Criticism for my wedding video

Criticism for my wedding video · March 8th, 2013, 08:22 PM

Hello guys!

I'm very new to the wedding industry.
Me and my wife established 'Oi Studio', our wedding cinematography team this mid January.

I started video editing around 10 years ago.
However, me and my wife had 0 experience on shooting until this December when we went to a workshop from the cinematography team that shot our wedding.

This is our 2nd wedding video.
Can you guys give me any criticism in terms of editing or shooting technique?

link:

Thank you guys!

Derek
Cinematographer

Omar Idris · March 12th, 2013, 07:02 PM

Hi Derek,
I watched your video on a loop and I loved it. Good job to you both. I particularly enjoyed the story-telling. It is, after all, what is important.

However, since it's criticism you ask for, here goes…

Composition/Framing
A few of the shots could have been better composed. A few examples being Roberto at 1:22 (looking screen right), at 2:19 (shooting up the nose), at 3:26 (no look space), at 4:44 (no head room) and at 4:49 (no head room and subject centre-framing).

Screen Direction
At 4:53, subject approaches screen right but enters the frame screen left in the next shot, breaking the flow.

That said, I really loved it.

Rob Cantwell · March 12th, 2013, 07:17 PM

well done, and yes the focus was a bit distracting for me, i've tried to use DSLRs but i've almost given up! cant get it to a point that i'd be happy with!
Looking at the Sony NEX-EA50 but i'm wondering will that present more focusing issues than i want!

overall a lovely vid.

Chris Harding · March 12th, 2013, 07:49 PM

Hi Rob

Pop in on the EA-50 forum if you are interested...I'm using both mine as conventional cameras and focus is magic ...Yep I had much the same result with DSLR's ...after trying my Panny GH1 at a wedding I gained a VERY healthy respect for the guys that shoot on DSLR ...however the EA50 is totally different in operation ..you can get the shallow DOF where you need it without the focus issues!

Chris

Noa Put · March 13th, 2013, 02:58 AM

Quote:

VERY healthy respect for the guys that shoot on DSLR ...however the EA50 is totally different in operation ..you can get the shallow DOF where you need it without the focus issues!

I partly agree with this, the ea50 works in exactly the same way as any other dslr and poses the same issues with focus because of the shallower dof, even with the stocklens, but you do have much more focus aids like magnification, peaking, spotfocus and facedetection. You also have the autofocus on sony lenses but I would only trust autofocus on a ea50 if I had a widelens on but never with a faster lens.

Chris Harding · March 13th, 2013, 08:34 AM

Hi Noa

With a faster lens like the SEL50F18 the camera focuses very quickly actually BUT the issue depending on distance is still DOF ...if you are fairly close like 15' away the DOF range at F1.8 is a tiny bit scary!!

I still find with weddings the stock lens does a good job in auto and at F3.5 I normally have enough DOF not to be concerned ...what I found with primes at weddings the camera doesn't really know where to focus and may lock onto a group of people behind the couple you want it too so that's where spot focus works really well!! I tried a Sigma F2.8 19mm for my Realty shoots and it also focusses fast but again with DOF being smaller at F2.8 it had to work harder. Based on the fact that if you are 10' from people at wedding receptions at F3.5 and full wide you are pretty darn safe as you have over 20' to play with ..6' in front and 27' behind

Chris

Noa Put · March 13th, 2013, 09:07 AM

That I agree about, as long as you keep it wide it should not be much of an issue but it will be as soon as you zoom in, even with f-stops above 3.5. Even with this slow lens this camera produces more shallow dof then most 1/3 inch sensor fixed lens camera's. You should often check using peaking or the magnifier just to be sure.

Rob Cantwell · March 13th, 2013, 04:23 PM

hi Chris,
yeah i've been watching the evolution of the NEX-EA 50 for some time now, the lack of ND filters is a bit of a thing for me. I do like the shots that people are achieving out of this cam. The focusing challenge I guess is helped by peaking, magnification face detection etc. and of course practice/skill.
Any opportunity i get i have been attempting to get footage with a 5D but for me at any rate it's been a hit and miss affair mostly in low light settings!
The price pint of this camera is appealing, i'm watching the exchange rates as we speak, dont know if i should hold out longer and see if they'll bring out an 'enhanced' version ;-)

Chris Harding · March 13th, 2013, 06:15 PM

Hi Rob

The only thing that ND's really do on a big sensor camera is allow DOF control. With an APSC sensor you don't have the image degradation that you get on a 1/4" or 1/3rd " CMOS chip set....I have shot wedding ceremonies and guests outdoors at F16 and the picture is perfect ..of course you do lose your small DOF as it's in focus right to infinity. I actually keep focus peaking on all the time!! That tells me exactly what the cam is focussing on.

Chris

March 12th, 2013, 07:02 PM	#16
Omar Idris Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Middlesex, UK Posts: 28	Re: Criticism for my wedding video Hi Derek, I watched your video on a loop and I loved it. Good job to you both. I particularly enjoyed the story-telling. It is, after all, what is important. However, since it's criticism you ask for, here goes… Composition/Framing A few of the shots could have been better composed. A few examples being Roberto at 1:22 (looking screen right), at 2:19 (shooting up the nose), at 3:26 (no look space), at 4:44 (no head room) and at 4:49 (no head room and subject centre-framing). Screen Direction At 4:53, subject approaches screen right but enters the frame screen left in the next shot, breaking the flow. That said, I really loved it.

March 12th, 2013, 07:17 PM	#17
Rob Cantwell Major Player Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Tipperary, Ireland Posts: 624	Re: Criticism for my wedding video well done, and yes the focus was a bit distracting for me, i've tried to use DSLRs but i've almost given up! cant get it to a point that i'd be happy with! Looking at the Sony NEX-EA50 but i'm wondering will that present more focusing issues than i want! overall a lovely vid. __________________ http://www.robertcantwell.com

March 12th, 2013, 07:49 PM	#18
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: Criticism for my wedding video Hi Rob Pop in on the EA-50 forum if you are interested...I'm using both mine as conventional cameras and focus is magic ...Yep I had much the same result with DSLR's ...after trying my Panny GH1 at a wedding I gained a VERY healthy respect for the guys that shoot on DSLR ...however the EA50 is totally different in operation ..you can get the shallow DOF where you need it without the focus issues! Chris

March 13th, 2013, 08:34 AM	#20
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: Criticism for my wedding video Hi Noa With a faster lens like the SEL50F18 the camera focuses very quickly actually BUT the issue depending on distance is still DOF ...if you are fairly close like 15' away the DOF range at F1.8 is a tiny bit scary!! I still find with weddings the stock lens does a good job in auto and at F3.5 I normally have enough DOF not to be concerned ...what I found with primes at weddings the camera doesn't really know where to focus and may lock onto a group of people behind the couple you want it too so that's where spot focus works really well!! I tried a Sigma F2.8 19mm for my Realty shoots and it also focusses fast but again with DOF being smaller at F2.8 it had to work harder. Based on the fact that if you are 10' from people at wedding receptions at F3.5 and full wide you are pretty darn safe as you have over 20' to play with ..6' in front and 27' behind Chris

March 13th, 2013, 09:07 AM	#21
Noa Put Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Belgium Posts: 9,510	Re: Criticism for my wedding video That I agree about, as long as you keep it wide it should not be much of an issue but it will be as soon as you zoom in, even with f-stops above 3.5. Even with this slow lens this camera produces more shallow dof then most 1/3 inch sensor fixed lens camera's. You should often check using peaking or the magnifier just to be sure.

March 13th, 2013, 04:23 PM	#22
Rob Cantwell Major Player Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Tipperary, Ireland Posts: 624	Re: Criticism for my wedding video hi Chris, yeah i've been watching the evolution of the NEX-EA 50 for some time now, the lack of ND filters is a bit of a thing for me. I do like the shots that people are achieving out of this cam. The focusing challenge I guess is helped by peaking, magnification face detection etc. and of course practice/skill. Any opportunity i get i have been attempting to get footage with a 5D but for me at any rate it's been a hit and miss affair mostly in low light settings! The price pint of this camera is appealing, i'm watching the exchange rates as we speak, dont know if i should hold out longer and see if they'll bring out an 'enhanced' version ;-) __________________ http://www.robertcantwell.com

March 13th, 2013, 06:15 PM	#23
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: Criticism for my wedding video Hi Rob The only thing that ND's really do on a big sensor camera is allow DOF control. With an APSC sensor you don't have the image degradation that you get on a 1/4" or 1/3rd " CMOS chip set....I have shot wedding ceremonies and guests outdoors at F16 and the picture is perfect ..of course you do lose your small DOF as it's in focus right to infinity. I actually keep focus peaking on all the time!! That tells me exactly what the cam is focussing on. Chris