[Chris Bryan]

I have a similar question, but about audio at the reception. I prefer working with DJs because then I can edit the dancing to an aiff file of the appropriate song, but lately I am getting more and more brides with bands and my shotgun mic just doesn’t sound that great. What do you guys do to get great audio from a band? I have heard that there is a usb device that could be plugged into their mixer to record and then synched up in post, anyone gone this route? If not, what do you do?

Thanks!

[Chris Bryan]

Were wireless microphones commonplace for weddings 20 years ago?

I’d say over half the grooms I mic ask for it to be hidden. They don’t want them showing up in pictures. Or more often, the bride doesn’t want to see the microphone anywhere. Most of them will opt to not even have a mic if it has to be seen and have the audio picked up from a shotgun microphone.

[Chris Bryan]

Personally I think you have the right idea. Charge less and let the client know that you are charging less to gain experience and to build a client following. It sounds like you’ve already shot one wedding that is getting good response so you are already ahead of other people in that you have something in your portfolio to show. Also, you’ve got the gear. Here are websites that I used while getting into the Wedding Videography industry:

https://desktopvideo.about.com/od/homevideoprojects/tp/weddingvideos.htm

https://www.videouniversity.com/10wed.htm

https://www.mediacollege.com/video/wedding/production/

https://www.videomaker.com/article/8983/

https://www.dvshop.ca/dvcafe/dv/wedding.html

https://www.wednet.com/articles/10TipsForATerrificWeddingVideo.aspx

https://library.creativecow.net/articles/graham_doug/wedding_list.php

http://www.weddingvideodoneright.com

These should help you a ton. Good Luck!

[Chris Bryan]

Thanks for the tip on Wedj.com I’m looking into them now. I’ll also call my personal insurance carrier. It can’t hurt right?

[Chris Bryan]

Hi Rick,

I’m going to ask you to be my friend on Facebook so if you’re wondering who Chris Bryan is, its me!

I’m interested in how you use Facebook for networking and getting leads as I’m trying to do the same.

Thanks,
Chris

[Chris Bryan]

Thanks for the info!

The insurance that I am looking for is the $1,000,000 liability insurance that many locations in NYC now require of photographers and videographers.

Chris

[Chris Bryan]

I typically give brides an hour long edited DVD. Generally about half an hour of the final product is the service. Besides cutting out long pauses I never edit the service unless specifically asked to. I shoot the ceremonies with two cameras and cut back and forth between a wide shot and a closeup.

The other thirty minutes of the DVD are comprised of footage of reception (entrance, toasts, first dance, cake cutting, bouquet, garter etc.), getting ready, and photos.

Personally I think you are coming at the footage of the photography from a photographer’s point of view, I typically don’t consider who’s in what picture and just work out the footage so that it flows nicely with some nice music. While the photographer is taking pictures of groups of people I like to get footage of people standing behind the photographer watching. Those people are always smiling and laughing and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve caught the father of the bride wiping away a tear while watching his daughter.

Also, if you take the advice from above, you don’t have to wait for a camera flash to cut to the photos, you can “create” a flash effect anytime you want using a dip to color dissolve in FCP.

I like to cap the DVDs with a 3-4 minute highlight section that replays what I think are the best moments from the wedding.

They can have the raw footage if they want but I’ve only ever had one bride ask for it.

[Chris Bryan]

I shoot with two Panasonic DVX100B’s. I’m interested to hear how the type of camera I shoot with will affect advice on handheld techniques.

Perhaps others will be interested in hearing about Steadicam equipment and other such gear, however, besides picking up a monopod with a fluid head, I at this time am not in the market for any such devices.

My previous post in this thread includes a link to a video that describes some techniques in how to actually hold the camera to get better shots and that’s what my question was initially. I’m interested in hearing some tried and true methods from others working in the field.

[Chris Bryan]

It didn’t take too much digging to find, but I found it. Videomaker also has a podcast with lots of great free videos covering editing, sound and video.

https://www.videomaker.com/vidcast/101/

[Chris Bryan]

Hi Ryan,

Thanks a lot for the tips! I’ll give them a try. Awhile ago I saw a video on a site that detailed different ways to hold a camera showing how the bad technique looked on video and how the good technique looked on video. I’ll have to dig around for that video again and then I’ll post it here.