My First Wedding Video

[Disneyphile]

(It sounds like a toy by Fisher Price or something. Heh.)

Anyway, here it is, folks:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1391014673710029216&hl=en (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1391014673710029216&hl=en)

Pardon the low-res. (The full video isn't pixilated like that.) Also, be sure to watch with your sound on - you should recognize a swanky voice singing in the first part. ;)

This was a quick sample that I had to complete over the weekend, for just one client. It will be repackaged with better titles and credits (got to plug that famous swankster musician ;) ) for the formal widely-distributed promo that I'll have at month's end.

Please watch and give me your honest opinions, including if it makes you feel a certain way (happy, bored, etc.). This feedback will help steer my formal promo and future projects in the right direction, so any info you provide will be most helpful!

Thanks everyone! :D

[Snowflake]

It was beautiful! :snap:

[Nephythys]

wow!

I don't even know those people and I was smiling the whole time!

I got a little baffled at the change to the black and white initially but then I got used to the change-

Love the little boy, dancing and sliding on the floor. He was cute!

....and yes, I think I recognize the swanky singer. ;)

Great job- and if you are starting out that well, I can't WAIT to see what you can do when you are REALLY going full out.

Really- it was beautiful and sweet. You go girl. :snap:

[Motorboat Cruiser]

You did a great job with the video! :) I really liked the editing. Now, if we could just find you some better music. ;)

[Capt Jack]

http://members.cox.net/capt_jack/image/a%20no%20no.jpg

not sure what the heck you put in there, but this is what I get when I head there....... :eek:


now Im 10x more curious to see it!! :D

(smudged to protect the guilty)

[Morrigoon]

Jack: ooh, you're missing the steamy honeymoon segment!

[Disneyphile]

ROFLMAO!!!

I can't believe your company flagged it as "R Rated". That's awesome. :D

[wendybeth]

It was for when the groom stuck his head up her dress, right?;)

WTG! That was awesome. I loved the black and white sequences especially.

[Disneyphile]

Great feedback so far (also have some coming in from outside LoT as well). :D

It seems that the black and white is really 50/50 - some love it, and some don't.

Where that's leading me - is to let the couple control the style a bit. I think I'll do a client survey at the time of signing, to where they can select from various choices like, "All black and white", "mostly B&W", "mostly color", or "all color", among other style choices. I know some brides are camera shy and might not want too many close-ups, so maybe I should add those options as well - "many close-ups", "little close-ups", "no close-ups".

This feedback is helping me tremendously. :D

This "promo" is also what I plan to do for all packages - call it a highlights reel. These short music montages will show key moments, in a moving setting. It will be added onto the DVD, alongside the more in-depth story reel, which will average 40-50 minutes, with indexed chapters. That way, the client has an option of what to watch. They can enjoy more details, or "chapter through" to just a certain event, like the cake cutting. Or, they can just kick back for a few minutes and enjoy all the highlights of their day.

How do you all like that option?

[Morrigoon]

Well, I've already mentioned I like that... plus adding a single-camera static shot of the entire ceremony if they're actually nutty enough to sit through the whole thing.

I wouldn't give your clients too many options though. KISS principle. Remember how much their heads are swimming already! Speaking of which, have you written your bio for your business yet? Might wanna point out the fact that you recently went through the whole planning thing yourself, and how attuned you are to their needs :)

I would still give yourself a shot schedule that forces you to get a minimum number of tight shots, wide shots, parent close-ups, reaction shots, objects that need inclusion (rings, cake, toasting glasses, unity candles, any objects of significance) etc. Not like scheduling out the whole thing, of course, but just to make sure you get a minimum number from each category so you have something to work with later (even if you don't end up using them, at least you'll have them). That way you don't get into the editing and go "Oh damn! How'd I never get a shot of that cake before they cut it all up?" or "Shoot, there aren't any full-length shots of the bride's gown!" You know, things they'll be looking for that you don't wanna forget.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Where that's leading me - is to let the couple control the style a bit. I think I'll do a client survey at the time of signing, to where they can select from various choices like, "All black and white", "mostly B&W", "mostly color", or "all color", among other style choices. I know some brides are camera shy and might not want too many close-ups, so maybe I should add those options as well - "many close-ups", "little close-ups", "no close-ups". Morrigoon has a point about too many specific options. Just a general conversation of what they expect should reveal what you need to know about shyness issues. You can also ask them to describe general styles they like, and give them examples like "sophisticated drama" or "playful quirkiness" or "fast paced modern" and you can make decisions on angles, close ups, etc from there. I do like the idea of asking them how much b/w they want.

I know you guys did a lot of your own stuff for the wedding so I figured I'd share how we dealt with outside people. All the wedding people we used dealt the same way with us, from the band to the cake artist to the photographer to the rabbi. For each of these people we sat down and had full-on interviews where we bared our feelings on each aspect. They all asked the same basic questions:
What do you want to get out of my services?
Here's what I usually do/I recommend/is commonly requested - what do you think?
(if we seemed indecisive or unsure) Here's are other ways I've done it for special requests - what do you think?
Are there any special considerations I need to know of?
An interview gets across what they want and you can demonstrate that you understand. Offering options to couples isn't an exception - it's the rule.

Everthing else you say sounds great, and the video looks fantastic! :snap: