Showing posts with label videographers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label videographers. Show all posts
Monday, October 21, 2013
Wedding Videographers and Other Vendors Are Excluded From Dinner - What's Up With That?
Wedding vendors, including videographers, photographers, disc jockeys and photo booth workers, are paid for their services, however, they truly appreciate being included in the reception dinner. This is especially true for wedding videographers and wedding photographers because they start early in the day with the bridal party, and are working straight through until 11:00 or even midnight. That is a long day, too long to go on just a sandwich.
Most brides are reasonable enough or thoughtful enough to include us in the count for dinner, but it is about more than just a meal. For the wedding videographer and photographer, it is extremely important to be seated in the main dining room with the guests. We need to be able to see and hear what's going on during the entire reception. If we are seated in a separate room or outside or in a broom closet or whatever, we are likely to miss something important that goes on, especially something unplanned. These are often the most memorable or the funniest moments. It's our job to record everything that happens from beginning to end. It is a disservice to the couple to exclude us from the room.
Sometimes it's the bride and/or groom that doesn't consider the wedding professionals when planning their reception. We have found that more often, the bride and groom or the bride's mother include us in the dinner and provide us with a table, but it's the venue that doesn't follow through. When they set up tables, they don't include one for the wedding videographer, wedding photographer or other wedding professionals.
To address the issue, we have included an addendum to our contract to specify that we are to be provided dinner at a table in the main dining room. There are still times that we arrive at the reception (early so we can set up) and find no place for us to sit. Many times we have had to go to the head of the reception venue and ask for seating. Believe it or not, we have been told, "we can get you a chair to sit along the wall of the room. We have also been told more than once that after all the guests are served, we can eat if there's anything left. We explain that our contract with the bride and groom includes a table and a meal but we are obviously not their priority. They don't seem to realize that our meal has been paid for along with all the guests. We don't like to do it, but we have had to go to the bride's parents to inform them we have been excluded. It really is a hassle for everyone and it didn't need to be.
This article has been was written by myself for my newsletter and since the author is the same person, permission for use is granted.
Joe Sabol is an internationally known videographer with almost 29yrs experience in the video industry. Please visit us at http://jandjvideoproductions.com for more information.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joe_Sabol
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8061532
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
The MPV Award As It Relates to Wedding Videos and Events
The MPV designation known as Merited Professional Videographer, is a designation that you receive through an organization know as WEVA, also known as the Wedding and Event Videographers Association International. What captured our attention was this MPV award, so I had my staff investigate what this MPV is all about.
Does the MPV awarded videographer ensure that you, as a bride, will enjoy your wedding video? The answer is a resounding No! I am certain at this point you as a bride and groom are wondering why I would make an assertion like this. The reason is, at one point as a wedding video production company, we were actually considering having our entire staff attain this award. When we looked into the details of what is required to attain this coveted MPV status, we were astounded by what we found out. We also noted that there are only a handful of video production companies worldwide that have this designation. This made me wonder why, out of all the thousands of top rated video production companies so few have received this award.
This peaked our curiosity. Do not misunderstand what we are saying here. We, as a wedding video production company are all in favor of furthering our education, training and knowledge. WEVA is known as the Wedding Event Videographers Association International. This is an organization of professional and even some amateur videographers that have joined together to promote, educate and inform the videography production community.
In order to obtain the MPV award, since it is a WEVA creation, you must be a member of the organization to be eligible. The requirement to obtain the MPV designation, taken right from the WEVA website are as follows:
Any person making application for the WEVA International MPV program must be a current active member of WEVA International at the time of filing this application.
The applicant must be employed in the business of videography, or related fields, for the two years immediately preceding application.
To earn WEVA International MPV status, each applicant must successfully complete two phases of the testing process:
Pass the written examination on technical and practical knowledge.
Event Video submissions must pass the Image Review Panel. Videos may be submitted only after the written exam has been passed.
NOTE: WEVA International MPV status will be awarded once ALL PHASES of the application process have been successfully completed.
The Image Review Panel requirements are and again taken right from the WEVA website are as follows:
Two video submissions of a social event (i.e. wedding, bar or bat mitzvah, sweet 16) in its entirety, as was given to the client, will be required. No submission that has been made under the supervision of an instructor or as a class assignment with the assistance of another videographer will be eligible. The submission must be on DVD-R.
All video submissions sent to the Continuing Education office must have no author/ creator identification on the tape, except for the assigned applicant ID number, which is the last 4 digits of the applicants SS#. If these rules are not met in any one of the submitted pieces, ALL the applicants submissions will be rejected.
As you can see, this is a lot of work. We added up the costs involved in obtaining the MPV designation. The cost comes out to appoximately $800.00, which includes WEVA membership, self study guides, work book, lab costs and the application fee to take the written exam. Again, let me stress that we have no problem with people trying to better themselves through education. We actually encourage it. Once we figured everything involved, including the 20-30 hours for the study guide and the 35 credits of continuing education, we felt as an organization that this time and money could be used in a much more productive and efficient way. In my personal opinion, the reason there are only a handful of these MPV designations awarded, is because it is extremely time consuming and expensive to get an award that means nothing to anyone other than the person or company that receives it. I think the number of MPV awards out there speaks of itself. I would be willing to bet that 90% of the WEVA membership could attain this award if they chose to.
I have never yet seen a bride and groom's eyes welled up with tears while watching their wedding video, because you are an MPV award holder. As far as the video review panel, this opens up a whole new can of worms. It brings up one of the dirtiest words in the English language, and that is politics. Even though, the image review panel has the videos numbered based on the last digits of your Social Security number, there is no mistaking style. Over the years, I have viewed thousands of wedding video productions of many companies. It is funny how after a period of time you see certain things by the same production companies put in different fashions. Eventually, you can determine almost immediately who the producer is.
For example, if a producer uses the music of the band KORN, in one video and the next they use Marilyn Manson, and the following video they use another head banging band, I guarantee you will know by the style who the video production artist is.
Another thing I became aware of, is that two video producers that I know personally were judges on the image review panel. I am not questioning the integrity of these people, but it does open the door for politics to sneak in the door as it does in almost everything we encounter in life. I do bring into question their qualifications since I know them and have seen their work. My Company, nor are any of my employees members of WEVA or has any one filed an application for the MPV designation.
As a Professional Video Company, I would rather spend the money and time perfecting my work. Another thing that popped in to my mind is why would you spend this money on something like the MPV award when you could put that money towards a College Degree in Television & Communications. I guarantee you the College Degree carries a ton more weight that the MPV award does.
The proof is in the brides reaction to the video you produce, not some intangible designation. In our opinion the MPV is useless to us as a business.
This artticle has been was written by myeslf for my newsletter and since the autor is the same person, permission for use is granted.
Joe Sabol is an Internationally known videographer with almost 28yrs experience in the video industry. Please visit us at http://jandjvideoproductions.com for more information.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joe_Sabol
Does the MPV awarded videographer ensure that you, as a bride, will enjoy your wedding video? The answer is a resounding No! I am certain at this point you as a bride and groom are wondering why I would make an assertion like this. The reason is, at one point as a wedding video production company, we were actually considering having our entire staff attain this award. When we looked into the details of what is required to attain this coveted MPV status, we were astounded by what we found out. We also noted that there are only a handful of video production companies worldwide that have this designation. This made me wonder why, out of all the thousands of top rated video production companies so few have received this award.
This peaked our curiosity. Do not misunderstand what we are saying here. We, as a wedding video production company are all in favor of furthering our education, training and knowledge. WEVA is known as the Wedding Event Videographers Association International. This is an organization of professional and even some amateur videographers that have joined together to promote, educate and inform the videography production community.
In order to obtain the MPV award, since it is a WEVA creation, you must be a member of the organization to be eligible. The requirement to obtain the MPV designation, taken right from the WEVA website are as follows:
Any person making application for the WEVA International MPV program must be a current active member of WEVA International at the time of filing this application.
The applicant must be employed in the business of videography, or related fields, for the two years immediately preceding application.
To earn WEVA International MPV status, each applicant must successfully complete two phases of the testing process:
Pass the written examination on technical and practical knowledge.
Event Video submissions must pass the Image Review Panel. Videos may be submitted only after the written exam has been passed.
NOTE: WEVA International MPV status will be awarded once ALL PHASES of the application process have been successfully completed.
The Image Review Panel requirements are and again taken right from the WEVA website are as follows:
Two video submissions of a social event (i.e. wedding, bar or bat mitzvah, sweet 16) in its entirety, as was given to the client, will be required. No submission that has been made under the supervision of an instructor or as a class assignment with the assistance of another videographer will be eligible. The submission must be on DVD-R.
All video submissions sent to the Continuing Education office must have no author/ creator identification on the tape, except for the assigned applicant ID number, which is the last 4 digits of the applicants SS#. If these rules are not met in any one of the submitted pieces, ALL the applicants submissions will be rejected.
As you can see, this is a lot of work. We added up the costs involved in obtaining the MPV designation. The cost comes out to appoximately $800.00, which includes WEVA membership, self study guides, work book, lab costs and the application fee to take the written exam. Again, let me stress that we have no problem with people trying to better themselves through education. We actually encourage it. Once we figured everything involved, including the 20-30 hours for the study guide and the 35 credits of continuing education, we felt as an organization that this time and money could be used in a much more productive and efficient way. In my personal opinion, the reason there are only a handful of these MPV designations awarded, is because it is extremely time consuming and expensive to get an award that means nothing to anyone other than the person or company that receives it. I think the number of MPV awards out there speaks of itself. I would be willing to bet that 90% of the WEVA membership could attain this award if they chose to.
I have never yet seen a bride and groom's eyes welled up with tears while watching their wedding video, because you are an MPV award holder. As far as the video review panel, this opens up a whole new can of worms. It brings up one of the dirtiest words in the English language, and that is politics. Even though, the image review panel has the videos numbered based on the last digits of your Social Security number, there is no mistaking style. Over the years, I have viewed thousands of wedding video productions of many companies. It is funny how after a period of time you see certain things by the same production companies put in different fashions. Eventually, you can determine almost immediately who the producer is.
For example, if a producer uses the music of the band KORN, in one video and the next they use Marilyn Manson, and the following video they use another head banging band, I guarantee you will know by the style who the video production artist is.
Another thing I became aware of, is that two video producers that I know personally were judges on the image review panel. I am not questioning the integrity of these people, but it does open the door for politics to sneak in the door as it does in almost everything we encounter in life. I do bring into question their qualifications since I know them and have seen their work. My Company, nor are any of my employees members of WEVA or has any one filed an application for the MPV designation.
As a Professional Video Company, I would rather spend the money and time perfecting my work. Another thing that popped in to my mind is why would you spend this money on something like the MPV award when you could put that money towards a College Degree in Television & Communications. I guarantee you the College Degree carries a ton more weight that the MPV award does.
The proof is in the brides reaction to the video you produce, not some intangible designation. In our opinion the MPV is useless to us as a business.
This artticle has been was written by myeslf for my newsletter and since the autor is the same person, permission for use is granted.
Joe Sabol is an Internationally known videographer with almost 28yrs experience in the video industry. Please visit us at http://jandjvideoproductions.com for more information.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joe_Sabol
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
What Not To Shoot At A Wedding
As a wedding videographer, you know the standard shots that are expected to cover a wedding video. Common sense and tradition dictate the formal and family shots, at the reception as well as any specific requests from the bride and groom.
What may not be so obvious are shots that should not be on the wedding video.
All bridal parties are unique and their requests will be based on individual preference, so you may get some unusual ideas. Your job as the wedding videographer is to give the bride and groom what they want and make sure they are happy, however, there are certain things that should never end up on a wedding video.
Anything can happen at a wedding, especially if there is alcohol being served, so avoid arguments and fights and other noticeably intoxicated behavior. Uncle Vic may have the best of intentions when he starts on a long, slurred, mumbling speech, but it's best to turn off the record button on your camera and let him think he's being recorded..
Another thing to avoid shooting for a wedding video is the "ham" or camera hog. This person will keep showing up in front of the camera to wave or say something clever. This is especially true for kids who want to perform and make faces for the camera. On the other hand, there may be people who want to avoid the camera, so respect their wishes as well.
There may be a guest or even member of the wedding party who request you to shoot something specific for them. Keep in mind that the bride and groom are your clients and you're only obligated to fulfill their requests.
I'm sure all professional wedding videographers know to turn off the camera for a medical problem or any police activity. I would also advise against recording the wedding cake crashing to the floor. Last but not least, as tempting as it may be, you should not shoot inappropriate behavior, such as, random couples making out, Aunt Peg's strip tease or the flower girl's temper tantrum.
Remember, the wedding video you shoot will be the bride and grooms permanent memory of their day and it should be all positive, happy and beautiful.
This article has been was written by myself for my newsletter and since the author is the same person, permission for use is granted.
Joe Sabol is an Internationally known videographer with almost 28yrs experience in the video industry. Please visit us at http://jandjvideoproductions.com for more information.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joe_Sabol
What may not be so obvious are shots that should not be on the wedding video.
All bridal parties are unique and their requests will be based on individual preference, so you may get some unusual ideas. Your job as the wedding videographer is to give the bride and groom what they want and make sure they are happy, however, there are certain things that should never end up on a wedding video.
Anything can happen at a wedding, especially if there is alcohol being served, so avoid arguments and fights and other noticeably intoxicated behavior. Uncle Vic may have the best of intentions when he starts on a long, slurred, mumbling speech, but it's best to turn off the record button on your camera and let him think he's being recorded..
Another thing to avoid shooting for a wedding video is the "ham" or camera hog. This person will keep showing up in front of the camera to wave or say something clever. This is especially true for kids who want to perform and make faces for the camera. On the other hand, there may be people who want to avoid the camera, so respect their wishes as well.
There may be a guest or even member of the wedding party who request you to shoot something specific for them. Keep in mind that the bride and groom are your clients and you're only obligated to fulfill their requests.
I'm sure all professional wedding videographers know to turn off the camera for a medical problem or any police activity. I would also advise against recording the wedding cake crashing to the floor. Last but not least, as tempting as it may be, you should not shoot inappropriate behavior, such as, random couples making out, Aunt Peg's strip tease or the flower girl's temper tantrum.
Remember, the wedding video you shoot will be the bride and grooms permanent memory of their day and it should be all positive, happy and beautiful.
This article has been was written by myself for my newsletter and since the author is the same person, permission for use is granted.
Joe Sabol is an Internationally known videographer with almost 28yrs experience in the video industry. Please visit us at http://jandjvideoproductions.com for more information.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joe_Sabol
Monday, March 1, 2010
IT'S YOUR WEDDING VIDEO & UNCLE MIKE IS DRUNK
By: J&J Video Productions-Wedding Video Specialists-Cleveland, Ohio, Parma, Ohio.
Your wedding ceremony has just been completed. Everything went perfectly. No one made a mistake, no one tripped and no one fell. It was an absolutely perfect uneventful wedding and you are ecstatic. Now, off to the wedding reception.
To the professional wedding videographers, this sounds like the beginning of a perfect day. When you arrive at the wedding reception, you see that there is an open bar. This is usually a sign that this will be a lively wedding reception. Your job is to shoot the wedding video. Invariably, as the night goes on, some of the guests might overindulge in alcoholic beverages. There is almost always one person who seems to want to outdo everyone else in the wedding. He is the one who gets out on the dance floor to show off his amazing dance skills.
You can see that he has obviously had way too much to drink. While there is nothing wrong with having a few drinks to celebrate at the wedding reception, this party animal doesn't know when to stop. Let's name this party animal "Uncle Mike". Uncle Mike is having a great time and he notices the video camera. All of a sudden, you, as the wedding videographer become his best friend. He comes over and compliments you on what a fine job you're doing. He doesn't reailze that you might be shooting a very important part of the wedding reception. You have to remember that there are two types of personalities that emerge when someone is noticeably intoxicated.
One of the personalities is jovial, happy and comical. The other intoxicated type is mean spirited, aggressive and some would consider this type of person a "nasty drunk". Of course this guy is going to want to be on the video. He may ask you if he can record a message for the bride and groom on the wedding video. What should you do?
It's my experience in shooting wedding videos, that the best way to handle this situation is to do one of two things. Before you make a decision on what you're going to do, you should have an idea of what you'll do before the wedding reception even begins if this problem arises.
The first way to handle this is to shoot the video as long as it isn't interfering with the production of the wedding video, then, edit Uncle Mike out later. You can always use the footage as part of a blooper reel. The second option is to act as if you are recording Uncle Mike's heartfelt message, but never actually hit the record button. He will not know the difference. Believe it or not, you will not be the only one who notices Uncle Mike. It has happened to me several times during a wedding reception, where family members, wedding party members or even security at the reception hall, will step in and put Uncle Mike in a taxi and send him home.
In the event that Uncle Mike turns out to be a "nasty drunk", the first place you should turn to is to the parents of the bride or groom. Let them know what Uncle Mike is trying to do in the wedding video. It is better for them to handle this than you, the videographer because, they know him better. This may be something that has happened in the past and they have had to deal with Uncle Mike before.
So, with Uncle Mike taken care of, you can now continue to shoot the wedding video knowing that you have given the bride and groom the best wedding video you can possibly give to them.
J&J Video Productions is an independent Video Production Company located in Cleveland Ohio. J&J Video Productions specializes in Wedding Videos and covers Parma Ohio and Cuyahoga County Ohio as well as the Cleveland Metropolitan area. For further information please visit our website at http://jandjvideoproductions.com/
Your wedding ceremony has just been completed. Everything went perfectly. No one made a mistake, no one tripped and no one fell. It was an absolutely perfect uneventful wedding and you are ecstatic. Now, off to the wedding reception.
To the professional wedding videographers, this sounds like the beginning of a perfect day. When you arrive at the wedding reception, you see that there is an open bar. This is usually a sign that this will be a lively wedding reception. Your job is to shoot the wedding video. Invariably, as the night goes on, some of the guests might overindulge in alcoholic beverages. There is almost always one person who seems to want to outdo everyone else in the wedding. He is the one who gets out on the dance floor to show off his amazing dance skills.
You can see that he has obviously had way too much to drink. While there is nothing wrong with having a few drinks to celebrate at the wedding reception, this party animal doesn't know when to stop. Let's name this party animal "Uncle Mike". Uncle Mike is having a great time and he notices the video camera. All of a sudden, you, as the wedding videographer become his best friend. He comes over and compliments you on what a fine job you're doing. He doesn't reailze that you might be shooting a very important part of the wedding reception. You have to remember that there are two types of personalities that emerge when someone is noticeably intoxicated.
One of the personalities is jovial, happy and comical. The other intoxicated type is mean spirited, aggressive and some would consider this type of person a "nasty drunk". Of course this guy is going to want to be on the video. He may ask you if he can record a message for the bride and groom on the wedding video. What should you do?
It's my experience in shooting wedding videos, that the best way to handle this situation is to do one of two things. Before you make a decision on what you're going to do, you should have an idea of what you'll do before the wedding reception even begins if this problem arises.
The first way to handle this is to shoot the video as long as it isn't interfering with the production of the wedding video, then, edit Uncle Mike out later. You can always use the footage as part of a blooper reel. The second option is to act as if you are recording Uncle Mike's heartfelt message, but never actually hit the record button. He will not know the difference. Believe it or not, you will not be the only one who notices Uncle Mike. It has happened to me several times during a wedding reception, where family members, wedding party members or even security at the reception hall, will step in and put Uncle Mike in a taxi and send him home.
In the event that Uncle Mike turns out to be a "nasty drunk", the first place you should turn to is to the parents of the bride or groom. Let them know what Uncle Mike is trying to do in the wedding video. It is better for them to handle this than you, the videographer because, they know him better. This may be something that has happened in the past and they have had to deal with Uncle Mike before.
So, with Uncle Mike taken care of, you can now continue to shoot the wedding video knowing that you have given the bride and groom the best wedding video you can possibly give to them.
J&J Video Productions is an independent Video Production Company located in Cleveland Ohio. J&J Video Productions specializes in Wedding Videos and covers Parma Ohio and Cuyahoga County Ohio as well as the Cleveland Metropolitan area. For further information please visit our website at http://jandjvideoproductions.com/
Saturday, February 20, 2010
STANDARD DVD, HIGH DEF DVD, BLU RAY DVD - WHAT NEXT?
By: J&J Video Productions-Wedding Video Specialists-Cleveland, Ohio, Parma, Ohio.
With all this technology changing, it seems like we're taking a step back in time to the late 1980's and 1990's. Do you remember when there was a format called Beta? Do you remember a format called VHS? At one time, these were the only two formats available for the home wedding video markets.
Which one did you use? Did you use VHS or Beta? Through my travels, I found out that Beta was the format of choice on the west coast, and VHS was the format of choice on the east coast. What this all boiled down to was, the salespeople that were selling Beta out west were better salespeople than those selling VHS, and vice versa.
As we all know, Beta disappeared from the consumer market. Instead of catering to the consumer wedding video market, Sony set their sights on the professional video market.
Soon after this, we were inundated with all sorts of video tape formats. If memory serves me correctly, S-VHS was the first one to hit the streets. Then followed a whole slew of different formats. It just became so incredibly confusing and a producer's nightmare when it came down to editing the wedding video you just shot.
Are we taking a step back in time? With the advent of High Definition Video, it seems as if we're stuck in the same situation we were in back in the day.
There are plenty of wedding video production companies using high grade, professional quality video cameras that utilize mini-DV's. There are just as many out there that use memory sticks, and SDHC cards. What is a wedding video producer to do?
Since June 12, 2009, when the government made it mandatory for all broadcasters to use the digital video format, this threw a wrench into the gears of the machinery of professional video production. Everybody had to convert everything, even down to Mom and Pop with an old TV with rabbit ears. Has this flood of changes made a difference? It definetely has in terms of the picture quality we enjoy watching on today's TV.
Has it affected video production? You bet it has. Since most finished productions end up as DVDs, this has created a whole slew of new problems. On the consumer end, it doesn't seem like a big deal. They grab their DVD and throw it into their DVD player and watch their movie. But is it really that simple? Not anymore.
Most wedding videographers produce their weddings on a DVD. I've read on several blogs that the DVDs are not playing in their DVD players. Why is this? It seems as if the older DVDs, the ones 5-7 years old, are not capable of playing the digitally produced DVD wedding videos. Hollywood has given the consumer a false sense of security that their movie rental will play in their DVD players. Why do theirs play, and ours don't? What they aren't telling you is that the DVD you rent, other than a Blu-ray, is not digital, but is standard analog DVD, even though it's being formatted as a wide screen. Tricky eh....
This is a confusing nightmare for everyone either renting or producing DVDs. Are you aware that there are 6 different kinds of DVDs out there, not counting Blu-ray? Here's something even more confusing. You can play almost any DVD in a Blu-ray DVD player, but, you cannot play a Blu-ray DVD in anything other than a Blu-ray player. This was done intentionally so that you would eventually have to buy a Blu-ray player because the DVD in your hand may not play in your DVD player.
So we are right back to where we were in the late 80's and early 90's. Eventually I see evrything going to Blu-Ray. Guess whats next, MINI DVD'S I QUIT!!!
J&J Video Productions is an independent Video Production Company located in Cleveland Ohio. J&J Video Productions specializes in Wedding Videos and covers Parma Ohio and Cuyahoga County Ohio as well as the Cleveland Metropolitan area. For further information please visit our website at http://jandjvideoproductions.com/
With all this technology changing, it seems like we're taking a step back in time to the late 1980's and 1990's. Do you remember when there was a format called Beta? Do you remember a format called VHS? At one time, these were the only two formats available for the home wedding video markets.
Which one did you use? Did you use VHS or Beta? Through my travels, I found out that Beta was the format of choice on the west coast, and VHS was the format of choice on the east coast. What this all boiled down to was, the salespeople that were selling Beta out west were better salespeople than those selling VHS, and vice versa.
As we all know, Beta disappeared from the consumer market. Instead of catering to the consumer wedding video market, Sony set their sights on the professional video market.
Soon after this, we were inundated with all sorts of video tape formats. If memory serves me correctly, S-VHS was the first one to hit the streets. Then followed a whole slew of different formats. It just became so incredibly confusing and a producer's nightmare when it came down to editing the wedding video you just shot.
Are we taking a step back in time? With the advent of High Definition Video, it seems as if we're stuck in the same situation we were in back in the day.
There are plenty of wedding video production companies using high grade, professional quality video cameras that utilize mini-DV's. There are just as many out there that use memory sticks, and SDHC cards. What is a wedding video producer to do?
Since June 12, 2009, when the government made it mandatory for all broadcasters to use the digital video format, this threw a wrench into the gears of the machinery of professional video production. Everybody had to convert everything, even down to Mom and Pop with an old TV with rabbit ears. Has this flood of changes made a difference? It definetely has in terms of the picture quality we enjoy watching on today's TV.
Has it affected video production? You bet it has. Since most finished productions end up as DVDs, this has created a whole slew of new problems. On the consumer end, it doesn't seem like a big deal. They grab their DVD and throw it into their DVD player and watch their movie. But is it really that simple? Not anymore.
Most wedding videographers produce their weddings on a DVD. I've read on several blogs that the DVDs are not playing in their DVD players. Why is this? It seems as if the older DVDs, the ones 5-7 years old, are not capable of playing the digitally produced DVD wedding videos. Hollywood has given the consumer a false sense of security that their movie rental will play in their DVD players. Why do theirs play, and ours don't? What they aren't telling you is that the DVD you rent, other than a Blu-ray, is not digital, but is standard analog DVD, even though it's being formatted as a wide screen. Tricky eh....
This is a confusing nightmare for everyone either renting or producing DVDs. Are you aware that there are 6 different kinds of DVDs out there, not counting Blu-ray? Here's something even more confusing. You can play almost any DVD in a Blu-ray DVD player, but, you cannot play a Blu-ray DVD in anything other than a Blu-ray player. This was done intentionally so that you would eventually have to buy a Blu-ray player because the DVD in your hand may not play in your DVD player.
So we are right back to where we were in the late 80's and early 90's. Eventually I see evrything going to Blu-Ray. Guess whats next, MINI DVD'S I QUIT!!!
J&J Video Productions is an independent Video Production Company located in Cleveland Ohio. J&J Video Productions specializes in Wedding Videos and covers Parma Ohio and Cuyahoga County Ohio as well as the Cleveland Metropolitan area. For further information please visit our website at http://jandjvideoproductions.com/
Sunday, January 31, 2010
HOW TO SHOOT A WEDDING VIDEO
By: J&J Video Productions-Wedding Video Specialists-Cleveland, Ohio
How do I shoot a wedding video? Two words come to mind immediately, and those two words are "very carefully". If you think you can just go and plop down a video camera on a tripod in a church or anywhere for that matter, and shoot a wedding video, you are sadly mistaken.
The first thing you have to do is know exactly what is going to happen during the wedding ceremony. By doing this, you eliminate the element of surprise, which can cause serious problems. In my 27 years of shooting wedding videos, the knowledge of what to expect during the wedding ceremony has saved my hide many times. You always need to be prepared when shooting a wedding video.
For example, during a wedding, the bride takes a rose and places it at an outdoor grotto. If you didn't know that was going to happen, please tell me how you would get that shot. I would love to know what kind of magic you would have to use to get that in the wedding video. You can teach an old dog new tricks.
Another consideration is the fact that every church or synagogue has different rules regarding photograhers and videographers. What you do not want to do is upset the officiant, because I can assure you, it will be the last time you are permitted to shoot a wedding video in that church.
I have been told horror stories by different officiants. Probably the most incredible abuse of the privlege of shooting a wedding video occured at St. Ignatius Loyola Catholic Church near Wyomissing, Pennsylvania. A videographer thought it would be clever to shoot the vows looking up toward the ceiling, sliding on his back to get between the priest and the bride and groom during this crucial time of the ceremony. Needless to say, that videographer should have asked permission from the priest before trying something that stupid.I am certain the priest would have given him a resounding NO at his ridiculous request.
In all seriousness, shooting a wedding video takes time, planning and experience, as well as a little bit of common sense. Just like in sports, you have to learn the game and practice the game. Know the rules, abide by them and you will come out a winner.
J&J Video Productions is an independent Video Production Company located in Cleveland Ohio. J&J Video Productions specializes in Wedding Videos and covers Parma Ohio and Cuyahoga County Ohio as well as the Cleveland Metropolitan area. For further information please visit our website at http://jandjvideoproductions.com/
How do I shoot a wedding video? Two words come to mind immediately, and those two words are "very carefully". If you think you can just go and plop down a video camera on a tripod in a church or anywhere for that matter, and shoot a wedding video, you are sadly mistaken.
The first thing you have to do is know exactly what is going to happen during the wedding ceremony. By doing this, you eliminate the element of surprise, which can cause serious problems. In my 27 years of shooting wedding videos, the knowledge of what to expect during the wedding ceremony has saved my hide many times. You always need to be prepared when shooting a wedding video.
For example, during a wedding, the bride takes a rose and places it at an outdoor grotto. If you didn't know that was going to happen, please tell me how you would get that shot. I would love to know what kind of magic you would have to use to get that in the wedding video. You can teach an old dog new tricks.
Another consideration is the fact that every church or synagogue has different rules regarding photograhers and videographers. What you do not want to do is upset the officiant, because I can assure you, it will be the last time you are permitted to shoot a wedding video in that church.
I have been told horror stories by different officiants. Probably the most incredible abuse of the privlege of shooting a wedding video occured at St. Ignatius Loyola Catholic Church near Wyomissing, Pennsylvania. A videographer thought it would be clever to shoot the vows looking up toward the ceiling, sliding on his back to get between the priest and the bride and groom during this crucial time of the ceremony. Needless to say, that videographer should have asked permission from the priest before trying something that stupid.I am certain the priest would have given him a resounding NO at his ridiculous request.
In all seriousness, shooting a wedding video takes time, planning and experience, as well as a little bit of common sense. Just like in sports, you have to learn the game and practice the game. Know the rules, abide by them and you will come out a winner.
J&J Video Productions is an independent Video Production Company located in Cleveland Ohio. J&J Video Productions specializes in Wedding Videos and covers Parma Ohio and Cuyahoga County Ohio as well as the Cleveland Metropolitan area. For further information please visit our website at http://jandjvideoproductions.com/
Saturday, January 23, 2010
SHOULD I BUY A REALLY EXPENSIVE VIDEO CAMERA?
By: J&J Video Productions-Wedding Video Specialists-Cleveland, Ohio
Sure, why not? You know that bigger is better and more expensive must be the best, but is that really true? If you're shooting wedding or event videos, or even corporate videos, why would you waste thousands of dollars on an overpriced camera when a moderately priced camera will do the same job just as well, if not better?
Over the years, my experience in shooting wedding videos has taught me many things, but I think the most important lesson I learned is this; Let's say you and I went out to buy video cameras. You find a camera that costs $15,000.00 and I find a camera that sells for $2000.00. The $15,000.00 camera has a lot more gadgets than mine. It looks very high tech compared to mine. However if you read the specifications on the cameras, you will find that the most crucial elements needed for video production are pretty much the same.
Let's assume that the expensive camera will be operated by someone who has been in the field shooting wedding videos for 3 months. I will take my $2000.00 camera to another wedding. The difference is that I have more than 25 years of experience shooting wedding videos. In the end, which video do you think will turn out better?
Most uninformed people would think the $15,000.00 camera would far out perform the $2000.00 camera. The truth is, the end result is far different.
The wedding video produced by the $2000.00 camera is far superior to the video produced by the $15,000.00 camera. So, what does this tell you about purchasing cameras? It isn't how much you paid for the camera. I think we all knew that the wedding video produced by the less expensive camera was going to be be superior to the video produced by the expensive camera.
The reason this happened is because the operator, the videographer shooting the wedding on the less expensive camera, has 25+ years of experience shooting wedding videos, or for that matter any type of video. The person with the experience knows exactly what to shoot during a wedding, as well as where to place the camera for the best effect and he knows when to use the zoom lens and how to keep the picture in focus. A person with 3 months experience cannot possibly know what to do if someone opens the back door of the church during the ceremony. A flood of outdoor light can seriously mess up your video. The person shooting the video with the expensive camera doesn't know where the backlight switch is, or how to use it to make an immediate correction and save the video.
The experienced person will most likely expect someone to open the door during the ceremony and be prepared to make the correction on the spot. The experienced videographer will be prepared for this prior to the start of the wedding.
The extreme high end pro video cameras can cost a fortune and they are set up not to shoot wedding videos, events or even corporate video. They are set up for broadcasting live television or wireless transmission to a satellite etc.. Why would you think that buying a camera like that is going to do you any good when your niche is the consumer market?
In conclusion, when you buy a video camera, you must know first of all what you will be shooting. Secondly, you should read the specifications and compare them. If you find the more expensive camera can shoot under water and you plan to do underwater work, then if would make sense to pay more. I know to many professional videographers that think just because they have expensive cameras, this means their wedding videos will be better, when in fact the videos are less than perfect.
J&J Video Productions is an independent Video Production Company located in Cleveland Ohio. J&J Video Productions specializes in Wedding Videos and covers Parma Ohio and Cuyahoga County Ohio as well as the Cleveland Metropolitan area. For further information please visit our website at http://jandjvideoproductions.com/
Sure, why not? You know that bigger is better and more expensive must be the best, but is that really true? If you're shooting wedding or event videos, or even corporate videos, why would you waste thousands of dollars on an overpriced camera when a moderately priced camera will do the same job just as well, if not better?
Over the years, my experience in shooting wedding videos has taught me many things, but I think the most important lesson I learned is this; Let's say you and I went out to buy video cameras. You find a camera that costs $15,000.00 and I find a camera that sells for $2000.00. The $15,000.00 camera has a lot more gadgets than mine. It looks very high tech compared to mine. However if you read the specifications on the cameras, you will find that the most crucial elements needed for video production are pretty much the same.
Let's assume that the expensive camera will be operated by someone who has been in the field shooting wedding videos for 3 months. I will take my $2000.00 camera to another wedding. The difference is that I have more than 25 years of experience shooting wedding videos. In the end, which video do you think will turn out better?
Most uninformed people would think the $15,000.00 camera would far out perform the $2000.00 camera. The truth is, the end result is far different.
The wedding video produced by the $2000.00 camera is far superior to the video produced by the $15,000.00 camera. So, what does this tell you about purchasing cameras? It isn't how much you paid for the camera. I think we all knew that the wedding video produced by the less expensive camera was going to be be superior to the video produced by the expensive camera.
The reason this happened is because the operator, the videographer shooting the wedding on the less expensive camera, has 25+ years of experience shooting wedding videos, or for that matter any type of video. The person with the experience knows exactly what to shoot during a wedding, as well as where to place the camera for the best effect and he knows when to use the zoom lens and how to keep the picture in focus. A person with 3 months experience cannot possibly know what to do if someone opens the back door of the church during the ceremony. A flood of outdoor light can seriously mess up your video. The person shooting the video with the expensive camera doesn't know where the backlight switch is, or how to use it to make an immediate correction and save the video.
The experienced person will most likely expect someone to open the door during the ceremony and be prepared to make the correction on the spot. The experienced videographer will be prepared for this prior to the start of the wedding.
The extreme high end pro video cameras can cost a fortune and they are set up not to shoot wedding videos, events or even corporate video. They are set up for broadcasting live television or wireless transmission to a satellite etc.. Why would you think that buying a camera like that is going to do you any good when your niche is the consumer market?
In conclusion, when you buy a video camera, you must know first of all what you will be shooting. Secondly, you should read the specifications and compare them. If you find the more expensive camera can shoot under water and you plan to do underwater work, then if would make sense to pay more. I know to many professional videographers that think just because they have expensive cameras, this means their wedding videos will be better, when in fact the videos are less than perfect.
J&J Video Productions is an independent Video Production Company located in Cleveland Ohio. J&J Video Productions specializes in Wedding Videos and covers Parma Ohio and Cuyahoga County Ohio as well as the Cleveland Metropolitan area. For further information please visit our website at http://jandjvideoproductions.com/
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