Does anyone shoot funeral videos for a living?
 

I'm just wondering because I think funeral is just as important as wedding.

Paging Frank Granovski...

I shoot a lot of funerals. I posted a little something about technique quite some time ago somewhere on dvinfo. They're a lot easier to shoot than weddings---funerals are slow, unlike weddings, and simple. I have one coming up early next week. People are always dying. :-((

Frank, how do you advertise it? And don't you find it difficult touting for business from the recently bereaved?

I don't advertise. I go through a Vancouver funeral home. They phone me. They saw me taping my dad's funeral several years back and spoke to me at that time if I would do it for them. So it's steady part-time work. Of course, the funeral home gets a cut.If you look in Vancouver's Yellow Pages (or Super Pages now), video people have this sevice listed. Also, videographers advertise this service in the ethnic newspapers. So it isn't difficult or strange for someone to advertise this service. Back in Winnipeg, it's popular as well---I'm sure in most parts of Canada. My wife's cousin also shoots funerals, among other things---both stills and video.

Thanks Frank, maybe I should start my own funeral videography business. :) (making a "Six Feet Under" style video would be great.)

It makes money but not as much as weddings. Funerals are usually short, though, and consisting of either just the service, or the service and burial, and sometimes a dinner after all is finished.

<<<-- Originally posted by Frank Granovski : It makes money but not as much as weddings. Funerals are usually short, though, and consisting of either just the service, or the service and burial, and sometimes a dinner after all is finished. -->>>


Can I ask what percentage the funeral home gets? I've seen where videographers will produce a photo montage and show that at the wake, but I've never heard of a videographer actually video taping the funeral itself.

You wouldn't happen to have a demo that you could share??

Thanks.

Kind of on topic...

I filmed one funeral and it wasn't really for hire but explaining the circumstances might help understand why some people would want it filmed...

A close friend of mine passed away of a rare vascular disease. She was 25 years old and had a 2 year old daughter. This little girl will grow up not knowing and probably not remembering her mother.

Several people chose to speak about my friend at the service service to recount how she had touched them and changed their lives. My friends all agreed that these were the types of things that her daughter would want to know about when she was old enough.

Before this situation hit me personally I couldn't have imagined a reason for filming a funeral but now I imagine there are all sorts of reasons that people might have for wanting it.

-Kevin

<<<-- Originally posted by Kevin Kimmell : Kind of on topic...

I filmed one funeral and it wasn't really for hire but explaining the circumstances might help understand why some people would want it filmed...

A close friend of mine passed away of a rare vascular disease. She was 25 years old and had a 2 year old daughter. This little girl will grow up not knowing and probably not remembering her mother.

Several people chose to speak about my friend at the service service to recount how she had touched them and changed their lives. My friends all agreed that these were the types of things that her daughter would want to know about when she was old enough.

Before this situation hit me personally I couldn't have imagined a reason for filming a funeral but now I imagine there are all sorts of reasons that people might have for wanting it.

-Kevin -->>>


Thank you for sharing Kevin. Yes, I can now see where someone would want to have a funeral video taped.

There was a funeral post here a while back called "Fallen Marine" or something like that. It was very creatively filmed. After giving this some thought you have a lot of creative options here such as using old photos, cutting in vacation tapes ect. I could be much more than just filming the ceremony.

Regards,

Mark

<<<-- Originally posted by Mark Williams : There was a funeral post here a while back called "Fallen Marine" or something like that. It was very creatively filmed. After giving this some thought you have a lot of creative options here such as using old photos, cutting in vacation tapes ect. I could be much more than just filming the ceremony.

Regards,

Mark -->>>

Never thought about putting in vacation footage. You're right, "it could be much more".

Thanks for sharing.

I've done funnerals two times for some relatives. they wanted video to send it to relatives in Australia which were unable to come at funneral. I started with photos, taped the ceremony and ended with grave in flowers - 20 minutes of final material. Anyway, not too much pleasant video to work on. IMHO i think funneral video should be simple as possible, vithout any HFX or such transitions, just few dissolves, and that's it.

Darko, did you charge them? :)

I'm a college student and thinking of starting my own wedding videography business after I graduate. And since I'm planning on attending mortuary college starting Fall 2005 and becoming an licensed funeral director/embalmer, I'm also interested in making high-quality funeral videos.

After seeing several wedding videos posted on this board, I think I can do it too, even w/ my MX5000. ;)

Please don't get offended by my last comment. :) Of course, I'm going to buy better camcorders when I save up enough money.