Wedding Videos - Keys to a successful video

For whatever reason, I got caught up in the tube today (youtube). Call it wasting time or being lazy, once you get going, you can't stop..haha...The difference today was unlike most days where I just randomly search for whatever, I stuck to one topic - wedding videos.

"You don't say"

After watching a dozen or so videos, you see the whole spectrum as to what people's idea of a good video is. Honestly, most of the stuff I saw was pretty cheesy.

But hey, it's a wedding video, so it's expected.

Regardless of the cheeziness, there are certain key components that I believe every wedding (actually any event) video should try and include.

1) Steady footage - First and foremost, nothing screams amateur more than 'earthquake' footage. Viewers can only take so much before they have to look away to avoid nausea.

Yes, it's that serious.

There are 2 simple ways to remedy this issue....1) Use a tripod. Sometimes it's inappropriate, but when given the opportunity to use one (besides during the vows), then go for it.....2) Standing still. Yes folks, it's that simple. Along with standing still, practice holding the camera in a way that's going to be most comfortable to you. Hint: 2 hands.

And if you're going to pan or zoom...pan slowly and position your body (not your hands) where the end result of the pan will be. So in other words if you're going from right to left, angle your feet/body to the left FIRST, then start your pan from the right. Try it now and you'll see what I'm talking about.

If you must zoom (not a fan of it), then do it slowly. Again, this is something that requires practice and knowledge of your camera's functions.


2) Variety of perspective - In nutshell, never eye level. Ok, so you can't avoid it totally, but you should be trying to vary your shots.......down low....up high..through gates...from behind the groom/bride/parents/bridesmaids. A good piece of cheap and easy advice is just to watch TV and see the angles they use. Obviously some of their shots you won't be able to duplicate because they require a 50' rig or a helicopter, but there will be enough shots to emulate and add to your arsenal.



3) Music - To me, this is 50-70% of the video. It's what draws the emotion out (audio; music or otherwise). Try watching a scary movie or love story without the audio. You'll get nothing, but do the opposite and you'll at least feel the emotion, just as if you were watching the movie.

My dilemma with music has always been picking what I think works and picking something the client likes. Obviously, when it's all said and done, it's what they want that matters. But if you're spot on with your music selection and the emotional pull is there, more often than not they'll approve.

The key is to get the bride to cry and laugh : )

Another one of my "gots to have it" with music is music synchronization - high moments in a song require a "money shot", quick beats require quick scene changes. Now not all songs require total "synchronization", but every song has high and low moments.

I listen to my song selections in it's entirety and then memorize the high points. I then start the selection process as to what will match up before I even start cutting up footage.



4) Exposure/White Balance - This is something that is more on the technical side, but nonetheless very important. Yes, you can do this in post, but like anything else, if you can do it before post, then do it. Tip: Use your viewfinder instead of your LCD because it tends to be more accurate.

Along with exposure, watch your white balance. Be aware when you're going inside...outside..inside. And watch out for the type of lighting you're presented with.

Most cameras have presets for white balance, so it's just a matter of selecting the proper option.



5) Setup shots - With weddings, you're trying to tell a story. There will be sooo many details that the bride and groom will not see or remember. It's our job to make sure we capture all the details. And one of the ways to do this is by capturing "setup shots".

Examples:

Church - Stained glass, water fountain in the front, wide angle of the church, people arriving.

Reception - DJ setting up, flower arrangements, guest sign-in list, gifts.



6) Effects mgmt - This is the biggest thing I noticed on my "tube" outing today - effects, effects and more effects. In one video they used an explosion effect..not once, not twice or even three times, but about 5 times. It was actually pretty funny.


The long and short of it is, don't use too many, make sure it's appropriate (the explosion effect mentioned above was used to expose the ring...the church...the bride) and don't overdo it.


Kill the checkerboard transitions, the extreme page peels and most of the other 100 transitions that were included in your editing program. Tip: DO NOT use transitions as a means of flexing your "special effects" prowess. Personally, the cross dissolve is pretty much the only transition I use.


Along with camera unsteadiness, using effects inappropriately also screams amateur.



I'm sure I'm missing a few things, but I think if you stick to the above, the end result will be a video that you can be proud of and that your clients will enjoy watching...over and over again.