Wedding trailer

[Noa Put]

Here's my latest, this time I had a lot of great stuff to work with, great couple, awesome vows, most of you won't understand it but what she said is perfect to build a trailer on, I only wished I had more time to set up for the ceremony. I had time to set up 4 camera's and secure my audio but the couple was sitting in the shade while the guests where sitting in the sun and it was a partially cloudy day so the sun would appear and disappear a few times during the ceremony.

In such an occasion I need the time to think my camera placements over as I did use videocamera's and dslr's (a ax100, cx730, gh4 and rx10) but unfortunately that was not possible because as soon as I had set up they where waiting to start the ceremony. Because the light conditions changed I decided to keep all camera close to me on the right side so I could check up on them.

I really wanted my rx10 for a close up of the bride during the vows while my ax100 had a wide shot but I ended up using my cx730 as there was no time to change camera's (this particular shot is not in the trailer)
That pissed me off as I really wanted a nice and sharp CU with a shallow dof (the rx10 gives very nice bokeh at full tele) but now I ended up with a front to back sharp shot, no big deal but aesthetically that shot would have looked much nicer with the rx10.

My rx10 also acted up that day, I just updated it to that new firmware version and during the photoshoot every button I pressed had a 2-3 second delay, including the rec button, that behaviour disappeared later that evening, very weird. I hate to admit it because I have considered a while back to sell my rx10 but now it has become my favorite camera to work with, go figure.

In general I"m pleased with the video, I again tried to mix a documentary style with some visual flair and try to work more with ambient audio so it feels more real. It surprises me that after 10 years I"m still finetuning my style and I have tried many different things but what I have been producing lately fits best to what I like to do considering the limitations I have as a solo shooter.

Some nice suprises at the venue where a stroboscope causing a lot of rolling shutter flash frames during the first entry and some nice red light, the kind we all videographers like so much, during the first dance :)

Kim + Ludo on Vimeo

[James Manford]

Very nice Noa ... what camera was used during the make up/getting ready sequence? and what did you do in post? those scenes are TACK sharp. Love it. I'm guessing these were the AX100 shots reduced to 1080p?

[Adrian Tan]

Some things that stood out for me:

-- Light beams during the bridal waltz -- wow. I'm assuming that capturing this was due to a combination of the smoke in the room, and also the character of the lens. Would be interested in anyone's comments. I've often noticed, at night time, that something about the shape of the car windscreen makes it easier to see beams of light stretching towards you from any light source, but I don't understand the physics of it.

-- Is it just me, or do European and American weddings kick the hell out of Sydney weddings for locations with character? Castles and farmyards and verdant green and interesting architecture. You guys are spoiled. When I look at my weddings, I see cold, characterless modern churches, followed by grey, urban, characterless streets, followed by generic function rooms.

-- Some very cool transitions again. Using furniture as a screen wipe at 0:39 -- genius. And I really like the "dissolve into resolving focus" transitions that follow.

-- Pays off shooting in 50p. I don't think I've ever shot the entrance of the bridal party at reception in slow motion, and I also don't remember seeing this in a wedding video. Don't know why I've never thought to shoot this at a high frame rate; maybe concerns with low light. Just never occurred to me.

-- Bride and groom prep: love the deep breaths that bride and groom take. Adds a lot of personality/insight into feelings.

-- Great idea to take a shot of photographer taking shot of dog.

By the way, it did feel like he was the sort of less-experienced photographer who's not entirely sure where to stand, and is buzzing around your shots and blocking your cameras all day.

-- Epic high-angle steadicam move at 2:33.

-- The series of camera moves that follow are much faster than I'd normally do, but their speed matches the music, and helps to move the story along.

-- Good coverage of room details in the pre-reception phase. Feels efficient. I find it very challenging, even with a two-person team, to shoot both the guests having canapes and the pre-reception details properly, and set up sound and everything else.

[Craig McKenna]

Noa, that opening shot is EPIC!

Do you shoot at this venue a lot? Or have I just watched too many of your films (with the warehouse)? :) Love the silhouette shot by the door... the play with light and shadows, and the open space really draws your attention to them and is a true example of your wonderful work and creativity.

The transition at 40 seconds is AMAZING! I love it... the movement beforehand to the very obvious love that they have for one another with their tender grip. Great work.

Great detail shots that we've come to expect from you, but I particularly love the movement from the dress backwards (44 seconds). Which lens did you shoot this with? Looks like a fisheye from the low angle!

The wedding dress dissolving into a picture of them is wonderful too... it makes me think that a ring shot that encompassed the screen would work really well for a shot like this too... so they are encapsulated within the eternal ring.

How do you manage to shoot the preps of both the bride and groom?

Really wish I understood Belgian - if that's the language they're speaking!

This is how our story begins - awesome blackbird steadicam shot!!!

The movement from behind the glass reminds me of your film with Lieven and Shaan from last year (just looked up their names).

Gorgeous bokeh with the table lights/candles.

Great sweep to the menu too!

Overall, great work... one of my favourites from this year from you!

[Noa Put]

Sorry but I had to take the trailer off-line for a while, it will be put online again soon but thx for the comments :)
I will be replying later as I"m sick right now.

[Peter Rush]

Password Noa?

[Noa Put]

I had to replace the film and because I can't edit my first post anymore I"ll just post the updated version again:

Kim en Ludo on Vimeo

to answer a few of the questions being asked:

what camera was used during the make up/getting ready sequence? and what did you do in post? those scenes are TACK sharp. Love it. I'm guessing these were the AX100 shots reduced to 1080p?

Currently the trailer is back to 720p resolution on vimeo, I had to put a changed version back online in a hurry for the couple as they where leaving on holiday and wanted to share on facebook before they left so I will wait a few days (so their friends can view it now) to let Vimeo convert it to 1080p which is visibly sharper. As you can see I added some shots and made some very small changes.

the make up/getting ready sequence is a mixture of gh4 at 4k and the rx10, I only used the ax100 at the groom's place and the part where her father and the groom see the bride for the first time at the bride's house.

Light beams during the bridal waltz

Yes, those came out like that because of the smoke that was in the room, it's the same effect if you drive in the mist with your headlights on really. :)

Is it just me, or do European and American weddings kick the hell out of Sydney weddings for locations with character?

Since I raised my prizes the venues started to look nicer :) As I get hired by people with bigger budgets that reflects in the venues and locations they choose for their wedding.

Don't know why I've never thought to shoot this at a high frame rate; maybe concerns with low light.

I actually shoot 50p with a 1/50 shutter all the time with my gh3 on the steadicam in the venue so low light ability of the camera isn't affected, some might say you have to shoot at 1/100 shutter when you shoot 50p but I honestly don't see much difference.

it did feel like he was the sort of less-experienced photographer who's not entirely sure where to stand, and is buzzing around your shots and blocking your cameras all day.

He actually is a very popular high end (read expensive) photog with great skill, his photos are amazing but like you said it is very hard to keep him out of my frame :) But I prefer working with him as he shoots to capture the emotion of the day, like I do, without putting anything into scene, he just lets it happen which makes it easier for me to capture those emotional moments, and sound, without anyone interfering.

Epic high-angle steadicam move at 2:33

I just hold my blackbird up high and walk around :)

I find it very challenging, even with a two-person team, to shoot both the guests having canapes and the pre-reception details properly, and set up sound and everything else.

Especially in this case where the ceremony is at the venue and the reception is right after that, I have to put all my camera's and audio recorders back into my backpack, balance my blackbird and then go out and shoot the reception on a monopod with my rx10 and do a few steadicam moves as I take my blackbird with me as well. I wait to shoot details in the venue just before they light the candles, then it's a few quick swoops with the blackbird and I put the gh4 with the 25mm f1.4 on the monopod for close up table details and if I"m in a real hurry I just use my rx10 for that.

Do you shoot at this venue a lot?

no, first time, this year I have shot at a lot of great venues, they might look alike though :)

I particularly love the movement from the dress backwards (44 seconds). Which lens did you shoot this with? Looks like a fisheye from the low angle!

Shot with a 7,5mm samyang fisheyelens, I didn't have a slider with me so I just placed the camera on the ground and made a backward slide over the floor and stabilized on post :)

How do you manage to shoot the preps of both the bride and groom?

The groom was staying at a b&b only 100 meters from where they lived so we planned it that we could shoot putting on the dress and him getting ready, he waited for us to get there.

Really wish I understood Belgian - if that's the language they're speaking!

Her vows where epic, don't get them like that often, she spoke Dutch, in Belgium you have different languages, mainly French and Flemish, Flemish is a mixture of dialects while Dutch is the proper form of language every one on the non French part of Belgium understands. It's a small country but a complicated one :)

[James Manford]

Thanks for clarifying that. The GH4 is amazing then isn't it ... I remember you mentioned using a specific prime for your beauty shots too, I guess that's the lens you had on for the close up make up shots?

[Noa Put]

Yes, all the shots with a very shallow dof are the gh4 with a panasonic 25mm f1.4 but there are a few rx10 shots at the longer focal length as well which display a nice bokeh.