Is HE among us? Story from newspaper this morning....

[Nigel Barker]

Originally Posted by George Kilroy

On a side note. What are the copyright implications of using the footage on websites or tv programmes?
Was the copyright transferred to the couple or do they need the videographer's permission to show it?

In my agreements I state that I retain copyright of my material, though I have never had to enforce it, but if there was footage of mine that I was not happy with I'd not want it doing the rounds.

The video guy would retain copyright unless it was explicitly assigned to the couple (unlikely). Use of the video in news reporting on TV could be 'fair use' but some other uses might be more of a grey area. Given that the guy couldn't afford £350 to keep the case out of the Small Claims Court I don't think he will be setting the lawyers on anyone. Presumably the couple gave or sold their copy of the video to one or more of the newspapers & TV channels.

[Wayne Faulkner]

Just to put this into perspective, the UK National Minimum Wage is £5.93/hr ($9.54 USD, $9.27 AUS), so spending 25 hours on the whole job amounts to a minimum of £148.25 ($237.46 USD, $231.93 AUS)

Assuming his vehicle runs on Diesel, which is currently £6.46 per Imperial Gallon ($8.65 USD per US Gal, $10.10 AUS per Imp Gal), in the UK, and estimating his vehicle does a 50mpg average (Imp Gal), and average journeys here in the UK might be at 40mph overall, an 8 hour trip would amount to £41.31 ($66.19 USD, $64.62 AUS)

So, at Macdonalds floor sweeper rates of pay, he'd want a minimum of £189.56 before considering vehicle wear and tear, business insurance, hire of equipment, cost of media, postage, staying overnight, etc, etc.

Even the most cost conscious purchaser of a service can see the potential flaws in engaging someone for £350, so I have limited sympathy for the couple, who may claim they know no better, but if you're planning a wedding, surely you research everything before setting budgets.

Personally, I'd never do a wedding because I'd find it boring.

[Nigel Barker]

There is a longer report in today's newspaper with tales of more disgruntled couples so the guy obviously had form for poor customer service Wedding photographer Clayton Bennett’s trail of misery - Sunday Sun

BTW Everyone seems to have jumped to the conclusion that as the groom is reported as living in Essex that this is where the wedding was held & that the videographer will have travelled hundreds of miles. I think that it's far more likely that the wedding was held in the North East & that they just hired a local guy.

[Danny O'Neill]

When you work the day job the salary is all yours. But working for yourself all that money isn't yours, it goes to lots of people and places and in 3-5 years your gear will need replacing, skills updating and at some point you realise that working from home full time consumes a lot more toilet roll than you did before :)

[Dave Blackhurst]

That'd be the point where I'd ask if they'd like me to bring my $300 P&S camera (which actually shoots pretty decent video!) or the $5K pro gear (yeah, I know, that's a silly low figure for what we usually cart around).

And I can hand her a disc with the unedited files, or take it back to the editing computer (another couple grand invested)...

I don't know what some people are thinking when they look at another's work product and go "I can do that, and do it cheaper to boot"...

Reminds me of the old jioke "how many guitarists does it take to screw in a light bulb" - ONE, and dozens standing around saying "I can do that... and better..."

Someone please dig up the old pic of the HC3 with the lampshade on it, and we'll update the "joke"!!

[Dave Blackhurst]

Originally Posted by Nigel Barker

There is a longer report in today's newspaper with tales of more disgruntled couples so the guy obviously had form for poor customer service Wedding photographer Clayton Bennett’s trail of misery - Sunday Sun

BTW Everyone seems to have jumped to the conclusion that as the groom is reported as living in Essex that this is where the wedding was held & that the videographer will have travelled hundreds of miles. I think that it's far more likely that the wedding was held in the North East & that they just hired a local guy.

Wow, at least they keep saying he's a photographer (looks like he does BOTH), but what a maroon... then again there's the 4th page where they cancelled the wedding and expected a refund... And the last one, any competent person with a photo editing program could "fix" the color problems, just sayin'

And it looks to me like the guy DROPPED his rates?!? Guess there weren't enough suckers at 650, so offer 350...

I'm back to "con man", sorry, only logical conclusion here, although it does look like he TRIED to deliver SOMETHING... so maybe just completely incompetent boob... but if you're that incompetent, at some point you're a con man to continue! At least it appears he's out of business, that's a plus, one less bottom fishing loballer for you guys in the UK to contend with!

[Nigel Barker]

Originally Posted by Dave Blackhurst

And it looks to me like the guy DROPPED his rates?!? Guess there weren't enough suckers at 650, so offer 350...

I think that for £650 it's a combined package of video & photographs versus £350 for video alone.