Calling all Videographers! Workflows

Don Bloom · October 21st, 2003, 04:46 PM

<Man I want to retire at 30!>

Not doing weddings :-0

The only way to retire early is to have your money working for you, not you working for itand as you can see, in this business...let's see, new this, new that, better this, better that, need more of... it can really drain your wallet. (if you don't watch it)

I personally keep all of my money tied up in bills, like electric, gas, phone, mortgage, etc, that way I always know where it's at-or at least where it's not, my bank account ;-)

Actually, I'm proud to be able to say that I have been able to provide a fairly decent lifestyle for my family over all the years (of course it helps that my wife has also worked outside of the home and we have another business that she runs-both things bring in very decent income) and I really have an idea in my head for a documentary that I would like to do, but whether I do or not, as has been said, 'videos been bery bery good to me'.

Don

Gints Klimanis · October 21st, 2003, 05:02 PM

That's pretty much what I do, except with less than one hour of footage. I also add audio fade ins/outs per chapter and add one minute highlight summary of good sports scenes as the first chapter. To me, there is little that is more annoying than a worst case glitch when skipping chapters or pressing Play from the main menu. While I'm splitting the video into scenes, I write down which clips would be good for this.

Sometimes, the audio has some sort of background noise,
which needs to be separately processed using SoundForge/Vegas or CoolEdit.

My DVD stage is expanded to write to DVD-RW,
check the audio for clicks at the start and end of each chapter.
Once that is verified, I make copies to DVD-R and print slimcase labels with my six color Canon i950. I'm thinking about moving to
printable DVD-Rs, but that would require a new printer.

Harry Settle · October 21st, 2003, 05:02 PM

I really am awed by you guys that can do the "short form". I don't think that most people who question you on doing this form realize how hard it is, compared to the Documentary style. Also, everyone that I have talked to wants the documentary style, but, when it comes time to watch they want to watch the short form. It is simply an easier, more fun, style to watch and keep your attention.

By the way, I do documentary style. I'm working my way into short form.

Maybe when I'm as old as Don, I'll have some talent.

Gints Klimanis · October 21st, 2003, 05:27 PM

I use Pinnacle Studio8. People may scorn at the lack of advanced features, but I just used Vegas4 on the few scenes that really need it. I produce a 35-55 minute DVD of an event every two weeks, and this is not a paid job. So, I want a process that
I can finish in 8-10 hours, excluding a break for the overnight
DVD encode and burn to DVD-RW, including inspecting the DVD-RW and possible edits.

I set Pinnacle Studio8 to Scene detect by shooting time/date
and take notes for edit points during Capture. I reuse titles and menus. Studio8 lets you select DVD thumbnails from the
chapter, so there is no need to do frame grabs, file saving and stuff.

Other packages have storyboard editing, but Studio8 has
had it for a while. Anyway, I credit the simplicity and integration of the product with the success of my DVD creation.

Anyway, I'm starting to blow more time with advanced processing,
such as color correction. So, there goes my work flow.

Don Bloom · October 21st, 2003, 06:16 PM

Maybe by the time I really do stop doing this I'll have some talent!

BTW, when I started doing short form, I did it because I got Parked in Dumb and Stuck in Stupid as far as editing went.

Really one day a few years ago (2 or 3, I can't remember) I sat infront of my editing machine and stared at it for about 3 hours, I couldn't figure out a way to edit a wedding that was any different than the one before and the one befroe that and the one before that. I was burned out at that time and I called the client and asked them if they would mind if I did something a little different. They said no problem and I cut the ceremony, the reception and anything else that got in my way. It was still 90 minutes but they liked it and so did I. Thats when I got serious about short form and started doing it more and more until now thats all I do.

HOWEVER, if the client REALLY REALLY wants it I'll do a seperate disc (used to be tape ) of the entire ceremony with only a clean up edit. I've done maybe 3 of those this year.

Don

Glen Elliott · October 22nd, 2003, 05:16 AM

How many weddings have you guys done? This is my 3rd year in and I've only done 7.

Steven Salmon · October 22nd, 2003, 06:44 AM

Well my business has been running since July 2003 and I have already done 7 weddings. I had already done some editing in the past so I was quite comfortable with using the software. I spent some time looking at other videographers work to get some ideas and then went out with the right equipment. My first wedding I did was for around £25 to cover costs but to gain experience. I then slowly pushed the price up over the following 3 and now the last 3 have been for reasonable money. I then invested everything I made into purchasing new equipment and hopefully within a year I should have enough business to have a pretty decent setup. One added bonus for myself is that I am in the design industry so everything from flyers, brochures,business cards and a website was well take care of although hard work.

The good thing about where I am now is that I have done a few weddings shows this year and I am already getting booked up for much of next summer.

I still have an initial stake of £3000 to pay back but hopefully real soon I can inject the business with new equipment to improve the service I provide.

One thing which really hit me was the advertising costs. You need to be prepared to invest in this. Hopefully the work I produce should eventually start advertising itself.

Many thanks

Steven

Don Bloom · October 22nd, 2003, 06:56 AM

I did 7 in September. I generally do about 40-45 per year, a really busy year I've done 50, this year I'll end up at 60. Don't know how, it just happened.
Remember too I've been doing this for about 20 years and have many DJ's, florists,bands,banquet facilities, wedding coordinators and planners and photographers that refer me, the same way I do them.

This is and has been my only source of income, although I do some corporate work as well, for 20 years and for 12 years before that I did still photography as an independent.

I I make sure that EVERYONE I meet knows that I am a Cameraman,editor that does 'mini documentaries' specializing in weddings! Sounds fancy huh? That what I do, I produce a mini doc of sorts for each wedding and since I am the cameraman and the editor, well there you go. I just like it better than videographer.
Anyway that's my story and I'm stickin' to it!

Good Luck to you and keep focused
Don

Harry Settle · October 22nd, 2003, 09:42 AM

I started this year in about April, and did 10, with only 1 more coming up in November. However, things are already starting to line up for next year. (this was just supposed to be my "freebie" startup year)

By the way, this was from initially rounding up three free weddings, picked up a job from one of the bridesmaids that got married, met a MOB at an out of town wedding, another referral for next year from a co-worker, three photographer referrals and word of mouth. I was going to try an ad in the yellow pages, but, had to consider trying to not grow too fast.

Going back to the original object of this thread. My wife and I were going to send Christmas Cards to all of our customers, from this year, but, now that I've gone through this thread a little, I may dig out their tapes send them a short version of the original. Thanks for the inspiration.

October 21st, 2003, 05:02 PM	#18
Harry Settle Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Bemidji, MN Posts: 276	I really am awed by you guys that can do the "short form". I don't think that most people who question you on doing this form realize how hard it is, compared to the Documentary style. Also, everyone that I have talked to wants the documentary style, but, when it comes time to watch they want to watch the short form. It is simply an easier, more fun, style to watch and keep your attention. By the way, I do documentary style. I'm working my way into short form. Maybe when I'm as old as Don, I'll have some talent. __________________ "DOH"!!!

October 22nd, 2003, 09:42 AM	#24
Harry Settle Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Bemidji, MN Posts: 276	I started this year in about April, and did 10, with only 1 more coming up in November. However, things are already starting to line up for next year. (this was just supposed to be my "freebie" startup year) By the way, this was from initially rounding up three free weddings, picked up a job from one of the bridesmaids that got married, met a MOB at an out of town wedding, another referral for next year from a co-worker, three photographer referrals and word of mouth. I was going to try an ad in the yellow pages, but, had to consider trying to not grow too fast. Going back to the original object of this thread. My wife and I were going to send Christmas Cards to all of our customers, from this year, but, now that I've gone through this thread a little, I may dig out their tapes send them a short version of the original. Thanks for the inspiration. __________________ "DOH"!!!

October 21st, 2003, 04:46 PM	#16
Don Bloom Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,609	<Man I want to retire at 30!> Not doing weddings :-0 The only way to retire early is to have your money working for you, not you working for itand as you can see, in this business...let's see, new this, new that, better this, better that, need more of... it can really drain your wallet. (if you don't watch it) I personally keep all of my money tied up in bills, like electric, gas, phone, mortgage, etc, that way I always know where it's at-or at least where it's not, my bank account ;-) Actually, I'm proud to be able to say that I have been able to provide a fairly decent lifestyle for my family over all the years (of course it helps that my wife has also worked outside of the home and we have another business that she runs-both things bring in very decent income) and I really have an idea in my head for a documentary that I would like to do, but whether I do or not, as has been said, 'videos been bery bery good to me'. Don

October 21st, 2003, 05:02 PM	#17
Gints Klimanis Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 2,222	That's pretty much what I do, except with less than one hour of footage. I also add audio fade ins/outs per chapter and add one minute highlight summary of good sports scenes as the first chapter. To me, there is little that is more annoying than a worst case glitch when skipping chapters or pressing Play from the main menu. While I'm splitting the video into scenes, I write down which clips would be good for this. Sometimes, the audio has some sort of background noise, which needs to be separately processed using SoundForge/Vegas or CoolEdit. My DVD stage is expanded to write to DVD-RW, check the audio for clicks at the start and end of each chapter. Once that is verified, I make copies to DVD-R and print slimcase labels with my six color Canon i950. I'm thinking about moving to printable DVD-Rs, but that would require a new printer.

October 21st, 2003, 05:27 PM	#19
Gints Klimanis Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 2,222	I use Pinnacle Studio8. People may scorn at the lack of advanced features, but I just used Vegas4 on the few scenes that really need it. I produce a 35-55 minute DVD of an event every two weeks, and this is not a paid job. So, I want a process that I can finish in 8-10 hours, excluding a break for the overnight DVD encode and burn to DVD-RW, including inspecting the DVD-RW and possible edits. I set Pinnacle Studio8 to Scene detect by shooting time/date and take notes for edit points during Capture. I reuse titles and menus. Studio8 lets you select DVD thumbnails from the chapter, so there is no need to do frame grabs, file saving and stuff. Other packages have storyboard editing, but Studio8 has had it for a while. Anyway, I credit the simplicity and integration of the product with the success of my DVD creation. Anyway, I'm starting to blow more time with advanced processing, such as color correction. So, there goes my work flow.

October 21st, 2003, 06:16 PM	#20
Don Bloom Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,609	Maybe by the time I really do stop doing this I'll have some talent! BTW, when I started doing short form, I did it because I got Parked in Dumb and Stuck in Stupid as far as editing went. Really one day a few years ago (2 or 3, I can't remember) I sat infront of my editing machine and stared at it for about 3 hours, I couldn't figure out a way to edit a wedding that was any different than the one before and the one befroe that and the one before that. I was burned out at that time and I called the client and asked them if they would mind if I did something a little different. They said no problem and I cut the ceremony, the reception and anything else that got in my way. It was still 90 minutes but they liked it and so did I. Thats when I got serious about short form and started doing it more and more until now thats all I do. HOWEVER, if the client REALLY REALLY wants it I'll do a seperate disc (used to be tape ) of the entire ceremony with only a clean up edit. I've done maybe 3 of those this year. Don

October 22nd, 2003, 05:16 AM	#21
Glen Elliott Wrangler Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Philadelphia, PA Posts: 2,898	How many weddings have you guys done? This is my 3rd year in and I've only done 7.

October 22nd, 2003, 06:44 AM	#22
Steven Salmon Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Southampton, UK Posts: 47	Well my business has been running since July 2003 and I have already done 7 weddings. I had already done some editing in the past so I was quite comfortable with using the software. I spent some time looking at other videographers work to get some ideas and then went out with the right equipment. My first wedding I did was for around £25 to cover costs but to gain experience. I then slowly pushed the price up over the following 3 and now the last 3 have been for reasonable money. I then invested everything I made into purchasing new equipment and hopefully within a year I should have enough business to have a pretty decent setup. One added bonus for myself is that I am in the design industry so everything from flyers, brochures,business cards and a website was well take care of although hard work. The good thing about where I am now is that I have done a few weddings shows this year and I am already getting booked up for much of next summer. I still have an initial stake of £3000 to pay back but hopefully real soon I can inject the business with new equipment to improve the service I provide. One thing which really hit me was the advertising costs. You need to be prepared to invest in this. Hopefully the work I produce should eventually start advertising itself. Many thanks Steven

October 22nd, 2003, 06:56 AM	#23
Don Bloom Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,609	I did 7 in September. I generally do about 40-45 per year, a really busy year I've done 50, this year I'll end up at 60. Don't know how, it just happened. Remember too I've been doing this for about 20 years and have many DJ's, florists,bands,banquet facilities, wedding coordinators and planners and photographers that refer me, the same way I do them. This is and has been my only source of income, although I do some corporate work as well, for 20 years and for 12 years before that I did still photography as an independent. I I make sure that EVERYONE I meet knows that I am a Cameraman,editor that does 'mini documentaries' specializing in weddings! Sounds fancy huh? That what I do, I produce a mini doc of sorts for each wedding and since I am the cameraman and the editor, well there you go. I just like it better than videographer. Anyway that's my story and I'm stickin' to it! Good Luck to you and keep focused Don