lights camera action!

A video is an everlasting reminder of the wedding – and let’s be honest, with so few concrete mementos of the wedding left once all the Champagne’s flowed, it’s definitely worth considering.

Professionals

Professional standard quality cameras and sound recording equipment cost a great deal of money, but videographers who invest in this do so in order to obtain fabulous results. Extra details which are often lost in photography, such as lighting and sound, nuances like the detailing on a dress, the shine of a smile or the glint in an eye, are captured on film. You may be surprised to learn just how much a video costs, but in addition to the equipment, the professional videographer will have the skill and trained eye that sets them apart from an amateur. Be aware that filming the wedding video is only part of the job, as editing needs a lot of skill and a great deal of time to perfect.
Some people don’t like the idea of hiring a videographer because they think there will be a camera thrust in their face all day long – don’t let this put you off though, because filming can be done from a distance using a zoom lense and a good videographer can deal with most lighting conditions. Even the ceremony can be filmed without any noticeable intrusion. Professionals are very discreet and unobtrusive – most couples don’t even notice they are there. So, don’t let shyness put you off! It may be tempting to ask a friend or family member to take the video for you, but once you start investigating the professional options you’ll realise just what a huge difference there is between an amateur and someone who does the job day in day out. There’s no reason any budding Steven Spielbergs on your guestlist can’t take a video as well as the professional though, it can be nice to see a different perspective on the day, especially from somebody who knows you!

Good Coverage

It’s a good idea to select a videographer who is a member of the IOV (Institute of Videographers). This will give you peace of mind because membership is based on work submitted, meaning there is a definite degree of professionalism. Once you have found the right person to shoot the film, remember to have a good chat with them about what kind of coverage you’re looking for. Are there any moments during the day that you are really keen on capturing? Maybe you’d like to see how the groom got on greeting guests before you arrived at the ceremony, or you’d like to capture people’s reactions as they see the bridesmaids stepping out of the car. If you would like him/her to, a videographer can also capture your reception as part of the package.

High Definition

High Definition (HD) offers a big improvement in picture quality and a growing number of videographers are now offering to film weddings in HD, either as part of a package or as an extra at an additional cost. However, at the moment they will have to give you your DVD in the Standard Definition (SD) format. This will remain the case until it becomes easy for the videographer to give you a copy of your film in HD. However, you can have your wedding filmed in HD now and converted to SD for your current DVD player and TV, then in the future you will be able to enjoy the higher resolution images.

Click here for our special feature on High Definition Videography