Wedding videos are momentous works of art meant to be kept for a lifetime. Modern couples put enough emphasis on how important it is to capture every single moment during their wedding day. Hence, wedding videography is one huge field in the industry of I do’s.
Whether you are starting up your very own wedding video production or using your own camcorder to capture your friend’s wedding, here are 10 useful tips for a hassle-free wedding video production.
1. It is all about communication. The moment the couple expresses their wish for you to cover their big day, take note of all the important details of the wedding – the location of the ceremony and reception, the wedding theme, the time you are expected to start shooting, and any specific person that they would want to be in the video, like visiting friends, family members from afar, etc. The wedding may be months away but getting to the right location at the right time is of primary importance.
2. Practice makes perfect. Attending the rehearsal can be a big help for the videographer, especially when you are unfamiliar with the couple’s entourage and the wedding venue. Check out the location and plan out which spot would be best for setting up a tripod. Ask the planner or the couple if they have a back-up plan in case of bad weather.
3. Be well-equipped. A digital format camcorder basically makes up for the gear in wedding videography. However, other needed equipment would be a tripod, an audio recorder, and an extra set of batteries and memory card. Bring a camcorder which is familiar for you to use. Having a brand new expensive camera can be nice but if you don’t know how to use it, it isn’t much of an asset, right?
4. Crystal clear audio is gold. The main advantage of professional videographers over the amateurs is simply their clear audio recordings. Although videos are primarily visual, audiences are still drawn to videos that have great speeches and clear sounds accompanying the display. At the event, try to get your audio recorder to be synced into the main audio system of the venue itself. If the place doesn’t have one, pin a lapel or microphone onto the groom’s coat and you’ll be able to record every single word during the ceremony.
5. Go with the flow. Knowing what comes next in a wedding is mainly beneficial for the wedding video crew. You can anticipate the flow of the action among the couple and you can also jump from one position to another without missing a beat from the reception’s program. There are no excuses for you not to be able to bag the “money shots” – fantastic shots of the most memorable and cherished moments during the wedding. Be sure to get a good angle at the bridal walk or during the first kiss, these are the moments which are truly worth capturing for the couple.
6. Spice up the clips. Be mindful of getting variety into your shots. Take establishing shots of the venue and the audience using a wide angle and also take detailed shots of the decorations inside. Highlight emotions with close-ups and mid range shots, which are best done during the exchanging of vows and during the toasts. Shoot as many clips as possible, it’ll be helpful during editing time wherein other detail and close up shots can be used to break in the monotony of a standard wide shot.
7. The more cameras, the better. Especially if you are starting in this business, use more than one camera whenever possible. Assigning a secondary camera during the ceremony allows you more options for story making later on during in editing. Mount the second camera onto a tripod and secure it to shoot an uninterrupted wide shot of the ceremony. It serves as a back up for both the video and the audio while providing you with another angle of how the day went.
8. Tie it all together. To get a better and more cohesive story, keep in mind the chosen wedding theme of the couple. You will be able to get more meaningful shots if you knew that it adds meaning to the wedding day. Take more shots of the port or the sailor hat centerpiece if you know that the wedding theme was nautical. Carry on with the theme when working with the editing, too.
9. Simple, clean, and tight. In editing, try not to use special effects. Since it is a wedding, couples opt for a more natural and realistic approach with their videos. No fancy animations and no canned laughter – here applies the saying, “less is more”.
10. It’s all about love. No matter what happens during the day, what scenes you were able to shoot, or what other details didn’t go according to plan, it still is about the couple. Make sure that the bride and groom are the lead stars of the video; it is after all the first day of the rest of their journey together.