A new amateur on the block :)

[grayman]

First, I just wanted to thank you guys for this forum. It has been a wealth of information. Up until now, I thought I did a decent job in wedding videography, but after reading some of this, I found that I have much to learn. The articles have been a huge help as well. After reading some of the stuff that's involved...I'm simply humbled knowing my work has much to be desired.

Now, I'm riding the fence from being the guy who shoots a friends wedding to making it a more serious thing. So, I'm doing a lot of research and seeing what's involved. I'm writing this in part to get advice and a good starting point in this business. One of the biggest questions I have is, what types of wedding videography are there. I've seen mention of documentary shots, story telling. What do these things involve? What I've done in the past is give the ceremony pretty cut and dry, and then a short music video. I would love it, if y'all could give me a breakdown of what I would find, if I played one of your DVDs. Like maybe a walk through.

Overall, I feel a little overwhelmed looking at all the great work of professionals. But I think my new mode of attack is to keep to the basics for a while...something I've missed out on  I think. I didn't realize how important audio was. So as far as the "A FEW" good things go...I'll be working on those. But also, I'm a little wary to advertise that I do this, if I don't have all my ducks in a row. But how else do I get experience?

Here's my equipment so far. It's not the best, but gives me good footage.

1 Canon XA 10 (cheapest of Canon's professional series, but gives me a nice sensor and XLR inputs)
1 Canon Vixia HFS21 (probably not the best option, but it's the top of the consumer model)
1 Shotgun Mic (I bought this before realizing how important wireless mics were)
1 Tripod
Final Cut Express

I don't own, but have access to:

XH A1S
two wireless mics
Another tripod.

Obviously I'm on a pretty limited budget(I spend it all on the equipment above )...but what do y'all think.

While looking into this, I realize that I'm going to have to be more serious about it. Before, since they were friends, sometimes I've had a more casual approach to it and didn't put as much effort into it.

I do have some questions:

Do you custom make all of your DVD prints and cases? If not...where would you get this done?

Thanks so much for your input and help. I'll happily take any advice or direction to specific articles or whatever!

-Brandon

[Waldemar]

I started out with one Canon GL1 camera, a hulkiing, heavy Manfrotto tripod I got at a garage sale (the owner said it was, rightly so, too heavy), and a cheap, two channel wireless mic system (Azden wms-pro).  I became an equipment freak until I realized most of the gear I had purchased got used occasionally.  Being an equipment freak hits your net income in a most negative way.  Buy additional gear wisely.

You have a good basic array of gear.  I'd suggest perhaps a "Trek" monopod, LED on camera lighting as items to consider.    For audio, the situation is a bit tricky.  I would lean towards body pack flash card audio recorders, like the Samson "Zoom" product line with Giant Squid microphones.  However the idea of a reliable two channel wireless mic system still has strong appeal.  You must have clean audio.  The stand alone recorders will get you that clean audio, but you will have to have a recognizable audio track to sync to in post.  Depending upon the recording environment, your shot gun mic may serve well.  A two channel wireless system will definitely improve good ceremony audio opportunities and, because it goes directly to the camera, sync-ing in post is not a problem.  However, there are lots of other secondary, but no less important, sounds, going on that need to be recorded, which a wireless system will not address.  Currently I am using four wireless mics during the ceremony.  One and two are for the groom and officiate.  Three and four are for family/friend commentary, musicians, or the unknown surprise.  In any case, the best way to learn what needs to be recorded is to identify what is missing on the timeline.  Effects from Garage Band, Soundtrack pro, and similar audio applications often fill the voids.

FCE will manage all of your video and audio quite well.  Stay away from Final Cut X until Apple makes it more compatible!  MPEG Streamclip (a free and amazingly effective format converter) will insure all of your media assets will match the FCE timeline.   


I shoot with two, three, or four cameras, depending upon the complexity of the event.  Recording video is a matter of framing and composition.  Exposure is also a very important element.   A careful study of exposure from the photographic standpoint is of huge benefit.  I believe FCE limits to standard formats of DV ntsc or pal, and HDV.  If I am correct, then you will fewer motion artifacts in your footage for editing if you keep your shutter speeds at 1/60.

I don't often shoot events out of chronological sequence.  There is nothing wrong with shooting out of sequence.  I typically won't do it unless I have booked additional features that demand shooting out of sequence.  I also edit in the same sequence I shoot (most of the time).  I see my job as presenting a real event using a story telling method.  I have always used this approach.  The video has to be entertaining to watch as well as accurate.  That means to me choosing the best shots and leaving the rest on the floor.   When I started editing it seemed like every sequence takes forever.  I honestly did spend a whole day on a 45 second recessional march clip trying to make five minutes of real time  activity look natural.   The more events you shoot, the easier it is to record more of what you will really use and end up putting less on the cutting room floor.

End result:  A 90 minute video representing six or more hours of activity with never a dull moment.  (Sometimes a real challenge).

For DVD jackets and labels, I always design my own.  Photoshop for the basic design.  Magic Mouse's  Discus software for the finishing text and printing.  Never use out-of-house production services until the number of DVD copies exceeds 100.  Then it is cheaper.

Hope this information helps.

[grayman]

Waldemar,

Thanks so much for you response. It is very informative...I think I just have a couple or reply questions.

1. This is kind of a new question. As I'm starting this business, what will be my venue/place/front of advertisement. Website? Etc. How did you get started?

2.

"recognizable audio track to sync to in post."

Did you mean that I would need another audio source...like directly from my camera. Is this for purposes of syncing?

3.

"In any case, the best way to learn what needs to be recorded is to identify what is missing on the timeline."

Could you expound a little on this. Not sure I understand. Also, how do you know where to place to extra mics. 3 and 4.

I have MPED Stream Clip...and I love it. I use it if I'm using a SLR.  Because all of those use .MOV which Final cut doesn't like in combination with the Apple Intermediate Codec.

4.

"If I am correct, then you will fewer motion artifacts in your footage for editing if you keep your shutter speeds at 1/60."

I don't totally understand this. I think it's the "motion artifacts" term I don't understand.

5. Mostly what I do is just let the video camera just run from start to finish. Are you saying that as you get better, you only shoot what you need? So you're saying that you just take the best "highlights." Do you add extra music throughout. So during a ceremony where there is a lot of music would you include all the songs? Would you include the wedding march music? Lol..sorry, I'm trying to get a general idea of how things are done.

Thanks so much for your responses...I'm slowly getting an idea of what may be required. But I have a lot to learn, so more responses are very welcome. Maybe some more could post about how they got started would be awesome!

-Brandon

[Waldemar]

To try and answer your questions...
• Recognizable audio track for sync-ing.  Yes, you need an audio track in your camera that has wave forms strong enough for you to visually recognize.  Put the clip into the viewer, choose to view the audio.  When you spot an easily recognizable sound on the audio timeline, place a marker (press the M key twice).  To avoid confusion later on in the editing process, make sure you place this marker on the audio track and not its linked video track.   Load an audio clip into the Viewer, find the same sound "spike" on its audio waveform, and place a marker.  Match the two markers.  You may have to zoom into the timeline quite a bit.  Listen with head phones and adjust.  Choose camera audio to left headset, other audio to right headset.  Select other audio on timeline.  Hold down Option Key, and shift it left or right on the timeline with the arrow keys.  Eventually you will eliminate any echo or reverb.  At that point, your audio is synched.  This audio sync may drift out of synch five or more minutes down the timeline, so always be listening for that which "sounds amiss".  A quick zoom into the timeline and a look at the audio waveform will confirm whether or not you need to re-synch, which is a matter of razor blading the audio clip and nudging a bit further right.
• "...what is missing..."   In any video there is a huge amount of ambient audio that really reflects the real environment that primary microphones don't really record properly.  Think of any movie and the screeching tires or hurried footsteps.   Those sound were not recorded during the original shoot.  They were added in post because the project would have suffered without them.   In production terms, weddings are a whole lot less sophisticated by necessity.  Still, there are some sounds that have to be there.  The trick is to know what those sounds should be and then whether or not they need to be recorded live or added in post as acceptable sound effects.  Regarding my mics 3 & 4:  3 is initially reserved for family/friend commentary during the ceremony.  4 is for live music.  If one of neither of those happen, then I am free to place the mics wherever I think they may prove useful, or simply put them away.  AIC is a reliable, but old codec.  Apple Pro Res has become more popular.  FCP6 supports it.  Give it a test.
• Motion artifacts.  Like film, video creates the illusion of natural motion by displaying a rapid succession of still images.  The relationship between shutter speed, and the rate of motion of either the subject or the camera (as in a pan) can begin to look unnatural if any one of the three items I mentioned exceeds or falls behind the other two.  This is a complicated relationship, and I am sure it can be explained much better than I am now doing.  Simply stated, my experience has shown me a camera shutter speed of 1/60 is a reliable standard that allows me flexibility with the other factors that produces a natural motion.
•Selective shooting.   Key events, like the ceremony from processional through recessional, are shot from start to finish ... no exceptions.  Same with Toasts at the reception, and a few others.  When I started shooting I shot everything imaginable because I had no idea what would really work in the final edit.  After a few years of this amassing 6 or more hours of recorded video per camera, and deleting most of it to make a 60 to 90 minute video, I learned what kinds of shots were going to make it to the finished project and what kinds of shots wouldn't make it.  It is a learning curve every camera operator has to go through to make the editing process more efficient.   It is a matter of style, and you will define yours.  I don't ignore important events.  I've just learned when I have recorded enough to tell the story.
• Bottom line, every good story has introductions, expositions, builds to an emotional climax, then allows a slow emotional release.  At which point the process repeats itself.  This happens for every visual sequence, and there are a bunch of those sequences in every wedding.  You record the event chronologically.  All you have to do is define the key points of the story, choose the shots that build to a climatic moment, choose the let-down sequences, and repeat.  Transitions of time and place are often tricky.  Cool sound effects help a lot to make the visual shift more reasonable.  Close the story with a feel-good sequence.

If a video producer has the luxury of the kind of budget to afford good actors, there is the opportunity to precisely control every emotional step of the story.  Good actors can turn emotion on and off at will.  Weddings are emotional powerhouses with no off switch.  You have more emotional content than most directors pay for.  You just have to know when to hit the start button, because you have no control over it.  That's why I think they are so much fun, and a challenge, to shoot. 

[HankCastello]

[1. This is kind of a new question. As I'm starting this business, what will be my venue/place/front of advertisement. Website? Etc. How did you get started?
]

Try some of those guerilla marketing books for ideas.  We lived in a VERY rural area, but we had a Focus station wagon that got 30mpg, so we made the entire state our marketing area and we used our website and search engine optimization for getting business. 

At first we tried other things - newspaper ads, yellow page ads, etc. in the big cities (Tulsa, OKC),  but they were worse than useless.  Generic SEO and a good website (see articles on our website) got us all the business we needed. 

We also did Google AdWords and that worked also, but I stopped because the generic results were really enough.

Many people get good results from wedding shows.  (see posts in these boards about that).  Also, visiting other wedding vendors and trading business cards is a good idea.  Also, talk to other local vendors about trading web links.  (Those will help your search rankings also).

[grayman]

Another question.

I have a wedding coming up, and  though this may seem quite simple, I actually need advice on camera placement. And what is the best.

It's a church with a center aisle, and a raise platform of about 2 1/2 feet.

Do I stick one on a tripod up front to catch the aisle and in the back? Do I zoom and follow them as they come down the aisle. I've done some weddings I know, but what do you recommend the best set up is? Do you move around a lot? or pretty much stay stationary.

I actually haven't seen a professional video tape a wedding before, so I don't know all there practices.

- Amateur

[HankCastello]

We've covered this topic before, in pretty good depth, so you may want to search through old posts, but here's my take -

Depending on the venue layout, I have two manned cameras either behind the couple, on either side or out front with guests.  I shoulder-mount shoot coming down the aisle, then I move to the back at the end to catch the exit.  I like to have a static camera shooting wide at the back covering the entire wedding party.

If you have fewer cameras than that, you just have to pick and choose the positions you like best, but it puts even more importance on being mobile.

Best of luck!

[HankCastello]

Also - I suggest you make a point to see as many professional wedding videos as possible.  One way I did this was to offer couples a discount if they would give me the demo tapes that competitors had given them.  That also helped me create a demo video that could out compete my competitors.

[grayman]

Okay...one more thing. Do I always keep my cameras on the couple. If there is a special do I change over...or keep it there.

[HankCastello]

With three cameras, having one static on the entire wedding party, the other two, manned cams are free to get close-ups, etc.  I like to sweep through the guests during boring parts, then I edit that in wherever it best fits.  Also, if you're positioned just right, you can often get some antics of the flower girl or ring bearer, etc.  Like any other type of video, framing, scene and subject changes help retain viewer interest.

I especially like to get emotional shots - the father of the bride wiping a tear, mom whispering to dad, etc. But whatever you do, don't miss the important close-up shots - the I-Do's, Ring-on-finger, Kiss, etc.

[grayman]

Thanks so much...I know it said it last time..but one more thing. What is the best Frame rate to record in. The reason I ask...is I seem to get lines going through some of my video? Does that mean I'm not importing it right? Does that have to do with the de-interlace...I'm lost on this part.

Another question about mics. My static camera will probably be one of my less expensive camera. It's good, but actually doesn't have a regular XLR input. My question is. Do I put my boom mics on my mobile cameras? And wireless mics. In other words, I guess I'm asking, how do I mic everything like instruments? Do I use a separate recorder like the Zoom.

I have two wireless mics...one for the preacher...one for the groomsman. I assume.
I have two boom mics short range and one that is either long rand or short range. Both of those have to connect to the cameras obviously. But if my cameras are mobile, won't that mess up the boom mics quality since booms mics are very directional?

I also have an H1 Zoom. Advice on how to set up my sound? Especially if I have special music.

[DavidPartington]

Thanks so much...I know it said it last time..but one more thing. What is the best Frame rate to record in. The reason I ask...is I seem to get lines going through some of my video? Does that mean I'm not importing it right? Does that have to do with the de-interlace...I'm lost on this part.

It sounds like you are recoding in an interlaced mode (usually designated by an 'i' at the end) and playing back on a computer, which is progressive.   That's not a problem if your intended output is a DVD etc, because when played on a TV in interlaced mode the lines (like a comb effect on edges of things?) shouldn't appear.  Normal TV is transmitted in interlaced mode.

Interlaced mode is preferred when things are moving fast because you have an effective doubling of the frame rate (each frame is recorded in 2 halves, and the lines you are seeing are as a result of things moving in between each half being captured).  However, each half frame is, by definition half the resolution, so if you then convert this to progressive footage (e.g. for playback on the web) then you will likely lose resolution in the process.  A typical interlaced mode would be 1080/60i, where you are capturing 60 interlaced frames per second, resulting in 30 full frames once de-interlaced.   Hopefully that made sense.

Progressive mode captures the entire frame at once, so it captures only 30 whole frames per second, and would typically be displayed at 1080/30p.  We typically shoot everything progressive now because so much is destined for progressive display devices and the lines you are seeing are annoying.   However, do your own tests (if your equipment gives you the choice) and make your own mind up about which you prefer.  There is no right or wrong answer here.

Another question about mics. My static camera will probably be one of my less expensive camera. It's good, but actually doesn't have a regular XLR input. My question is. Do I put my boom mics on my mobile cameras?

We have shotgun mics on our mobile cameras, but realise that they will pick up and movement of a tripod (moving, putting down, people kicking it etc!) and potentially any operation of the camera itself.   If you are looking for good clean sound you can absolutely rely upon without any edits then standalone microphones are the way to go, hooked in to something like a Zoom H4n.  Of course now you need to sync the sound in post.   

And wireless mics.

We mount wireless mic receivers on to the mobile cameras so that the operator can monitor them and adjust where required, plus is gives us a good sound track to sync to.

In other words, I guess I'm asking, how do I mic everything like instruments? Do I use a separate recorder like the Zoom. 

You can never have enough microphones!   If there are instruments or singers that you can't guarantee catching from your position, stick a standalone recorder (such as Zoom H1 - I gotta love that thing!) near them and let it run. There are lots of modes to run it, but I've found no problem translating even MP3 modes to 48Khz for editing.  So, I don't bother picking the modes now, I leave it alone.

I have two wireless mics...one for the preacher...one for the groomsman. I assume.

Sounds good to me.  We then place those same transmitters on the tables in front of the speakers (e.g. Father, Groom, BestMan etc) at the meal later on instead of making them wear them

I also have an H1 Zoom. Advice on how to set up my sound? Especially if I have special music.

Place a recorder near to the sound source (a couple of feet away) and just make sure it's not over loading.  If in doubt, capture a little quieter and boost in post.  Quiet you can fix (subject to the noise floor) but blown audio (past 0db) is nasty and unrecoverable.

[grayman]

So when you bring all of your audio in post from all your different sources, do you have to fade in and out some audio. I imagine that there is at least one audio source that you use for the entire ceremony? Or do you just use pieces from all the sources at different times. For example if you wanted to get crowd reaction to something from the boom mic, you wouldn't use the audio from the boom mic except for those moments during the ceremony?

[HankCastello]

In the future, please start a new post for each new subject matter.

[DavidPartington]

So when you bring all of your audio in post from all your different sources, do you have to fade in and out some audio.

Yes, we would never leave all audio sources running throughout the program.

I imagine that there is at least one audio source that you use for the entire ceremony?

Not always, no.

Or do you just use pieces from all the sources at different times.

We find the best audio for any given moment in time, making sure that when you transition from one to another that there aren't big differences in volume or tonality.  They have to compliment each other and sound as if they were a single source.

For example if you wanted to get crowd reaction to something from the boom mic, you wouldn't use the audio from the boom mic except for those moments during the ceremony?

Exactly.