Where have all the wedding videographers gone?

[Roger Gunkel]

There seems to have been a big reduction over the last few months of posts relating to anything to do with wedding video work. Previously there was a steady flow of regular input regarding weddings, equipment requirements, methods of working etc, but the well seems to have run dry.

Are we all quietly getting on with business, are there no new people requiring advice, or has some world wide epidemic struck down wedding videographers? Will I be next?

From my own point of view, last year was the busiest ever and this year is at the same level. We have seen an increasing demand for our combined video and photography packages, which now take just about all of our bookings. and clients seem to be booking much further ahead than 3 or 4 years ago. Are others finding a constant level of work, or is the wedding video market shrinking in some areas?

Roger

[David Barnett]

I think it's just message boards in general. This one is the most active out of the couple I used to visit regularly (others were not video related, but have since faded off nonetheless).

People may have moved on to FB groups, or just their time on social media took away from their free time for a message board.

That said, I had an interesting fall last year. 1 Photogs second shooter didn't show (got the dates mixed up), 1 needed a 2nd shooter for the following day as the 2nd cancelled last minute, 1 DJ cancelled (could have been a money/contract thing, didn't ask) so the Block Party DJ Uncle covered, and I was booked a week or two before (which happens on occasion) only the photog told me her 'friend' videog was supposed to be shooting it. Again, I didn't ask what/why it fell thru, could have been a money/deposit thing but tbh I didn't get along with the photog all that much anyway so didn't bother asking. She had a pretentious way of telling me, as if I wasn't good enough for her. Oh, and 1 of the photogs was shooting his last wedding & getting out of the biz, got a FT job & was stoked over it. That happened the year before too.


I find there seems to be about a 10 year run in this industry. Having kids, losing weekends, also just not getting the business side going. Alot of photographers I run across tend to be friends of, or friends of friends of the couple. Affiliated in some way, which works when you're 25-35ish, but years later that tends to run dry, and you're left to your own advertising/marketing strategy, as well as constant referrals, but less on friends of friends.

I think that's alot different than this message boards slowing down tho, I think that's just the way of the internet lately. I do miss some of the posts/posters & discussions.

[Noa Put]

They are all on Facebook. I have been a member of huge wedding videography facebook group with over 11000 members where you also found the more known videographers like Ray Roman, Rob Adams etc but eventually I left the group and Facebook alltogether because I got tired of some big ego's who only talked about how much money they where able to get out of brides as that seemed to be the only thing that mattered, if you where charging anothing below 3K you where doing the entire weddingindustry a disservice.

It was interesting at times when gear was discussed or when new trailers where shown but I got more frustrated over time about the mentality, the sometimes condescending tone and insulting language. There where helpfull and polite people in there but also a bunch of a-holes.

You have few trendsetters who are measured on how much they make and then you have a lot of followers who are after the same pot of gold, I just don't fit into that group because I don't follow trends and just do what I like, this was also one of the reasons I left the group because I was not learning anything new. Also posts disappeared as quickly as they appeared so if you read something interesting today it most likely was burried down deep tomorrow and difficult to find again if there was no reactions.

I"d prefer to engage more with videographers who have a documentary style and who show a wedding like it was, not with the intention to make it look like fake cinema but those are Facebook groups are harder to find, if they even exist and since most interaction on dvinfo has died that just leaves me with more time to finish my weddingfilms :)

[Chris Hurd]

It's true that all the major forum sites (like this one) have been hit hard by FaceBook groups. But it's not over yet, by a long shot. Noa has already pointed out the major problems that exist in FaceBook groups. He's absolutely correct in his assessment. I'm actually seeing a bit of a resurgence in forum activity as more and more people get turned off by those groups (and by FaceBook in general). Almost every day I get requests for password resets from folks who've been away from the forum for awhile.

[James Manford]

What was the name of that group ???

[Chris Hurd]

I'll remove the name or link of any FaceBook group.

Thanks for understanding when I say that this forum community is by far superior to any FaceBook group, and not just because we don't make you the product like FaceBook does.

[Noa Put]

Originally Posted by James Manford

What was the name of that group ???

You won't find it back on Facebook, they changed the group from "closed" to "secret" not that long ago so you only will get in if you are invited.

[Chris Hurd]

Meanwhile, this forum is readable and searchable by anyone and everyone (no log-in required), is indexed by Google, is organized into an archived list of topics, and requires no invitation to get in.

(I guess I need to work on making it mobile-friendly though...)

[Dave Blackhurst]

Facebook is the new AOL, and we all remember what the "A" stands for...

[Roger Gunkel]

Some interesting comments, and I do think that this forum is much less about self promotion than the facebook groups and more about general discussion. I've tried a couple of FB groups but rapidly lost interest through the lack of real depth.

Like Noa, I have never been a trend setter or fashion follower, doing my documentary coverage in my own way. David mentioned about a fairly short lifespan of wedding videography businesses. Over my 34 years in the business, I have seen a lot springing up like mushrooms overnight with glossy packages and prices to match, but they seem to disappear again almost as quickly. I think his comment about friends and family contacts is probably quite true and I suppose I am fortunate in not having come down that route, always having had to promote for clients.

On the occasions that we have a video only shoot, the photographers tell me that they rarely see a videographer, so I think that the combined package has kept our bookings up, particularly with those that may not have had a video otherwise.

Roger

[Chris Harding]

Funnily enough we have seen a huge surge here in wedding videographers, especially female ones so they could easily be photographers who are tired of competing with hundreds of others trying to make a living. I honestly don't think any Facebook group can even come close to Chris's DVInfo .. the only ones I'm part of are purely local ones that I use for advertising not for support. If I need help I will automatically come here as I have always done. You cannot really compare this forum to any I have ever seen on Facebook. Sadly for us Facebook is a necessary evil for self promotion as that is where the brides hang out but certainly not any use for support or general discussion on video.

Keep up the good work Chris

[Steven Davis]

Next time you need help, just send the ticket to this side of the pond Chris.

I agree that Facebook has taken the place of some wedding forums. I was a member of the Wedding Wire professional forum until Wedding Wire got tired of hearing how bad they are from vendors and shut it down. So it moved to Facebook and has had some success in terms of supporting each other.

But as a member of DVinfo.net, much of my success has come from the support on this board. This board is a virtual encyclopedia of everything video.

I just hope one day to find the secret secret secret room here where they have free donuts.

[Chris Harding]

Hi Steven

I always do ..my first port of call is always DVInfo ... As already mentioned I only join Facebook groups to advertise ..never used them for support at all.

[Nigel Barker]

I avoid Faceache as it's just such an unholy mess. The structure of forum software allows for questions, answers is persistent & searchable. There are so many advantages over the dumb rambling conversational mode of FB groups. It also helps that there are relatively few contributors so there is more of a "family" atmosphere.

[Steve Burkett]

I think as others said, Facebook has played a part in reducing new members, plus when I joined discussions were on the still controversial area of using DSLR like cameras for Weddings as opposed to "proper video cameras". However since many of those who were against DSLR have now turned to the dark side along with the rest of us, there's less to argue and debate over. :-)

Plus work is a lot busier now. Thanks to Ray Roman and his like teaching the merits of co static short videos, demand for longer videos is not always being met. I've got almost 90 Weddings on the book this year. But it does mean I edit more and spend less time on the internet.