Thinking of going Full-Time!!!! at DVinfo.net

Todd Westacott · June 21st, 2006, 07:32 PM

I have been shooting weddings part-time (about a dozen per year) for about two years now and am thinking of leaving my boring and long houred daytime job to do wedding videos full-time. I currently offer fairly low prices (Packages start from $800 - $1500) which I know will have to change but am unsure of how stable doing weddings could be for an only source of income. I just have a few questions for the full-timers out there.

1) How many weddings do you typically book per year in order to pay the bills and make a decent living?

2) what additional expenses are there to consider with going full-time (I work from home)?

3) How many videographers will you keep onfile to shoot for you when you are already booked?

Patrick Moreau · June 21st, 2006, 07:57 PM

Hi Todd,

1) We do both photo and video and usually look to book in the 35-40 range with about 60% being both photo and video. Not sure how that translates into your specific question but is sure if a fair amount of work even if you can do one edit per week.

2) You would likely want to consider things such as insurance, advertising, constantly needing to upgrade equipment and possibly adding to what you currently have to bring the quality up. Extra hard drives, good backup systems, solid contracts- some of which you may have already.

3)We work with two other videographers who we feel comfortable to have shoot smaller weddings for us. We still do all the editing and we only look to book 5-7 of those a season, and usually only when couples are very enthusiastic but their date is already taken. Mostly, we work with the two other videographers and have them come along as a second shooter for 90% of our weddings. I also have another couple contacts, just in case.

June 21st, 2006, 07:32 PM	#1
Todd Westacott New Boot Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 18	Thinking of going Full-Time!!!! I have been shooting weddings part-time (about a dozen per year) for about two years now and am thinking of leaving my boring and long houred daytime job to do wedding videos full-time. I currently offer fairly low prices (Packages start from $800 - $1500) which I know will have to change but am unsure of how stable doing weddings could be for an only source of income. I just have a few questions for the full-timers out there. 1) How many weddings do you typically book per year in order to pay the bills and make a decent living? 2) what additional expenses are there to consider with going full-time (I work from home)? 3) How many videographers will you keep onfile to shoot for you when you are already booked?

June 21st, 2006, 07:57 PM	#2
Patrick Moreau Still Motion Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 1,186	Hi Todd, 1) We do both photo and video and usually look to book in the 35-40 range with about 60% being both photo and video. Not sure how that translates into your specific question but is sure if a fair amount of work even if you can do one edit per week. 2) You would likely want to consider things such as insurance, advertising, constantly needing to upgrade equipment and possibly adding to what you currently have to bring the quality up. Extra hard drives, good backup systems, solid contracts- some of which you may have already. 3)We work with two other videographers who we feel comfortable to have shoot smaller weddings for us. We still do all the editing and we only look to book 5-7 of those a season, and usually only when couples are very enthusiastic but their date is already taken. Mostly, we work with the two other videographers and have them come along as a second shooter for 90% of our weddings. I also have another couple contacts, just in case.