Wedding Videographers Top 20 Gripes... at DVinfo.net

Peter Jefferson · April 16th, 2006, 10:08 PM

ok, we heard the guests gripe...

what about the videographers gripes??

I think my biggest gripe is when i spend 3+ hrs with a potential client, answering their q's, going through previous jobs and explaining how its all done, all the while theyre stringing me along and then have them go to the next guy (after they have their answers from me) and book him because he was "cheaper"

Another one is when brides call 4 days after the wedding expecting their videos completed (after being advised of SPECIFIC time of delivery...)

Family. When in laws and relatives of the clients call or email asking where the work is. They dont know the full story and they obviously dont know what was discussed so they have their own ideas as to what is expected for delivery times...

Back seat editors... need i say more...

producers who badmouth other producers. Noone has a right to do this. Its just bad business practices

People asking for cash discounts.. hey my work doesnt change, why should i charge u less?? Do u go to KMart and pick a hairdryer off the shelf, go to the check out and ask for 10bux off coz u want to pay cash?? No?? What makes me any different??

Tyrekickers.. umming and arring and wasting time..

capturing.. i hate it.. i have a dedicated capture/drafting system here but i still despise capturing.. bring on HVX with big assed P2 cards and BluRay..

Photographers who feel the need to bignote themselves

Reception venues which dont advise you that
-their dimming the lights at X O'Clock
-Speeches are about to start <meanwhile im about to have dinner in another room>
-the closest power point is in another room
-parking my ford workmobile will cost 40bux for the night, but the porche can park inthe valet area all night coz it makes the hotel look good (next time ill know to bring the ferrari)

All this after being told to give u a heads up 10 minutes before any event

umm.. Limo Drivers who speed past you when they KNOW youre stopped on the side of the road to get a shot of the cars as they come past...

priests who think theyre god.. dude, ur just an agent for him. Im religious, but some of these guys need to get out more... or have a brandy before comin to work.. lol

anyone else have any gripes?

Pat Sherman · April 17th, 2006, 02:31 AM

a ceremony against a wall 40 feet tall and 200 feet wide of nothing but windows and having the afternoon sun blast right through them. All the while the bride and groom are getting married directly infront of them.. Pfft. View biew...Whatever..

Get some blinds are something..

Pat Sherman · April 17th, 2006, 02:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter Jefferson

ok, we heard the guests gripe...

Family. When in laws and relatives of the clients call or email asking where the work is. They dont know the full story and they obviously dont know what was discussed so they have their own ideas as to what is expected for delivery times...

I follow the HIPA laws..:) I'm sorry it's unlawful and against our privacy policy to divulge any personal information regarding care, treatment and discharge information about the video in question. I can only refer you to the patient err..bride for any further information. :)

Peter Jefferson · April 17th, 2006, 04:20 AM

ROFLMAO, damn thats a good call!!!
Love it..

umm heres another one...

when the pirest is adamant that you MUST shoot from over his shoulder... and then they dont stop getting into your shot...

mobile phones going off near my mics.. any powered mic WILL pick up tht infernal dadda dut, dadda dut, dadda dut....

Joe Allen Rosenberger · April 18th, 2006, 01:58 AM

1. Clients choosing songs for their videos that make you want to vommit not to mention they are almost unworkable for the edits.

2. "Wedding Coordinators" who do not know what the hell they are doing!

3. Photographers walking down the isle(prosessional) while the bride is marching.....(I wish my camera was a shotgun at that point!)

4. Multiple locations ie. 2xpreps, ceremony, photo shoot, reception all in different locations(far away too), in Los Angeles taffic...ikes!!!!!

5. Really bad speeches at receptions....I'd rather record someone sick after drinking 20 beers.

Jason Robinson · April 18th, 2006, 03:23 AM

Snow filming is very screwy. My last wedding shot their formals standing in snow (I kid not). Talk abotu a blue cast on everything. I worked quite a while in Vegas to try and get those whites the correct color. Too long in fact. I think I need some educational material on color correcting so I can do it better / faster.

jason

Peter Jefferson · April 18th, 2006, 04:23 AM

Jason, with stuff like that and u need to get it out fast, grab a screengrab and post it here

there are other methods aside from colour correction...

moving on...

5. Really bad speeches at receptions....I'd rather record someone sick after drinking 20 beers.

AHAHAHAHA
No shit, i did one wedding and the speeches went for 90minutes.. they were all as boring as hell and each speaker thought he was a comedian.. and theres me and my wife standing by the tripods scratching ourselves wondering WTF were doing shooting this tripe and wasting tape.. lol
Oh ther wa sanother time that the speeches went for an hour and four minutes... again another load of tripe.. this guy thought it would be nice to thank everyone (almost everyone) by name.. then there were the spiels about their childhood and bla bla bla

Ive got a policy now, that if speeches go over 20 minutes, i hack em..

Kevin Shaw · April 18th, 2006, 05:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe Allen Rosenberger

1. Clients choosing songs for their videos that make you want to vommit not to mention they are almost unworkable for the edits.

How about clients who ask a friend to sing something during their wedding ceremony, and said friend sings noticeably off key. Good luck making that work out in post...

:-)

Peter Jefferson · April 18th, 2006, 05:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin Shaw

How about clients who ask a friend to sing something during their wedding ceremony, and said friend sings noticeably off key. Good luck making that work out in post...

:-)

oh god ive had that... no amount of Autotune (autotune is a ProTools plugin) can fix that crap.. lol

Oh whats worse.. i recently did a wedding where the bride sang some elton john song to the groom... beautiful in my eyes or something.. anyways... teh thought was tehre and it was for her to try .. but it realy sounded bad... no really it took alot for me to keep a straight face without bursting out in hysterics.. i know that sounds mean, but theres only so much one can take..

Rick Steele · April 19th, 2006, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter Jefferson

but it realy sounded bad... no really it took alot for me to keep a straight face without bursting out in hysterics.. i know that sounds mean, but theres only so much one can take..

I actually *did* break out into hysterics once at a catholic mass with a very off-key priest.

I think it was the barking dogs outside that did it. :)

Peter Jefferson · April 30th, 2006, 11:31 AM

oh god..
hey i JUST finished cutting a job where the guests decided to play tarzan on the venue chandalieres.. lol Now i dont mind that, coz its not my stuff, but one guy decided he'd be a camera operator for a minut and started swinging my tripod left to right.. and this thing is like 8ft in the air... needless to say, that camera got packed up and locked away... funny though.. but i wasnt impressed at teh time.. and these were "upper class" clients too.. which is what astounds me.. absolutely NO respect..

and i guess my BIGGEST gripe, is people who dont read contracts...
im now refining mine for the last time. if i have to be any more obvious i think ill puke..

Craig Terott · May 1st, 2006, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin Shaw

How about clients who ask a friend to sing something during their wedding ceremony, and said friend sings noticeably off key. Good luck making that work out in post...

:-)

At the reception sometimes the guests are asked to sing a song with the word "Love" in it in order to get the B&G to kiss (instead of the traditional tapping of the champaign glass with silverware).

So I'm trying to get just 5 minutes uninterupted, just 5 mins! to throw some food down my throat and every 1 min I gotta get up to catch some ridiculously stupid rendition of Love Me Tender sang by 3 people that started cocktail hour with shots. I hate this because you've got to be ready and you can't relax for a few minutes to eat.

Chris Hurd · May 1st, 2006, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Back seat editors... need i say more...

During my own tenure shooting weddings, not once did I ever let a customer sit in on the editing process.

Travis Cossel · May 3rd, 2006, 11:35 AM

- photographers who are constantly in the aisle during the processional

- photographers who constantly walk in front of me, even though I've been filming from the same spot for 5 minutes

- brides who change the wedding day schedule the day before the wedding and don't tell me and then expect me to somehow have known

- church officials who insist I not use my digital-voice-recorders because "they might interfere" with the church system; even though I've explained 3 times that this is impossible

- ceremonies that aren't conducted like they were at the previous night's rehearsal

Mike Cook · May 7th, 2006, 07:29 AM

2 fricken hour long ceremonys. With 4 cameras. Crikey!

Mike

April 16th, 2006, 10:08 PM	#1
Peter Jefferson Inner Circle Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Aus Posts: 3,884	Wedding Videographers Top 20 Gripes... ok, we heard the guests gripe... what about the videographers gripes?? I think my biggest gripe is when i spend 3+ hrs with a potential client, answering their q's, going through previous jobs and explaining how its all done, all the while theyre stringing me along and then have them go to the next guy (after they have their answers from me) and book him because he was "cheaper" Another one is when brides call 4 days after the wedding expecting their videos completed (after being advised of SPECIFIC time of delivery...) Family. When in laws and relatives of the clients call or email asking where the work is. They dont know the full story and they obviously dont know what was discussed so they have their own ideas as to what is expected for delivery times... Back seat editors... need i say more... producers who badmouth other producers. Noone has a right to do this. Its just bad business practices People asking for cash discounts.. hey my work doesnt change, why should i charge u less?? Do u go to KMart and pick a hairdryer off the shelf, go to the check out and ask for 10bux off coz u want to pay cash?? No?? What makes me any different?? Tyrekickers.. umming and arring and wasting time.. capturing.. i hate it.. i have a dedicated capture/drafting system here but i still despise capturing.. bring on HVX with big assed P2 cards and BluRay.. Photographers who feel the need to bignote themselves Reception venues which dont advise you that -their dimming the lights at X O'Clock -Speeches are about to start <meanwhile im about to have dinner in another room> -the closest power point is in another room -parking my ford workmobile will cost 40bux for the night, but the porche can park inthe valet area all night coz it makes the hotel look good (next time ill know to bring the ferrari) All this after being told to give u a heads up 10 minutes before any event umm.. Limo Drivers who speed past you when they KNOW youre stopped on the side of the road to get a shot of the cars as they come past... priests who think theyre god.. dude, ur just an agent for him. Im religious, but some of these guys need to get out more... or have a brandy before comin to work.. lol anyone else have any gripes?

April 18th, 2006, 03:23 AM	#6
Jason Robinson Trustee Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Boise, Idaho Posts: 1,997	Snow Snow filming is very screwy. My last wedding shot their formals standing in snow (I kid not). Talk abotu a blue cast on everything. I worked quite a while in Vegas to try and get those whites the correct color. Too long in fact. I think I need some educational material on color correcting so I can do it better / faster. jason

May 3rd, 2006, 11:35 AM	#14
Travis Cossel Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 2,933	- photographers who are constantly in the aisle during the processional - photographers who constantly walk in front of me, even though I've been filming from the same spot for 5 minutes - brides who change the wedding day schedule the day before the wedding and don't tell me and then expect me to somehow have known - church officials who insist I not use my digital-voice-recorders because "they might interfere" with the church system; even though I've explained 3 times that this is impossible - ceremonies that aren't conducted like they were at the previous night's rehearsal __________________ Black Label Films www.blacklabelweddingfilms.com

May 7th, 2006, 07:29 AM	#15
Mike Cook Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Portland OR Posts: 190	2 fricken hour long ceremonys. With 4 cameras. Crikey! Mike __________________ Mike

April 17th, 2006, 02:31 AM	#2
Pat Sherman Major Player Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: DuPont, Wa Posts: 325	a ceremony against a wall 40 feet tall and 200 feet wide of nothing but windows and having the afternoon sun blast right through them. All the while the bride and groom are getting married directly infront of them.. Pfft. View biew...Whatever.. Get some blinds are something..

April 17th, 2006, 04:20 AM	#4
Peter Jefferson Inner Circle Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Aus Posts: 3,884	ROFLMAO, damn thats a good call!!! Love it.. umm heres another one... when the pirest is adamant that you MUST shoot from over his shoulder... and then they dont stop getting into your shot... mobile phones going off near my mics.. any powered mic WILL pick up tht infernal dadda dut, dadda dut, dadda dut....

April 18th, 2006, 01:58 AM	#5
Joe Allen Rosenberger Major Player Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: USA Posts: 419	1. Clients choosing songs for their videos that make you want to vommit not to mention they are almost unworkable for the edits. 2. "Wedding Coordinators" who do not know what the hell they are doing! 3. Photographers walking down the isle(prosessional) while the bride is marching.....(I wish my camera was a shotgun at that point!) 4. Multiple locations ie. 2xpreps, ceremony, photo shoot, reception all in different locations(far away too), in Los Angeles taffic...ikes!!!!! 5. Really bad speeches at receptions....I'd rather record someone sick after drinking 20 beers.

April 18th, 2006, 04:23 AM	#7
Peter Jefferson Inner Circle Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Aus Posts: 3,884	Jason, with stuff like that and u need to get it out fast, grab a screengrab and post it here there are other methods aside from colour correction... moving on... 5. Really bad speeches at receptions....I'd rather record someone sick after drinking 20 beers. AHAHAHAHA No shit, i did one wedding and the speeches went for 90minutes.. they were all as boring as hell and each speaker thought he was a comedian.. and theres me and my wife standing by the tripods scratching ourselves wondering WTF were doing shooting this tripe and wasting tape.. lol Oh ther wa sanother time that the speeches went for an hour and four minutes... again another load of tripe.. this guy thought it would be nice to thank everyone (almost everyone) by name.. then there were the spiels about their childhood and bla bla bla Ive got a policy now, that if speeches go over 20 minutes, i hack em..

April 30th, 2006, 11:31 AM	#11
Peter Jefferson Inner Circle Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Aus Posts: 3,884	oh god.. hey i JUST finished cutting a job where the guests decided to play tarzan on the venue chandalieres.. lol Now i dont mind that, coz its not my stuff, but one guy decided he'd be a camera operator for a minut and started swinging my tripod left to right.. and this thing is like 8ft in the air... needless to say, that camera got packed up and locked away... funny though.. but i wasnt impressed at teh time.. and these were "upper class" clients too.. which is what astounds me.. absolutely NO respect.. and i guess my BIGGEST gripe, is people who dont read contracts... im now refining mine for the last time. if i have to be any more obvious i think ill puke..