation for the ceremony, interviews with your parents, special guests, activities, and groups of friends at the reception . . . all captured on film in sight, sound, and movement for years to come.
• Private Video Moments... Some creative couples like to capture "private" chats on film, catching a moment in time when special thoughts are extended between family members. These can be scheduled chats between bride and groom, mother and daughter, or son and father. Topics for discussion could include what the two people mean to each other, how much the bride appreciates the other's help, or sage words of advice.
• Communication with your videographer is essential. Make sure you feel comfortable discussing your expectations for your wedding video. Are they easy to contact and will they be available to discuss your needs and concerns? Remember that they will be around you and your family during the most important day of your life, so follow your instincts when it comes to personality. Ensure their personality fits the occasion and their style won’t clash with your family.
• Unobtrusive Coverage ... Through new developments in digital technology, camcorders and microphones have grown much smaller than ever before. Many videographers have invested in new digital video editing systems that have revolutionized the artistic expressions found in a finished video. As a result, your wedding video can look and sound as good as any program you may see on broadcast television! Plus, a professionally-produced wedding video can be artistically enhanced with the use of classic effects such as slow-motion, black and white imaging, and dreamy dissolves that make your video flow seamlessly from beginning to end.
• You may find professional videographers in your area using cameras and editing systems that are similar. But it will be their skills, experience, style, and techniques in both shooting and editing that will immediately capture your attention and be the distinguishing differences you will notice in their work. This is why it is virtually impossible to shop by price alone when selecting your videographer. Professional wedding videography is an artistic, not a mechanical medium. Videographers shoot and edit video differently.
• Here are some questions to ask when interviewing videographers:
* What does the video package include?
* Single camera or Multi-camera
* Montage of stills or slow motion scenes.
* Titles
* Narration
* Background music
* Close-up shots
* Interviews with family, wedding party, guests
* What style of video you prefer? Video to have a classic, story-telling approach, similar to television programs such as A&E's "Biography" or a fast-paced, highly-stylized "MTV" look?
* Discuss costs. Work out a clear payment schedule.
* Obtain an itemized agreement that lists everything included in the package.
* How many DVD's come with the package? What is the cost for extra DVD's?
* How is the DVD packaged? Does it have a case, album, printed labels?
* Is a deposit required? If so, how much?
* How many hours does the price include?
* Can he/she arrive early to capture last-minute preparations, moments with family members and unexpected situations?
* Will the coverage start from getting ready and then ceremony and reception or cover only ceremony and reception?
* How is overtime handled if you do not book an all day coverage?
* Does the videographer maintain the original videotape? If so, how long?
* What is the cancellation policy?
* Can you select the background music, and is there a large selection to choose from?
* What kind of camera equipment will be used?
* Will there be sufficient light available at the time and location of the ceremony?
* Sound: The best videographers are using a wireless microphone or mini disc digital recorder to get clean, clear audio.
* Is the person who is showing you the videos the same person who will be shooting your wedding or at least the person involved in how the videography will be taped at the wedding and how it will be edited?
* Make sure you know who is taping the wedding, and get it in writing.
* Is the videographer familiar with the site you have selected?
* What will the videographer's attire be?
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