Even though our attention spans on average have been reduced quite considerably over the past thirty years, having a 15 minute wedding video is still not an option. So, in order to make a wedding video more bearable for the modern audience it needs to be entertaining, attention grabbing, clear, and most of all exciting. Now, realistically you cannot turn a wedding video into a cinematic treat because after all it’s a wedding video and there is a certain degree of formality which needs to be maintained. That said there is still a lot you can do by keeping within these traditional boundaries. Below we look at a few tips.
Pick up the right gear
I have seen some potentially great wedding videos turn out boring and outright washed out because outdated equipment was used. However, with video equipment now becoming obsolete almost each year, you need to spend in order to keep in touch with the latest and greatest. But you don’t have to spend on the latest equipment to capture great wedding videos, two or three year old equipment is perfect. That said you’ll want to invest in a remote microphone, fluid head tripod, an audio mixer and have a video recorder which can capture at least 1080p at a good frame rate, with great results in low light conditions.
Post production editing
Professional wedding video makers who have been doing this for years and are recognized as being the best will tell you that post production plays a major role in making a wedding video interesting. However, people who are new, make the mistake of heavily editing their video to the point where it is hardly recognizable that you’d probably think it’s an advertisement. There are also those who do not rely much on editing and the end result can be hours of footage which can put anyone to sleep. The trick with post production editing is to keep the video within a manageable time limit. Edit out boring parts of the video, blurred parts, parts that don’t look so good, parts where the audio is rustling, and other unimportant content to make room for more exciting parts that can then be stitched together.
Transitions should be subtle yet make sense
I have seen many wedding videos where transitions are merely used just because the editor can. The objective of transitions is to go from one scene or one idea to the next. In a wedding video it should be used to go from one event to the next, and to make cutting out of scenes seamless. If your transitions seem to interrupt the flow of the video or they appear for no apparent reason it can be distracting to say the least, not to mention make your video look unprofessionally edited.
Make it a point to attend the wedding rehearsal
If you have been hired to make a wedding video you shouldn’t take the job unless you can attend the rehearsal, that is how important it is. Attending the wedding rehearsal will help you to plan ahead in order to avoid many potential problems with the microphone placement, lighting and even things obstructing your view. The rehearsal also gives wedding videographers a chance to also finally consult with the bride and groom. So, that any last minute requests can be discussed and incorporated into the video.
You will need some B-roll coverage
If you want to produce a wedding video which is professional looking you need to have B-roll coverage. In order to get the desired B-roll footage you will need to mount the camera on a tripod in order to take exterior shots of various buildings in which the event takes place, focus on things like the stained glass designs or the various other architectural features of the buildings around. Flower arrangements, glasses and lights etc. should all be covered. Expert wedding video makers like Morkos Photography & Video recommend that you put the camera into recording mode around 20 minutes prior to the wedding actually starting, this will allow you to shoot the seating, the guests arriving, the preparation, the music etc. all of which are a big part of creating a compelling and entertaining video.
Mark is one of the leading experts on wedding videos and videography in general. He has been working as a full time videographer for over twenty years and has a number of successful commercial productions to his name as well. In addition to talking about wedding video making he also has written extensively about in on various blogs.
Citations: Wedding Videos: 8 Tips For Success
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