So the guy who books my work says that all the brides now want the movie trailer DSLR style. This is the first that they actually have been asking for it NOW in our price range I have 2 things im thinking about. 1. Should I get a DSLR or can my NEX-EA50 do the job and 2. DO I really need to achieve the visual style or is the ascetic style enough. I was thinking about getting the black magic camera.

Hi Randy

Our cameras already have a DSLR sensor so put a fast lens on and I don't see your problem at all?? The EA-50 can reproduce the same "look" without DSLR still camera hassles!

Chris

I"m pretty sure he is refering to that shallow dof look so I"d shoot with fast lenses wide open all the time and you are fine.

Hi Noa

Probably you are correct but the film style cinematic trailer mentioned has a lot more to it than simply a shallow DOF .. I have often asked the question and no-one has ever given me an answer yet about what makes a clip "cinematic" ... I reckon if you REALLY want a film style then buy a 16mm Bolex and shoot with that and then telecine to video. I think Randy needs to get more specifics from the guy that books his weddings ... then he can say "yes, I can get that look on my EA-50" or "no I need to buy a GH4 like Noa has"

BTW Randy, probably a GH4 would be a far better tool if you want to use a DSLR styled camera than a BM

Chris

Its funny how hard it is to explain the look:) I guess it consists of a lot of things. Shallow DOF, film look, crushed back levels with high warm chroma and sometimes a small soft black vinete on the image. In hind site the Sony does seem like the right tool and maybe ill save up for the new 4K model PXWFS7K I still SHOULD be able to use my lenses with it.

Shallow DOF and don't forget about motion. In those so called cinematic trailers the camera is almost always moving if the subject isn't. Over using your slider, stabilizer and jib are mandatory ;)

Steve

Hi Steve

Funny but one of the older rules of film making that most younger and DSLR owners never bother to follow is if the subject moves follow it, if it doesn't then move the camera. However again we are talking about "correct" movements like dolly tracking and not the abnormal sort of movement you see happening with sliders.

Gettting the cinematic look is really easy! Just break all the film making golden rules and pretend you are a wedding photographer with a still camera that shoots video and you are 3/4 way there. The cinematic "style" seems to be a slider and then shoot everything the you would photograph rather than film ..shoes, jewellery, makeup, flowers .... I think it's a carry over from people who were wedding photogs and discovered their still camera CAN shoot video... they changed the media but not their photographic style.

So Randy it's easy! Just shoot as much on a slider as you can and be a wedding photographer and you have a cinematic video!

Chris

eh I had a good run maybe I will just quit while im ahead:)

Spot on Chris!!!

@Randy - LOL!!

To me to develop your own way of doing things and then market that will be better in the long run. Brides ask for what they know about. So if you incorporate some of what they are looking for into your own style of presentation and market that it should work out good for you. What I see time and time again is they are looking for the fairy tale presentation. Or at least fairy tale-ish...

This is a horrible example but it is relevant: I shot one of my son's basketball seasons 100% with my smartphone and edited the clips in Windows Movie maker (back before i tried this line of work). It makes him look as if he was a starter on the team and that he was a star player because all you see is him. Actually he road the bench barely got a lot of playing time and was stoked to see his highlight reel we made. Taking that into scope brides are only going to ask for what it is they know of and it is clear 99.9% do not know much about videography, but they want to look like a fairy tale on their wedding day. So incorporate some of what they want into the way you do things and let your example work do the talking for you I would say in my terribly armature-ish mindset.

Hey Randy

The last thing you want to do is try to imitate another style "cos the guy that books your weddings says so"

Develop your own style ..You probably already have a great style so stick with it ...some brides will like it some won't but it's you!!

Personally I would dump the guy who books your weddings and do it yourself or find someone else ..you are not a puppet, you are a talented videographer!!

Chris

I think it's a carry over from people who were wedding photogs and discovered their still camera CAN shoot video... they changed the media but not their photographic style.

That cinematic style already excised before the 5DII could shoot video, when I started with video 10 years ago I closely followed the work of several known videographers of which Still-Motion was one of them, already back then they where one of the trendsetters that did things differently, before dslr's could shoot video, I think the origin of "cinematic" wedding video was started by them and a few other known videographers and all the rest just followed in their footsteps, often just trying to copy what they did. There is a reason why everyone talks about them and not the ones that are doing long form documentary videostyle.

I think when brides want "dslr" style video they want something different, not something that reminds them of their parents 2,5 hour weddingvideo which is often the reason why most don't want a wedding video because they still think it looks like that. That shallow dof I mentioned is just one part of it, you need clear sound, be able to capture all important content, add some visual flair to it, try to make every shot look different and don't go for the obvious and edit it into a 20 minute film that everyone, including their friends can enjoy and not some 2 hour video marathon which will be fast-forwarded.

Well in my case the brides are asking for this "Movie Trailer" style which isnt new its just getting more popular. Its kinda funny they are willing to pay more money for a 5 minute video I dont get it. I like trailers its just simply not what I do. The only way I will sell it is with another shooter and making a trailer WITH a whole video. Its hard to tell how in love the brides are with video quality and how much is content. For all I know, maybe the cameras I have will be fine if I just change the way I edit the final copy.