Include Wedding Videography on Résumé? at DVinfo.net

Doug Chambers · January 4th, 2012, 05:54 PM

I have read on some forums and websites (possibly including this one, though I'm not sure) that it is sometimes a good idea when trying to get corporate video jobs to NOT mention that you have done wedding videography. Some people suggest keeping your wedding video website totally separate from you corporate/other video website as well. The reasoning I have read is that some companies and people look down on wedding videography as an "amateur" job. I can see this being true for some people, definitely.

I have a question that relates to this, but involves a bit of a different situation. Let's say I am applying for a job, not a one-time video production job, but a full-time job in a certain area of production, like maybe working as a photographer for a news station, or an editor for a production company that does primarily commercials. Would it be a good idea to include wedding video experience on the resumé for this type of job, as long as it relates to the job being applied for? Experience in wedding videos is experience just as much as anything else, but could listing it on a resume actually hurt someone's chances of getting a job?

Chris Harding · January 4th, 2012, 08:39 PM

Hi Doug

As far as websites are concerned I keep my commercial ventures and weddings on two different websites but I still have had enquiries as a wedding videographer for other jobs too.

In a resume when you are seeking employment I would take a look at the job description and if you feel that your experience with wedding would help then add it. If it was me, I would list my experience as 'event videography and editing' rather than 'wedding videographer' They might take the path that you do cinematic weddings so you might be a bit too 'creative' for straight news stuff.

Chris

Jim Michael · January 4th, 2012, 09:04 PM

The most important aspect is that you have to produce consistent results where the margin for error is zero. Emphasize that. Many positions require folks who can perform under pressure.

Michael Johnston · January 4th, 2012, 11:36 PM

I'm a full time TV news photographer. If you mention wedding videography, your tape/DVD will go straight in the trash. For every 1 good wedding Videographer out there, there are 100 bad ones. News is a much different animal than production and/or weddings. News is a great place to master your craft and learn shortcuts and how to work quickly and efficiently. I can set up a fully lit news magazine style interview in 15-20 minutes where others take up to two hours.

When I started my own business I had both wedding and corporate together and rarely got non-wedding jobs. I split it into two separate businesses with separate websites and the non wedding jobs poured in. Right or not, if you're known as a wedding Videographer, that's the only jobs you're going to get. Leave it off the resume.

Doug Chambers · January 5th, 2012, 06:02 PM

Well, luckily, I have not mentioned wedding or event videography on any resumes that I have sent out lately. I did an internship at a local news station during college...it IS a different animal, in many ways. I did not particularly like it, either, but that may have been due to reasons other than the actual work.

Another related question: I have exactly one wedding clip on my non-wedding website. I sort of buried it on the 2nd page of samples which probably no one ever looks at, but I included it because it is an opening sequence put together in After Effects and I think it is the best example I have of a fancier opening titles type of video. I have actually thought about including it on a demo reel, but only for jobs where I would actually be required to put something like that together. I would never include it on a reel for a news job. Would I be better off to remove that one clip from the non-wedding site? I only ask this because, unlike mentioning weddings on a resume, you can actually see the quality of the work in the clip.

Allan Black · January 5th, 2012, 07:00 PM

No I'd remove the wedding clip from your 2nd page, especially if it shouts 'wedding today' etc.

Clients interested in doing business with you will visit all pages and more than once. Produce something creatively similar, you could say it was a demo.

Cheers.

Paul Hildebrandt · January 7th, 2012, 12:10 AM

This is a very interesting thread, I really want to get into non-wedding work, but of course my site primarily focuses on weddings. I just added a video production tab with a few samples on it, do you need a completely separate business name, or just a different website that's like "companynamecorporate.com vs your regular companyname.com - wouldn't the prospective client find your wedding work anyway?

Allan Black · January 7th, 2012, 04:03 AM

Figure out what's the best way to keep them totally apart and follow that course of action .. so the risk of prospective biz. clients not wanting to work with a wedding outfit is as remote as possible.

I'd say it was a separate corporate bus. name and website, divorce them totally, no trial separation, don't chance it with anything else.

Biz clients usually don't go looking up wedding sites, so keep the names totally different. Of course your clients will get to know of your wedding jobs,
so produce their first biz projects as good and economical as possible, so they'll pass your name around .. and maybe return.

If wearing 2 hats starts to become too much, make an executive decision before one or both go south.

Cheers.

January 4th, 2012, 05:54 PM	#1
Doug Chambers Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Canton, NC Posts: 48	Include Wedding Videography on Résumé? I have read on some forums and websites (possibly including this one, though I'm not sure) that it is sometimes a good idea when trying to get corporate video jobs to NOT mention that you have done wedding videography. Some people suggest keeping your wedding video website totally separate from you corporate/other video website as well. The reasoning I have read is that some companies and people look down on wedding videography as an "amateur" job. I can see this being true for some people, definitely. I have a question that relates to this, but involves a bit of a different situation. Let's say I am applying for a job, not a one-time video production job, but a full-time job in a certain area of production, like maybe working as a photographer for a news station, or an editor for a production company that does primarily commercials. Would it be a good idea to include wedding video experience on the resumé for this type of job, as long as it relates to the job being applied for? Experience in wedding videos is experience just as much as anything else, but could listing it on a resume actually hurt someone's chances of getting a job?

January 4th, 2012, 08:39 PM	#2
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: Include Wedding Videography on Résumé? Hi Doug As far as websites are concerned I keep my commercial ventures and weddings on two different websites but I still have had enquiries as a wedding videographer for other jobs too. In a resume when you are seeking employment I would take a look at the job description and if you feel that your experience with wedding would help then add it. If it was me, I would list my experience as 'event videography and editing' rather than 'wedding videographer' They might take the path that you do cinematic weddings so you might be a bit too 'creative' for straight news stuff. Chris

January 4th, 2012, 09:04 PM	#3
Jim Michael Major Player Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 895	Re: Include Wedding Videography on Résumé? The most important aspect is that you have to produce consistent results where the margin for error is zero. Emphasize that. Many positions require folks who can perform under pressure.

January 4th, 2012, 11:36 PM	#4
Michael Johnston Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 130	Re: Include Wedding Videography on Résumé? I'm a full time TV news photographer. If you mention wedding videography, your tape/DVD will go straight in the trash. For every 1 good wedding Videographer out there, there are 100 bad ones. News is a much different animal than production and/or weddings. News is a great place to master your craft and learn shortcuts and how to work quickly and efficiently. I can set up a fully lit news magazine style interview in 15-20 minutes where others take up to two hours. When I started my own business I had both wedding and corporate together and rarely got non-wedding jobs. I split it into two separate businesses with separate websites and the non wedding jobs poured in. Right or not, if you're known as a wedding Videographer, that's the only jobs you're going to get. Leave it off the resume.

January 5th, 2012, 06:02 PM	#5
Doug Chambers Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Canton, NC Posts: 48	Re: Include Wedding Videography on Résumé? Well, luckily, I have not mentioned wedding or event videography on any resumes that I have sent out lately. I did an internship at a local news station during college...it IS a different animal, in many ways. I did not particularly like it, either, but that may have been due to reasons other than the actual work. Another related question: I have exactly one wedding clip on my non-wedding website. I sort of buried it on the 2nd page of samples which probably no one ever looks at, but I included it because it is an opening sequence put together in After Effects and I think it is the best example I have of a fancier opening titles type of video. I have actually thought about including it on a demo reel, but only for jobs where I would actually be required to put something like that together. I would never include it on a reel for a news job. Would I be better off to remove that one clip from the non-wedding site? I only ask this because, unlike mentioning weddings on a resume, you can actually see the quality of the work in the clip. Last edited by Doug Chambers; January 5th, 2012 at 06:06 PM. Reason: additional info

January 5th, 2012, 07:00 PM	#6
Allan Black Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Sydney. Posts: 2,927	Re: Include Wedding Videography on Résumé? No I'd remove the wedding clip from your 2nd page, especially if it shouts 'wedding today' etc. Clients interested in doing business with you will visit all pages and more than once. Produce something creatively similar, you could say it was a demo. Cheers. __________________ Drink more tap water. On admission at Sydney hospitals more than 5% of day patients are de-hydrated.

January 7th, 2012, 12:10 AM	#7
Paul Hildebrandt Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Chico, CA Posts: 83	Re: Include Wedding Videography on Résumé? This is a very interesting thread, I really want to get into non-wedding work, but of course my site primarily focuses on weddings. I just added a video production tab with a few samples on it, do you need a completely separate business name, or just a different website that's like "companynamecorporate.com vs your regular companyname.com - wouldn't the prospective client find your wedding work anyway?

January 7th, 2012, 04:03 AM	#8
Allan Black Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Sydney. Posts: 2,927	Re: Include Wedding Videography on Résumé? Figure out what's the best way to keep them totally apart and follow that course of action .. so the risk of prospective biz. clients not wanting to work with a wedding outfit is as remote as possible. I'd say it was a separate corporate bus. name and website, divorce them totally, no trial separation, don't chance it with anything else. Biz clients usually don't go looking up wedding sites, so keep the names totally different. Of course your clients will get to know of your wedding jobs, so produce their first biz projects as good and economical as possible, so they'll pass your name around .. and maybe return. If wearing 2 hats starts to become too much, make an executive decision before one or both go south. Cheers. __________________ Drink more tap water. On admission at Sydney hospitals more than 5% of day patients are de-hydrated.