trying to enter the world of shooting video « Videomaker Community Forums

nobody
Member

I want to start doing video for weddings can someone instruct me on where I should start?

I have taken a video class and I have done my own personal research. I am an amateur because I do not have any experience but I believe I have the knowledge.

HELP?

Posted 8 years ago #
nobody
Member

Normally I would say to do a search on "weddings" to get the help you need, but due to a crash I don't know if past posts are archived.

YOU DO NEED EXPERIENCE! Is that explicit enough? So you've taken a video class and you think that that makes you qualified to do a wedding? Exactly how much other video experience have you had? How many years of shooting and how many years of editing? Find a relative who's getting married and offer your services for free. See if you have the stuff to make a good dvd. And by "stuff" I mean both equipment and ability.

My opinion is that you should solicit the videographers in your area to see if he/she would be willing to take on an apprentice (you) for minimum wage. You've got a lot to learn.

Posted 8 years ago #
nobody
Member

And what side of the ditch did you wake up in today???

What a welcome to the forums Phil, no wonder the forums are dead, with that kind of attitude.

Posted 8 years ago #
nobody
Member

I used to videotape weddings years ago but got out of it because just about everybody owns a video camera nowadays and the people getting married can just have Uncle Joe tape their wedding for them for free.

If you really want to get into taping weddings, my advice would be to do one thing: keep the camera on the center of attention: the couple getting married!! Don't do a lot of zooming in and out. Use a tripod when you can, and have a video light handy in case you need one. When it comes time to edit the video and put it on dvd, if nothing else, use your computer to put the main title at the beginning, and the ending credits at the end, and you should be okay to start.

If you're doing this on your own to start out, don't charge
an outlandish price, but as you get better, then you can up your fee.

Good luck. Tunes Man.

Posted 8 years ago #
nobody
Member

Jovan, don't feel intimidated to jump into wedding videography. There are certainly plenty of weddings out there for all of us. I agree with Phil when he says to start with friends or familiy and do it for free or very cheap. I wouldn't recommend a wedding being your first project. You do want to be comfortable with your editing software and your cameras before you take on a wedding. I would also suggest you watch as many professional wedding videos as you can find. You will learn many things to do and to avoid. If you are serious about doing weddings on a regular basis you should consider having at least two cameras which will also require you to edit on a NLE system like Vegas,FCP,or Premier. At the very least you should have a good zoom mike, or consider a wireless system, or check if you can record the audio through the church's system. It doesn't matter how good the video is if you can't hear it. Finally, in today's market I think it is expected that you will be able to produce the project on DVD. I disagree with the statement that wedding videography is not lucrative because everyone has camcorders and Uncle Joe can video for free. Watch one Uncle Joe video and one professionally edited video and you will see why so many people choose to let Uncle Joe stick to videoing birthdays and Christmas.

Posted 8 years ago #
tjborek
Member

Couldn't have said it better myself! I've only been producing wedding videos for less than a year, but one thing I know for certain is you have to talk to people. You can't learn too much. Take Phil Morgan's advice andoffer your services as an assistant or apprentice. I've had no luck in that area, so I've had to go it alone, but I'd already been shooting music videos and home movies for several years; I don't think anyone who's brand new to video can make a good wedding video. I'm charging more as I go, and I'm up front about my low fee when first meeting clients; that way, after viewing a demo, they're confident they're getting a good value in my services.

As for assistants, at my very first wedding, I paid $25 to a friend, who's video newbie, to run the second camera during the ceremony. He attended the rehearsal with me, and we planned our positions and "choreagraphy" that evening. My point: Consider finding a "video buddy." I guarantee these people take their craft more seriously than Uncle Joe the Holiday Taper, and you'll learn from each other and learn more quickly. I now pay my assistants $125 +/- to attend the rehearsal and shoot the ceremony with me; if I need a second camera all day, I'll pay them more. Screen potential assistants carefully. I lucked out by finding a college student majoring in New Media and another guy who has his own indy movie producution company. Needless to say, they have their own gear and know how to use it effectively.

Another tidbit: If you're serious about wedding and event videography, get involved in your community of local wedding professionals. I attended my first meeting of such a group yesterday and made some valuable contacts. (Oddly enough, I was the only videographer there. I wish I could have stayed longer to mingle with more bridal consultants and photographers!)

Good luck!

Posted 8 years ago #
ourmusic
Member

To find out what you need to know, go to the Video University Wedding & Event Videography Forum.

http://www.videouniversity.com/wwwboard/wedding/

You will get the answers you need there.

Danny Fye

http://www.dannyfye.com

Posted 8 years ago #