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Choosing A Videographer Your wedding day is one of life's most treasured moments. You can make it memorable forever by recording the entire event on videotape. Gone are the days of poorly lit, inaudible, and out-of-focus wedding videos; it should come as no surprise that video taping is becoming as traditional as photography. With advancements in equipment and more experienced videographers, today's brides and grooms should settle for nothing less than a sophisticated high-quality product that will retain its excitement long after the wedding day. A wedding video offers the most genuine memory of your wedding. A memory that the bride and groom can enjoy and share with family and friends, especially those who were unable to attend, for many years to come. Check out our local Videographers. What to Look For: Samples & Demos!: Be sure to ask to see recent wedding videos from each company you consider. You don't have to watch the entire video of course, but if you only watch the demos they choose to show you, be aware you are watching their best work. By asking to see whole projects they have completed, then telling them where and when to skip around on it, you will see a better cross section of their average work. Ask how long they have been doing Wedding videography. Ask for references you can call. Professional Video Equipment with Good Color and a Sharp Picture: Consumer level cameras available at the local discount store can't produce the quality needed to video-tape, edit, and make copies. Above this level are many variations. Some videographers use a standard video format (VHS or 8mm) and provide the original to the bride and groom. Copies made from this tape will be of sub-standard quality. A true professional uses a hi quality format such as SVHS, Hi8, BetaSP, or DV. Copies made from this type will be better quality and every copy will be the same. Ask if you will be getting a VHS tape or a DVD, if not much price difference go for the DVD, it will last longer. Smooth and Steady Camera Work with Spontaneous and Natural Shots: No matter how good his cameras are, a videographer must have good camera skills. Look for those special shots that 'make' the moment. Also flashy graphics may be great for TV commercials, but you want the focus to be on you. If you notice the effect, it takes the attention off of you! Good Coverage Of The Ceremony: You'll have to do your homework. Many videographers have different packages based on what you want included in the video. Remember, the more he tapes, the more he has to edit onto the master copy. Extras may cost you so ask up-front. Some video companies will edit your wedding video down to a half hour while others will give you four or more hours of footage. Most of the people we have posed this "how much is the right amount" question to have stated that a half hour is not enough and four hours gets boring. An hour and a half to two hours is the answer we get most often. Good Audio: There are mainly three methods of capturing sound at the ceremony. The worst way is to rely on the mics built into the camcorder since the camcorders are never close enough to the sound to do a good job. The second worse way is to use wireless mics. Wireless mics transmit a signal through the air to a receiver that is usually monitored by the video company. This signal can be interfered with by fluorescent lights, other signals coming from the minister's wireless mic, other nearby churches or even ham radio operators. Even though the video company may be monitoring the signal, once it is interfered with there is little to nothing that can be done to stop the interference in time to get good sound on tape. The best method is to use a later technology; digital sound recorders. These devices are so small they can be placed in the groom's pocket, another one at the podium, and still another where there may be singers / musicians. The sound is recorded digitally onto a disk and can be transferred to a computer where the video will also be transferred to for editing. This method is obviously more time consuming for the video company in that the best sound is not already on the tape with the video and has to be added and synchronized later, but is the least risky method and results in extremely high quality sound. When viewing a company's samples, be sure to ask to see sections containing vows, readers, and singers and pay close attention to what it sounds like. Cost & Contract: Quality is what matters! Price is secondary. Find a good videographer, then pick the package you can afford. Contracts and payment policies vary greatly. Be sure to read the contract before signing and don't forget to ask about the payment policy. Most responsible companies will require a deposit. Some companies will want to be paid fully in advance and others will have some kind of payment schedule. Some companies deliver the final product much more quickly than others. If this is important to you, be sure to ask about this. Types of Wedding Videos: There are several different types and qualities of wedding videos, along with a wide range of prices. Personal preference and budget will determine the best type of video to use. Rules and regulations concerning videotaping vary according to the ceremony site used and may affect the way your video will come out. The following list describes three popular types of wedding videos: Straight-shot Footage: The Videographer only uses one camera, starting at the beginning of the ceremony and capturing highlights the reception using only in-camera editing. Since there is no post-editing, and only one camera, it is the least expensive option. With in-camera Titling, He can add a special touch by putting the couple's names and wedding date at the beginning of the tape. He can also add music, usually for an additional charge. Nostalgic Format: The Videographer usually starts by showing photographs of you and your groom as children; then progresses to photos of romantic; fun times they have shared together while dating; followed by scenes from the ceremony and reception; sometimes ending with shots from the honeymoon. Shots of the couple with family and friends are usually interspersed. For photo sequences, music is copied to the master tape then still photos are dubbed in at appropriate points creating just the right mood. The other events surrounding the wedding are then added to the master tape. This format needs to be post-edited and requires more editing time. Therefore, it costs more. Documentary Format: This type of video documents the day. The segments of the day's events tell a story similar to the way the events occurred. It usually starts with shots of the bride and groom getting ready beforehand, then guests arriving, progresses through the ceremony and reception, capturing spontaneous moments and interviews with family and friends, then ends as the bride and groom leave the reception. This video format is the most popular, most commonly used, and is the best value. Many videographers use two to three cameras to obtain better quality. Then post-edit adding titling and music to create a smooth visual effect. Extra Footage: Most companies, as an option, will start your movie with a section containing the bride's and groom's baby and childhood pictures, and then dating pictures. When added to music and romantic effects, this can tell a heart warming story of how the two grew up separately, came together and fell in love and are now getting married. Many couples are having this section made in advance and showing it at their rehearsal dinner or reception. Honeymoon pictures taken by the bride and groom can be added at the end of the movie in the same way. |
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