Does anyone shoot funeral videos for a living? at DVinfo.net

Young Lee · February 24th, 2005, 12:38 PM

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

Keith Loh · February 24th, 2005, 12:40 PM

Paging Frank Granovski...

Frank Granovski · February 25th, 2005, 02:42 AM

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. :-((

Stephen M. Crawford · February 25th, 2005, 12:56 PM

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

Frank Granovski · February 25th, 2005, 03:54 PM

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.

Quote:

...And don't you find it difficult touting for business....

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.

Young Lee · February 26th, 2005, 12:29 AM

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

Frank Granovski · February 26th, 2005, 02:38 AM

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.

Linda Walker · February 26th, 2005, 08:58 AM

<<<-- 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.

Kevin Kimmell · February 26th, 2005, 09:37 AM

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

Linda Walker · February 26th, 2005, 09:41 AM

<<<-- 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.

Mark Williams · February 26th, 2005, 10:42 AM

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

Linda Walker · February 26th, 2005, 03:42 PM

<<<-- 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.

Darko Flajpan · February 27th, 2005, 12:15 PM

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.

Young Lee · February 27th, 2005, 04:10 PM

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. ;)

Young Lee · February 27th, 2005, 04:13 PM

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

February 24th, 2005, 12:38 PM	#1
Young Lee Major Player Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 268	Does anyone shoot funeral videos for a living? I'm just wondering because I think funeral is just as important as wedding.

February 24th, 2005, 12:40 PM	#2
Keith Loh Air China Pilot Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vancouver, B.C. Posts: 2,389	Paging Frank Granovski... __________________ -- Visit http://www.KeithLoh.com \| stuff about living in Vancouver \| My Flickr photo gallery

February 25th, 2005, 12:56 PM	#4
Stephen M. Crawford Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Milton Keynes, UK Posts: 51	Frank, how do you advertise it? And don't you find it difficult touting for business from the recently bereaved? __________________ Regards, Chrome Association of Professional Videomakers (UK) www.apv.org.uk Megalith TV www.megalith.tv

February 27th, 2005, 12:15 PM	#13
Darko Flajpan Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Bjelovar, Croatia Posts: 153	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. __________________ XM2 Sony DXC637P BetaSP

February 25th, 2005, 02:42 AM	#3
Frank Granovski Outer Circle Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hope, BC Posts: 7,524	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. :-((

February 26th, 2005, 12:29 AM	#6
Young Lee Major Player Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 268	Thanks Frank, maybe I should start my own funeral videography business. :) (making a "Six Feet Under" style video would be great.)

February 26th, 2005, 02:38 AM	#7
Frank Granovski Outer Circle Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hope, BC Posts: 7,524	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.

February 26th, 2005, 08:58 AM	#8
Linda Walker Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Green Bay Wisconsin Posts: 29	<<<-- 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.

February 26th, 2005, 09:37 AM	#9
Kevin Kimmell Major Player Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Akron, OH Posts: 209	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

February 26th, 2005, 09:41 AM	#10
Linda Walker Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Green Bay Wisconsin Posts: 29	<<<-- 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.

February 26th, 2005, 10:42 AM	#11
Mark Williams Trustee Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Deep South, U.S. Posts: 1,526	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

February 26th, 2005, 03:42 PM	#12
Linda Walker Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Green Bay Wisconsin Posts: 29	<<<-- 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.

February 27th, 2005, 04:10 PM	#14
Young Lee Major Player Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 268	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. ;)

February 27th, 2005, 04:13 PM	#15
Young Lee Major Player Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 268	Please don't get offended by my last comment. :) Of course, I'm going to buy better camcorders when I save up enough money.