I had a client email me and wondered if I can do an Engagement Shoot. I told I never have but I would be happy to do it for a very reasonable price.
For those of you who have done them before. What are some tips/pointers to help a newbie out? Thanks

Whatever you do, tell a story. The rest usually falls into place... a few pretty shots are great, and impress. Some nice tight shots of eyes, smiles, hand holding, etc to really display emotion, but ultimately, bring a good mic and get them talking a lot.

I didn't make this one, but really liked it:
Danielle and Lee - Engagement Film on Vimeo

And this is the video I did make, for the same wedding, which is actually a rip off of a StillMotion video from a few years ago.
introductionv3 - YouTube

There's a number of different ways to do it. Here's four.

1. No story, just music video. You'll see some of the Filipino videographers do this, with epic slow motion and lens flare shots. I've never done one, but I imagine it's like a prewedding photo shoot, and the main things I'm thinking about for that are location(s), time of day, clothes the couple are wearing, scenario (going on a picnic, going on a walk on the beach, etc).

2. Re-enactment. Re-enact the story of how they met, or how the proposal happened, maybe with comic exaggeration to play to the drunk, easily-laughing crowd at the reception. I've done this from a "He said", "She said" point of view -- two different takes on the event. If you're willing to put in the time, then it's a matter of scripting it and planning out prop, locations, logistics like any other short film. But it can also be done with just music and no dialogue.

3. When Harry Met Sally interviews. This is what I've usually done. Take the couple to a nice location, or set up in their house, so that part involves interview skills, and interview lighting and sound. Then ask them each the same questions, and intercut the answers. The topics could include how they met, how the relationship developed, what the key milestones were, how the proposal happened, what they like about the other person, what they're expecting from the day (can be used as voiceover for the final wedding film), if they have any special messages for guests or for each other (can steal material from groom's speech though). This sort of thing can also be done after a wedding. And it can also incorporate B-roll in the form of overlay that illustrates the things the couple talk about (photograph of where they met, image of their ring, etc), or just general walk-in-the-park B-roll.

4. Short film. I've done this once or twice, but nowhere near the crazy levels that are out there. I'm trying to remember the name of the videographer who spends $15k on this product. He's in the Zacuto wedding videography series. Anyways... This is just a case of creating a short film, maybe scripted by the couple (if they have any skills in that department), and it might or might not be related to their personalities, or the wedding, or their love for each other, or whatever. It might be played just before they enter the reception room, or at some other time.


Note: Already mentioned, but just to reiterate -- audio and visuals from this sort of material can often be used in the final wedding film to personalise it, so it's not just makeup shot, ring shot, dress shot, cufflinks shot... Untitled Films in Sydney charges $1000/hour to shoot prewedding events, like dress fittings, with a view to incorporating the material in a same-day edit or in the final film.

I tend to go pretty simple and do my love story shoots before the wedding rehearsal if possible. I figure I have to go to the rehearsal so why not do the "love story" a hour or so before.

Mine are fairly simple ..I do a fairly longish stedicam shoot where I follow the couple around a park/water etc etc so I have around 15 minutes of footage which I set to music. That of course is really boring on it's own so after the stedicam I then get the couple to sit down together and apart and do a interview style shoot on how they met, when they met, how they proposed and the I intercut that footage into the stedicam footage so it's nicely spaced. Costing wise I allow 3 hours for the shoot and probably the same to edit and cost at my standard rate.

Chris

Here's two examples of the ones we do:

sarah & tyler // an engagement story on Vimeo

Maury & Karina // An Engagement Story on Vimeo

Basically, it goes like this:

- Sit down interviews. We prefer to have a two angle shoot with both B&G being interviewed at the same time. We get each of them to tell their side of the story for each question.

- Portrait shoot. We get them to walk around, do a few posed shots, etc. Think Ben Affleck and Olga Kurylenko in To The Wonder.

- For the edit, you lay down the audio tracks to tell the story, pick a fun song, and then lay out the beauty shots throughout the film. Presto.

That's how we do it anyways, and it's worked for us. I've seen lots of other great stuff that's done differently, no real "right" way to do it!

I've only done one Love Story Wedding Video (http://goo.gl/9ebgNI), but they are fairly simple. Just ask questions and get them to tell their story. Make sure they aren't together and can't hear each other so they are 100% honest. It will be funny when you put them together and see their stories not match up together 100%. :)

4. Short film. I've done this once or twice, but nowhere near the crazy levels that are out there. I'm trying to remember the name of the videographer who spends $15k on this product. He's in the Zacuto wedding videography series. Anyways... This is just a case of creating a short film, maybe scripted by the couple (if they have any skills in that department), and it might or might not be related to their personalities, or the wedding, or their love for each other, or whatever. It might be played just before they enter the reception room, or at some other time.


I believe you're thinking of Pacific Pictures. PACIFIC PICTURES | The Official Site | Discover a limitless cinematic experience (http://www.pacificpictures.net)

Their work is fantastic, those cost at least $25k.