Why do I want a wedding video?
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard from women after their wedding saying how much they regret not having video. How they wish they had some motion footage of their day that showed their experience, what the location looked and sounded like, the voices of those involved, etc. All the things that pictures cannot do. Think about it this way: if a picture says a thousand words, imagine the number of words video can say. The question isn’t “why do I need video?” The real question should be, “why shouldn’t I have a wedding video?” If the cost is the only answer—keep reading.
The Wedding and Event Videographers Association (WEVA) commissioned a 2005 nationwide study to look at brides’ attitudes about videography, both before and after their weddings. The brides were asked to rank videography on a personal “Top 10” list of wedding priorities. Prior to their weddings, barely 50% of the brides listed videography as a Top 10 item. However, after the weddings the emphases changed dramatically—a whopping 79% of the brides placed videography among their Top 10 items for wedding planning.
Why does video cost so much?
This answer could get long but let us touch on a few points. First, the reality of expenses. Video takes up much more hard drive space than photos. For instance, a typical photographer will take between 600-1000 photos during a wedding.—the average photo will be about 5mb in size. One minute of HD video equals about 350mb, and a typical wedding will take up about 10-15 hours of footage (taking into account multiple cameras), so if you do the math, video on average takes up about 60 times more space than photography does—expenses are greater. Additionally with wedding cinematography, we use 3-4 different software applications to edit/create audio, video and motion graphics to complete a project whereas a photographer, at most, will use two. Working with video forces us to utilize very high-end computers, graphic cards, monitors and audio components, all which is not as necessary for photography.
So why am I comparing the expenses with photography versus videography? Because on average couples spend 25% more on photography than video services. We believe video is very undersold because it has to compete with photography and make it affordable. We see it as a vital asset to your complete budget and skimping on motion video may be regrettable. At the end of the day you won’t have your cake, the meal, the company of your friends, the sights, the laughter, the flowers, the ambient sounds, decorations—all of those things which video captures and preserves for you.
Instead of thinking of video as a service, think of it as an investment in preserving your momentous occasion for you, your children and your heirs to follow.
Whats the difference between Feria and other videographers?
Because of our background in other creative mediums and styles, we harness those skills to take a different approach to wedding cinematography. Other videographers will offer a “love story” in their packages but they charge extra for it and it’s usually not included in the main edit of your film. Our approach is that your story is the whole reason you’re at this point in your life, so your story should be the feature! We use the wedding day event as a backdrop to your story. This, in turn, creates a more compelling and interesting feature to not only share, but watch over and over again. Relive those moments during your engagement, recollect those special moments before you said “I do” and remember what it was that brought you together as a couple.
Ask any couple that have been married over 5 years—who only have an edited version of their wedding day event—how often they watch their video and they’ll probably say once, twice, a few times at most! We want you to watch a Feria-produced video again and again—this is why we take a documentary-style approach that will make you want to share it with everyone in your life.
Why would I need unlimited hours, a trailer, a third camera, etc?
So in other words, why would you need to upgrade? We’ll take this answer in three parts:
Unlimited Hours: The benefit to having us all day long is two-fold. For us, it allows us to capture as much footage as we can. We have more time to gather all the nuances & details that you spent so many hours planning for, more of the sights and sounds that makes remembering your day so special. It also allows us to have the freedom to spend more time with the couple, experiment with different angles, techniques and use additional equipment to grab unique material. Not having a time limit give cinematographers the freedom to be as creative and forward-thinking as possible. Keep in mind, we capture about 10 times as much footage that’s actually used in the final feature, so the more footage we capture, the more we have to work with.
Third Camera: A third camera, essentially, gives us a third eye. Whether it’s the ceremony, reception or any of the activity in between, we can achieve an additional angle to cut to while editing during the ceremony (typically a wider shot showing the area and setting of the ceremony). Another use for a third camera could be getting those time-lapse shots that act as great segways in a feature. This allows us to keep the two other cameras rolling during that time—in a word: flexibility.
The Trailer: Typically a trailer rolls out just weeks after your wedding day event, allowing those who weren’t there to get a glimps of what they missed and maybe something extra for those who were there. It’s a great 2-3 minute piece to share with friends & family and gives the couple a sample to view until the remaining film is complete.
How long does it take to get the finished film?
We do not try to hide the fact that it takes time to finish a feature. Think about how long a typical movie is…. about 90-120 minutes. Think about how many names you see during end of movie credits… hundreds! Now, of course there nearly isn’t as much time that goes into capturing your story and wedding day event but that doesn’t mean we do not work as hard. It takes a crew of about 3-6 people to capture your story and 1-2 people to edit and finalize the film. You end up with a main 20-30 minute feature, along with edits of your ceremony and reception so you end up with at least an hour to 90 minute of footage, about the length of a full feature film. We do not rush the editing process, we comb it over and over to make sure your story is told with clarity, is compelling, and fits who you are. Each clip is purposely placed where it is and each sound is accentuated at the right moment. Because of this meticulousness, the process can take 3-6 months. Keeping our clients in mind, this is why we offer options such as the Trailer Feature so the bride and groom can receive a final-edited piece to share soon after the wedding day—while we take additional time to create a stunning package of features that they will treasure for all time.
