My top samples so far – critiques?

[Max Palmer]

So with 6 weddings under my belt, here are my the only ones I'm showing off so far. I'm currently working on one right now which may turn out to be my best one yet, but I have yet to go through all the footage so I'm withholding my own judgement. I'd appreciate any comments you have on these three. I know I need help with focus, but I'd appreciate any suggestions. Most of the highlight footage is from my b-cam which is a 60d on a monopod, rails and a follow focus.

My second event, shot in April. This is my money-maker- did this one pro bono, but it's single-handedly responsible for landing me all the other gigs.

Kelly and Joe Highlight - YouTube

Third event, shot this past summer. This one is longer than the others because they had a two-day, non traditional event set up.

Amy and Jason Highlight - YouTube

My fourth event, also shot this past summer.

Courtney and Kyle - Highlight reel - YouTube

My last event, finished editing yesterday. The venue had awful purple lighting, and was a serious chore to get the color looking un-sickly. Found it really hard to match my shots too.

Marissa and Jason Highlight Reel - YouTube

[Max Palmer]

Sorry, just realized that this should be in the clips sharing forums. Can someone please move it? Thanks,

[Robert Benda]

I only watched the first one. Based on that I'd say you have a lot of potential. I'm going to focus on my nitpicks, some easy things to work on...

At the beginning of the video you use a LOT of changing focus shots, including one where your depth of field is so shallow, you can't even read the post it note.

I know it's a bit of documentary, hand-held style, but I'd think you'd be happier if you disciplined yourself and didn't move the camera during the shot so often. Sometimes it's nice just to let people move around in frame, or even let them walk out of frame. Don't reframe just because they move.

If you're not going to use any original audio (and you should use *some*), don't use instrumental only music.

You don't really have any transitions between spaces. For instance, you don't see the B&G walk down the aisle to leave... they kiss and are just suddenly outside. Same with them appearing at the reception hall. A slider shot on the exterior (slow in) will work to show your new space nicely - otherwise get creative.

I'm assuming I saw ads on your video because it's on YouTube and the music isn't licensed. I like Vimeo better (though YouTube will showup on Google better), but more importantly, there is amazing music on TheMusicBed and other services that you can license for not much and then you'll have a song they won't already have an association with or ever get tired of.

Titles and credits?

As much as I like your pacing, the entire video is like that, and feels like a setup for something that never happens. As a result, I felt like this six minute video is too long - there is never a moment you build up to, a peak.

Don't be mistaken. I like your work overall and think you'll do well.

[Max Palmer]

Robert- great feedback, and thanks for taking the time to watch one of my videos. I'll certainly take all of this into consideration as I shoot and edit future pieces.

So for the pacing, do you mean the way all the shots are set in time with the music that doesn't change?

Although, I do need to figure out my Youtube issue. All of my music in these videos is licensed, although it is being flagged as commercial content my Youtube's system. I'm not sure how to prevent the ads from appearing, or how to let Youtube know that my content is legal. I'm going to retitle these and repost them under an account for my business name once I make a website anyway, but I do need to figure out how that works.

[Robert Benda]

For pacing, I meant your cuts, your changes, come often and quickly. This is fine, except that there are points in any 'story' (in this case, someone's wedding day) where you do need to slow down and let it breath to let it get a different feel.

For instance, the quick changes can make it feel excited, which you can have peak at her walking down the aisle. So what are they excited for? Usually, for weddings, it's the vows/rings. So there we let it linger a bit (having the audio would help) because the vows/rings are the most looked forward to. The kiss and exit are the release, the big exhale, at the end (which is why I love LOVE when I can track their walk out and, once they are out of the aisle, get a big 'Wooo!' or fist pump of some kind).

If you licensed the music, there should be a slide you can insert into the end of your video - I know the Musc Bed provides one

Go watch some more of other people's work and take some notes for how they transition between spaces, their pacing, and anything else you can notice.

You might really like Phillip Bloom - Google Fiore Films Jenna & Michael teaser; whereas my videos tend to favor a slower pace, like a Joe Simon.

[Max Palmer]

I'll take a look at some more examples; there are certainly films I've seen that I would love to aspire to after more practice. Do you have any that you know of off the top of your head that also follow a chronological format like mine do? For some reason, I feel more comfortable editing mine this way, at least until I get my camera-work up to par so that I have better footage to edit with.

[Robert Benda]

In short format (i.e. 5 minute trailers) I don't know if I've ever seen truly chronological, though I haven't watched a lot of examples. Please note that we've only been doing this 3 years, and have filmed around 25 weddings.

For longer format, you could find some material. For our 'wedding films' (for us, 15-20 minutes) they are MOSTLY chronological but not slavishly so. Example, the one below, I liked the emotion of the 1st sight so much, I closed with it. I think the entire rest of the video was chronological.

For us, most of our favorite material is the 'johnny-on-the-spot' stuff... the unpredictable random things that happen and you just happen to have your camera rolling. Often we base the title of our films on the best one - example below is a reference to flowers he bought for the (future) bride - a story I let the bride tell later.

Olivia and Lewis' wedding film on Vimeo