Olga & Greg Greek-American Wedding Highlights at DVinfo.net

Olga & Greg Greek-American Wedding Highlights · May 24th, 2011, 06:10 AM

Olga and Greg is a couple of Greek-Americans from New York. Last summer they decided to travel to Greece and get married. It was an honor for us filming their special day, because it was a really amazing couple. Really funny and with lots of (clearly shown) emotions for each other, this was maybe one of our most emotional weddings to date. The full version also has lots of outrageously funny stuff, but since it wouldn't fit with the mood of the highlights video, we saved them for the Feature.

Also, I'd like to add, that this was our most videojournalistic work by far. Not one time we told the couple (or anybody else for that matter) to even look at us, let alone do something for the filming. Everything feels real, the "actors" act themselves, and to be frank, we love it this way! :)

Stelios Christofides · May 24th, 2011, 02:12 PM

Well done Demetri. I would like to know please what is the video type that you upload to vimeo and comes out so smooth. I upload DVD (MPEG2) format and sometimes is jerky.

stelios

Dimitris Mantalias · May 26th, 2011, 12:52 AM

Thanks Stelios. My optimal way of uploading is an H264 file. Adobe Premiere has a preset called "Vimeo HD", which in fact is an H264 file, with AAC audio, at 4-5 Mbps, 25fps and 1280X720 resolution. If you don't have Premiere, make a preset with the above settings and it will play smooth and nice.

Spiros Zaharakis · May 28th, 2011, 02:11 AM

Somehow my comment on this clip never showed up. Never mind I'll post it again.

Dimitri (and Kosta), these last two video clips I saw (this and Cyprus) were really fantastic.

You did a great job on both but this one was my favorite. Maybe because it only showed genuine moments and not posed ones (you know I don't like those).

I actually liked it so much that I can describe it with only three letters, OMG.

BTW Did I saw Thanos at some point? He was the photographer right?

Dimitris Mantalias · May 28th, 2011, 02:56 AM

Thanks Spiros! Although we actually also love this one, we know it's not the easiest to get into, mainly because videojournalism is not as impressive as the videos that are based on staged scenarios. But yes, we kinda like this "real" stuff, although having some editorial shooting always adds to the overall impression. We are not against using editorial shooting in a video (and I don't think anyone is, after all we use such shots from time to time), but staged shots tend to be the rule, instead of being complimentary. That's a problem, but I guess it sells. :)

But I have to note something about Cyprus video. Although it looks otherwise, everything except the two last shots is really genuine. In everything shown in the video, there was no interference by us, and atlhough we had a hard time because Cyprus weddings tend to have many people, friends and relatives around, everything is natural. :)

As for the photographer, yes, it was Thanos, he does a right to left cameo appearance at some point, which we thought was good to keep. :)

Spiros Zaharakis · May 28th, 2011, 03:25 AM

No no the video from Cyprus did not look otherwise. It was apparent that the shots were not staged. I was actually referring to older videos of yours.

I wrote the comment on this video again from memory (I posted at the same time for both this and the Cyprus video but the second post didn't pass through) and now that I remember my original comment was that I liked both videos for their genuine moments but this one was my favorite.

I just saw them again both to see why I liked this one more.

The Cyprus video was too good and too genuine to have gimmicks like text coming and going that remind me of other copycats (you know what I mean).

Dimitris Mantalias · May 28th, 2011, 04:24 AM

Haha! :) I know what you mean, but we do this "text & trailer thing" since mid-2008. :) Actually the first time we did it was way before certain colleagues make it a trend, and it was in a "military" wedding, and it was clearly influenced not by other videographers, but from cinema. Maybe I will upload it with a password, to see what I mean (I won't upload it publicly since it's an old work and many things changed since then :) ).

Just to avoid misunderstandings amongst colleagues, what I want to say is that we were actually doing it before it becomes trend but we definitely were NOT the ones that made this style famous in Greece.

I know that nowadays it's inevitable that this text style is to be considered copycat and this is why we don't do it so often anymore. Which is a pity, because it's nice style! :)

Spiros Zaharakis · May 28th, 2011, 05:53 AM

I know the feeling.

A nice style it definitely is but it's sooooo overused lately here. Besides you can give much more than that, leave the gimmicks to the ones that have nothing better to show.

Dimitris Mantalias · May 28th, 2011, 05:59 PM

I think you are pretty right about it. :)

May 24th, 2011, 02:12 PM	#2
Stelios Christofides Trustee Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Nicosia, CYPRUS Posts: 1,080	Re: Olga & Greg Greek-American Wedding Highlights Well done Demetri. I would like to know please what is the video type that you upload to vimeo and comes out so smooth. I upload DVD (MPEG2) format and sometimes is jerky. stelios __________________ My Blog: http://steliosc.blogspot.com "I hope for nothing, I fear nothing, I am free" Nikos Kazantzakis

May 26th, 2011, 12:52 AM	#3
Dimitris Mantalias Major Player Join Date: May 2009 Location: Arta, Greece Posts: 342	Re: Olga & Greg Greek-American Wedding Highlights Thanks Stelios. My optimal way of uploading is an H264 file. Adobe Premiere has a preset called "Vimeo HD", which in fact is an H264 file, with AAC audio, at 4-5 Mbps, 25fps and 1280X720 resolution. If you don't have Premiere, make a preset with the above settings and it will play smooth and nice. __________________ "A successful wedding videographer is the one that offers for viewing some excellent videos and some boring videos, and gets positive reviews for both".

May 28th, 2011, 02:11 AM	#4
Spiros Zaharakis Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Chania Crete Greece Posts: 171	Re: Olga & Greg Greek-American Wedding Highlights Somehow my comment on this clip never showed up. Never mind I'll post it again. Dimitri (and Kosta), these last two video clips I saw (this and Cyprus) were really fantastic. You did a great job on both but this one was my favorite. Maybe because it only showed genuine moments and not posed ones (you know I don't like those). I actually liked it so much that I can describe it with only three letters, OMG. BTW Did I saw Thanos at some point? He was the photographer right?

May 28th, 2011, 02:56 AM	#5
Dimitris Mantalias Major Player Join Date: May 2009 Location: Arta, Greece Posts: 342	Re: Olga & Greg Greek-American Wedding Highlights Thanks Spiros! Although we actually also love this one, we know it's not the easiest to get into, mainly because videojournalism is not as impressive as the videos that are based on staged scenarios. But yes, we kinda like this "real" stuff, although having some editorial shooting always adds to the overall impression. We are not against using editorial shooting in a video (and I don't think anyone is, after all we use such shots from time to time), but staged shots tend to be the rule, instead of being complimentary. That's a problem, but I guess it sells. :) But I have to note something about Cyprus video. Although it looks otherwise, everything except the two last shots is really genuine. In everything shown in the video, there was no interference by us, and atlhough we had a hard time because Cyprus weddings tend to have many people, friends and relatives around, everything is natural. :) As for the photographer, yes, it was Thanos, he does a right to left cameo appearance at some point, which we thought was good to keep. :) __________________ "A successful wedding videographer is the one that offers for viewing some excellent videos and some boring videos, and gets positive reviews for both".

May 28th, 2011, 03:25 AM	#6
Spiros Zaharakis Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Chania Crete Greece Posts: 171	Re: Olga & Greg Greek-American Wedding Highlights No no the video from Cyprus did not look otherwise. It was apparent that the shots were not staged. I was actually referring to older videos of yours. I wrote the comment on this video again from memory (I posted at the same time for both this and the Cyprus video but the second post didn't pass through) and now that I remember my original comment was that I liked both videos for their genuine moments but this one was my favorite. I just saw them again both to see why I liked this one more. The Cyprus video was too good and too genuine to have gimmicks like text coming and going that remind me of other copycats (you know what I mean).

May 28th, 2011, 04:24 AM	#7
Dimitris Mantalias Major Player Join Date: May 2009 Location: Arta, Greece Posts: 342	Re: Olga & Greg Greek-American Wedding Highlights Haha! :) I know what you mean, but we do this "text & trailer thing" since mid-2008. :) Actually the first time we did it was way before certain colleagues make it a trend, and it was in a "military" wedding, and it was clearly influenced not by other videographers, but from cinema. Maybe I will upload it with a password, to see what I mean (I won't upload it publicly since it's an old work and many things changed since then :) ). Just to avoid misunderstandings amongst colleagues, what I want to say is that we were actually doing it before it becomes trend but we definitely were NOT the ones that made this style famous in Greece. I know that nowadays it's inevitable that this text style is to be considered copycat and this is why we don't do it so often anymore. Which is a pity, because it's nice style! :) __________________ "A successful wedding videographer is the one that offers for viewing some excellent videos and some boring videos, and gets positive reviews for both".

May 28th, 2011, 05:53 AM	#8
Spiros Zaharakis Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Chania Crete Greece Posts: 171	Re: Olga & Greg Greek-American Wedding Highlights I know the feeling. A nice style it definitely is but it's sooooo overused lately here. Besides you can give much more than that, leave the gimmicks to the ones that have nothing better to show.

May 28th, 2011, 05:59 PM	#9
Dimitris Mantalias Major Player Join Date: May 2009 Location: Arta, Greece Posts: 342	Re: Olga & Greg Greek-American Wedding Highlights I think you are pretty right about it. :) __________________ "A successful wedding videographer is the one that offers for viewing some excellent videos and some boring videos, and gets positive reviews for both".