What I hate when filming a wedding!

Eugene Bare · October 22nd, 2006, 07:15 PM

What about the lonley singel gals coming up telling you that is some really nice equipment there, and hitting on you harder the drunker they get. It is like hello im working here, every thing you are saying is being recorded on camera right now. I actually had one tell me last weekend she had always wanted to be filmmed<?;'{P.?/]p[pl';O??? No I dont really hate it, but it is distracting... :)

Joe Allen Rosenberger · October 22nd, 2006, 08:09 PM

come on now Eugene.....70 year ol' ladies don't count, they could be your gandma'!!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eugene Bare

What about the lonley singel gals coming up telling you that is some really nice equipment there, and hitting on you harder the drunker they get. It is like hello im working here, every thing you are saying is being recorded on camera right now. I actually had one tell me last weekend she had always wanted to be filmmed<?;'{P.?/]p[pl';O??? No I dont really hate it, but it is distracting... :)

Peter Jefferson · October 23rd, 2006, 12:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eugene Bare

What about the lonley singel gals coming up telling you that is some really nice equipment there, and hitting on you harder the drunker they get. It is like hello im working here, every thing you are saying is being recorded on camera right now. I actually had one tell me last weekend she had always wanted to be filmmed<?;'{P.?/]p[pl';O??? No I dont really hate it, but it is distracting... :)

LOL

ive had a 15yr old bridesmaid give me her room key.. she knew she was hot, but Im not THAT stupid..

Martin Mayer · October 23rd, 2006, 03:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Damian Clarke

...........The wedding registrar ........... stood in front of me when they were signing the bloody thing

I think that's deliberate, Damian. In UK at least, they are often quite iffy about filming the signing of the register, and either overtly ask you not to, or "covertly" stand in the way deliberately.

When asked, registrars sometimes mumble about "protecting the privacy of other entries". But aren't marriage certificates available to the public?

I have asked the Registration Service officially if they have a policy here, but had no reply.

Tom Hardwick · October 23rd, 2006, 03:20 AM

Same here Martin. I've even had priests tell me not to film the signing, so I simply roll the tape anyway while looking the other way, admiring the vestry's stained glass window.

Marco Dias · October 23rd, 2006, 03:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter Jefferson

1) When people "call you" to take a "Photo" with your video camera
11)speeches that drag on and on and on and on.. dude.. if i wanted to know what colour the brides poo was when she was 3 months old, id ask u...
14) Bridemaids that do nothng for the bride.. half teh weddings ive shot, the bridesmaids were too busy fussing over themselves as opposed to helping the bride... this wastes time, and many photo opportunities..
15) photogs who insist on shooting right near ur ear.. and as the vowws are being spoken, they run a rapid shutter.. clak clak clak clak clack.. lucky the grooms wearing a wireless mic..

These happen to me as well, to me Bridesmaids are a waste of time. They are more interested in their partners then helping the bride.

A photographer friend of mine once did a wedding where there was no seating and meal prepared for him. When he went to the groom to ask about this, he was told that they didn't pay for his seating and meal because it wasn't their responsibility to feed him. The groom used the example, that when he goes to work his boss doesn't provide a meal for him at work, he has to take his own sandwiches to work, therefore the photographer should have done the same. The photographer left to go eat at a restaurant. Then he gave the bill to his employer the next day.
When the B&G came to pick up their photos they were presented with the photographers bill and were not allowed to take their photos until they paid the photographer's food bill. That was classic!

Regards.

Peter Jefferson · October 23rd, 2006, 03:42 AM

Marco, youd be surprised how many couples try this tactic, however, usually im of a good rapport with them, so they feel like slackasses if tehy dont feed me..

In the end, if you have a contract, and the couple sign it, and the contract (in my case a 3parter) states that they will provide food/meals and parking, then i expect it to happen.
If they dont stick to THEIR part of the bargain, then i make it known..

If they do a backflip, on meals, then i bill them for my time travelling, fuel and any parking fees incurred...

Parking fees incured on the day are billed after the wedding, usually 24hrs from teh day of shooting.
Ive hit $140 a day just on parking (2 hotels 30bux each, irrespective of time... , the ceremony gardens 40bux and the photoshoot (metered) and the reception $25flat rate night flagfall..
now that 140bux is an average of 1 days work for most people.. couples dont consider this when theyre looking at their locations, but in the end, were there to make a profit, not operate on donations..

Damian Clarke · October 23rd, 2006, 04:32 AM

This could be a very long thread...complaining is great.
Actually, that's a great point about the parking, I thought I had most things covered in the old business plan but that's a definite addition.
And about the single, lonely gals coming on...if that's what can happen then damn, I should've got into this years ago lol, don't think my better half would be too impressed though...that Rode VideoMic would go where the sun don't shine. arghh

Peter Jefferson · October 23rd, 2006, 05:35 AM

u thought the Rode is somethjign to worry about.. lol try a Zeppelin style windshield.. roflmao

Look, no doubt weddings can be fun, but at the end of the day, were there to do a job.. whether we have a vent for teh negatives or not, the fact remains that there is a reason why we do it and continue to do it.. obviously those positives outweigh the negativs, else we'd be doing something else...
to ME now... well, its an equal balance between positives and negatives, as working smarter and not harder is my ultimate goal.

each of us does things differently and to air our feeling or vent out every now and then is to be expected, but in the end, were there to be n business.. we are working, despite what people think and despite their misconceptions abotu the industry. Dont ver take of your "business hat" at any stage whatsoever. if u have to be tough, be tough... U wont make friends with people who automatically assume you will operate your business like a phtographer would.
Ive got clients who read teh contract, signed it and were advised in writing that delivery is 18 to 36 weeks.. they got married in august.. i havent even rewound the tapes yet.. BUT even with this, they email and txt me EVERY 2 weeks religiously about progress..
Its these clients who are all for the service but think that theyre the only clients u deal with.. that really aggravates me.
Selfish selfish selfish..

what is the cause of this.. well its very simple..
theyve spent all their money... theyre now paying off a martgage or what have u.. they dont go out as theyre on a budget now... they have no life...
Theyve recently recived their album from their photog and 99% of the time, theyres something about it which theyre not too pleased with, so they automatically assume the video 'will be the same"
So they approach u with this negative mentality before they even say hello...
From there, it gets from bad to worse as they try to fish their way throgh an airtight agreement to get their way and get their video before other people..
this happens and continues to happen even from the clients who u think wouldnt do it..

at the end of the day, video production for private sector is one of the most difficult industries to work in.

Marco Dias · October 23rd, 2006, 07:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter Jefferson

Look, no doubt weddings can be fun, but at the end of the day, were there to do a job.. whether we have a vent for teh negatives or not, the fact remains that there is a reason why we do it and continue to do it...

I agree, I love my Job, for every complaint I have, I have more positive stories to tell as well. I started this thread just to let off some steam and have an idea that I am not alone in this business. Also this helps those that want to start their wedding business what to expect and not be surprised when these things do happen to them.

We could start a thread, "What I love about filming weddings" and I am sure there would be a great response to that as well. Like everything else in life you have your bad days and your good days, just make sure you have more good days then bad days, then what's the point.

What really gets to me, is that we are not appreciated for the work we do. We work harder and longer than the Photographer and DJ and we get hardly any respect. People just look at us as a "Monkey" with a camera who suppose to record everything 24/7. I have been in this industry 12 years and I don't think this perception is going to change anytime soon.

Thanks Peter for your comments, I have had a great laugh especially with the "if i wanted to know what colour the brides poo was when she was 3 months old, id ask u..." comment. That gets me everytime, ha ha ha!

Regards.

Eugene Bare · October 23rd, 2006, 07:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe Allen Rosenberger

come on now Eugene.....70 year ol' ladies don't count, they could be your gandma'!!!!

You are right Joe I have had a few old moldy's interested, and peter is also on spot, there is jailbait out there. But that aside I have been lucky, Outside of a few camera shy people and the ocassional kid screaming, I have very little to complain about my clients have all been very nice people. Maybe I have just not been in it long enough. I think the area you work in has alot to do with the type of people and the manners and social norms at play.

Tom Tomkowiak · October 23rd, 2006, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter Jefferson

....I re-enact some closeups of the ring exchange and the kiss .... convey this as a deliberate "procedure" you follow, as opposed to being an issue and trying to make up for a lost shot....

Great procedure, advising the couple before the event that as a matter of routine you want a re-enactment. One photog I was working alongside asked for a ring exchange reshoot and blamed a "camera problem." B&G's eyes rolled and afterward privately asked if I got the "real" exchange & said they were very disappointed with the photog. I haven't missed capturing a ring exchange yet, but realizing it can happen, makes me think I should incorporate a pre-planned re-enactment into my standard procedures. Sounds a lot more professional than after-the-fact blaming missing the money shot on faulty equipment or the minister moving.

Getting back to the topic, I enjoy most everything about taping weddings, especially when the coordinator is good and keeps me posted on any schedule changes. Conversely, what really irritates me is when there is a major change -- like time of the cake cutting -- and my first clue is a crowd gathering.

Marco Dias · October 24th, 2006, 08:45 AM

Here's another one...

Once I edited a wedding for a B&G, they came back to me and asked me to take every scene of a couple they didn't like at their wedding. I asked them, "If you didn't like these people, why did you bother to invite them to your wedding?", the bride answered "My mother invited them, so I didn't say no."
So I went back to my project and took out every scene where this couple was filmed, how silly was that! You have a wedding and you don't like the people that are invited to it...

Jason Robinson · October 24th, 2006, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monday Isa

One thing I hate is when your at a wedding and there are some people there that know you and they come over and say hi, grabbing your arm touching your shoulder as your filming working. :( That get's me really mad

I'm yet to get a job where your 5th point is not a problem for me as well

Monday

My wife will touch my shoulder / waist / arm etc while I am filming or setting up shots. Quite annoying, but I have let her know and it happens less and less as time goes on.

For some reason even if I am thinking hard about how to rescue a horrible scene (bad lighting, ugly backdrop, etc) I can't stand to be touched. I seem to need to be undisturbed while I try to find the solution.

jason

Sam Jankis · October 24th, 2006, 10:01 AM

The last (THE LAST) wedding I shot was a nightmare and the reception was more like a frat party. We had to shoot the ceremony from the balcony because "electronic equipment was not allowed near the altar"... even though there were a couple of CCDs mounted there and the podium had a microphone that was used during the ceremony! Also, the groom refused to wear the wireless mic at the last minute. So, we had echoing audio, zoomed-in video (which is shaky at times b/c we were almost completely zoomed in), and complete drunkenness at the rehearsal and reception. It was hard NOT to put embarrassing footage of the bride and groom on the final edit.

October 22nd, 2006, 07:15 PM	#16
Eugene Bare Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Shenandoah Valley, Virginia Posts: 53	Lonely Guests What about the lonley singel gals coming up telling you that is some really nice equipment there, and hitting on you harder the drunker they get. It is like hello im working here, every thing you are saying is being recorded on camera right now. I actually had one tell me last weekend she had always wanted to be filmmed<?;'{P.?/]p[pl';O??? No I dont really hate it, but it is distracting... :)

October 23rd, 2006, 03:20 AM	#20
Tom Hardwick Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Billericay, England UK Posts: 4,711	Same here Martin. I've even had priests tell me not to film the signing, so I simply roll the tape anyway while looking the other way, admiring the vestry's stained glass window.

October 23rd, 2006, 03:42 AM	#22
Peter Jefferson Inner Circle Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Aus Posts: 3,884	Marco, youd be surprised how many couples try this tactic, however, usually im of a good rapport with them, so they feel like slackasses if tehy dont feed me.. In the end, if you have a contract, and the couple sign it, and the contract (in my case a 3parter) states that they will provide food/meals and parking, then i expect it to happen. If they dont stick to THEIR part of the bargain, then i make it known.. If they do a backflip, on meals, then i bill them for my time travelling, fuel and any parking fees incurred... Parking fees incured on the day are billed after the wedding, usually 24hrs from teh day of shooting. Ive hit $140 a day just on parking (2 hotels 30bux each, irrespective of time... , the ceremony gardens 40bux and the photoshoot (metered) and the reception $25flat rate night flagfall.. now that 140bux is an average of 1 days work for most people.. couples dont consider this when theyre looking at their locations, but in the end, were there to make a profit, not operate on donations..

October 23rd, 2006, 04:32 AM	#23
Damian Clarke Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Lincolnshire, United Kingdom Posts: 95	This could be a very long thread...complaining is great. Actually, that's a great point about the parking, I thought I had most things covered in the old business plan but that's a definite addition. And about the single, lonely gals coming on...if that's what can happen then damn, I should've got into this years ago lol, don't think my better half would be too impressed though...that Rode VideoMic would go where the sun don't shine. arghh

October 23rd, 2006, 05:35 AM	#24
Peter Jefferson Inner Circle Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Aus Posts: 3,884	u thought the Rode is somethjign to worry about.. lol try a Zeppelin style windshield.. roflmao Look, no doubt weddings can be fun, but at the end of the day, were there to do a job.. whether we have a vent for teh negatives or not, the fact remains that there is a reason why we do it and continue to do it.. obviously those positives outweigh the negativs, else we'd be doing something else... to ME now... well, its an equal balance between positives and negatives, as working smarter and not harder is my ultimate goal. each of us does things differently and to air our feeling or vent out every now and then is to be expected, but in the end, were there to be n business.. we are working, despite what people think and despite their misconceptions abotu the industry. Dont ver take of your "business hat" at any stage whatsoever. if u have to be tough, be tough... U wont make friends with people who automatically assume you will operate your business like a phtographer would. Ive got clients who read teh contract, signed it and were advised in writing that delivery is 18 to 36 weeks.. they got married in august.. i havent even rewound the tapes yet.. BUT even with this, they email and txt me EVERY 2 weeks religiously about progress.. Its these clients who are all for the service but think that theyre the only clients u deal with.. that really aggravates me. Selfish selfish selfish.. what is the cause of this.. well its very simple.. theyve spent all their money... theyre now paying off a martgage or what have u.. they dont go out as theyre on a budget now... they have no life... Theyve recently recived their album from their photog and 99% of the time, theyres something about it which theyre not too pleased with, so they automatically assume the video 'will be the same" So they approach u with this negative mentality before they even say hello... From there, it gets from bad to worse as they try to fish their way throgh an airtight agreement to get their way and get their video before other people.. this happens and continues to happen even from the clients who u think wouldnt do it.. at the end of the day, video production for private sector is one of the most difficult industries to work in.

October 24th, 2006, 08:45 AM	#28
Marco Dias Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: South Africa Posts: 62	Here's another one... Once I edited a wedding for a B&G, they came back to me and asked me to take every scene of a couple they didn't like at their wedding. I asked them, "If you didn't like these people, why did you bother to invite them to your wedding?", the bride answered "My mother invited them, so I didn't say no." So I went back to my project and took out every scene where this couple was filmed, how silly was that! You have a wedding and you don't like the people that are invited to it...

October 24th, 2006, 10:01 AM	#30
Sam Jankis Major Player Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: St. Pete, FL Posts: 223	The last (THE LAST) wedding I shot was a nightmare and the reception was more like a frat party. We had to shoot the ceremony from the balcony because "electronic equipment was not allowed near the altar"... even though there were a couple of CCDs mounted there and the podium had a microphone that was used during the ceremony! Also, the groom refused to wear the wireless mic at the last minute. So, we had echoing audio, zoomed-in video (which is shaky at times b/c we were almost completely zoomed in), and complete drunkenness at the rehearsal and reception. It was hard NOT to put embarrassing footage of the bride and groom on the final edit.