Marriage commissioner refuses to be videotaped

Kawika Ohumukini · March 8th, 2012, 06:05 PM

1. Is the commissioner a public employee?

2. Is the premises where the ceremony to be held public property?

3. If yes to both, then you should talk to the CEO of the Vital Statistics Agency to see what the policy for videography of ones wedding is. If it's "up to the commissioner" then setup a shot where you can matte him out. If everything is "free to shoot" then there you go.

If you can't get the shot you want then pause the ceremony, ask the commissioner to move back, then get your shot. I'm assuming the B&G will want the shot. If all else fails, then have the B&G re-enact the important shots after the ceremony (giving away, rings, kiss, facing the crowd, etc.) GL

Chris Harding · March 8th, 2012, 07:52 PM

I must admit we have one celebrant here who stands right off to one side and does his official stuff very much off camera...I guess it would work with him off camera too..just keep one camera with the tight shot of the Bride and Groom and then use your 2nd camera for cutaways to keep the ceremony interesting.

I think as long as you get the couple you pretty much have the wedding covered!! That is, of course, if the commissioner is prepared to stay out of shot all the time!!

Chris

Andrew Smith · March 9th, 2012, 08:33 AM

Can't be as bad as it was at the government Registry Office (births, marriages and deaths .... unofficially known as "hatch, match and dispatch") in Brisbane. The registrant performed the wedding ceremony with her back to the audience and blocking most of the view of the couple. And it wasn't the prettiest of back sides.

Andrew

Ron Little · March 9th, 2012, 09:13 AM

Get a couple of GoPro cameras and mount them to capture the bride and groom.

Chris Bryan · March 9th, 2012, 09:35 AM

Sure it's their right to refuse to be videotaped or photographed, but get a different job! It's expected that there will be photos and video taken during a wedding ceremony. The officiant is employed by the couple to marry them and if they want to be photographed or videotaped while they are taking their vows, then in my opinion it is part of the officiant's job to be photographed and videotaped. It's like the cake baker saying, sure I'll make you a cake for your wedding and you can eat it, but I won't allow photographs of it! All right, it's not quite the same thing, but you get my point. What I don't understand is why the couple would even consider using this guy. Get's me all fired up!

Paul R Johnson · March 9th, 2012, 10:24 AM

Here in the UK, there was a rule about not shooting the marriage license being signed, and when I was in San Francisco, in the Court House the Judge who did weddings had a big no photos or video sign above the desk. Maybe some people do not believe official ceremonies that are essentially a legal process should be conducted like a social ceremony - some UK vicars have similar views I understand, with all sorts of rules to stop the photographers and video people from taking over. Weddings have become big events now, and so many officiants don't wish to be used in this way. Maybe the way forward is a Judge Judy style set with plenty of cameras hidden around - and then the officiant could charge a big fat fee, and the local authority put up the charges.

Maybe the officiant sees the charges the other wedding support services are charging and figures their tiny fee is insulting, so maybe they look in the rulebook and find nothing to make them give permission? It's a business, after all.

Peter Rush · March 12th, 2012, 07:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kawika Ohumukini

If you can't get the shot you want then pause the ceremony, ask the commissioner to move back, then get your shot. I'm assuming the B&G will want the shot. If all else fails, then have the B&G re-enact the important shots after the ceremony (giving away, rings, kiss, facing the crowd, etc.) GL

Jeez i would never interrupt a ceremony! I do however get them to go back in afterwards to re-enact the kiss and ring exchange

Kawika Ohumukini · March 12th, 2012, 11:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter Rush

Jeez i would never interrupt a ceremony! I do however get them to go back in afterwards to re-enact the kiss and ring exchange

Of course not. :) But, this ceremony is already hosed thanks to a shy commissioner. If all other options were off the table then I'd throw it out there before turning down the gig. Cheers.

Edward Troxel · March 13th, 2012, 06:41 AM

Film it as normal and then put the big "I didn't want to be filmed" blob over their face! :-)

March 8th, 2012, 06:05 PM	#16
Kawika Ohumukini Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 185	Re: Marriage commissioner refuses to be videotaped 1. Is the commissioner a public employee? 2. Is the premises where the ceremony to be held public property? 3. If yes to both, then you should talk to the CEO of the Vital Statistics Agency to see what the policy for videography of ones wedding is. If it's "up to the commissioner" then setup a shot where you can matte him out. If everything is "free to shoot" then there you go. If you can't get the shot you want then pause the ceremony, ask the commissioner to move back, then get your shot. I'm assuming the B&G will want the shot. If all else fails, then have the B&G re-enact the important shots after the ceremony (giving away, rings, kiss, facing the crowd, etc.) GL

March 8th, 2012, 07:52 PM	#17
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: Marriage commissioner refuses to be videotaped I must admit we have one celebrant here who stands right off to one side and does his official stuff very much off camera...I guess it would work with him off camera too..just keep one camera with the tight shot of the Bride and Groom and then use your 2nd camera for cutaways to keep the ceremony interesting. I think as long as you get the couple you pretty much have the wedding covered!! That is, of course, if the commissioner is prepared to stay out of shot all the time!! Chris

March 9th, 2012, 08:33 AM	#18
Andrew Smith Equal Opportunity Offender Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 3,064	Re: Marriage commissioner refuses to be videotaped Can't be as bad as it was at the government Registry Office (births, marriages and deaths .... unofficially known as "hatch, match and dispatch") in Brisbane. The registrant performed the wedding ceremony with her back to the audience and blocking most of the view of the couple. And it wasn't the prettiest of back sides. Andrew

March 9th, 2012, 09:13 AM	#19
Ron Little Major Player Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Pensacola Fl. Posts: 627	Re: Marriage commissioner refuses to be videotaped Get a couple of GoPro cameras and mount them to capture the bride and groom.

March 9th, 2012, 09:35 AM	#20
Chris Bryan Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: New York, NY Posts: 78	Re: Marriage commissioner refuses to be videotaped Sure it's their right to refuse to be videotaped or photographed, but get a different job! It's expected that there will be photos and video taken during a wedding ceremony. The officiant is employed by the couple to marry them and if they want to be photographed or videotaped while they are taking their vows, then in my opinion it is part of the officiant's job to be photographed and videotaped. It's like the cake baker saying, sure I'll make you a cake for your wedding and you can eat it, but I won't allow photographs of it! All right, it's not quite the same thing, but you get my point. What I don't understand is why the couple would even consider using this guy. Get's me all fired up!

March 9th, 2012, 10:24 AM	#21
Paul R Johnson Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Lowestoft - UK Posts: 4,045	Re: Marriage commissioner refuses to be videotaped Here in the UK, there was a rule about not shooting the marriage license being signed, and when I was in San Francisco, in the Court House the Judge who did weddings had a big no photos or video sign above the desk. Maybe some people do not believe official ceremonies that are essentially a legal process should be conducted like a social ceremony - some UK vicars have similar views I understand, with all sorts of rules to stop the photographers and video people from taking over. Weddings have become big events now, and so many officiants don't wish to be used in this way. Maybe the way forward is a Judge Judy style set with plenty of cameras hidden around - and then the officiant could charge a big fat fee, and the local authority put up the charges. Maybe the officiant sees the charges the other wedding support services are charging and figures their tiny fee is insulting, so maybe they look in the rulebook and find nothing to make them give permission? It's a business, after all.

March 13th, 2012, 06:41 AM	#24
Edward Troxel Sponsor: JET DV Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 7,953	Re: Marriage commissioner refuses to be videotaped Film it as normal and then put the big "I didn't want to be filmed" blob over their face! :-) __________________ Edward Troxel [SCVU] JETDV Scripts/Scripting Tutorials/Excalibur/Montage Magic/Newsletters