SELECTING YOUR VIDEOGRAPHER
"No question is a dumb question, ask away!" - Matt, Davidson Creative
Weddings are special and unique which is why you should hire a professional wedding videographer who knows how weddings run, advises Adam of Adam Grumbo Films. An extremely talented videographer doesn't always make for an extremely talented wedding videographer. Wrong positioning, failure to respond quickly in important moments, and missed special opportunities can be the downfalls of videographers not familiar with weddings. As Matt of Davidson Creative notes, there are no dumb questions, so ask your potential videographer about their experience and watch their work. Adam suggests asking how many shooters will arrive on the day of your wedding. Too few shooters can cause "insufficient coverage" while too many can "be bothersome" to your photographer. As Adam further notes, most videographers film and edit differently from each other, so concentrate on what you would like as a final product, shop around, find out what each offers and see what works best for you. Matt encourages being "overly detailed in what you are looking for in your finished film" because the more your videographer knows, the better.
TIME AFTER TIMELINES
"Just like photographers, we videographers love detailed schedules. More times than not we will be right behind the photographers getting the same shots they are." - Matt, Davidson Creative
Allowing for video-only time is "so important" for creating an amazing wedding film, advises Will Herrington of Photohouse Films. Because photographers are such an important part of your day, videographers should "respect that time" so Photohouse Films always ask for their own 10-15 minute video session without photography. "It really makes the difference when creating your wedding day video," says Will. Matt of Davidson Creative likes being introduced via email to the photographers before the day of the wedding "so we can talk about their boundaries and work together in achieving the best products we can."
When it comes to time and timing, Will also strongly advises against having a friend do your hair and make-up as "this can be the #1 killer of your day." As he notes, while it may seem like a good idea and may save you a little money, in his experience, if your hair and make-up run behind it can throw off your entire day. Hire a professional hair and make-up artists because "all of those great video and photography scenes you were wanting capture will go out the door as you rush to make it to the ceremony on time," says Will. "It is time you can never make up (no pun intended) and you will find yourself with fewer shots of the day than you really wanted."
LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION!
"Tell your bridesmaids and groomsmen to simply act themselves in front of the camera- it yields awesome results if so!" - Matt, Davidson Creative
Acting natural is one key to success as is natural light which, says Will of Photohouse Films, can make such a difference in the way a wedding film looks and feels. When possible, try to position yourself where you are facing natural light. By moving just a few feet in some cases to a natural light area, you will find that the image quality greatly and dramatically increases, separating you from everything else in the room, allowing you to stand out, and be the center of the film. Will also notes that one of the keys to a great video is actually audio, the one single aspect that photography simply cannot capture. He suggests making time before your wedding to write a thoughtful letter or vows that explain why you love your partner and why you want to spend the rest of your life together. If you think it means a lot now, says Will, "imagine watching this film 10 years from now and hearing those words again - it is truly amazing." He also recommends taking the time to encourage the speech givers to make sure they understand you are looking for something thought out. "That doesn't mean it has to be long, but just not written the day of," he says. "Those special insights from friends and family can absolutely make the difference in your wedding day film."
POST-PRODUCTION
"If you create something and then someone takes it without your permission, that is stealing. It may sound harsh, but it is true." - Mary J. Blige
You may have an "our song" you think is perfect for your wedding video, but record companies require songs be licensed for use, even those used in personal wedding films. As Adam of Adam Grumbo Films explains, "a videographer who doesn't license your wedding music can be liable for a lawsuit by a record company and could put your final film in jeopardy. At the very least, it will prevent you from being able to share your wedding film online." Adam suggests that you talk with your videographer to discuss what type of music would suit your film best, and while sometimes you can't use that popular dance track you like now, in 10 years it may be "a relief to you when you rewatch your film."
Finally, after you've asked all the right questions, done all the right things from positioning yourself in natural light to getting the best man to be prepared for his speech, and you've landed on music that won't land your video in court, when can you expect your wedding film to arrive? Adam explains that videography usually takes a longer time to edit than photos, so "don't get worried if your video takes longer to receive than your photos do." Delivery times can also vary greatly depending on your videographer, it may be normal for one to deliver it in a month while another may typically deliver it in 6 months. A videographer who has been in the industry long enough will be honest about the delivery time, so you can understand what to expect. And you'll already have the answer to how long it will take because when you were searching for the right videographer, you already asked that question!
