9 Things Philly’s Pro Wedding Videographers Wish You Knew
CinemaCake's husband-and-wife videography team share how to make the most of your wedding video.
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Want to know how to make the most out of your wedding video? You can’t predict what will happen on film, but you can prepare with these tips from CinemaCake’s husband-and-wife videography team, Dave and Sheryl Williams.
Pick a team that plays well together.
“A symbiotic photographer-and-filmmaker relationship is crucial to a smooth wedding day. Both parties need to work together to move seamlessly and not block one another’s shots.”
Don’t tell anyone in advance.
“Don’t prepare people! We do off-camera interviews for the voiceovers, and we don’t want them to feel canned and scripted, like a speech. What we want is true emotion.”
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But know that interviews can be done after the fact.
“If a favorite uncle or grandma missed the interviews, we can interview them afterwards. When people haven’t had three drinks, they can think a little more clearly. We still get some pretty emotional sound bites even after the wedding has passed.”
Discuss how many filmmakers you’ll need.
“You should have at least a two-person crew so you can cover two things at a time, like if the bride is getting ready on a different floor from the groom. Multiple cameras are also crucial to capture not only what’s going on during important moments, but reactions to those moments as well. There are no second takes!”
Plan the timeline in advance.
“Every wedding is different, but on average, a 10-hour day includes bridal prep, first look and ceremony. What happens at the end — fireworks, sparkler exit — may determine if you keep your filmmaker longer. Find out what happens if you request overtime last-minute — often, it will simply be billed as an extra hour.”
Know your options.
“Most clients will order a 10-to-30-minute feature film but also ask for a trailer, which is usually one to three minutes. Some videographers will give you an extra-short one for Instagram — that gives you something to share and enjoy while everything else is being prepared. Other options could include a separate file with the entire ceremony in real-time or a video of just the speeches.”
Review the deadlines.
“Your contract’s absolute due date shouldn’t go beyond five to six months after the wedding. See if there’s a post-production schedule you can access to see where your video is in the process. Then you won’t have to keep reaching out.”
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Don’t pick that Ed Sheeran song if you want to share on Facebook.
“Couples may assume they can share their film on social media, but this won’t be the case if non-licensed music is used. Your filmmaker should know how to legally use the songs chosen; otherwise, your film could be taken down for copyright infringement.”
Go all out by pre-filming your love story.
“A video detailing how you got together is a fun and unique introduction for the reception. These typically take a day or two to film and are wonderful keepsakes.”
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