February 11th, 2008 by edit1media
Here is a great article in the “Weddings in Houston” magazine about wedding videography! I hope this is educational and that you enjoy it! If you have any questions about the services discussed, please feel free to contact us!
wedding videography+Same Day Edit
April 16th, 2007 by edit1media
April 16, 2007
Over the past few weeks I’ve been horrified to get several phone calls and emails from couples who hired other videographers, and now they cannot get ahold of them. Of course their worst fear is that the footage from their wedding will be lost forever, never mind if they got ripped off or not!
But why does this happen? And how can you make sure it doesn’t happen to you?
Having been in this business for over 8 years now, I’m pretty sure I understand what happens. Prior to the wedding, things are great because these videographers are in high demand due to low prices…and the money feels like it’s rolling in! But after the wedding season, suddenly they realize how much work actually goes into editing a wedding. They slack off, get caught up in their other job, etc. etc. and before you know it, a vicious cycle of excuses and eventually hiding from clients begins.
I don’t think most people realize just how much work is involved with editing. And turn around times of 6-12 months is very common. But the break down occurs when the videographer stops communicating with the client. It’s just bad for everyone, but especially the bride and groom who are looking forward to reliving their wedding memories.
Here are a few tips to make sure this doesn’t happen to you:
1. Ask for references…if the videographer is not willing to give references, then something isn’t right.
2. Ask how long they have been in business and if this is their full-time occupation. There are a lot of great part-time companies, but the full-time studios tend to be the most dedicated to their services. After all, it’s their only income!
3. Be sure you know how long they have been in business and ask other vendors about them. Someone who is brand new to videography obviously has to start somewhere, but if having a great video is a priority to you, you may want to opt for more experienced studios.
4. Lastly, remember that you may just get what you pay for. Having peace of mind that your video will come out great and that the company will still be in business when your wedding day comes around is worth the investment.
March 13th, 2007 by edit1media
March 13, 2007
With 8+ years of experience filming and editing wedding videos, I thought I’d share just a few tips on how you can help to make your video the best it can be. Please see some of this in a light-hearted nature!
1. Ban gum. No one looks good chomping on gum, use breath mints instead. Make sure the wedding party knows this too.
2. Look at each other during your vows, not at the officiant. That can be hard to remember when you are a ball of nerves, but remember who you are marrying!
3. Don’t touch that mic! The wireless microphone placed on the groom is usually not recording until the ceremony begins. Also, any good videographer will NOT put in anything inappropriate (such as a nervous bathroom break!) in your wedding video! Once that microphone is on, just leave it alone or you run the risk of not having your vows recorded.
4. If your budget allows it, consider some professional lighting during your reception. A gobo light with your monogram or some colored uplights on the walls can make a world of difference both in the ambiance of the room and in your video.
That’s it for now! Happy wedding planning!
March 7th, 2007 by edit1media
March 7, 2007
Below is a funny article about how the production / videography world is turning marketing on it’s head. It seems that everyone wants to use the term “High Definition” now! Ummm, since when is fabric or tree bark high definition? Give me a break!
So this leads me to talk a bit about why would someone want their wedding or event filmed in High Definition? (Besides the fact that everyone wants to use this trendy term!) Hopefully this is an easy read that will explain it in simple terms without all the techno-jargon.
Last Christmas, as Chris and I were doing some shopping for our family, we saw tons of LCD & Plasma HDTV’s being purchased everywhere we went! Prices dropped drastically and people just knew they had to have the latest thing! Unfortunately many people were disappointed when they hooked up their newest gizmo to cable and saw that their favorite TV channel looked worse than it did on their old Standard Definition set. What gives???
Here’s the deal. In order for the video on your HD screen to look good, it needs to have been filmed in High Definition. And then it also needs to be broadcast (or played back) in HD. Many people do not have HD Cable channels because they never needed them before. They just assumed that you buy the new set, hook it up, and blammo — you have beautiful images. Unfortunately it doesn’t work that way. To watch cable in High Definition, you need to subscribe to HD channels.
If you want your wedding or event video to look as good on that nice new BIG widescreen, you need to have it filmed in High Definition. If you were wondering, you cannot have it filmed in Standard Definition and then somehow change it later. And run in the other direction from someone who claims that can be done.
Once your wedding is filmed in High Definition, you will need a way to play it. Unfortunately your current DVD player cannot play high definition content. Right now there are two standards (can you say Beta vs. VHS all over again?). HD-DVD and Blu-Ray. Your videographer has to provide you with either an HD-DVD or a Blu-Ray Disk. This will require the purchase of either an HD-DVD or Blu-Ray player based on which disk format your wedding was created with.
Now, this is obviously getting a bit expensive! First of all, you are paying for your videographer’s services. Then you pay for an upgrade to High Definition. Then you bought an HD set. NOW you also have to buy a HDDVD or Blu-Ray player???
So why would you go through all of this expense and craziness?
For just a moment, let’s go back to why you are hiring a videographer in the first place. You are capturing one of the most incredible days of your lives. And one that you will be able to share with generations to come. Not to mention all the details and moments that you will miss during the day. OK, so honestly there are 100 reasons you made the right choice to hire the best quality videographer for your wedding day.
If you will never ever purchase an HD widescreen TV, then don’t worry about getting your video upgraded to HD. But the truth is that brides & grooms today are on the cusp of this technological craze and would be remiss NOT to have their wedding filmed in HD. At the very least, see if your videographer can film & edit in HD now and just deliver in SD for your regular DVD player. Then sometime in the future when the standards are worked out, ask for a new version from him/her in that format. THAT is do-able and it won’t be as expensive upfront.
But also keep in mind that just like you can have the greatest TV in the world and still get crummy quality (or a crummy show), you can also look for a videographer who offers a cheap HD upgrade and still have a shakey, icky video. So don’t get distracted by the buzz words, and remember to keep your eye on the big picture…overall shooting ability, editing skill, ability to capture emotion, etc.
Now, on to that silly HD-hype article….
