Videoing a Special Wedding

mwkurt wrote on 4/5/2006, 6:02 AM

Hello fellow Vegas users,

I have be stuck with the uneviable task of videotaping, editing and making a DVD of my daughters wedding. Besides being the father of the bride I have to do this too. I have three cameras, nothing high end. Two of them are DV and one 8mm. During the wedding I had planned to position them at three various locations. Perhaps a close up of where the vows will take place, a far shot of her walking down the aisle and something else to be determined. During the after wedding party I can actually walk around with a camera and catch the various activities. I have seen some spectacular wedding videos displayed here by various individuals and was hoping that maybe you guys can give me some hints on how to proceed. I would like to get some hints on what to film before the wedding, those special scenes that you all do so well that are in slow motion, you know what I mean...I hope! Are there any of your wedding videos online anymore that I could get some ideas from? Anyway, any hints or anything you can give me would be greatly appreciated. I am not a professional videographer. We are not rich folks and have put out quite a bit for the wedding. Just trying to save some money.
Thanks,
Mark

Comments

DavidMcKnight wrote on 4/5/2006, 6:22 AM

Hi Mark,

Honest question - did you hire a photographer to take snapshots, or will you be doing that as well?

My first piece of advice is - don't do this. If you can at all afford to, hire a videographer to use your gear. They might agree to it if you convey that you are a video enthusiast and an editor that uses Vegas. The idea would be that they come out, use your gear, shoot, then leave the tapes with you to edit as you see fit. Contact your local Professional Videographer's Association to see if they can put you in touch with someone who can assist.

The day is too valuable to you as her father. You'll miss shots because you are involved, AND you won't be as involved as you need to be because you're trying to get shots.

Will it cost some money? You bet. Hopefully you can get this done for a few hundred instead of a few thousand. Good luck.

farss wrote on 4/5/2006, 6:30 AM

Put some effort into the audio, the whole crux of the event is two people saying "I DO" and I've heard too many wedding videos where you cannot hear those two words.
The speeches are another place where the audio can go south, again a little effort and not a whole lot of money can make all the difference. Even if you have no cameras rolling you can make a decent video from stills and the audio.

Bob.

randy-stewart wrote on 4/5/2006, 6:33 AM

Mark,
I wish you best of luck but I think you are going to miss or at least not enjoy as much, one of the most important days in your life...you daughter's wedding. If it were me, I'd have someone else tend the cameras. At most, I'd set them up and tell the operators what to do and hope for the best. You need to be part of the procession and the day's experience. Let someone else run the cameras. Having said that, here are some links for you to puruse. Again, best of luck on this important day.
http://www.dmbvp.com/aboutme.html
http://www.generations-video.com/demos.html
http://www.ttdweddings.com/Home.html
Hope this helps.
Randy

Former user wrote on 4/5/2006, 6:37 AM

Take it from a father who is a videographer and has two married children -- don't do it... You need to be a participant in your daughter's wedding not an observer. This is a once in a lifetime experience for you and your daughter. Don't get distracted with the mechanics of the proceedings.

Find someone else who you can trust to do the video taping. You only really need one camera with a live operator. If you can't hire a professional then make sure the person you do get to handle the camera is well rehearsed as to what you need captured on tape. Try and get one other "assistant" to help the principle operator when needed and to handle the two fixed POV cameras.

It'll be okay for you to grab one of the cameras at the reception and shoot some cameo footage. In fact, some of the guests might feel more comfortable and candid talking to you than a stranger, but leave the rest to someone else.

Be there for your daughter on this special day. These are memories that can't be reproduced by looking back at a video. They need to be experienced, completely, first hand and not through a viewfinder.

And by the way, congratulations :-)

Jim

mr.beebo wrote on 4/5/2006, 6:39 AM

Use the search forum for some old threads and you should get some pretty good advice. Dave (FrigidNDEditing) uploaded a montage a few months back that I thought was great. I agree with David though, a wedding day is almost always full of stress and anxiety. I would hand off the cameras to nephews, in laws, ushers, etc with a written outline of shots. You can do the set up but you will be needed in front of the camera more than behind it. As far as I know, a helmet cam isn't practical during wedding ceremonies.

mwkurt wrote on 4/5/2006, 6:41 AM

David,

We have a friend of the family who is a photographer for the Local Police Dept. who is going to donate his time to do the still photography.

I apprciate all of this advice.
Thanks guys!
Mark

JohnnyRoy wrote on 4/5/2006, 6:48 AM

I’d have to agree. You should not be doing this yourself. You cannot be part of the wedding and an observer of the wedding at the same time.

What part of the world are you in? Perhaps a fellow Vegas user might be willing to help you out?

~jr

mwkurt wrote on 4/5/2006, 6:53 AM

Hi Johnnyroy..I am in Tampa Florida. Thanks!
Mark

randy-stewart wrote on 4/5/2006, 6:55 AM

Yeah, that's a good idea. I'd be glad to help out for free. In fact, I'm traveling to Florida, Georgia, and Virginia on business over the next two weeks in case you are in those areas. I bet there's others that would be glad to help a fellow Vegas user out. Post the date and general area. You might be pleasantly surprised.
Randy

mwkurt wrote on 4/5/2006, 7:22 AM

Well, I didn't expect to get this kind of help, but I would accept it gladly. I couldn't pay much.
The wedding is Friday evening April 28th in Tampa.
Thanks,
Mark

AlanC wrote on 4/5/2006, 8:21 AM

Mark

Have a look at:
http://www.vegasusers.com/vidshare/textdisp?gmelliott-credits

There was another gmelliott creation that was absolutely brilliant but I can't find the link. Perhaps somebody else can provide it.

I can recommend checking them out, if only to get some creative ideas.

Alan

johnmeyer wrote on 4/5/2006, 8:27 AM

Your daughter's wedding is going to be just another video assignment? Doesn't that sound wrong?

Don't do it.

Dach wrote on 4/5/2006, 8:35 AM

I know that it has already been said, but since I do many wedding videos every year I must encourage you to not do it yourself.

I sometimes share that the first reason a person hires a videographer is because their focus will be to work - not enjoy the moment.

Be the father first - someone suggested picking a camera up during the reception, that is a good idea especially if you want to get some best wishes from the guest. They will be much more comfortable with you holding the camera. (I do this rarely due to the apprehension of guests)

Audio... if you can't hear the bride and groom from the pews... on board camera mic is going to. Explore options.

Compliments to the people who offered to help... have to say this is a very supportive forum.

regards,
Chad

randy-stewart wrote on 4/5/2006, 9:04 AM

Mark,
Sorry, I'll miss it by 10 days or so (leave Orlando (my home town) on the 17th). Hope someone else can step up...if nothing else, train those cousins, uncles, friends how to point and shoot from a tripod. I have a pretty good checklist of potential shots and recommendations for camera placement at home that I'll forward later.
Randy

DavidMcKnight wrote on 4/5/2006, 9:30 AM

re: techniques and placement, the concept of capturing quality audio cannot be overstated. Even if you have to setup your cameras in static locations and have no other assistance, beg borrow or steal a lapel mic recording setup, either wireless, minidisk, or iriver. When setup properly this will insure quality audio from the bride and groom and often from the officiant. Email me offline and I'll be happy to provide more details of getting audio from house sound systems and readers, soloists, etc.

birdcat wrote on 4/5/2006, 10:38 AM

I have to admit I am in a similar position - I am getting married this Sunday and will be editing my own production. I will be showing up early to get some good establishing and location stuff, but I will be handing off my camera - before eveyone shows up - to a friend plus I will have one pre-positioned on a tripod for the cermony and another with another friend. I will also have a photographer doing digitals (not as $$$ as a videographer) and handing me a CD so I can use those as well in the production. I do have a digital voice recorder I will be wearing during the ceremony (with a giant squid mic) so I think I have everything covered.

I will not be touching the cameras after I set up the tripod so it's not quite as bad as walking around with a camera myself, but not far from it.

Just wish I could fly Glen Elliot down for the day..... Oh well... Maybe for my kids.

mvpvideos2007 wrote on 4/6/2006, 5:58 PM

You should hire a pro, even a low end one. There is going to be a lot going on that you WILL NOT be able to capture. You will be pulled here and there. People are going to want to talk to you and congratulate you. You will not have time get some of the important events and I am sure you will not want to give your daughter a video with important parts of the day missing. The ceremony itself, if someone blocks, or stands in front of your camera, you have just lost that footage. The sound....you need to mic the groom, or you will hear no vows. There is a lot more to filming weddings then just aiming a camera. THIS IS YOUR DAUGHTERS MOST IMPORTANT DAY. YOU HIRE A PRO PHOTOGRAPHER, YOU SHOULD DO THE SAME WITH THE VIDEO. YOU WILL BE VERY HAPPY IN THE END.

RalphM wrote on 4/6/2006, 6:09 PM

Don't overlook the value of doing a stills montage mixed in with what ever video is taken. If a friend of the family is doing the still photography, they should be willing to let you use the stills in the video. Stills can cover subject areas very well.

Check with any film schools, even at the high school level to see if they have some students who might want the practice in exchange for a good meal.

As others have said, don't do it yourself. Also, check to see if the church has any wireless mics that go into their mixer. If they have a CD recorder attached to the mixer, you can mic the groom (brides are a little tough) and then use the CD recording to overlay the camera audio. They will stay in sync just fine for at least 30 minutes in my experience.

RalphM

Jim H wrote on 4/6/2006, 7:25 PM

I've been an observer in so many family get togethers and kids sporting events that I've taken to leaving my cameras at home just so I won't be forced to watch life go by on a tiny viewfinder. I can't tell you how many track events I've shot and had to ask a spectator if my son won or not....