Getting into Wedding Videos

ciencin

Currently deciding on getting into wedding videos production and hoping to get a bit of feedback from people who are also just getting into it or how did they go about starting it when they were just starting off.

I have most of the equipment that I believe I would need (hd cam, decent video tripod & head, shotgun mics, indislider, on board light and 35mm adapter for those shallow d.o.f shots), so I'd think I would be pretty covered and if not then there is always the option of renting I guess.

So where would be a good place to start off? I dont mind doing 1 or 2 weddings for free (I have lots of footage to build up a showreel but most of it would be action sports / shows).

Asking around I didnt find anybody who is getting married within the next 8 months... I know there are a good few websites to advertise your services but what would be the more popular sites that people would look at when looking for a person to cover a wedding?

Any help is greatly appreciated

Freddie59

I've done a few for family members over the years (videos and DVDs). They're extremely time-consuming in both the recording and post-editing phase (if you want to do it right).

I would advise (as a minimum - the pros on here may differ):

* High-spec PC/Mac with lots of RAM.

* Standalone Hard Drive for the captured video.

* Get a second Camera (for stationary positioning). Helps when you want to edit out any mistakes on the main cam! Also looks good on the finished video.

* You'll get lots of different advice regarding editing programs. Final Cut Express/Pro (Mac) and Premiere (PC) seem the favourites. I used Pinnacle Studio for six years before moving to a Mac and FCE. I had a pro video our son's wedding recently and I edited the tapes. I did it on Pinnacle because FCE just wasn't as good with the finished product.

FCE is a tremendous program, but very limited in transitions - Pinnacle far exceeds it terms of this and user-friendliness. You could also try Cyberlink Power Director 8 or Corel Video Studio X3 Pro. Either of these would be fine and are nowhere near as expensive as FCE or Adobe. And you can download trial versions.

* Make sure you use either copyright-free music or clear the copyright for tracks you want to use.

* What format is your HD Cam?

* Audio in the Church and hotels can be brutal, so maybe a wireless receiver to pick up their wireless mic transmission?

* Lastly - do your homework. Attend the rehearsals - meet the priest; this is vital. You're going onto his patch. Show both him and the Church the respect they deserve.

Best of luck with it. It's hard work, but enjoyable.:)

ciencin

thanks for the info! Much appreciated

I use a HPX170 and edit with FCP. I used to edit with Premiere (and Pinnacle before that). I do miss Pinnacle for their vast transitions library but my camera has some workflow issues and doesnt seem to like pc's at all (unless its CS5 with a ton of ram :-\ )

Good point about the audio, guess I'll definitely need to upgrade there

Also how long would an average wedding video be around? and whats the average time frame that the bride and groom give you to edit the footage?

Freddie59

ciencin wrote: »

thanks for the info! Much appreciated

I use a HPX170 and edit with FCP. I used to edit with Premiere (and Pinnacle before that). I do miss Pinnacle for their vast transitions library but my camera has some workflow issues and doesnt seem to like pc's at all (unless its CS5 with a ton of ram :-\ )

Good point about the audio, guess I'll definitely need to upgrade there

Also how long would an average wedding video be around? and whats the average time frame that the bride and groom give you to edit the footage?

Can't really answer that, as I was only obliging family. But I suppose when they return from honeymoon? The length depends on what they want really. Many modern videographers offer three 'tiers', with varying degrees of coverage.

You also then have to decide whether you want it on one disc or two (or maybe a Dual Layer, which many players won't support).

And don't forget to draw up some kind of contract, if you're going into it full-time. I heard of an instant where the videographer got injured on the day, and the couple successfully sued.

reece

couldn't agree with freddie more. I'd add in the point about getting lots of coverage / cutaways. I've shot weddings on one camera but would recommend 2. If you're offering to do some free weddings for experience go onto the wedding bulletin boards and make your offer. Shooting the video can be a thankless task and a pain - especially with the many hours of editing to follow the day. Get your workflow in place to streamline this as much as possible.