Tuesday, September 15, 2015

I DID NOT KNOW THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS OUR BUSINESS BETTER THAN WE DO!!!

Since I started this business in 1982, I have been seen working by well in excess of a quarter million people. It shouldn't surprise you that I have been approached by average people who own decent cameras. It seems that they know our job better than we do. It ranges from parents of the bride TO DRUNKEN WEDDING GUESTS!. It never ends.... If these people knew half of what they think they know, all of the wedding pros would be in deep trouble. MY advise is to LET THE PROFESSIONALS DO THEIR JOB AND MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS! If you are that knowledgeable, then get into the business and prove it. Arm chair quarter backs, back seat drivers and now smarter than you video and photographers PLEASE go away. If you think for one second the professional is going to do what you say he should, you are sadly mistaken. I always agree and then shoot whatever I am shooting the way it should be shot no matter what, unless it is good advice, but trust me it isn't. Do they empty the looney bins on the weekends?? One has to wonder. 440-845-2122, J&J Video Productions-Cleveland Ohio, wedding videos-Cuyahoga County Ohio, wedding videos-Parma Ohio, wedding videos-Cleveland Ohio,

Sunday, September 13, 2015

SELFIE STICKS WTF!!!

Recently at a wedding, I came across something I have never seen before. That was a wild selfie-stick on the loose on a dance floor at a wedding reception. Yes, I know selfies are fun and apparently the selfie craze is now in full swing. Who doesn't like a selfie? But really, taking onto the dance floor at a reception?? Isn't that taking it a bit too far? The party involved was skyping this reception to some relative in a far away land. I wonder what it would be called if one of those selfie-sticks whacked some 90 year old lady in the head? Would it be considered an aggravated assault. a simple assault or another way to kill grandma...with a selfie-stick instead of a reindeer? Early one Christmas eve, Grandma got killed with a selfie-stick by some drunken bride's maid at a wedding. What is next!! 440-845-2122, wedding videos-Parma Ohio, wedding videos-Cuyahoga County Ohio, J&J Video Productions-Cleveland Ohio,

CHURCH BRIDAL COORDIANATORS, LEAVE THE PROFESSIONALS ALONE!

In the early 1980's, bridal coordinators were unheard of except for extremely wealthy families. They would hire a known professional and pay a fortune to have all aspects of the wedding attended to. Today in 2015, bridal coordinators are everywhere. The highly paid bridal coordinators are not a problem. They can helpful to the bride and groom. Unfortunatley, untrained, unprofessional volunteer church coordinators are very quickly becoming a serious problem for wedding photographers, videographers, florists, musicians, I could go on and on. Don't get me wrong, its a wonderful thing that women want to volunteer their time to help their church, however, stepping into the wedding arena is no place for amateur volunteers. For example, I have been shooting weddings for over 30 years and a bridal coordinator for a church who obviously had a serious mental disability started to tell myself and another highly experienced photographer where we should stand, what we should shoot and how to do our job. We just agreed with her and went about our business as usual, completely ignoring her instructions. I've also had a bridal coordinator...more like a dictator tell us that we could not step beyond a certain pew to take pictures or shoot video. One florist was told where to put her flowers by this idiot. During the wedding service, this woman actually stood guard at line we were not supposed to cross. When is this nonsense going to stop? As professionals in this business, we know exactly where to be, where to stand and what to shoot. These volunteer, unprofessional church coordinators should go visit the sick and needy members of their church where they are really needed and stay out of the churches during weddings. A COMMENT FROM FATA TOM PLASKET, A FORMER RADIO PERSONALITY AND THE OWNER OF A HIGH END VIDEO PRODUCTION COMPANY... Joe, my old Pal, I could not agree more. Selfie sticks, as well as selfies, in general, are a menace to society, and softening our societal makeup. With this spreading mindset that every little thing, every person does, is worthy of memorializing in a digital medium, and transmitting to the world, that every meal, three times a day, is something that must be shared with God knows who, for God knows why, is the very foundation on which our entire nation's sense of entitlement is based. Ban selfies, and the sticks they rode in on!!! wedding videos-Cleveland Ohio, wedding videos-Parma Ohio, wedding videos-Cuyahoga County Ohio, J&J Video Productions-Cleveland Ohio, 440-845-2122

Saturday, June 20, 2015

WHAT IS THE APPROPRIATE WAY TO DRESS FOR A WEDDING?

When a bride and groom come to meet with you in the hopes of hiring you to do their wedding video, what kind of impression are you making? What do you think their expectations are when hiring professional videographers? In 33 years in the business doing wedding videography, I have seen "professional" videographers dressed in every way you can imagine. I have seen men and women videographers dressed in jeans and t-shirts and sneakers. I've seen them wearing sloppy shirts hanging out of their pants with beat up shoes or long hippie looking skirts with sandals or sneakers. I remember one wedding video company where both the videographers were wearing black jeans and black t-shirts like that was supposed to look like some kind of uniform. They stood out like sore thumbs. At another wedding I saw a video company come dressed in Bib Overalls smeared with oil is as if they changed the oil in their car or truck. It's understandable that we need to be somewhat comfortable and able to move freely in order to do our job but it's also important to remember the occasion and the venue. The bride and groom and all their attendants and family members go to a lot of trouble to dress up and look their best. If you're presenting yourself as a professional, you should dress like a professional, especially if the wedding is taking place in a church. Sure, some weddings are much more casual and informal but that shouldn't change the way you dress since you're there to work as professionals, not grease monkeys. Make the effort to look good, it will leave a good impression on your clients and that's important when you consider many jobs come from referrals by word of mouth. It also shows that you take pride in your job as a professional wedding videographer. 440-845-2122, J&J Video Productions-Cleveland Ohio, wedding videos-Cleveland Ohio, wedding videos-Cuyahoga County Ohio, wedding videos-Parma Ohio

Thursday, June 4, 2015

PHOTOGRAPHERS & VIDEOGRAPHERS MUST LEARN TO WORK TOGETHER

As a bride and groom plan their wedding, there are so many things to consider. Everything from the type of service to the colors for the wedding are carefully planned. One of the most important parts of wedding planning is capturing the day to look back on and enjoy together, especially since the Wedding & Reception goes by so fast. Today's brides and grooms often choose to have both a wedding photographer and videographer to capture the day. As two professionals, they are expected to work seamlessly together without being a distraction or disturbing the ceremony. Sometimes this isn't as easy as it should be. As someone with 30 years of experience in both wedding photography and wedding videos, I can tell you that I find photographers are often at a loss when it comes to working with a videographer. Although many wedding photographers claim years of experience, based on what I see, I have to wonder. I've seen photographers bring in reflectors and slave flashes that won't do any good because they're too far away. Some photographers run around the church looking confused like they don't know what to do next. In most churches and other venues, there is plenty of room for both professionals to get good positioning and good angles. A short conversation before the service starts goes a long way to understanding how they each like to work. As the wedding videographer, I like to introduce myself to the photographer and explain my position during the wedding. If the photographer stays beside me we can both get the straight on shot. This should be common sense. Another issue I've run into is the photographer having a problem with video lights. This is mostly an issue at the reception, especially when the house lights are turned down. If the photographer knows what he's doing, he or she will know that his or her flash will override any video light. I have had so many wedding photographers ask me some real silly questions about flash and lighting. A photographer with his or her camera set up correctly will have no problems, but so often they don't have a clue. It shouldn't be necessary for the videographer to explain how it works, and there doesn't need to be any problems with two wedding professionals working together. Having worked with some world class professionals, I can tell you that the difference is obvious. I don't even know those photographers are there. We can work together beautifully and it shows. 440-845-2122, J&J Video Productions-Cleveland Ohio, wedding videos-Cleveland Ohio, wedding videos-Cuyahoga County Ohio, wedding videos-Parma Ohio

Monday, March 23, 2015

GUEST BLOGGER- WEST SIDE KENNY N J&J Video Productions-Cleveland Ohio pulls out of THE HOT LIST COMPETITION!

We invite Guests to join our blog with comments. Here is a letter I received From "Kenny". He is in no way affilated with J&J Video Productions. Anything he posts is not necessarily a refelection of J&J Video's Opinion or do we endorse it. Any comments that are made are in compliance with the CDA. Our opinion will be posted after the blog. J&J Video Productions and 3 of it’s other companies have pulled out of the competition 2 weeks before the end of the contest. City Voter Inc. runs the Cleveland Hot List and HOT LISTS and A-Lists in several cities across the United States. At the time of its departure all 3 of the companies J&J Video Productions owns were in the number 1 position. J&J Video’s management will not say why it pulled out of the contests which they would have easily won. There have been rumors of mismanagement, voter problems and manipulations. Many other top flight companies have pulled out of the competition as well. When the owner of J&J Video was asked why he pulled his companies out of the competition his only comment was “The results do not reflect the publics’ voting”. If a company the caliber of J&J Video pulls out of the competition after 4 straight wins, this does not bode well for the City Voter HOT LIST COMPETITION. I sure hope that prospective brides and grooms DO NOT Rely on the 2015 results because they in most cases will not be talking to the Best of the Best rather they will be talking to a Johnny Come Lately who has little or no experience. West Side Kenny. COMMENT BY MANAGEMENT OF J&J VIDEO PRODUCTIONS-CLEVELAND OHIO. This e-mail was received on March 22, 2015 beofre the results were published by City Voter.Com..Comment "NO COMMENT"