If you’re a movie-lover, you’ll be familiar with the process behind making a film. There’s a meticulous process behind the scenes. The initial vision or idea is carefully transformed into a screenplay. A team of hundreds, if not thousands, work together to bring the screenplay to life, including actors, audio technicians, directors of photography, lighting technicians, and editors in post production. I’m guessing you don’t have a multi-million budget, access to Christopher Nolan, or a team of thousands to help you. But, if you’re investing in filming one of the biggest days of your life, your wedding, you’ll want to know how to make the most of your wedding film.
What do you look for in a videographer? What questions do you ask? What do you have to consider on the day? How do you make the most of the video once it’s complete? All of this, and more, will be explained below.
How To Choose A Wedding Videographer
In my experience, wedding videography is very much collaborative. It’s a creative mix of your vision, the spontaneity and unfolding of the day, including speeches and any mishaps or happy accidents, and the videographer’s artistic approach and style.
This is why choosing a videographer whose style you resonate with is crucial, and why chemistry is an all-important ingredient. Without that, miscommunication is more likely.
I wish I could give clear guidance around chemistry, but as we all know, it’s elusive. And yet, you know it when you feel it — you’re getting married, after all! Pay attention to how you feel when talking to them. Do you feel comfortable, relaxed?
Your needs may vary. Some people prefer a videographer with a discreet approach, others gravitate towards those with a big personality. Whatever your needs, look to find a videographer that meets them.
What To Ask Your Wedding Videographer
It’s likely your videographer has a website with personal information about their style, their influences, their experience, and their prices. You can gather a solid amount of information from that, but nothing beats a real conversation.
To build trust with a potential videographer, I recommend asking them the following:
- How long have you been shooting?
- How many weddings have you shot?
- What’s your approach on the wedding day?
- How do you deal with things not going to plan on the day of the wedding?
- Do you work alone or with a team?
- Are there any extras of hidden rates to be aware of before committing?
- How and when do we receive the final video collection?
Also, make sure to check straight away to see if they’re available on your wedding day! I know this sounds obvious, but you want to avoid finding a videographer you are really keen on, only to find out they have a schedule clash with your chosen date. It happens.
Communicating Your Wedding Film Vision
To understand how to get the most from your wedding videographer, it’s important to clearly communicate your vision. No two minds are alike and clarity is necessary to avoid miscommunication.
The first crucial step is inner clarity. What kind of experience do you want your wedding to be: an epic party, a grand romance, a balance of the two? How will you use your wedding video collection: a treasured keepsake for friends and family or a portal back to the untamed antics of the bridal party? These questions help in crafting your filmmaker’s approach and the best videographers will help guide you through this process.
The job of the wedding videographer isn’t just to capture essential wedding film moments. There’s more to capturing moments than simply pointing a camera (if that were the case, you could rely on your guests’ half-hearted iPhone skills). Great videographers bring an artistic approach to their craft and their results often blow people away. The relationship with your videographer can’t be understated.
Ideally, curiosity and openness are the minimum of what to expect from a videographer. They’ll want to learn about you and your vision, to best personalise your wedding film. Be cautious of anyone who tries to impose their vision.
Equally, don’t go to a videographer with a wildly different shooting style to your personal taste, and ask them to fit a round peg into a square hole. Look at portfolios and get a close enough match as the foundation of further discussion.
Do research around different wedding video styles, to give you an idea, as well as the type of edits, video length, and music you want to include.
Wedding Film Planning On The Day Itself
So you have a vision, you’ve chosen the one (the videographer… and your partner) and now you’re all set for lights, camera, action. Unlike films, there’s no set script for the day. Just to take some pressure off, there’s some flexibility for second takes, but the best wedding videos capture the day in its fullest authenticity. Fortunately, there are ways to prepare to make this as smooth as possible.
You’ll know beforehand how long your videographer will be with you, and have communicated around how engaged or visible they’ll be. You’ll know what types of shots they’ll take, and when. They’ll be integrated into the bigger picture of the day, including times for any editorial shots. Now you can relax, let them be in their gift, and trust that they’ll do the job you’ve hired them to do, and create the art your heart yearns for.
There is, however, an integral piece of the puzzle in how to level up your wedding film: speeches, letter reading and vows are all a beautiful way to convey personality, individuality and to tell your unique love story. Audio from these can elevate a great film into a perfect one. Consider taking a little extra time to craft speeches (and consider giving your speech givers some assistance) to make them truly magical.
From my experience shooting many wedding films in Melbourne, I know some people thrive with public speaking and others would rather hide behind the sofa. I recommend informing anyone giving a speech that a videographer will be present, so they’re not caught off-guard. Consider getting all the speakers together beforehand and asking your videographer for any inside tips on capturing the speeches. However, if speeches, readings, and personalised vows aren’t your jam and you’d prefer your wedding film to focus less on these elements, make sure to communicate this part of your vision to your videographer.
How To Get The Most Out Of Your Wedding Video
Once you’ve invested your time, energy and budget in artistic wedding videography, you want an idea of how to maximise its impact.
Weddings are rituals, after all, and I recommend creating a sense of ritual around the video itself. That includes your first viewing, sharing with the big wide world, and any subsequent re-watches. I know many couples who like to watch their wedding video as part of their anniversary, which is particularly wholesome.
Inviting loved ones over to watch, especially those who couldn’t attend on the day, allows them to relive moments with you. And, as a special insider tip, I recommend keeping the film in mind for any days when you’re feeling low or bummed out. What better way to activate happy brain chemicals than reliving the best day of your life, when you were surrounded by your favourite people?
Optional tip: From someone who loves the craft and appreciates the art form, consider hooking your laptop up to a widescreen TV rather than watching on a phone or small screen. With the effort and skill put into creating high production value, it’s worth maximising the viewing experience. Put the surround sound on, turn up the volume, get the popcorn and champagne ready, and make an event of it!
Tips For Sharing Your Wedding On Social Media
Some people are social media butterflies, some people are not. You do you. If you love the world of Instagram (or pick your poison) consider commissioning an edit specifically for the platform. Trying to edit a longer video yourself, or uploading a 6-minute film onto a platform and attempting to capture people’s attention on their phone, whilst scrolling, is no bueno.
Most people want to show off their wedding video on social media, it’s the world we live in. The majority of wedding videographers have options for that. For example, I offer teaser films which are created to suit the Instagram feed (square not landscape, 1 minute in length) and are perfect for sharing.
It’s always worth the extra to ask for a professionally edited clip. Always.
Let’s Begin
As a wedding videographer in Melbourne, I put together this guide because I know how important and impactful videography is — and why getting it right matters. It’s a joy to get to know your love story, to bring your vision to life and answer any questions you have. So, if you’d like to take the next step, reach out.
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