Choosing A Wedding Videographer

How to choose your wedding videographer:

It should make you laugh and cry at exactly the right moments, and is something to be treasured for a lifetime. No medium can bring the emotions of your wedding to life in quite the same way as a well-crafted video.

View their work:

Firstly, it’s essential that you and the videographer have the same idea about what your video or DVD should look like. If the videographer has their own fixed style, make sure you like it. If they are more adaptable, share your ideas with them. It’s important that you feel comfortable with them – they’ll be at your wedding all day, after all. If you want certain aspects to be filmed, remember to email your videographer and request it.

Questioning a videographer about insurance and licences will often help you separate the professionals from the amateurs. Also ask them what training or experience they have, and whether they do this as a full-time job or just a sideline. How long it will take to get the first draft of the final video? We always try to get a draft copy to the couple within 3 weeks.

There’s no substitute for seeing a videographer’s work. Request a demo DVD, but also be aware that these will often include selected highlights from a number of different weddings; you will get a better feel for their work if you also ask for a demo that shows coverage of one full wedding, or at least a shortened version of one. It’s particularly important to see at least part of a service and/or speeches, which will enable you to judge the audio quality – you’d be amazed at the number of videos on which the vows are barely audible.

Warning signs:

Here’s a list of warning signs that might indicate an unprofessional videographer:

• They make excuses not to send you a sample
• They give you the ‘hard sell’, either in person or by phone
• You feel forced to book them because they have visited you at home
• They lack insurance and/or copyright licences
• They use ‘domestic’ rather than professional cameras (although this can be hard to spot, because some pro cameras are as small as amateur models)
• Their pricing seems too good to be true. Someone who charges £400 or less can’t possibly spend enough time working on your wedding video to recoup the costs of a high-quality production

As with all movies, the music you choose as the soundtrack to your wedding DVD will set the style and tone of the film. We always ask the couples to choose their music for their video, but normally I will choose some suitable music - three or four different pieces that reflect the days events. It doesn't take much to change the music after the first version of the completed video is sent to the couple. In our experience most couples are happy with our choices.

A professional videographer will try to accommodate as many of the bride and groom’s requests as possible, so it’s always worth asking. Some of the more interesting requests? Creating opening titles in the style of ‘Star Wars’. We usually interview the bridegroom & bestman just prior to the bridal party arrival, it gives a true flavour of their nerves.

We use a glidecam this allows us to film amongst the guests, giving the ambiance of the day, mostly used during the guest drinks and the wedding breakfast. We always endeavour to get amongst the guest getting them to give dedications, it adds a little extra to the video.

Of course, not everyone will be able to afford a professional videographer. If you are hoping to ask a friend or relative to record some amateur footage, here are some tips on doing the best job possible.

Tips for amateur wedding videographers:

• Try to use a tripod as much as possible, especially during ceremonies or speeches.
• Read your cameras manual thoroughly and make sure you know how to change the ‘white balance’.
• Just setting a camera for indoor or outdoor use can make a lot of difference to the quality of footage.
• If you are going to film the speeches or ceremony, consider buying a better microphone for your camera. This does not have to be expensive and can make an enormous difference.
• When editing, remember that less is more.
• Keep the edited footage flowing and interesting.
• Remember that you don’t have to use everything you filmed.
• Try to limit the use of filters and fancy transitions (exploding pages, wipes, turning page effects etc.).
• You’ll notice that these things are used sparingly in movies and on TV.
• Check out faqvideo.com, a good website for budding filmmakers.

There are signs of a bad wedding video:

• Vows that no-one can understand.
• Cameras that aren’t in focus
• Cheesy music
• A film that looks like a slideshow because the videographer just shadowed the photographer
• Over-the-top use of inappropriate effects
• Long and boring sequences in which nothing happens
• Shots where you can see only the backs of random people

How important is the type of equipment you use?

Equipment is important up to a point. A broadcast-quality system (cameras and sound) is essential for a good film, but there’s a fine balance. We film with up to 4/5 Canon DSLR which gives some amazing pictures.

Wedding films have had a reputation for being intrusive because you either had a massive camera with a blinding light or a shaky and cheesy film. Nowadays, there’s no excuse for this sort of cowboy film! Bear in mind that a good film-maker can make a great film with bad equipment, while a bad one can’t make a good film with even the best equipment. As with a lot of things, the equipment is just the start. It’s how you use it that makes the difference.

We are former BBC & ITV award winning technicians who have edited many different types of programming over the years, and our reputation speaks for itself.

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