Just thought I'd share this as when I was asked to contribute my thoughts, I really had to think about my responses:

EventDV.net: The Event Videographer's Resource (http://www.eventdv.net/Articles/News/Feature/Directing-the-Action-67109.htm)

We are just completing a wedding where while they were sitting and listening to the homily, a red spotlight was turned on the couple during the ceremony ...It wasn't turned on during the rehearsal or I would have commented.

I've wondered while editing if I should have / could have gone to the people controlling it and asked them to turn it off...and then wonder if in the same situation again, would I make the bold choice of going up and have it turned off???

What would you do?

Hi Rochelle

I have had situations just like you and there are times when you can request the situation to be reversed and times where you cannot!!! I think generally as long as it's not absolutely vital and won't interrupt the service then do it...some frantic sign language and gestering to the light controller might work???

I have had wedding where things just had to interupt the ceremony...a priest referrring to the groom as Greg when his name was Graham ... evenually the mother stopped the ceremony and a quick message in the priest's ear corrected the error. We even had an old (obviously senile) father who pronounced the couple husband and wife and proceeded to end the ceremony until a guest shouted "What about the rings?"

It is annoying when you go to the rehearsal and they don't adhear to the format. I carefully installed a radio mic on the lectern for the readings at a Church (this year actually) and during the rehearsal the speakers actually did practice runs there too!! At the wedding they decided on the spur of the moment to re-locate and of,course, the lectern audio was useless !! I guess I could have signalled wildly that they must go back to the lectern but you don't really want to attract attention to yourself.

In your red light case I would simply tell the bride about it so she expects to see it in the video

Gosh, we could probably write a book about our experiences!!!

Chris