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Everything
is perfect: Your family and friends are seated
comfortably, the flowers look divine, the music
is being played in key, and you know the caterers
are busy making sure the food for the reception afterwards
is scrumptious. The only thing left to do now is
walk
down the isle and wed the person of your dreams.
Off you go!
Nightmare of all nightmares! You are sitting at
the head table and the only reason you know you actually
got married is because there is a gold band on your
finger! You were so nervous and excited all at once
that your mind is drawing a complete blank. All the
effort, the planning, the endless sacrifices all
year long and you don't have a single recollection
of how things went. Yikes.
There is insurance against this all-to-common wedding
amnesia: A wedding video! It will bring you, your
family and friends, countless evenings of enjoyment
and recollection simply at the flick of your remote
control. The cost will be nominal and a professional
video will bring you countless years of enjoyment.
The best person to entrust with capturing your special
day is a professional Wedding-Videographer. The old
saying that "A hammer does not a carpenter make" is
good to remember when hiring a professional to film
your wedding. The best person to ask for advice on
this is your Wedding Planner. They will have a Videographer
that they trust enough to put their name to so that
you will have one less thing to worry about. It's
It is after all, their job. If you are planning your
own wedding, here are ten questions you should ask
to ensure that you pick the best Videographer for
the big day:
1. Video cameras are not all the same. Hi8 or DV
provide a higher quality than the standard camcorder.
Some of the best digital units include the Sony VX
2000 and the Canon XL1.
2. 3-chip CCD cameras will have the best Digital
quality. You don't need to know what it means other
than "the best possible chipset for the best
possible image."
3. Ask to view a "wedding video sample" tape.
This will give you an idea of what the quality will
be like when you get yours.
4. Do they use wireless microphones? If they do,
great, if they don't ask them to get one.
5. Is the Videographer unobtrusive? They should
be.
6. What do they dress while filming? Make sure they
dress neat and tidy. Blue jeans are NOT acceptable
wedding-wear.
7. What back up equipment do they have? It should
be comparable in quality to the original.
8. Price?? Most Videographers have several packages.
Choose the one that fits within your budget and captures
what you desire.
9. Do they use 1 camera or 2?. If 2 cameras is the
second operator an extra charge?
10. Bookings? Make sure you give them specific instructions
for time, place. Also, be sure to check with the
church, Priest, hall, etc., to find out if they have
any rules regarding filming of weddings.
Once these questions have been answered to your
complete satisfaction you'll be well on your way
to hiring the best possible professional to film
the big day.
If you decide that a Videographer is simply not
within your wedding budget you can still take some
action to ensure that you get an acceptable "home
video" of your Wedding. Everybody and their
Uncle has a home video camera nowadays (we've all
had to suffer through their personal movies at one
time or another). As you know, having a camera is
not enough to make a movie. If that was the case
Hollywood would be out of business by now. Here are
some tips to help your Uncle Jim or your Cousin Sally
to film a video that will bring you tears of joy
instead of making you cringe every time your throw
it in the VCR:
1. Try to use a Digital or Hi-8 camera. The quality
will be drastically improved when transferring or
copying for friends and family.
2. Make sure they have a Tripod. This will reduce
unwanted motion and save you and your friends from
being queasy when you watch the finished product
on TV.
3. Do not "zoom" in or out while filming.
Do all "zooming" while the camera is NOT
recording. If they want to switch from a wide shot
to a close up, stop the camera from filming between
transitions. All the professionals do this.
4. Be sure to scope out the best possible spot for
the camera ahead of time. It should be in a spot
that is unobtrusive but can also capture the bride's
walk down the isle and ceremony without having to
move the tripod & camera.
5. Practice, practice, practice. Be sure to film
some "practice" runs before the actual
ceremony. This will ensure that the person doing
the filming will be ready to capture things in the
heat of the moment without any worries or mistakes.
Again, I cannot recommend enough that the best way
to capture your wedding on Video is to hire a professional.
That being said, the tips above should give you a
quality home video that you and yours will enjoy
again and again. Professionally shot or captured
by a reliable friend or relative, a Wedding Video
will bring back all the feelings and wonder that
you were too busy to remember on the special day
itself!
By West McDonald
Tracker Productions
www.trackerproductions.com
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