Recent Video For Review - Introduction

It has been since Jan when I last posted a sample for review (my first Wedding Day Highlight aka my "Hail Marry pass" showcase piece for the wedding show to save my business, or go out in a burst of glory trying).

This is the piece up for review. It is actually from a wedding shot before the wedding day highlight wedding, before I had use of the Glidecam, AT1820 UHF system, and a second "real" camera (I only had GL2 - GS320, where as now I have GL2 x 2 + GS320).

So go watch the video if you want to cut to the chase, or you can read below for some background info ......

This couple is near & dear to me and my family (they are friends of both my wife and brother) so naturally they got a screaming 1/2 off deal on their video (they wouldn't have had one unless I did it and they couldn't afford it unless I did it for a bargain). And since I was going to the wedding any way, I opted to write off the trip for the biz, charge my 1/2 fee and use it as a practice session (and to help refine the two cam op coordinated shooting that my wife and I need to practice). I think we are getting better, but there were still many times in the ceremony when both cams were moving so I have yet to find the best solution for this situation. Now that i have three cams, I will always shoot with 3 even if they only paid for 2, because I am finding 2 cams still restrictive in the edit. I suppose with better cam ops this might not be necessary, but I still think 3 (with one un maned as aisle wide) allows for the ideal protection against accidental simultaneous movements.

I tried to be "slower" in my approach for the edit, at least for the first few scenes. Partly to match the laid back bride & groom, and partly to try to match the music used for this section.

This is frame for frame the "Introduction" to their wedding video. The very next scene is the start of the ceremony. So don't expect a "Wedding Day Highlight" style production or a Wedding trailer, teaser, etc. I don't have the time to cut a highlight or trailer for all my clients (unless they pay me to make it).

This finished video will actually only involve songs from one artist (which is the bride & groom's favorite). This will be challenging to find enough variety in the repertoire to match the various moods of the wedding day and pieces of the video. I've not yet finished the edit, so the verdict is still out on a) if this is possible to do well and b) if it is a good idea to even attempt it.

And finally, I'd really like to know:
1) How ya'll think I'm blending the GL2 and GS320. Any guesses on when I switch cams in post? Which is GL2 and which is GS320? This was filmed with 4x3 in camera and a 16x9 crop in post. A wedding I filmed in Feb09 was filmed with all in cam 16x9 and I just am not convinced about which is the best way to shoot with my cams.

2) Any thoughts on the colors? I'm not "grading" them as much as I am striving for vibrant accurate colors. I still haven't the foggiest idea about how to apply a "colour pallet / look" or even what to choose.

3) Technical camera work thoughts. I only had a MultiRigPro & my tripods (craptastic though they may be). Future edits will showcase the use of glidecam starting this weekend for my first ever double header weekend.

As always, thanks to DVinfo for all the input, creative advice, and technical tutoring these several years. I'm almost running a viable business, so hopefully by next year I'll be in the black enough to pay the mortgage and be sustainable.... just in time for a switch to AVCHD (possibly) cams in 2011-2012 when I'll have to sink $10k into cams..... :-(.

So take a look at Ben & Christine's Wedding Introduction.

[Noel Lising]

First off, I love the opening sequence and you have a beautiful bride. I also like how you incorporated conversations ( shot gun?), I like to do that as well but I my on board mic would pick up everything.

I am not too sure if the speed-up for the pictorial at church works with the music and the shot at 3:32 (pan) seems like it is out of focus.

Overall great work. Thanks for sharing. I hope we both join the HD club soon.

[Jason Robinson]

Originally Posted by Noel Lising

First off, I love the opening sequence and you have a beautiful bride. I also like how you incorporated conversations ( shot gun?)

I was fortunate enough that my first GL2 I purchased (from a member here on the private classifieds) had a GL2 wit ha LANC & the AT897 shotgun. The AT897 is decent, but I would almost rather get a directional mic that isnt' a shotgun because off-axis sound (which frequently happens in receptions) is very muffled. It makes the shotgun audio nearly useless in the reception.... but it does a good job catching conversation in a relatively noise free environment like the prep room.

Originally Posted by Noel Lising

I am not too sure if the speed-up for the pictorial at church works with the music and the shot at 3:32 (pan) seems like it is out of focus.

Ahh you caught two of a 1/2 dozen or so things I was sure would be issues and that I struggled with in post. The pan is indeed slightly out of focus (that was a GS320 clip) and the sped up section was something I wanted to try, but had no idea if it "worked." I ended up using it because I didn't want to do yet another "portrait" session highlight with 4-5 clips of people stiffly smiling for the camera (still camera). I was also hoping it might catch some interesting conversation (it didn't). I might try to revisit that portion of the video (the final edit is not quite done so I could go back and fiddle . . . but fiddling is my enemy, I waste too much time fiddling).

[Roger Van Duyn]

Jason,

I liked the sped up section. It fit with the music. Used sparingly, with the right material and music, it can work really well.

[Paul Mailath]

loved the intro - even the lights in the church - I'm gonna steal that idea!

Remembering that it's not a highlight, I was pleased to see something that looked like my footage, I'm not big on CC either (Magic Bullet looks is fun to play around with if you want something easy).