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A Wedding Video Story and a Serious Videographer
Good day everyone! I want to share an adorable little story with you. My oldest child is six years old now, and the other day he ended up watching our wedding video. I absolutely enjoyed watching the look on his face as he tried to figure out why he was not at the wedding. It was priceless! He also saw people who were much younger then, family who is no longer with us now, and got to hear all the sights and sounds of the day. I don’t think that he could have ever had the same experience through pictures alone.
If you are still unsure, please take a look at what video professionals have to offer.
Now I want to share a picture of Igor (he might kill me for this 
) with his camera/glidecam. Do you see the concentration? It’s great; I love it!
Until next time,
Anna
Not All Videographers Are Created Equal
I hope that everyone had a great holiday weekend! We had a great BBQ at our house. Now it’s back to work fun…
I recently heard people talk about “Why don’t all videographers cost the same?” And I said to myself, are they kidding? Let’s open up the subject for all those that don’t understand why all videographers don’t cost the same.
Professional wedding videographers can range in price from $500 to over $5,000. Why? As long as they’re professionally trained, properly equipped and experienced, why the drastic difference?
First of all, it’s important to understand that we as videographers assign a value to our work based on time, effort, equipment, expertise and a whole lot of other factors that can vary from artist to artist, depending on their approach and demand for their product. Rather than making your decision based solely on price, this information will help you compare “apples to apples” and cut cost only where you really want to cut costs. Spend where your money will be put to good use.
Filmic vs. Documentary
The terms, “filmic” and “documentary” get thrown around a lot, and can mean different things to different people. Often times, a videographer won’t strictly belong to one category or the other. If you’re not sure where a certain videographer fits in, just ask to see a sample of a complete wedding they have shot and edited… then decide if you like it. Then, who cares what it’s called? If you like it, you like it.
Usually, a “filmic” look implies that a video has been shot widescreen or 16:9 (with the growing popularity of widescreen TVs, most videographers shoot widescreen these days anyway), with saturated colours, and some dramatic slow motion effects. It can also mean very stable moving shots created with the help of cranes or jib arms, steadicam apparatus, etc.
The advantages to going with a filmic videographer, is that you literally get a chance to star in your own professionally shot movie. You will be beautifully lit, and captured from the right angles, and only the best, most glamorous shots will make the final cut. You may never look better!
The drawback, of course, is the cost. It takes a lot of people to put a production like this together, not to mention a lot of high end equipment. And finally, there is editing time: for a truly filmic experience, several hours in an editing suite is required to synch up footage from multiple cameras, mix sound and music, create transition effects and titles, etc.
Another drawback, depending on your point of view, is it is not an ideal setup for the camera-shy. You will be surrounded by a crew, and equipment. You will likely be aware of the cameras. You may occasionally have to wait for the cameras to get in place or re-enact for the cameras if necessary.
A “documentary” approach implies that your video is shot with less bulky equipment, and you might only get one or two cameramen with this approach.
The drawback of a documentary approach is it’s going to have a grittier look than the filmic approach. How gritty? Again, this is going to vary from shooter to shooter, so ask to see a sample DVD to come to your own conclusion.
Editing vs. Raw
When it comes to videography, don’t make the common mistake of thinking you are paying for just one day of service. A lot of prep time goes into any production, and after the shoot, as much as 50 or 60 hours might go into editing and refining your footage. Or not. It depends on the production company. So ask what your videographer puts into their editing process, and expect to pay accordingly for their time and efforts.
Raw (unedited) footage is by far the cheapest option when scouting for video packages, but it is important that your expectations for this option are realistic.
Some videographers might offer light editing; a “clean-up,” if you will, where some of the rougher, darker, uneventful footage is taken out, and dissolves are put into to soften the transitions between scenes. DVD chapters might be added. Some music might be added. A light edit will cost more than no edit (obviously), but it will give you a nicer finished product that is more entertaining to watch.
Of course, if you really want to dazzle your friends and family, you might opt for a full-on edit: which includes effects, titling, colour-correction, evening out of audio levels, montages where video is edited to music, etc. This edit takes the most time and so it will cost more.
Other factors to take into consideration: are you able to screen the first cut and have input on the final product (will your editor re-cut?). Does the editor upload your video to a website so you can proof your edit and share it with friends and family? How many copies of the finished product do you get? All these perks take more time and resources, so they will add to the cost of your wedding video.
Single Camera vs. Multi Camera
Most wedding video companies will offer either one or two cameras with their packages. Some offer more than two. The more cameras you have, the more angles (close-ups, etc.) and coverage you’ll have, and the more dynamic an edited finished product you’ll end up with. Obviously, more cameras mean more people and more equipment, so higher costs.
Another thing to consider: adding a camera means adding several more hours of footage, which means even more hours in the edit suite. See how it all quickly adds up?
Well…that is a lot of information I just gave you. The bottom line is that every company has different preferences and priorities. Decide what is important to you, and budget accordingly. A wedding video is a tremendous keepsake of your special day; so choose wisely.
And I hope you now understand why NOT all videographers are created equal.
Engagement Videos
Today I want to show you a different kind of video we do. An engagement video, otherwise known as a “love story”. Sometimes this is filmed during an engagement photo shoot, but most of the time it is filmed in order to make a “love story” video. For this one we traveled to Washington state to create a unique love story for this couple. They forgot that I was even there and had a blast.
This is a great way to capture the love and emotion before all the heavy wedding planning and chaos sets in. It’s their chance to completely focus on each other. Hope you enjoyed it.
Igor
Setting the Big Date- Take Advantage of the Holidays
Hello guys and gals. It’s a really wet day today here in North Port, FL. That cancels all of my beach plans for today. 
Alrighty, let’s say that you just got engaged. Now it’s time to set the big date. Maybe you’ve been engaged for a while already but you don’t have a date set yet. I’m going to share some ideas today that might help you decide.
One thing you can do is get in touch with your favorite wedding videographers and find out which days they still have available. Then set your date according to that. Ok, that was a good idea, but in all seriousness,what about the upcoming holidays? The holiday season may seem like a bad time to plan your wedding because of your ever-growing list of things to do around that time of year. But it might be quite the opposite.
1. First of all, more of your family is likely to attend. People have already asked for time off from work and chances are you were going to spend time with them anyway.
2. Another great reason is decorations. It’s a beautiful time of the year- festive lights (which you would pay alot more for during any other season), romantic colors, lovely music, etc. Your budget could be drastically reduced by using the decorations that are already in place.
3. Fancy gowns and cocktail dresses are plentiful, which makes it easier to find great bridesmaids dresses.
4. Speaking from a videographer’s viewpoint, the holidays always provide such breathtaking scenery-the Christmas lights really make a statement. People are always happy and smiling.
5. And of course, people are always looking for an excuse to meet up with friends they haven’t seen for a while and/or deviate from their diets.
There are of course other reasons but these stand out as most important. And don’t forget that alot of reception facilities offer discounts for off-nights. Saturdays are always most expensive. Consider Friday or Sunday.
I think it’s overall a great time of the year. Think about it; it may be right for you.
New to Blogging, but not to Videography
Hello, Hello. My name is Igor. I am and always have been part of the Touch Dream team. I am a little new to blogging, but I’ve been doing video for years. Here is a bit about myself: I am married to a beautiful woman named Anna and have 3 awesome boys. I practically live in paradise; ok, Florida. What else could a guy ask for? I am blessed.
I love my job, but I’ll let you all in on a little secret: I never really planned on being a wedding videographer. I always thought that wedding videos are kind of corny. Besides that, I never really thought about them much because they just weren’t important to me. Anna and I got married really young and our wedding budget was small very small, so we had a family friend videotape the wedding. That should be enough said…
A few years later, I had an opportunity to film a couple weddings with some great videographers. I took it. I fell in love with the art of wedding videography. I began to love the rush of a wedding. No 2nd takes, no do overs. Always doing my best to get that killer creative shot, or that unexpected moment…
You see, the difference in the “videotaping” Anna and I had done at our wedding (my son could have probably done a better job) and the videos we do is that we hope they aren’t merely a documentary or a “video recording”. We hope it will be something you will enjoy watching over and over again. Year after year.
I think I’m going to get the hang of this “blogging” thing soon, too. I’ll be back.
Not just any ‘ol tune…
Let’s talk about music . I absolutely enjoy listening to GOOD music. Part of my job at Touch Dream is to research music. I look for creative and emotions tunes; music that would make you immediately think of your wedding video anytime you hear it.
When we produce our music videos, we hope to evoke emotion and excitement, much like a movie does. It would be impossible to do this without a love for music. We are trying to stay away from the typical. We are currrently trying to put together a list of our recommended song/music choices for our couples to choose from, if they choose to do so. That with the addition of each couples’ personal preference is how each video comes out unique and personal.
If you are a bride or groom on the search for the perfect song/music choice, then I want to recommend something that might help. There is an online radio whose mission is “to only play music you’ll love”. You can find artist, songs and create unique music stations just for you. If you hear something you like, write it down then talk with your videographer. What’s the best part? It’s FREE, of course. It’s called Pandora. I would encourage you to check it out. It’s truly great.
Windows and a Wedding…Videographer’s View
OK. For the sake of the example, lets say you’re a city gal. You found the PERFECT location on the top floor of a downtown building. What a spectacular view of the city! You can’t wait to see the video of your special ceremony with that beautiful view behind you. And then all of the kisses at the head table with the sun setting behind you (sigh..). It all sounds so lovely, but there is one problem. Let me explain..
A video camera basically sees two kinds of light – indoor & outdoor. If you set the camera for outdoor light, everything inside looks orange. If you set it for indoor light, everything outside looks blue. Our eyes can adjust to the different types of lighting very easily, but unfortunately, a video camera cannot. The video camera also has something called an iris. Just like when you look into the bright sun & then try to see in a dark room, you can’t. When the video camera is pointed towards a window with bright sunlight coming in, it can’t see the darker faces in front of the window.
So what you thought would be a perfect shot of you & your hubby in front of the beautiful view of the city, turns into a blown out bright blue window with dark faces in front of it. You don’t have to abandon the beautiful view in order to get picture-perfect video, but there are some things you need to do and think about ahead of time.
- First, discuss the issue with your videographer (and your photographer, as they have their own concerns with a situation like this).
- You could possibly turn the ceremony so it’s at an angle to the window, allowing you & the guests to look out while also allowing the videographer to shoot AWAY from the window.
- Your videographer might have lights they could set up to help offset some of the bright outdoor lighting.
- If the sunset is exceptionally beautiful, perhaps you can talk to the reception hall about finding an outdoor location to get the shot of you & hubby kissing by the setting sun. Is there a balcony or perhaps a way to get to the roof? The two of you could sneak away with your photographer & videographer to get the perfect shot & then take a few moments alone after the photog & videographer leave before returning to enjoy the rest of your reception.
Above all, talk to your professionals. You hired them because you trust them. Make sure everyone is on the same page, and you will have your picture-(and video-)perfect wedding!