Ten Tips for Choosing the Right Wedding Videographer

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Ben McElroy of McElroy Films offers his top 10 tips for hiring the right wedding videographer to help brides avoid some common pitfalls.

Leominster, MA (PRWEB) November 30, 2009 — December is the most popular month to get engaged according to The Wedding Report. Once the initial excitement wears off and a bride gets down to the business of wedding planning, she can often be overwhelmed at the number of decisions to be made. The actual wedding planning is important, but choosing the right videographer to preserve that special day is just as important.

“Choosing a videographer may take a lot of homework, but your do-diligence will pay off immensely. Your video is going to last a lifetime so make sure you’re happy with every aspect of production.” explains Ben McElroy of Massachusetts based McElroy Films. “There are a few pitfalls brides encounter, such as hiring a bait and switch company that subcontracts the work and not reading the fine print in their contract. A little planning in advance can help avoid these pitfalls.”

Here are McElroy’s top ten tips for choosing the right wedding videographer:

-   Start researching early. Take the time to do your homework. Make sure you meet with the actual person who will be shooting your wedding and have a list of questions ready. Research their education and experience. Do an internet search and visit forums and blogs. Ask to see previous customer testimonials.

-   Hire early on in the wedding planning process. Brides often wait until the last minute to hire a videographer but hiring early can make the process go more smoothly and open up additional video opportunities such as “save the date” videos.

-   View samples of their work in advance. Look for samples on their website. Watch as many videos from their archive as possible and pay attention to the quality of work. Look at the overall picture quality, composition, and transitions. Another crucial aspect is the audio quality. Ask if they use wireless microphones for professional quality sound. Some videographers use on board microphones only, but the sound quality is poor, especially for vows and speeches.

-   Choose a video production company with customizable service. A good production company will keep up on the latest trends in wedding videos and will offer client-driven services rather than an outdated, one-size-fits-all approach.

-   Be specific about the mood, style, and special effects you’re looking for. Bring samples with you to show what you want. Ask to see the different types of special effects they offer.

-   Ask about their video style. Some companies are now offering a modern approach to video including Save the Date, Vignettes, and Couple Stories. Find out what else can be included in your video such as highlights, credits, or photomontages. Cinematic Weddings is a hot video trend. They create an overall mood beyond basic footage. Look for videographers using HD cameras and glidecams, shooting in 24 frames per second (FPS), and who are knowledgeable in cinematic editing techniques.

-   Consider their personality and appearance. Look for someone with the best personality and look to match the wedding theme. Be sure to tell the videographer what to wear for the wedding. If there is more than one videographer at the production company make sure to meet the person who will shoot the wedding.

-   Make sure they are unobtrusive. A great wedding videographer won’t be noticed while still achieving everything needed to capture the big day. Ask if the videographer has experience at your ceremony and reception venues already. Videographers with newspaper or television experience are more likely to know proper etiquette and how to be unseen. State specific requests, such as not interrupting guests with interview questions, in advance.

-   Look for a company that offers High Definition (HD) from start to finish. Many companies are now offering HD, but not all HD is the same. Some videographers shoot in Standard Definition and then burn the footage to Blu-ray. Ask about what types of cameras they use and have them explain the differences. They should be using the latest HD cameras with 1080p resolution.

-   Find out if they can stay within your budget. Look for any additional fees. Most deposits are non-refundable so keep that in mind. Ask if they are running any discounts or special promotions. Many production companies are now offering a gift registry to finance wedding videos. This can be added to overall cost or toward specific items such as additional hours or extra DVDs.

About McElroy Films

McElroy Films LLC is a professional high definition video production company serving Massachusetts and New England. Specializing in corporate, educational, non-profit, wedding, independent filmmaking and music video production, McElroy Films provides a high quality product at a fraction of the cost. McElroy Films prides itself on its client-driven results and boutique-like service by affording each project the attention it deserves.

Crohn’s and Colitis – Jess Adani

“Working with McElroy Films on this year’s tribute video was a real treat. Ben was both organized and professional as we interviewed the friends, family and colleagues of our honorees. We had a lot of on site filming, and a very tight interview schedule, and Ben was always prepared with just the right equipment to be mobile and portable yet still capturing high quality interviews. The videos were a nice blend of sentimental yet comical, really capturing the soul of who we were honoring. I received rave reviews from those at the annual gala about the videos and how well they were executed.”

Jess Adani
Development Manager, Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America, New England Chapter

Click here to watch the videos.

Cinematic Wedding Videos

Not all weddings are “Cinematic”. There are specific things to look for. Including the following.

• Story Telling
• Imagery
• High Definition
• 24 Frame Per Second (FPS)
• GlideCam
• Professional Microphones
• Multi-camera
• Pre-Interviews
• Editing Techniques

First and foremost behind every great cinematic wedding is good story telling.

These types of wedding videos require a certain level of “corporate video” pre production. Just like a corporate video these types of wedding videos require research and scripting to a certain extent.

The production company needs to have a game plan. Most cinematic wedding have interviews or narration. The interviewees need to have the right setup questions to yield great answers. A skilled producer should write a list of pre-wedding questions that capture emotions and compassion. Once the correct answers are given they are generally overlayed on the wedding footage and are edited in an elegant way.

Cinematic wedding also require great imagery. Shot composition and subject placement within the frame must adhere to industry rules and standards. The videographer needs to have a good eye and someone that pays close attention to detail. Talent from the film business and television are some of the best for the job. They have been cultured to capture shots that will bring to life feelings and emotion.

Some technical aspects of cinematic wedding videos are the use of pro video tools. High Definition cameras in the last few years have endured a huge surge of innovation and hype. Prices have allowed consumers to buy up “HD” cameras at a huge rate. However this has also made it affordable for want-to-be filmmakers to use low quality equipment for business. High-end production companies generally spend anywhere from 25-50 grand to get set up with the right equipment for video production. Video resolution is key. Most affordable cameras shoot in 1080 but there’s a big deference between 1080i and 1080p. I wont go into detail in this entry but all HD is not a one-size-fits all.

Another way to judge cinematic weddings is the frame rate. In Hollywood there’s only one frame rate they use for television and movies. This is twenty-four frames per second (24p). Good cinematic weddings use this frame rate. It gives the picture a more natural look and takes away the home video look. Another great tool for videographers is a Glidcam. It’s and ingenuous tool that keeps the camera balanced when you walk or run. It is basically like mounting your camera on a gimbal. They use them in  movies and TV shows. Pro audio is essential to any cinematic wedding. Even if there’s great shots and nice editing, if the video has poor audio the whole piece will suffer. Make sure to have wireless audio during the ceremony. Also, make sure to have the videographer patch into the soundboard at the reception to capture all the speeches in perfect clarity. Shooting your wedding with multiple cameras can be great. Especially during the ceremony when you have both the bride and groom. It’s nice to have one camera on the Bride and the other on the Groom capturing both sets of emotions. It also comes in handy during the reception. One camera can capture cocktail hour while the other camera captures the formals. It’s just a great idea to have two cameras if you can afford it.

Pre-interviews can be fun and exciting. Capturing the essential people such as the Bride & Groom and the parents talking about how great and exciting their wedding day is going to be. These interviews make for interesting editing and tell the story of the wedding day.

One of the most popular cinematic editing techniques is a wedding highlights video or a “movie trailer” of the wedding day. These are generally filled with nice aesthetic detail shots of the bride and groom throughout their wedding day cut to music with special effects. Music is another way to add real production value to your wedding video. Not just popular music but good quality music from a music library. Music helps to move the video along and sets the mood and tone for certain scenes. Special effects can also add to the value of a cinematic wedding. The use of black&white filters, color correction, soft focus and other filters can really add to the overall look of the video.

Hopefully this gives you an idea of what to look for when searching for a cinematic wedding video. If you have more questions feel free to email me at ben@mcelroyfilms.com.

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