(This is part #2 - please read Vietnamese Wedding Ceremony first)We got to the restaurant before anyone else and setup cameras 3; 4 & 5. When the DJ got setup, I connected our Marantz 660 digital recorder to his soundboard via ? connectors.
Cameras 1; 2 & 3 are VX2100s. Camera 5 is a Panny C7 and Camera 4 is an Fx1. Camera 3 was setup on a ProAm 12? jib with a commanding overhead view of most tables and the dance floor. Camera 5 had a dancers-level view of the dance floor and wireless mic draped over a loudspeaker. Camera 4 was on a tripod setup on a blocked-off table for an eight-foot-high, shot of the couple's table.
Jean operated camera 1 from her Manfrotto tripod and 503 head while I took camera 2 on a shoulder mount. We were all set.
Then the photographer came in and setup two huge umbrella lights (not strobe) effectively blocking three of our static cameras and setting up his large tripod between the couple?s head table and the dance floor blocking the couple?s view of the dance floor and stage.
I approached the photographer, pointed out that his umbrellas would be prominent in three out of three of our static camera shots and requested he move them or take them down, adding ?Haven?t you ever heard of camera-mounted flash??. He just smiled and said, ?Lights stay.?
The best man had been appointed as our ?guide?, though he didn?t ?guide? us at any time and when I later asked him to point out the people being mentioned in one of the speeches, he appeared to not understand, though I repeated the question three times. I explained to the best man that these umbrellas were going to ruin the video and needed to be moved. He spoke to the photographer, and returned saying he?d been told they would only be there for five minutes. Fifteen minutes later, I pointed out to the BM that the umbrella lights were still there. He spoke to the photog and five minutes later, the umbrellas were folded down and moved a few feet, but remained elevated and in any shots of the dance floor. OK, I?ve done all I can do short of?well, I?ve done all I can do.
The band?s sound system was overmodulating and shattering eardrums for the first hour or so as we shot the entrance, toasts and speeches and recorded as much feedback as voice. Finally they turned the sound down just a little for the dancing (go figure). Jean setup on one side of the dance floor two-thirds from one end, leaving me plenty of room to operate so I could get face shots when she couldn?t, yet I?d still be out of her shots.
But the photographer was not out of our shots. He would walk up and down the dance floor, right in front of our cameras. On the fourth trip within two minutes, I blocked his path and guided him off the floor, around behind Jean?s camera and laid the law down. A few angry words were exchanged, well covered by the music and the smile I kept on my face. I can probably attribute my loss of patience to not feeling well, but in this case it worked. Thankfully, we had no more trouble with the photographer.
The cake cutting went reasonably well and unnoteworthy. This, is the place where if we are going to have photog-issues, they will be now. Yet we had no problems.
The couple had previously told us that at some point, they would walk around to each table and exchange greetings, and they wanted the audio recorded for this. A lot of alcohol had flowed by this point and the room would have been very noisy even if the band hadn?t boosted their volume again.
With more than a bit of concern about the audio, I gave the groom the handheld wireless mic and reminded him that it should be positioned within inches of a speaker?s lips, but not in a way to block their face. The groom promptly gave the mic to the best man who with the couple and a few other people, left like shot from a canon to begin working the room.
The first table was a disaster as we followed couple - the white gown was easier to spot in the crowd, than the best man?s suit ? but the best man had other ideas as to which table should be worked first. The tables were packed closely together and many people had milled around to visit with those at other tables. This all made for a very difficult to navigate crowd. The sea of people parted easily for the couple, somewhat less easily for me and a lot harder for Jean who was trying to stay tripod mounted. I really should have told her to stay back and just let me cover it, but once we started there was no chance to communicate. Even our Motorolas were useless in the incessant din.
By the third table, I had the process figured out and was getting good video coverage, though I have no idea (yet) what sort of audio we got. Jean had the wireless while I used a shotgun mic that was surely made useless with the mixed blasting of music, drums, roar of the crowd, etc. It would all be up to just how well each speaker was miked, and I wouldn?t want to bet that half the crowd could pass a roadside sobriety test by this point.
There were quite a few tables, so I was ready to sit down for a few minutes after this and it was time for my second tape change. When you?re shooting with multiple cameras, you have to keep an eye on the time and it?s best to change tapes for all cameras at once. Thankfully, all our cameras allow an LP setting so that tape changes were every ninety minutes instead of once an hour.
We were supposed to shoot until eleven o?clock, but at ten the bride came and said the groom was soused and party was over, and that we could leave. Well, this left us without an exit shot, so I figured to leave my camera unpacked so I could shoot the limo driving off. I broke down and packed up all tripods and the jib. That ProAm jib breaks down quickly and packs up nicely.
I was about to make my third and final trip to the car when the bride approached and said she?d decided to do a bouquet toss after all and wanted it covered. I told her we?d already packed and would need five minutes to get ready. That must?ve translated in Vietnamese to ?Hurry up and do it now.?, because that?s what she did. I have no idea how Jean got her camera out of its bag, mounted onto her Manfrotto scooted fifty feet toward the front of the dance floor and had tape rolling so fast! As I whip-panned from bride to bridesmaids, I saw my focus go out and suddenly realized I?d left it on manual. By the time I spun the focus ring, the bouquet had hit the floor and was being retrieved. Thank goodness for the second camera!
By eleven, the limo was loaded with the wedding party. From the front passenger side I got a good inside shot, then the shot of the limo exiting onto the streets of the city, turning at the light and fading from sight.
Thank goodness it was over! Now, my job will be to transform this into a warm, fuzzy, romantic video. I?m looking for an NLE that has a ?Warm & Fuzzy? key.
