ceremony footage, whats your editing style?

[Renton Maclachlan]

Thanks Vito.

I assume (to be really hard nosed about it) that a wedding video will really only be watched by the couple (bride a few times, groom once or twice), the immediate family (only mothers?) - and perhaps a very few interested or absent friends, so it is for people already in the know. Thus my inclusion of things which mean something to the couple without attempting explanation.

Interestingly, the girls parents who live in Australia and are our friends, rang as soon as they had watched it, (the mother crying) and explicitly mentioned they really liked the scene setting beginning. (I didn't ask for payment but they gave me $500, which was nice.)

Re camera and tripods. I don't have mega bucks, and have already spent way too much so I'm stuck with them. It would be nice but is not an option. Perhaps if I succeed with filming, and receive some renumeration, I will upgrade. Until that day, I'm content.

Re underexposing: The lighting conditions were terrible - everything, except the entry and exit, were straight into incredibly strong backlight. We had to film from the back as there was no place at the front we could go, and behind the bridal party etc was a wall to wall/floor to ceiling window looking west, without curtains - at 2-00pm! We were not up to changing settings on the fly, so I set the cameras for the main backlight situation as best I could, and let the other brief situations pan out as they would.

Re Pans: Still working on that. Because of making as sure as I can the cameras are set right for inside, I set them up and use a still camera outside. Actually all those of the bride arriving were from the official photographer who gave them to me for the video.

I learnt heaps from doing that wedding, which helped me no end for the next two. I think I'm getting there.

Haven't charged yet...

[Rick Steele]

So tell me how do you guys do the ceremony part of your video?

I give 2 versions:

1.) Short version (10 minutes) All the lulls and idle moments are cut. Most of the minister's comments are omitted except maybe 45 seconds. If there's antother reader his/hers will be snipped to that length also. No ceremony music in this peice. It's laid out atop an instrumental music bed. This clip goes on the main DVD.

2.) The full ceremony (without communion) just cleaned up a bit and provided on a seperate DVD. Includes all the couple's music live.

It's an extra DVD but no complaints so far. There's not a lot of extra work involved because I'll start with the long version first then whittle it down which takes about an hour.

[Warren Kawamoto]

You could try a video montage with music background, we did this two weeks ago. We edited it in an hour and showed it at the reception.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=QmYZCz7-gtw

Warren