Choosing A Videographer For Your Wedding
One of the fastest growing wedding services today is Wedding Videography. It stands to reason, because the video medium is something with the movement and sounds of the most important event of your life. Twenty years down the road, you can see and hear your vows, as well as your parents and grandparents as they were on your special day.
Wedding Videographers range in services, as well as prices, equipment and experience. Many people think, “I’ll get my Uncle Charley to use his video camera, and I’ll save a couple hundred bucks.” Well, this may save you a couple hundred bucks, but the video that you will view for a lifetime will look like you saved a couple hundred bucks. While your friends will be using a home camcorder (VHS or 8mm), the 1st category of Videographers will be using S-VHS or Hi-8, and the serious professional will be using the new digital formats; either DV, DVCAM, or DVCPro with twice the resolution. The quality difference can definitely be seen. The professional will be using more than one camera at the ceremony which will be edited or mixed together.
Some available services include remote cameras placed at the front of the ceremony. These cameras are operated from a control station (usually in a side room), where they have the capability of panning from side to side, tilting up and down, zooming in and out, as well as focusing. These cameras eliminate the need from someone being partially hidden behind the choir banister or at the alter while getting that special shot of the smiles of the bride and groom, the tears of the mother, the groom caressing the bride’s hand, the rings, and on and on. This also keeps the focus on the ceremony, instead of your uncle trying to put out the fire that he caused when he tripped over the candelabra.
Other services include wireless mikes picking up the quivering voices as you say “I do”. These are usually only picked up on the video, and not the “house” system, so you don’t have to worry about saying “I love you” to your new husband in the middle of the ceremony and the whole church hearing you. Other usual services of the professional include the scrolling of the words of the invitation at the beginning of the video, a “video collage” of pictures or videos of your childhood or dating, and even a re-cap of the day; making a “music video” of your wedding. Most professionals will give you three copies of the video, one for you, and one for each of your parents.
Some Videographers mix the video from 3 or 4 cameras “live” as they are recording during the ceremony, which gives you one generation better quality, recording backup tapes (just in case), as well as mixing the audio from the wireless mikes on the groom and the minister, the organ, the sound track, the soloist and any other sources.
While you will watch your wedding video more than you will look at your wedding album, don’t expect to pay your Videographer quite as much as your Photographer. A professional Videographer’s services for that special day can range from $650.00 for the ceremony, to $1000.00 and up for reception as well as other services provided. As the saying goes, you get what you pay for, and unfortunately that usually stands true for the videography business as well.
First; meet the Videographer. Assure your personality does not clash with them so you could work out any last minute details should they arise. Second; see a sample of their work. The professional Videographer can show you past weddings, and the quality of their work. Third; ask about remote cameras, wireless lapel mikes, and other special things that you might want such as black and white capabilities, graphics, transitions (fades or flips from camera to camera). Fourth; glance around the studio for magazines like “Wedding Videography Today”, DV”, or “Videomaker”. Ask about their association with memberships like “Wedding and Event Videographers Association International” (WEVA). Assure that your Videographer cares enough to go to seminars and Video Expos, as well as reading about new innovative ideas on how to make your wedding video the best possible.
A professional Videographer understands who the customer is, and that you are the boss. Tell the professional exactly what you want in detail, he will put it in writing so there will be no “I thought that you said..”, and you will get what you wanted. You’re not skimping on the quality and the beauty of your dress, so make sure that you don’t skimp on the remembrance of your special day.
About The Author: David Selph is owner of ADVANCED VIDEO PRODUCTIONS, Augusta, GA. He started in video in the late 70′s in the production of cable TV shows. He started videoing weddings in 1987, and he and wife Leticia (with a degree in communications) continues today, as well as directing live programming for an Augusta TV station. They videotape Weddings and other special occasions such as Pageants and Church Services, Promotional Videos, and Commercials. You can contact him through www.Advanced-Video.net
Tags: wedding planning, wedding video
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