New Demo

[Mike Oveson]

I'm setting up my new website (changed company names recently) and I just re-edited a demo that I had from last year. If anyone has three minutes to spare and is willing to critique it I'd appreciate it. Just go to http://www.endlessimagesutah.com and click on the Video Gallery picture. It's the only one in there so it'll start playing when you click on that gallery picture. Thanks for your thoughts.

[Vito DeFilippo]

Hey Mike,

Okay, I have some comments.

For the positive, it's very well shot. Well framed. Perfect exposure, which is really difficult in sunny setting like that. Great quality (what camera is it? What are you using to encode and at what settings?)

What would I change? Well, that opening shot (which is great) is begging for a title, for starters. The second shot is too long.

I would look for shots that help you tell a story. Right now it comes across as a series of the same shot, so it feels too long. Laughing bride and groom, kissing a lot, but nothing happens. You do have one walking shot about halfway through that I remember, but it's not enough. Mix it up a bit if you have the material. Where are they? Where are they going? Do you have shots of them in transition, preparing to get to the next spot, more inserts, whatever...

Get away from the constant dissolves. This is perhaps too subjective a critique, but I find constant dissolves for no reason make a video 'mushy'. Dissolves can be a beautiful effect, but lose their power if that's all there are. I'll never forget a friend of mine telling me that his film prof told him "When you can't solve...dissolve." I think of that every time I edit a video.

You might want to consider some colour correction to give the video a 'look'. Right now it's very realistic, which is fine if that's what you are aiming for, but perhaps you are not, I don't know...Even just to warm it up a bit could be nice. The outdoors make it so blue.

Anyway, that's it off the top of my head. Nice work, though.

Cheers,
Vito

[Cara Starr]

Was this a Mormon wedding? I ask because of the look of the church, the style of her dress and the fact that there is no ceremony footage. If so, it is one of the MOST INTERESTING Mormon wedding videos I HAVE EVER SEEN!!!!!! WOW!
The colors and scenery are beautiful. The bride and groom are beautiful. And her dress (for a modest/plain one) is gorgeous.
If I am correct, i understand why there is little footage to shoot/choose from and I think it's beautifully done.

ETA: I just saw that you are from Utah which would be reason #4 why I make the above guess! ;)

[Alan Waters]

I think thats being over critical.

You obviously shot this as a Love Story type edit (The fact that the ceremony is not in it tells that) and therefore the couple are the focus.....it doesn't need anything else to be going on.

Dissolves are part of this kind of video and as it is a wedding.....your only real audience pleaser is the bride and her friends because in case you have not noticed.....women invented "mushy" lol.

Everyone has their own way of doing things, thats what makes video an art form but I think this is a well shot video.

[Vito DeFilippo]

Originally Posted by Alan Waters

I think thats being over critical.

Over critical? Mike is changing his business name, setting up a new website, posting a new demo and asking for critique. He is being smart to ask what the demo says to others, especially his peers who might have valuable feedback for him.

Do you think he wants us all to come here to stroke his ego?

I don't know anything about Mormon weddings, or the material he has, but I know video. I'm telling him how the video reads to me when I watch it. He can either ignore my feedback, or use it as he wishes.

[Mike Oveson]

I appreciate ALL of the feedback that you've given. I do appreciate your honest comments Vito, and I don't think you're being over critical. I will say that Cara is dead on in her guess. Let me explain a little background about LDS (aka Mormon) weddings that will explain this video a bit more.

As Cara said, the ceremony is not open to the public. It is done inside the temple, the large white building seen in many of the shots. When the couple comes out that's when the video and photo shoot begins. That's why you see the couple exiting the building at first and then move on to other things. Most of the shots are just candid shots of the couple during the photo shoot. Some shots are staged (liked the rack focus between her in the foreground and him in the background) but most are not. I did focus on the couple specifically for this demo as I'm targeting brides. =) Normally there would be more group shots with the family and such, but I wanted to keep this demo short and to the point. So, hopefully this explains the video a bit more. I'm glad I left out these details at first though as it gave others a chance to just give their honest opinion of the video itself. Now that's it been given some context maybe that will change things.

As Vito said, I don't want my ego stroked, I want honest criticism that will enhance my "product" and bring in more business. I'm very glad to hear that Cara liked it, as she seems at least somewhat familiar with Mormon weddings and has presumably seen a few. On the subject of dissolves, personally I prefer them because they are not as jolting as a cut or a rougher transition. I know they are simple and can get boring, but I feel that they let the video flow nicely from one point to the next without interrupting the viewing experience. On faster paced videos cuts or other transitions would be more appropriate, but for the slow ones like this I like to keep it flowing.

If anyone else has comments I'd love to hear them. Thank you all again for your thoughts thus far.


Edit: Vito, I shoot on a DVX100A and I was using Sorenson Squeeze to compress this to Flash Video. Think I used the On2 codec. I can check my exact settings when I get home if you're interested. Thank you for the kind words on my framing and exposure. Thank goodness for ND filters.

[Vito DeFilippo]

Originally Posted by Mike Oveson

Think I used the On2 codec. I can check my exact settings when I get home if you're interested. Thank you for the kind words on my framing and exposure. Thank goodness for ND filters.

Yeah, I would be interested. I have Squeeze, so it would be helpful. Thanks a lot.

[Terry Esslinger]

I know that the ceremony in LDS weddings is closed (private). But I was wondering if it is permissable to place (hide?) an iRiver or such on the groom and record the audio. It might be able to be used quite creatively in a video?

[Jason Robinson]

Originally Posted by Terry Esslinger

I know that the ceremony in LDS weddings is closed (private). But I was wondering if it is permissable to place (hide?) an iRiver or such on the groom and record the audio. It might be able to be used quite creatively in a video?

My guess is they (LDS administration) are not fine with ANYTHING leaving the temple. Since I live out here in Idaho, the state with more Mormons per capita than even Utah, that is just a hunch. An educated hunch though.

A better tactic which would avoid causing religious problems, would be to have the B&G redo the vows in post for VO sections.

[Mike Oveson]

I know that you're both just trying to be helpful (Jason and Terry) but it's not the same type of ceremony inside the temple as it is in most churches. Even if you could get a recording device on the groom, there are no "vows" to record. I appreciate the suggestion, but I just wanted to clarify that it's not something that's really possible to do. The Church doesn't allow it, and there's really nothing to record.

[Bill Grant]

Hey Mike,
My 2 cents would follow along with Vito's comments. The images look fantastic, but I would also want something to "happen" here. Regardless of the ceremony being closed off or whatever. We know something happened. Photo shoot is not enough to carry us through a whole video. Maybe this is the norm in LDS but I would want to be more interested in the couple. Great looking footage though...
Bill

[Steven Davis]

1. I really liked the focus change on the kiss blown backwards.

2. I liked the white out and in on the kiss.

3. I liked the walk they were doing.

4. I bet you enjoyed having a couple that played to the camera.

I'll give you a top score with just one minus, the minus is because of my jealousy over your backdrop. Nice video dude. :}

[Mike Oveson]

Bill and Steven, thank you for your comments. I agree that it could be a bit more "driven" or tell more of a story. This is quite standard for an LDS video, but I agree that it could be more.

The groom in the video was I guy I had worked with for about 3 years and his wife was great. Both very funny individuals. It was an easy shoot.


Now, with all of this said I am doing my next wedding on a Glidecam as it seems to add another level of energy to the video. I am much more comfortable with the style portrayed in the video. I know this will be a fairly big adjustment and I can't help but wonder if it is worth it. I keep telling myself that it can take things to the next level, but there's always this nagging fear. I think that's usual for any type of change, but that doesn't mean I like it. Just wanted to voice that fear, if for no other reason than to get it off my chest.

Thanks again everyone for the comments. I really do appreciate it.

[Bill Grant]

Hey Mike,
This would be a way to set you apart from other LDS videographers if you could make story driven... good luck.
Bill

[Steven Davis]

Yeah, I'd grab them, throwem in the back of my Nissan, drive up into them thar hills and do some scenic stuff. Man, what a nice looking backdrop.