Wedding Viodegrapher « Videomaker Community Forums

IgalMR
Member

Hi,
I've been filming social, commercial, and other events for the past 2 year. I've been able to do all of this events just with one camera (me). Now I am moving to another country and I am planning on expanding my company a little bit more. I want to start doing bigger events like wedding and so. In order to do that I am going to need a crew of people in order for me to have more than one camera on the event. I am wondering if any of you know how should I go about, how can I find wedding freelance wedding videographers that are going to be able to work for me to tape the weddings and that's it. Any ideas. I am moving to Brazil just in case any one know of a method over there.

Thank You.

Posted 5 years ago #
compusolver
Member

Weddings - not just wedding video styles, but the weddings and receptions can vary greatly between different ethnic groups and countries. So, I suggest you work for another wedding videographer in Brazil for a couple of months to get the hang of things there.

As for hiring camera people - if there's enough money in wedding videography to do that in Brazil, I'm coming with you! X-D

We have a member here (I forget the name) from Portugal, who shoots weddings and I believe we've had several from Brazil. Perhaps some of those people will post something here for you.

I've seen stylistic videos done with one camera, one cameraman - that were great. I have yet to see a journalistic or documentary style wedding video with 1-camera/1-cameraman that quite hit the mark (though a couple have come surprisingly close).

Have you considered having a static camera shooting wide from the rear while you shoot up front? For a three cam shoot, you can have the rear/wide cam, a medium cam on the couple from groom's side while you shoot close and whatever else from bride's side.

You can be a one-man show, but it is darn hard to keep up with everything. Best bet - do what I did, marry a great gal who's also a videographer or photographer and talk her into being your wedding videography partner!

Posted 5 years ago #
poppa_bear42330
Member

This is no where near an answer for you but I did want to comment on going from a one man show to a company. I started out doing wedding videos before computer editing was the big thing. I edited on a vcr with a stereo for music. Then I was lucky enough to happen up on some more equipment so I "hired" people to help me. I had two camera's that were mostly stationary and one that was used for interviews and other "behind the scenes" shots. I was suddenly getting 2 to 3 times what I was getting before and my hired help was usually family and friends that just wanted to help out so more money for me. I still edited the same way but now it took longer. Still in about 3 hours I could turn out a full length edited wedding AND a "highlights" video set to the music of the wedding that included shots of the wedding footage and stills that were edited in afterwards.

Now if I had had the tech of today things might have been different in that it would have taken less time to do what I did the hard way but most people also have the added cost of hiring a crew so the time is shorter but the over all money will not really change. You will produce better videos no doubt and you will make more money from them but more money will be going out as well.

I stopped doing weddings when I got divorced. No not because I was bitter about weddings. She trashed my equipment. Accidentally dropped all my cameras which were in the same box, which I never did, down some stairs to store it for me. By "accidentally" I mean she broke a LOT of my stuff and by storing it I mean she threw it down the stairs to the basement.

Posted 5 years ago #
IgalMR
Member

Hey Hank, like always you are the first one to reply, very nice of you, Thanks,

I've seen already weeding video from Brazil (i got married there) and I saw many videographers to do my wedding, they are good but I think my style and my vision can help me a lot there. I might be able to do a couple of weddings by myself, the problem is that so far I only have one camera which actually I am going to buy soon (PD170) so I am going to get there with one professional camera and one "homevideo" camera. You might ask yourself what kind of experience I have if I have no camera, well actually that is a long story. I had a company that used to do Weeding, Bar Mitzvahs.... but my partner ended up leaving the country with "everything" so I have nothing.

I can use my regular canon camera static in the back bu tits not going to be good quality, as for a wife that know how to film.... I am already married, she is a Directo of a program for kids with special needs, but when we move she is willing to help me. But I wanted to know if to get freelance videographer there is a way to do it, how would you do it, do you search online for people that need jobs... on the newspapers.... how?

Thanks,

Posted 5 years ago #
compusolver
Member

First, let me say to poppa_bear - we're members of the same club! My ex put me out of business also. I'll bet my divorce horror story beats yours! X-D

OK, back to the matter of hiring video people.. Let's face it, nobody gets into video because they think they're going to get rich. We do this because we love it. You can find camera people who'll shoot for food!

College students are a good source. But hiring for weekend work shouldn't be a problem with any age group. In order to get business, you'll probably contact other wedding vendors. They'll be good sources for info on camera help.

Be sure and have a clear, concise, written agreement with any parties you hire. Supply labelled, blank tapes and collect all tapes BEFORE your help leaves the venue. Be sure you know and comply with all local and national laws regarding subcontract or employee hiring (whichever applies).

Posted 5 years ago #
IgalMR
Member

Hey Hank have a question, now that I know you know what you are talking about.

When recording an event with multiple cameras, I've seen many people do it in many different ways, some synchronize the cameras before shooting the wedding and don't stop recording until the tape is almost over. Others just record whatever has to be recorded pressing rec as many times as it needs. When it comes out to the editing I know that the first option is easier to edit and synchronize but it takes much more footage. The second one its a little harder to synchronize in the editing but you have let tapes running around. Which way would you recommend using, or maybe you have a different way? Thanks,

Posted 5 years ago #
compusolver
Member

There are too many things going on and too much to think about to try and synch the cameras at the start of the ceremony while on-site. We run all three (or four) cameras continuously (all in LP mode). I let the photographers or guests with their digital cameras, help me synch in post with the camera flashes.

In cases where there are no camera flashes, I use audio and eye-blinks to synch. Once it's synched - it's synched. Also, we're usually capturing four, six or even eight audio sources (six or eight if there are musicians, singers, etc.) and even with a digital recorder, we need all or most cameras for audio capture. That means if you stop recording, you lose audio. Also, we use backup audio for everything critical. So you see, we rarely have a camera that isn't capturing audio.

It would be so time-consuming to try and synch a dozen clips from each of three or four cameras! Tape is cheap. Harddrive space is cheap. Time is expensive.

Also, while you're camera is in "stand-by" is when the bride's dad goes to wipe a tear, etc. and you miss those once-in-a-lifetime little moments - those moments that only YOU, the wedding videographer, can give your bride. What is the cost of losing such a shot?

Your next question is going to be about LP mode, isn't it? I can feel it coming. Let's not hijack this thread any further - that should be a new post.

Posted 5 years ago #
IgalMR
Member

Actually Hank,
Tell me if I am right... Recording in LP and SP doest do to much regrading quality, the main problems you can encounter are: the tape might not play on other equipment and the tape might not last you that long as a tape so you have to pass it to a computer or DVD righ away.
The good thing is that it lets you record 90 min instead of 60, am I right or is there anything else :D
Igal

Posted 5 years ago #
compusolver
Member

and the tape might not last you that long as a tape

I haven't heard that one. I've been shooting LP for about three years, and those tapes are still good.

The main thing about LP mode is that it takes up the space on your tape that is reserved for your camera's digital effects. So shooting LP means you cannot use those camera effects - but who uses them anyway?

It is a myth that it affects image quality. It does not.

Posted 5 years ago #