need Help to decide

Damian Clarke · October 20th, 2006, 02:55 PM

Martin, I'm just planning to get into the wedding video market having only shot 1 so far and when I told one of my aunts about it she had the immediate response of how there's 'really good money in that'. I then thought how the hell would you know, it was just her perceived image of the business. Now, if someone has a primary occupation, receives a regular salary, pays their taxes and bills with it etc.. AND shoots weddings once or twice a month, then that is probably money straight in their back pocket and yes indeed that would be very good money, but I tried to explain that for people like me who want to make filming their primary occupation, with initial and ongoing investment in equipment, insurance and time and so forth then it can be a rocky road. I have no misconceptions about the money side of it and myself and my wife are preparing for a few years of tightening our belts so to speak until it gets off the ground. It's quite an exciting but daunting thought when you've got nothing to fall back on lol.

Robert Johnston · October 20th, 2006, 04:24 PM

Going into the wedding bussiness full time takes that "time". If you have a job don't give it up until you have solid bookings and enough to keep you at least half of the fisrt year. The second year should be fully booked and then give up your job. It will probley take longer than this but it is what you should be aiming for. This is what I am aiming for too. Don't limit yourself to weddings either take what you can get at the start as it will all help you to sell your bussiness. I don't think there is a lot of money in it but I do think it is a nice way to earn a living and to get to play with some nice new toys every so offten. Also think about taking up photograhpy for the clients that don't want video. If your wife takes a digi camera and you the video cameras you can work video and photograhpy at the same wedding and make twice the money. I have nobody to take a digi camera so I only work with video.

Damian Clarke · October 22nd, 2006, 06:11 AM

Yeah you have some good points there Robert, certainly about not restricting work to weddings at the start. At the start of the year, I had an offer to make a instructional video for a local engineering plant. My brother-in-law works there and gave me the referral since he knew I liked messing with video. Unfortunately, I didn't have my FX1 then and no spare cash to even hire something appropriate. It's a pity, it might have got the ball rolling in that avenue.
Funnily enough, my wife came with me to the wedding I filmed as it was one of her friends. There was no official photographer and she ended up stepping in and directing people lol, nothing fancy but it was better than blank faces on people milling about. So, maybe there's something there...she needs to be trained in proper camera work but to her credit, she's got a good eye and is very good at directing people which is half the battle.
All the best in your own venture too, no doubt we'll see some sample clips up in time, so I'll keep and eye out ;) Cheers

October 20th, 2006, 02:55 PM	#16
Damian Clarke Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Lincolnshire, United Kingdom Posts: 95	Martin, I'm just planning to get into the wedding video market having only shot 1 so far and when I told one of my aunts about it she had the immediate response of how there's 'really good money in that'. I then thought how the hell would you know, it was just her perceived image of the business. Now, if someone has a primary occupation, receives a regular salary, pays their taxes and bills with it etc.. AND shoots weddings once or twice a month, then that is probably money straight in their back pocket and yes indeed that would be very good money, but I tried to explain that for people like me who want to make filming their primary occupation, with initial and ongoing investment in equipment, insurance and time and so forth then it can be a rocky road. I have no misconceptions about the money side of it and myself and my wife are preparing for a few years of tightening our belts so to speak until it gets off the ground. It's quite an exciting but daunting thought when you've got nothing to fall back on lol.

October 20th, 2006, 04:24 PM	#17
Robert Johnston Regular Crew Join Date: May 2006 Location: northern ireland Posts: 57	Going into the wedding bussiness full time takes that "time". If you have a job don't give it up until you have solid bookings and enough to keep you at least half of the fisrt year. The second year should be fully booked and then give up your job. It will probley take longer than this but it is what you should be aiming for. This is what I am aiming for too. Don't limit yourself to weddings either take what you can get at the start as it will all help you to sell your bussiness. I don't think there is a lot of money in it but I do think it is a nice way to earn a living and to get to play with some nice new toys every so offten. Also think about taking up photograhpy for the clients that don't want video. If your wife takes a digi camera and you the video cameras you can work video and photograhpy at the same wedding and make twice the money. I have nobody to take a digi camera so I only work with video.

October 22nd, 2006, 06:11 AM	#18
Damian Clarke Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Lincolnshire, United Kingdom Posts: 95	Yeah you have some good points there Robert, certainly about not restricting work to weddings at the start. At the start of the year, I had an offer to make a instructional video for a local engineering plant. My brother-in-law works there and gave me the referral since he knew I liked messing with video. Unfortunately, I didn't have my FX1 then and no spare cash to even hire something appropriate. It's a pity, it might have got the ball rolling in that avenue. Funnily enough, my wife came with me to the wedding I filmed as it was one of her friends. There was no official photographer and she ended up stepping in and directing people lol, nothing fancy but it was better than blank faces on people milling about. So, maybe there's something there...she needs to be trained in proper camera work but to her credit, she's got a good eye and is very good at directing people which is half the battle. All the best in your own venture too, no doubt we'll see some sample clips up in time, so I'll keep and eye out ;) Cheers