Do I need a videographer for my wedding?
Just a few years ago, a wedding videographer was the exception rather than the rule. Many brides still had fresh memories of wedding movies from the ’90s – boring reports for a few hours with all the wedding attributes of the time.
Fortunately, modern weddings are not like what we saw before, the approach to wedding photography has changed. But if the necessity of a professional photographer or stylist does not arouse doubts, the question whether a videographer is necessary is still relevant for many people.
In our opinion, a videographer is as obligatory a wedding pro as a coordinator or a decorator. If wedding photos are saved moments of the most important day, a video is its dynamics. It’s not only a beautiful picture, but also an opportunity to be fully immersed in the atmosphere of the day, to feel its mood and emotions again, to hear your beloved’s voice trembling while he is reciting the oath, to see the tears of happiness in the eyes of relatives…
The wedding video, in addition to the photo, creates a full, three-dimensional picture of the holiday and, without a doubt, causes a bright emotional response. By the way, a short clip for 3-5 minutes is also a great opportunity to “show” your wedding friends in social networks, because not everyone can handle looking through an album with five hundred pictures.
What do you need to know before choosing a videographer?
Before you start your search, decide with the groom exactly what you expect from a wedding video. Should it be a short music video that includes the most important moments of the day, or do you want a reportage shot of the ceremony? What style of shooting and processing do you like? Do you want to shoot from a quadcopter? What budget are you willing to allocate? Are you planning a pre-wedding love-story shoot?
Chances are, you’ll have to review quite a few wedding videos to clearly articulate your requirements for filming, but don’t spare any time – after all, just like photos, wedding video is a memory that will stay with you for years to come.
How do I look at a videographer’s portfolio?
Every videographer, like any other contractor, should have a portfolio with examples of work. Be prepared for the fact that studying it will take you much longer than a photographer’s portfolio. You’ll need to look through several shoots from start to finish to understand what style the pro works in, what he focuses on, how he gathers material. Pay special attention to:
- The presence of a “story”. A wedding video should not resemble a presentation with a set of disconnected pictures. Rather, it should be a small movie with movement, action, a logical sequence of presentation.
- The quality of the picture and the style of processing. You have to be close to the aesthetics of a pro. If the image seems very dark to you or, on the contrary, the tones are too muted, move on to the next candidate.
- Duration of the video and editing. Do you like the final “rhythm” and speed of the video, do some moments seem dragged out?
- Is the videographer’s work interesting for you to watch? If you start rewinding the clips because they look very similar, without any individuality, if while watching them you get distracted by social networks – this is clearly not your candidate. Did you get emotional or even cry over the touching ceremony? Take a closer look at this pro!
- Special effects. How literate and appropriate does it look? An excessive number of effects will tire any viewer, so the clip should be interesting in itself, not due to explosions, slowing down or speeding up the frames.
- The choice of music. Of course, you can tell the videographer about your preferences regarding music when you decide to work with him personally, but it largely determines the impression and emotional mood of the video, and you should have a taste for it.
A portfolio is a collection of the best works according to a professional. If some of the work you rate a weak “four,” remember – your wedding will not be better.
What else should you pay attention to?
After viewing the portfolio, study the specialist’s working conditions: the cost of services, working hours, package offers, availability of an assistant, the possibility of going to other cities, current promotions (for example, discounts for booking a date earlier or special conditions for love-story when ordering a full wedding day shooting).
Before signing a contract, make sure it clearly states the terms of material delivery, video quality, the final cost of the work. If you are planning to order a pre-wedding video, make sure you get the material before the wedding so you can show it to the guests at the banquet.
And, of course, it’s very important to arrange a personal meeting to chat, to understand if you like the videographer himself, not just his work. For non-professional models, i.e. for the overwhelming majority of grooms and brides, shooting a video clip can be quite tricky: if during a photo shoot a photographer can tell you some static pose, then for video it is important the dynamics, your movements, your looseness in front of the camera. And if the person standing on the other side of the lens is unpleasant to you, you can’t avoid stiffness and awkwardness.