Editing Hightlight Trailer

[Jeff Cook]

Hello all. I am now editing the wedding trailer and wanted some advice. I am half way through and wanted to know how much before wedding, wedding ceremony, after wedding footage do you show in trailer? For example if the song is 3 minutes long is there a ratio of shots you use. Such as the first 30 seconds show preps ect... I have found that using beauty shots works best so far for the trailer I have been editing. I did use some very small bit of ceremony....more of that will be used in long version. Your thoughts?

[Don Bloom]

IMO use what you need to tell the story in those 3 minutes. If it's more beauty shots than ceremony or reception but it tells the story fine. If it's more ceremony using underlying audio (IE part of the vows) but it tells the story better, great...use what helps to tell the story.

I always think of the bride getting a UPS delivery at her door and grabbing the driver and saying "hey, watch my wedding video...you can see it in 3 minutes" and she throws him into the chair to watch the trailer. He comes away first thinking that lady is crazy but he has also seen the highlights of the wedding in those minutes because you used the footage to tell the story.

but that's just me.

[Clive McLaughlin]

Jeff, sometimes the music can dictate what you do. I find there might be obvious parts like vocals starting at the end of the intro, or the first chorus or some sort of crescendo.

So sit and listen to the music and think if theres anywhere that a significant piece of footage may work, and that can act as your main basepoint to work around.

A lot of people talk about telling 'stories'. I don't do that, I dont think like that. (If I did, I'd probably charge more). My highlights basically condense the activities of the day into 4/5 minutes, in chronological order.

Bride prep, ceremony, photoshoot, speeches, dancing - all get about a fifth each.

Try not to let the music restrain you. I find myself quite often grabbing a chorus or verse, and repeating it before the 'outro' to make the song longer so I can fit in all the footage that deserves to be shown!

[Dave Partington]

Originally Posted by Clive McLaughlin

A lot of people talk about telling 'stories'. I don't do that, I dont think like that. (If I did, I'd probably charge more). My highlights basically condense the activities of the day into 4/5 minutes, in chronological order.

Clive, that's still a story ;) Most stories in Hollywood films run chronologically (though granted the trailers don't!), it's just that some people like to time shift more than others in this industry. Don't sweat it.

Let the footage you have and the music you are using dictate things. If you have lots of great footage of one scene and not much of another, they don't have to be equal, play to your strengths.

If you wanted to include more of the vows or rings audio (assuming you got clear audio that will mix well - otherwise don't do it!) you can overlay this on some of the getting ready shots etc to same time later on.

[Adrian Tan]

Jeff, just wanted to add that people use the words "highlights" and "trailer" in all sorts of ways. Sometimes it's a three minute music video, sometimes it's a 30 second Hollywood teaser, sometimes it's a straightforward short extract from the full version, and sometimes it's 15 min of chunks of the full version.

Consider also the variability of weddings. I've had 4 hours to shoot groom prep and 15 min to shoot groom prep and zero minutes to shoot groom prep. I've done weddings full of rituals and weddings that were a cocktail party with no formal elements.

And if you simply look at some of the videos in the samples section, you'll see trailers that concentrate on ceremony, trailers that concentrate on speeches and trailers that are all about the wait staff setting up the reception venue.

There really are no rules -- make your own!

[Jeff Cook]

I just finished the trailer. Wow, that took forever. It took me about 7.5 hours for a 4.5 minute song. I believe the wedding is the story. We are hired to document that special day's footage and present it.

The bride texted me and said she loved it....3 hours later she asked, Just a thought but could you include.. and that. I told her that will definately be included in the long version. It is a trailer for a reason I thought to myself. If you include all the special dances and forget one, you will be asked why didn't I see so and so dancing. I just added father and daughter dance of bride, son and mother dance, and of course the couple dancing. Thanks again, for the advice.

[Adrian Tan]

Jeff, are you game to post your video here? Would be interested in seeing it.

[Noa Put]

Originally Posted by Jeff Cook

3 hours later she asked, Just a thought but could you include.. and that.

I absolutely hate that when they do this, you carefully select the clips that represent the mood of that day, you cut the music so it exactly fit's, you choose spoken sound that has meaning and tells something about the couple you edit until it "feels" right, Then you get the comment that they love it but...:)

It just takes too much time to make what appears to be a small edit change because suddenly your carefully cut music doesn't fit anymore and usually it messes with the overall "feel" you have carefully tried to build up but what can you do, just change it and move on I guess, as long as the client is happy.

[Dave Partington]

Originally Posted by Jeff Cook

I just finished the trailer. Wow, that took forever. It took me about 7.5 hours for a 4.5 minute song.

Ha! Welcome to the real world. Most people have absolutely no idea how long it takes sometimes…. which is also why they are usually unwilling to pay what it should really cost.

[James Manford]

Some times I wish I became a photographer ... there editing, post production is a joke compared to the video guys.

Thing is I just love making films too much.

[Dave Partington]

Originally Posted by James Manford

Some times I wish I became a photographer ... there editing, post production is a joke compared to the video guys.

I've done both and I found the photo post production one of the most tedious things in the world to do. Hated it! But then again, it's something most people assume is both fast and easy. Sometimes it is (as with video) and sometimes it isn't. the process was also a lot more drawn out that with video, with brides taking months and months to come back with their album choices. With video it's pretty much done and shipped within a couple of weeks.

[Jeff Cook]

It is time consuming, but I love putting my work together...I get excited doing it. It has been 13 years and I still enjoy behing behind the camera.

[James Manford]

I prefer editing more than actually capturing the video to be 110% honest. There is a lot of stress involved 'getting' the footage. Whilst when your in your NLE putting everything together, I feel like i'm in full control and the only limitations to what I produce is my imagination.

This is why I thought being a photographer must be easy ... you just snap away in different settings and angles then you have ridiculously powerful editing programs like Photoshop to basically 'tune' up a SINGLE image which is bound to be acceptable to the bride. Try doing that to a video clip, it won't be as easy.

[Nigel Barker]

Originally Posted by Dave Partington

I've done both and I found the photo post production one of the most tedious things in the world to do. Hated it! But then again, it's something most people assume is both fast and easy. Sometimes it is (as with video) and sometimes it isn't. the process was also a lot more drawn out that with video, with brides taking months and months to come back with their album choices. With video it's pretty much done and shipped within a couple of weeks.

Photo post production for a wedding should always be fast & easy. Lightroom has made photo post-production an absolute doodle nowadays. It's so quick to batch up everything. However many photographers persist in using Photoshop as that is what they are used to but is a sledgehammer to crack a nut. Photoshop may be the appropriate tool to deliver the perfect image for Vogue but when you have 300-500 images from a wedding it's totally the wrong tool.

[Nigel Barker]

Originally Posted by James Manford

I prefer editing more than actually capturing the video to be 110% honest. There is a lot of stress involved 'getting' the footage. Whilst when your in your NLE putting everything together, I feel like i'm in full control and the only limitations to what I produce is my imagination.

TBH I prefer shooting to editing. I find it very creative especially using a Steadicam.

Originally Posted by James Manford

This is why I thought being a photographer must be easy ... you just snap away in different settings and angles then you have ridiculously powerful editing programs like Photoshop to basically 'tune' up a SINGLE image which is bound to be acceptable to the bride. Try doing that to a video clip, it won't be as easy.

I think that it's quite the opposite. You need to get the photographic composition etc correct when you press the shutter. You can only polish it in post.