When I do weddings a lot of people tend to be very curious about what it is I'm actually doing and capturing. So now I'm going to take the time to "Walk" you through it. Before I Start please bare in mind that EVERY Wedding is different and hopefully by the time the big comes a round I've been given the Schedule of the days events.
I am going to walk you throught a full filming day as if there is one Videographer.
When it comes to wedding Videography I have two things to always be mindful of on the day itself. The first is time. Even if a member of the wedding party has been asked the notify you when things are happening, it is always possible to miss things. The second thing is How am I going to edit this? This is what separates professional videographer from the rest. (in my opinion). This is why the detailed shots are so important, they help transitions and editing so easier.
Bridel Preparations
Arriving at the first destination to capture Bridel Preparations can sometimes be a more complicated stage of the day. The location can often vary, the bride may be at home, in a hotal or it's possible the whole day is taking place in one location(which can have it's own complications). The main challage her is often space and crowding. Everyone is running around trying to get everything and everyone sorted for the big day ahead. And let's face it no one really wants a camera pointed at them if they are feeling a little stressed.
Alot of capturing the Bridal Preparations is catching the details and moments. I usually opt for using just two lenses for this part of the day. One for small elements and details such as the shoes, jewellery, make-up and things like the beading and lace on the dress. Always making sure that the shot Includes movement or that it comes in to focus. This makes my job A LOT easy later on in the editing suite.
The second lense I use is much wider and for capturing the people and moments: Hair and Make-up; the bridesmaids having fun; the mother of the bride proudly looking on and the moment she does up her daughter's dress, let's not for get the moment her father see her. If there is enough time I also like to get some footage of the Bride on her own. This is great if the bride would like a slow reveal of her final look. It also gives her a moment of peace, which she won't get much of on her big day. In the event that there is also a Photographer there it can some times be nice to capture them at work as this is often a massive part of the day.
I don't really like using the Audio from these sections but will always have a Mic on in one form or another just in case.
Something to remember
- if this is all happening in one venue, the groom will be around and this can sometimes mean being sneaky as you don't want the bride and groom to see each other too soon.
Ceremony
It is always best to try and arrive before everyone else as this gives me a chance to get a couple of detailed shots and it's always nice to film everyone arriving.
This time also gives me a chance to find a spot for my camera where I can capture every thing and plan my camera route, change batteries and check the microphone.
The Between
The Between sections of the day (meaning between events) Are very important to capture. These are great oppertunties the filming the Guests in there interactions and having fun. its usually at these points that you newly married couple greet there guest, so lots of smiling and hugging.
The Reception Now the Reception covers alot of event and time and as a Videographer hired for the day, I try to avoid missing any moments. This is often when the Party member assigned to keep you informed come to most use and not forgetting this is the time I finally get to eat. Again its always an advantage to get to the room before everyone else to grab thoses detailed shots and find some good spotsfor the up and coming events. The couples entrance, the speechs, first dance and the cake cutting. Of course every wedding is difference, so it is incredibly important to that you and the couple agree before on what is to be covered and what is important. It is very rare that I get a chance to sit down and you can often catch me shooting randam things, this is because at a live event you only get one chance to get what you need and you can't go back. so it is much better to have more than less. The end of the night Once I pack up, say goodbye to the couple and head home, I kick my shoes off and start uploading the footage. This can take a very long time but it gives me a chance to start setting up my editing structure. Once the footage is all ready to be sorted through I turn everything off and Try and get a good nights sleep before the editing begins. Thank you Guys for reading! Now if you liked this Don't forget to Subscribe, like and share. There will be a new blog posted every sunday at 12PM UK Time.
This Post was Written by Harriet Finch harrietfinch@beadieproductions.com
