Wedding Videography – Switching between monopod, slider, and steadicam

[Grinner Hester]

opportunity depicts what I limit myself with. I usually shoot reality stuff handheld because I can’t afford to be slowed down. I shoot scripted hooha nicley lit on sticks. There is a full gammot in between and what I do and ultilize revolves around what is purchased and expected.
…just like you.

[Brent Dunn]

Skater dolly’s are limited since the floor varies so much. It might be too bumpy.

You have to know you venue. I never shoot the entire event with a steadicam / glidecam set up. I’ll do a few shots ( bridal party down isle / bride down isle / fly by on the sides and that’s it. I shoot to edit, so I know I’ll only use about 3 shots max during the ceremony.

If you have a 2nd DSLR camera, why the heck is it in your bag? I have a trick up my sleeve, especially for those restrictive churches where you can’t move at all. I put a camera on a tripod than a 2nd on my slider on the floor. I use the floor angle to face the bridal party as they come down the isle, then from the back as the bride goes by. When I have my tripod cam framed up, I slide the slider out into the isle and get a few shots, then I’m done.

By having your extra camera already set up, you won’t have to fumble around swapping cameras. Or you might have to swap it from your steadicam to the slider. I also use my tripod as a monopod, so I can open the legs if needed and move.

Brent Dunn
Owner / Director / Editor
DunnRight Films
DunnRight Video.com
Video Marketing Toolbox.net

Sony EX-1,
Canon 5D Mark II
Canon 7D
Mac Pro Tower, Quad Core,
with Final Cut Studio

HP i7 Quad laptop
Adobe CS-5 Production Suite

[Trip Nixon]

Well, for now, I am in Japan…and the ceremonies are quite different, often just in a restaurant (kinda fake western style)…or in a temple…so the normal rules dont apply for isles and stuff for me. But, getting ready to start a company in Hawaii…and some of those videographers really got their shit straight. The seem to get more than that even…but are only sending 2 videographers. Some of those hawaii videos just seem like full productions….really good. Actually, for the most part…I have my 2nd camera on a monopod, and one on my side…letting me grab and get handheld when I need (have a tamron 2.8 17-50 with stabilization) so I can get the best hand shots I can. I have tried to make a game plan here in Japan, its just been tough as each situation is so different…

[Joshua Moore]

We do a TON of wedding films, also all DSLR. (examples of our latest stuff can be seen at https://www.vimeo.com/hdmweb )

We frequently only have two cinematographers on a wedding shoot. Sometimes we will have 4 at huge events like Indian weddings, and sometimes only one. We will have multiple dedicated camera/lens setups ready to go (a steadicam, slider setup, monopod setup, tripod setup, etc…). That way we just set one system aside and grab another one for quick changes. We also use universal quick release plates across all our cameras and equipment for rapid switching around when needed. Part of it getting to a point with your gear where it works for you not against you. We don’t carry extra stuff around, no backpacks, no extra camera around the neck, just the camera we are using. Then tripods and sliders are in their places. All the rest of the gear and lenses and whatnot gets stashed somewhere easily accessible if we need it.

Hope that helps.

Joshua Moore
Shooter – Editor – Motion Graphics – VFX
Feature films, commercials, promos, cinematic wedding films, etc…
I work at Higher Definition Media & Lovestruck Films
http://www.hdmweb.com