The Full Length Video - what to include?

[Nick Reuter]

Hey guys, I did my first wedding video a while ago and the highlights reel is done and sent. I'm trying to finish up the full video and I'm wondering if you guys had any tips to share regarding cutting up the ceremony.

Regarding the ceremony, I assume no couple really wants the "full ceremony". I was planning on putting in shots of bridesmaids and groomsen, the couple, the full ring passing / etc., and maybe a bit of the sermon from the pastor. I assume I shouldn't waste time on the readings?

Finally, I assume your full videos are much more chronological than what you might see in a highlights reel, correct?

[Rob Cantwell]

all depends on what the couple want!
might be different where you are, what I do, is give them a 15 minute short, this is what they'll show their friends etc. its not too long and wont bore the pants off them!
I also give them the full day, from prep to church to reception to first dance, it's expected by a lot of couples here, it's pretty boring and i presume they only watch it once or twice before putting it away forever, a typical wedding ceremony here from the arrival of the Bride to the greeting line afterwards would be around 80 minutes or so.

[Robert Benda]

Ask them, not us. I always ask my couples if they want the readings or songs included. Some do, some don't. Both tend to have a strong opinion about it.

Now, I offer:
highlight video (5-10 minutes)
wedding film (target is 20 minutes, balancing cinematic and documentary)

optional "all-day edit" which is basically just pure documentary style. That's easy since it's the first thing I make when I start arranging video. Everything in order, and I find everything worth seeing, then start cutting away anything not relevant or useful towards the film and highlights but it always has the ceremony (unless they don't want readings/songs), speeches, and first dance in full.

We also give them the option of family stories. We usually start with bridal prep. During wedding photos, which are usually before the ceremony, we can sit down and get grandparents, parents, and other VIPs telling stories. That gets its own chapter on the DVD.

If the speeches are really good, and they didn't want an 'all day edit,' I"ll give them their own chapter on the DVD to watch anytime they want, in full.

[Roger Gunkel]

I really don't see how you can possibly do a full length documentary video and take out bits of the ceremony!

The ceremony is the wedding, the rest is preparation or party. If the ceremony includes readings and hymns, then that is what the B&G wanted and certainly in the UK, that is all arranged beforehand between the officiant and the couple. I wouldn't dream of taking out anything of the ceremony unless I was specifically asked to, otherwise you are making a highlights version.

Roger

[Don Bloom]

If you are offering a full length ceremony then it should be full length. I DO remove air and if the ceremony is a Catholic Full Mass ceremony and the couple wants I will remove the Communion of the masses. Otherwise if you start removing parts and only showing certain parts of it, it isn't a full length version and would be considered to be (IMO) a short form edit.

[Nick Reuter]

Thanks for the input guys. I guess I can't imagine wanting to see the whole thing, lol. I have plenty of footage of everything from start to end.

I'll go back to the couple instead of making assumptions :)

[David Barnett]

Heck, the ceremony is where I look forward to doing the least amount of editing yet hog up 20 minutes or so. Just cutaway shots, coverups etc for when I'm moving the tripod around or something. I put it in unedited. I figure if they wanna skip ahead they can FWD or skip to the next chapter.

[Don Bloom]

Originally Posted by Nick Reuter

Thanks for the input guys. I guess I can't imagine wanting to see the whole thing, lol. I have plenty of footage of everything from start to end.

I'll go back to the couple instead of making assumptions :)

Nick, remember it's THEIR wedding not yours so in many cases they DO want to see it all 'cause from where they're standing the day goes by really quick and they miss a lot of the goings on.

Good call in asking them what they want!

[Steve Bleasdale]

Entrance, intro from clergy, into the readings( they want to see the readings of their family or friend). Into the I wills, into exchange of rings, kisses and finish. Over the years I have cut out the hyms clergy gospel. In seven year I have had one person ask for the clergys gospel and hymns so I just sent her a seperate disc. If you look on the day most bride grooms guests family are yawning, not singing so therefore I always presume they would not want to watch again.

[Nigel Barker]

I do the complete service & the speeches in full as it's easier to include it all rather than make editorial decisions about what to leave out. It would take me extra time to cut out verses of hymns so why bother? You will never have a complaint that you left too much in whereas you are bound to get some customers who really do want every yawn of the congregation recorded. Like Don I do cut out the dead space when nothing is happening for more than 30 seconds or so but otherwise they get the lot.

[Peter Riding]

I think there is a widespread misconception that the ceremonies are longer than is actually the case. Its common for folks to express the opinion that no-one wants to sit through hours and hours but in reality most church ceremonies come in at around 35-45 minutes and civil ceremonies 12-30 minutes. Not exactly a marathon.

Thats after cutting out bits and pieces where there really is nothing happening such as a reader walking the length of the room. I used to cut out the hymns except for the 1st verse but really the hymns are a good opportunity to get cutaways of groups of guests plus some of the kids can be really cute in their facial expressions when singing. So I leave them all in unless there is good reason to cut. Likewise I leave in the sermon in full; often there are references specific to the couple in it which can be highly significant for them.

Remember that the longform has a totally different function to the highlights and has a different audience. Its not really a marketing tool except to the clients who appreciate its value as a piece of family history. And there are a lot of them - thats why they have photographers! Its potential number of viewers is very small because few non-immediate family are going to actually watch it whereas many more would "put up with" watching a few minutes trailer - or at least pretending that they watched it. To those clients it is pure gold even though that may offend the artist in you :- )

Don't let it be a slightly longer shortform.

Pete

[Roger Gunkel]

Like Nigel and Don I would only ever take out large spaces of nothing. You are quite right that most people yawn through the sermon and sometimes through the readings, but remember that the B&G chose a church service and all those things are what comes with it and what is paid for. They seem to love hearing a child crying in the service and seeing who is yawning or not singing, especially as they have spent virtually all that time with their back to the guests.

The other thing is that you just don't know how religious the couple may be and how much the sermon and hymns mean to them spiritually, even though to you and many there, it may be mind numbingly boring.

Roger

[Roger Gunkel]

This is quite an interesting thread as it highlights the differences between people's thoughts about weddings. I can see why some prefer to offer short form and others long form.

I have just started working on a wedding where I have over two hours of linear footage. (I count 3 cameras shooting a 30 minute service as 30 mins linear) the trouble is I am struggling to find what to take out to fit it on the dvd they want! or to put it on two. Do I take out the closeups of the baby pulling flowers out of one of the bouquets, or the pageboys throwing leaves at each other, or Grandma nodding off during the prayers?

I will probably end up leaving it all in as I have lost count of the number of times that I have been asked whether I took any other footage that I didn't include, that they could also have. Over the years I have found that every facial expression on every guest seems to have importance! as does every little comment and joke. Sure you can take them all out and keep on only what you feel is artistically important, but that is the difference between short form and long form. One is a smooth, slick summing up of the day and the other is a detailed piece of family history. Both can be made interesting using skill and artistry and both have a totally different appeal.

Roger

[Steve Bleasdale]

That why I do medium format Roger, in between long form and short form. People in England don't get the short form in fact I wonder how other companies I know are getting work. When I was short form a couple years ago I dipped in sales. I showed the clients short and long and medium and now 99% choose my medium format. But every one to their own, its a creative industry...

[Chris Harding]

Hi Steve

Enlighten me!! In a typical ceremony in a Church you would have the bridal entry, opening prayers, (we don't have any hymns here) then a couple of readings, gospel and a little sermon/homily then the vows and a blessing at the end followed by the register signing and exit ...all in all around about 20-40 minutes

Where the priest has awkwardly positioned himself out of mic range I have scrapped the homily as I had no choice ...one guy even walked up and down the aisle doing his sermon so it wasn't practical to film it as audio would have sucked (the bride also seemed quite happy)

What exactly do you "cull" ... I could see the opening prayers, readings going and from bridal entry straight into the vows, rings, skip the blessing and do the signing. Is that what your medium format would be like, say around the 10 minute mark??? I never film the mass part of a catholic wedding anyway!

I can't see any value in shortening the speeches as if Daddy wants to ramble on and on about his great daughter then one would be in huge trouble cutting that out. Do you cull anything doing the reception at all??

Chris