Congratulations! You are engaged and you are definitely getting a wedding video. You are about to enter into a fairly elite club. Yes, you are part of what I estimate to be the 10% of couples who actually get a wedding video. As a side note, getting a friend who studies film at University or an uncle who has a passion for video to film your wedding does not make you eligible for the club (sorry).
Now, I am the first to admit that it is not easy to select a Melbourne wedding videographer as it is very difficult to compare all the various wedding videos. It is a bit like trying to compare gas & electricity prices…it is just too hard. With various packages, shoot lengths, number of cameras, types of cameras, styles not to mention we all have different names for the same length film. So let me try and make it easier for you with the below tips:
1. ASK YOURSELF WHY
Why do you want a wedding video? Is it as a keepsake? Has your mum insisted you get one? Is it because you are concerned you will not remember the day? You need to answer this question first. From here, ask your self what you expect from a wedding video. Do you want every second captured in case you missed something (unlikely)? Are you mainly focused on having the ceremony captured so that those vows are recorded forever? Or do you just want that awesome highlight video posted up onto Facebook to share with your friends and family? You need to know what you want which leads me to the next point.
1. DO YOUR HOMEWORK
No it is not a typo. This tip is also No.1 on the list as it goes hand-in-hand with the above. Often you don’t know what you want. Some couples I meet with are convinced they need a long-from version of their wedding. They then walk out the door having booked us to shoot a Feature Film (10-12 minute storytelling edit). The point is, be open to what is available, do your research and this way you stand the best chance of getting exactly what you want. Try and get an understanding of the tools of the trade. For example, Hitched Productions only shoot with DSLR cameras (3 of them in fact) whilst other studio still shoot single camera and use old-school cameras which are not great in low-light. This can go a long way to explaining price difference in offerings between studios. Similarly, some studio still only offer DVD (sure they give you 20 copies….but who actually needs 20 copies?) which is a dying media in 2014. DVD is not full HD either. What you should be looking for is video files in Full HD supplied on either USB or HDD.
2. STYLE
Make sure you like the studios style. Now to the untrained eye you might think all wedding videos look the same. If you look at multiple samples from the one studio you will start to see a trend emerge in their style. If you see a style you like, don’t walk into another studio and ask them to try and imitate it. We all have our own style and it is important that you connect with us and our work. Some couples prefer storytelling edits, others like to have every aspect of the day filmed. Make sure you and your videographer are on the same page as it will make for a much more enjoyable experience both on the day as well as when you sit down to watch your wedding video.
3. LOVE THY VIDEOGRAPHER
Following on from the above, you need to ensure you can work with your wedding videographer. I can guarantee that you will spend more time with us on your wedding day that any other vendor. If you do not like your videographer, it will be a long day. It is for this reason that I recommend to all my couples that we meet prior to booking and as a minimum, I ensure that we meet prior to the wedding. It is also a great opportunity to find out more about how they shoot. For example, I tell all prospective clients that I rarely want you to look at my camera. I also explain how I shoot mostly with natural light and how work with the photographer. I also explain that it is your wedding and my focus is you, not the bridal party, not your parents. All these little details help to give you peace of mind meaning the wedding video is one less thing to worry about on the day.
4. VIEW WORK
If you want a full length wedding film, make sure you ask to see a section of a full length wedding. Every company will tend to post highlights online as it is easy and they look fantastic, but make sure you are happy with the long version if that is what you want. Not all videographers are good with audio so check the ceremony and speeches and make sure you are happy with the quality. Bad audio will result in a wedding video that you do not want to watch.
5. WHO SHOOTS YOUR WEDDING?
Find out who will be shooting your wedding. No point meeting with a studio and hitting it off only to find out that you get the B-team to film your wedding whilst the A-team are off on another wedding. Some studios have multiple teams and also use freelance shooters and editors. There is nothing wrong with this but you have the right to know who will shoot your wedding. At Hitched Productions, we shoot every wedding ourselves and do all our edits in-house.
This is just a handful of tips to help pick a Melbourne Wedding Videographer. There are plenty of other tips which I will save for another post but this should be more than enough to get you started on your way. Regardless of if I am lucky enough to film your wedding and tell your story, welcome to the club! You will love your wedding video.