What Makes a Great Wedding Video?

Well, to answer that question let's first ask anothercameraman, it's about choosing an editor. A great
question -wedding video is one with great editing, simple as that.
What is a typical wedding video?If the editing isn't there, the video is a non starter. A
When asked this question, most people have thegood editor builds a scene that flows using pace and
same stereotypical images flying through their heads -rhythm, punchy cuts, upbeat music, sound bites, and
a dull Sunday afternoon, all the family crammed intoscene dynamics. An editor who knows his craft is
the lounge watching a 6 hour long shaky video shot byworth his weight in gold.
Uncle Bob on his handy-cam; long boring shots and noAnd then there's colour grading...
editing.What is Colour Grading?
Or maybe you get lucky and you've had your weddingColour grading is the final phase of the editing process
done by a professional wedding videographer - Yay!and a dedicated editor will not skimp on this process. In
Not so fast - 9 times out of 10 even the videos youfact, colour grading is so important in movies that the
pay for are equally dull; full of tedious panning shots,editor of the movie doesn't do it; a dedicated "Colour
cheesy video transitions straight out of the 80's, andGrader" is given the task. It could be argued that
set to the corniest love music known to man. The endgrading is the most important part of the movie
result is the same - half your family fall asleep whilebecause it's all about the aesthetic finish; it's about
watching it and the other half wish they were asleep;giving the movie its "look". A colour grader is the
anything to save them from the cringe-worthiness ofperson responsible for giving films like "The Matrix" and
your amazing wedding video."Minority Report" that dark look, a style called "Bleach
The above scenario is of course an exaggeratedBypass", and while that look isn't really appropriate for
nightmare; that's what we don't want in a video, buta wedding, it's absolutely imperative that your wedding
what do we want? What makes a great weddingvideographer takes time to find a look that is. Grading
video? Well, in short, a great wedding video is one thatthose high definition shots of your wedding day, making
entertains everyone who watches it and is never outthem ooze with colour and detail, will literally make your
of the DVD player. And that's all down to one vitalvideo jump off the screen!
ingredient...What about equipment?
A great wedding video is all about fun!To put it bluntly, your videographer MUST have the
When you hire a wedding videographer to film yourright equipment; He'll have at least one professional HD
special day he needs to have the eye to pick up oncamcorder to do the job, but by using two he can
those great little moments, all the things you want tocapture a selection of wide, mid, and close up shots at
remember 10 years down the line; the smiles, thethe ceremony and speeches - variety is everything. At
laughs, the tears, the bridesmaids strutting their stuff onthe time of this article any of these cameras are well
the dance floor, and the hi-jinks of the best manrespected and are used in TV, corporate videos,
whose had one too many beers.music videos, and weddings -
Your videographer needs to be able to frame a greatSony Z1/Z5/Z7, Sony XDCAM EX1/EX3, Panasonic
scene, and mix it up with wide shots, mids, andAG-HVX200/201, Panasonic AG-HPX171, Panasonic
close-ups, not a succession of long shots panningAG-HMC151, Canon XL-H1, Canon XH-A1, Canon
round the entire room like a gardener hosing his lawn!XH-G1, JVC GY-HD251, JVC GY-HM700.
Wedding videography is about subtlety; it's aboutThere are many more camcorders on the market but
documenting the day, not directing it. The job of thethese are some of the best ranging in price from
wedding videographer is similar to that of the wedding£3000 to £7500.
photographer, but vastly different. The photographerA good videographer will have a professional shotgun
has to direct the couple and guests in order to stagemic mounted on the camera and a radio mic which will
those all important album shots. The videographer, onbe hooked onto the Groom's belt during the ceremony;
the other hand, needs to blend into the background likethe audio levels have to be top notch - can't have the
a ninja! He carefully captures all the magic of your"I Do's" distorting like a robot!
special day in a "fly-on-the-wall" documentary style. AAs far as editing is concerned Final Cut Pro by Apple
good videographer is one you don't even notice.has become the industry favourite; its extremely
And then there's the editing. They say the magic is inpowerful software, opening up many editing possibilities.
the editing and they're right. Obviously the techniqueSony Vegas, Premiere Pro, and Avid are also good.
has to be there in the filming stage, but ultimately it allMagic Bullet is great for colour grading, although
comes down to what goes on in the edit suite; that'seffective colour grading can be done in all of the
where the magic is born.above editing applications.
What is editing?Many videographers offer Blu-ray discs so you can
Every video project is different and unique whether itswatch your video back on an HD television in full high
television, corporate videos, music videos, or weddingdefinition. This is great, but as long as your video is shot
videos. At the end of a shoot it's the same scenario -in high definition, watching it back on a standard DVD is
you have a hard drive full of raw footage and youjust fine. This is actually how shooting for TV has
need to take that raw footage and turn it into a video.worked for many years; pictures are shot on HD
It's a massive jigsaw puzzle and it takes the right editorcameras and once the programme is edited it is
to craft it into a piece that engages and entertains thebroadcast in standard definition (with the exception of
viewer. So when choosing the right videographer forHD programmes). So while Blu-ray discs are all the
your wedding video its not just about choosing arage, they're not essential.