Aspiring videographer from Romania asking for feedback at DVinfo.net

Aspiring videographer from Romania asking for feedback · February 6th, 2009, 05:07 AM

Hello everyone,

It's been great lurking around and I want to thank you all for the useful info on this forum but for a change, I would ask for a little feedback from you great guys (and galls).

As I said in the topic title, I'm a young videographer from Brasov, Romania. I am using the Canon A1 for documenting weddings, it's a great camera that few use around here.

My portfolio can be found at Adimage on Vimeo . I started in this bussines last year, with pricing bellow the market to compensate for the lack of experience.

Please have a look-see and criticize a lot.

Here the weddings are kind of different in some ways than over the ocean. Mainly the difference stands on the accent being on the party rather than the ceremony. And also there are a lot of customs, but I have to admit the average city wedding is not that spectacular as some country side ones.

I am waiting for you critique and advise. Thank you!

Alex

Art Varga · February 6th, 2009, 05:19 PM

Hey nice work Alex! I took a look at the Mihai & Laura clip. Heres a few thoughts
1.) I would add some titling to include the bride and groom names somewhere in the clip
2.) You seemed to have quicker cuts in the first half of the clip - maybe my imagination, I'll have to watch again - I liked the fast cuts though- felt alot like a music video at the beginning.
3.) I like the camera movement, did you use a stabilizer? Some of the shots looked handheld but that could be due the stuttering on vimeo.
4.) Shots I might have left out - guy looking at his phone at 2:30, dancing scene at 3:21 nice but not much going on in background and waitress walks in front with tray.
5.) Professional dancers were cool but maybe just a little too much footage on that.

Overall good job of capturing the day!

Art

Jason Robinson · February 7th, 2009, 02:37 AM

I'm watching your Zoli+Catalina kidnapping clip....

Very good focus with the cam in the night club. I can see myself having a tough time in such poor lighting with drastic lighting / contrast changes!

Now watching the same couple's Wedding intro clip...

You aren't using a stabalizer (that I can tell) but your walking / flying shots are VERY good for being hand held. See if you can pick up a used Glidecam 4000 for under a few hundred USD. You will be amazed at what you can do with it!

The shots with the B&G standing in the middle of the square were great!

(unrelated, it looks like there was another wedding couple in the background too... must have been a busy day!)

You shots are better than my first ones, so good job! I would bring a tripod, may be a monopod or MultiRigPro (in the future when you have more money from bookings to pay for them) to all your shoots so you can get some solid shots no matter where you are.

Watching the wedding day highlights ....

Same comments as already said, though I think the shots of the professional dancers were fine. The waiter shot and the cell phone shot are a bit odd.... but since we don't know who the guy with the cell phone is, we can't say if that was "his character" or a funny shot because he was always checking his phone, etc.

The waiter shot needs changed for sure (unless that wasn't a waiter and was a relative or something).

It would be good to hear some audio from those events. I just now noticed you have audio for Remus+Olivia) I liked that Remus+Olivia wedding story video. A bit more of the shots were "rough" but that is to be expected as we go back in time and look at earlier work. good mix of closeups which are very easy for beginners to forget to get!). Be careful of zooming. Especially quick zoom motions. If you are editing to a fast song with a heavy beat, then it fits the music, but to Brian Adams, not so much.

I (and others on this forum) are believers in editing the visuals to match the audio (since the visuals is the one thing we have control over unless you are music composer & performer). Let the tempo and mode of the music dictate shot selection, transitions, etc. That will give your production a more consistent feel and really let the visuals be complimented by the soundtrack, instead of in contrast to it.

The Remus+Olivia video seemed very long to me, but that could be my nation's attention span revolving around the 3-4 minute hit single song. But you did call it a wedding story and not a highlight. The golder rule with weddings (and any art / business) .... if the clients loved it ... then take what we have to say and apply it next time but "we" in the industry aren't paying yoru bills... the clients are!

I liked the cut to past dance lessons as a way to introduce their first dance. Very neat. You seem to have a good friendship with this couple, which is why you have so many great shots that illustrate their personalities!

Ok with that, I'll have to quit watching your clips, and get back to a ceremony highlight I need to have cut together and rendered by tomorrow 6pm for the reception!
It was very neat to see that some of the same songs are played at weddings world wide. Truly our world is shrinking (for better or worse).

I think you are doing great work, you know your camera, and are on your way to wow-ing your clients. Next up.... getting more clients so you can charge more and do it full time!

Manny Caras · February 11th, 2009, 08:35 AM

Hi Alex,

I really like your demos and your style :)

I was watching the "Mihai+Laura highlights" and I liked the song.

I have a friend who lives in Iasi, Romania and was wondering if you can tell me the song name and artist. I'd like to send it to her (not that I understand what they are singing. :)

Manny

February 6th, 2009, 05:19 PM	#2
Art Varga Major Player Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Belle Mead, NJ Posts: 552	Hey nice work Alex! I took a look at the Mihai & Laura clip. Heres a few thoughts 1.) I would add some titling to include the bride and groom names somewhere in the clip 2.) You seemed to have quicker cuts in the first half of the clip - maybe my imagination, I'll have to watch again - I liked the fast cuts though- felt alot like a music video at the beginning. 3.) I like the camera movement, did you use a stabilizer? Some of the shots looked handheld but that could be due the stuttering on vimeo. 4.) Shots I might have left out - guy looking at his phone at 2:30, dancing scene at 3:21 nice but not much going on in background and waitress walks in front with tray. 5.) Professional dancers were cool but maybe just a little too much footage on that. Overall good job of capturing the day! Art

February 7th, 2009, 02:37 AM	#3
Jason Robinson Trustee Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Boise, Idaho Posts: 1,997	I'm watching your Zoli+Catalina kidnapping clip.... Very good focus with the cam in the night club. I can see myself having a tough time in such poor lighting with drastic lighting / contrast changes! Now watching the same couple's Wedding intro clip... You aren't using a stabalizer (that I can tell) but your walking / flying shots are VERY good for being hand held. See if you can pick up a used Glidecam 4000 for under a few hundred USD. You will be amazed at what you can do with it! The shots with the B&G standing in the middle of the square were great! (unrelated, it looks like there was another wedding couple in the background too... must have been a busy day!) You shots are better than my first ones, so good job! I would bring a tripod, may be a monopod or MultiRigPro (in the future when you have more money from bookings to pay for them) to all your shoots so you can get some solid shots no matter where you are. Watching the wedding day highlights .... Same comments as already said, though I think the shots of the professional dancers were fine. The waiter shot and the cell phone shot are a bit odd.... but since we don't know who the guy with the cell phone is, we can't say if that was "his character" or a funny shot because he was always checking his phone, etc. The waiter shot needs changed for sure (unless that wasn't a waiter and was a relative or something). It would be good to hear some audio from those events. I just now noticed you have audio for Remus+Olivia) I liked that Remus+Olivia wedding story video. A bit more of the shots were "rough" but that is to be expected as we go back in time and look at earlier work. good mix of closeups which are very easy for beginners to forget to get!). Be careful of zooming. Especially quick zoom motions. If you are editing to a fast song with a heavy beat, then it fits the music, but to Brian Adams, not so much. I (and others on this forum) are believers in editing the visuals to match the audio (since the visuals is the one thing we have control over unless you are music composer & performer). Let the tempo and mode of the music dictate shot selection, transitions, etc. That will give your production a more consistent feel and really let the visuals be complimented by the soundtrack, instead of in contrast to it. The Remus+Olivia video seemed very long to me, but that could be my nation's attention span revolving around the 3-4 minute hit single song. But you did call it a wedding story and not a highlight. The golder rule with weddings (and any art / business) .... if the clients loved it ... then take what we have to say and apply it next time but "we" in the industry aren't paying yoru bills... the clients are! I liked the cut to past dance lessons as a way to introduce their first dance. Very neat. You seem to have a good friendship with this couple, which is why you have so many great shots that illustrate their personalities! Ok with that, I'll have to quit watching your clips, and get back to a ceremony highlight I need to have cut together and rendered by tomorrow 6pm for the reception! It was very neat to see that some of the same songs are played at weddings world wide. Truly our world is shrinking (for better or worse). I think you are doing great work, you know your camera, and are on your way to wow-ing your clients. Next up.... getting more clients so you can charge more and do it full time!

February 11th, 2009, 08:35 AM	#4
Manny Caras New Boot Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: chicago, IL Posts: 24	Hi Alex, I really like your demos and your style :) I was watching the "Mihai+Laura highlights" and I liked the song. I have a friend who lives in Iasi, Romania and was wondering if you can tell me the song name and artist. I'd like to send it to her (not that I understand what they are singing. :) Manny