Wedding videography is growing more popular every year. Today’s modern couples consider video equally important if not more so than photography to capture their wedding day.
So how do you choose the wedding videographer that’s right for you? Besides watching a lot of films and thinking about what you like and don’t like in each video, you should consider these 10 tips:
1-Style
When you watch a video, don’t just think about how you feel about the style now, but imagine how you will feel about watching the video 20 years from now. You should also pay attention to the shots in the video. Do they look staged and directed or do they seem authentic? This is not a bad thing, just a style choice to consider.
If you feel like you know the bride and groom a little bit by the end of the film, that says something about the style and the wedding videographer’s ability to capture the couple’s personality.
2-Balance of Footage
While watching a video pay attention to the balance of shots in each film. Does the video show the event in an authentic way from getting ready through dancing or is it very heavy on a certain event? Ask yourself: if this was my wedding, would I be happy with the balance of footage from the ceremony/photo sessions/in-between moments/reception shown?
3-Color and Music
Color and music is totally subjective. When you watch a video you should pay attention to how the color is edited based on your preferences and then do the same for music. Think about what kind of music is chosen and how the editor uses it.
4-Audio
Is the audio good quality? Listen to all parts of it. Anyone who is formally speaking should have excellent audio.
5-Editing
A video is linear in time, meaning the footage, audio, and music all have to play out like a moving puzzle over a certain amount of time. It’s an incredibly time consuming process and highly tedious not to mention a task that requires specific skills. Video editing takes about 6-10 times more time in post production than photography.
6-Equipment
A photographer works the same hours as a wedding videographer on the day of the event but has about one-third of the gear invested. A great videographer has to have 2-3 camera bodies, but instead of a few lenses like photographers use, skilled videographers need about 4-6.
7-Experience
Not only do videographers have to have great artistic knowledge of how to compose a shot (just like photographers), but video takes a lot more skill to shoot. For example, a videographer also has to be an audio engineer and figure out all different audio situations for each wedding.
Being newer in the wedding industry means you are working to build your portfolio (which often means the videographer is going to be shooting more for them, not you), and do not have the experience to problem solve in hard situations that come up during every wedding.
8-Budget
It takes a lot more to produce high quality video than high quality photos. A great videographer means more talent, more equipment, and more time. You should be budgeting at least the same or more for video than for photography.
9-References
Once you’ve narrowed down your list of top three choices for a videographer you should talk to your venue, photographer, and wedding planner and ask them about your picks. Their opinion is incredibly valuable if they’ve worked with them before! It’s especially important to ask the vendors how these videographers work on the day of the event. The last thing you want on your wedding day is a video team that is going to annoy you or your guests all day long.
10-Communication
It’s very important to talk to each studio you’re considering since watching their work doesn’t tell you several important factors such as their years of experience, their rates, and what’s included in their packages. Ideally, you’ll make an instant connection and your gut feeling will help you determine which videographer you choose to capture your big day.
Choosing the right wedding videographer is a process, but by using our method, you will find your dream cinema team for your wedding day! Remember, your film is going to be the one thing that will be able to take you back to this day decades from now so think of your wedding video as an investment for you and your family.
