How You Produce A Short Form Edit?

[Tyson Yoder]

Hey guys, I have been producing what I call a Long Form Edit. Start 2 cams at the beginning of the Wedding and letting them roll the duration of the Ceremony, then multi-cam edit them together, then add in the main events of the Reception and thats pretty much it. I hear alot about Short Form Edits but I don't have a clue what is all included in them or how they are done. How do you guys do them?

[Don Bloom]

For my short form eidts I always and I mean always start with the long form ceremony. You can't edit what you don't have and not all ceremonies are exactly alike so I start with the whole ceremony. Once I ABC'd (multicam edit) to get the long form at least rough cut (no color correction done yet) then I scrub thru the ceremony to see what parts I want. I use Vegas and place regions around those parts. Again its a rough edit. I collect those parts and see how it plays out meaning does it tell the story I'm looking to tell.
Thats when I start finish cutting. For example, for a Catholic Mass ceremony that may run 50 to 60 minutes, I start with the Bride coming doen the aisle. Depending on the lenght of time it takes for her to get to the altar I may or maynot cut that and dissolve one part into the other or I may start it from the mid point of the aisle or I might leave it in it's entirety. I then use the footage of her being handed off to the groom and from there it's really a matter of what works but generally I use a lit bit of the readers, a little of the homily although those 2 parts could never see the light of day depending on the time which I don't know until after the first cut. Thens it's on to the vows, now here it gets tricky. A lot depends on the shot I have and how much the B&G and officiant are moving around but I might intercut the 2 of them saying their vows. The same goes for the rings. Then it's on to the unity candle if they do that a little of placing flowers at the virgin Mary, a bit of the final blessing the kiss the walk out and BAM! Done. Well not quite that simple, sometimes I'll use a music bed under the homily, or even under the vows if it will help tell the story. I've done 60 minute Catholic Mass ceremonys in 10 to 12 minutes. The important parts and for those clients they know and understand THATS what they're going to get.
Receptions are pretty much the same. The B&G entrance, cutting the cake although sometimes I'll cut that into the firt dance, A little of the toasts, first dance, father daughter and mother sone get shortened, a little of open dance to get the flavor of the party, bouquet and gartr if they do it and with a bit of effort I can get taht to 15 to 20 minutes. Add the preceremony, prep post and highlight and I've got a 35 to 45 minute product. Of course I've also had 30 minute products which is what I shoot for when I do short form but if it goes 45 I can live with that.
It's all a matter of telling the story in a short, condensed, concise manner. I don't just take a hatchet to it although there have been times I would like to.
Anyway there are a lot of variables but that's my basic outline.
Have fun.

[Greg Fiske]

I'm moving towards the simple voice over to tell the story, chronological or mixed up. Use what the pastor says or the speeches or the interviews you get to drive the story. Some people that I think are the best at doing them are William Gaff or Meg Simone.