Weddings are beautiful… but they can also be a chaotic mess! If you’re shooting video at a wedding, you need to be prepared and aware of what’s happening around you, and expect the unexpected!
Find your style.
If you want to make it as a professional videographer, you need to find your style.
This will be the foundation of your wedding videos. It’s not going to happen overnight, but it’s important that you start thinking about it now so that as soon as someone asks, “What’s your style?” you can say confidently and clearly: “I have a cinematic storyteller style with an emphasis on beautiful storytelling and lighting.” … or something like that!
Once you have a style in mind, look for inspiration from other wedding videos. Look at different styles and see if there are any influences or ideas for shots or angles that inspire you. Then use those ideas when creating content with your clients!
Also bear in mind that style isn’t just in the filming. The editing makes up a huge part of the style. If you’re thinking about booking with us, take a look at our portfolio to view examples of our edits.
Make a shot list.
If you’re shooting a wedding film, you’ll of course need to make a shot list. A shot list is simply a list of the shots (or scenes) that you want to get on camera. It’s like preparing a grocery list: if you don’t write down what you’re planning to buy, there’s a chance that when it comes time to head out for groceries in person, there will be items on your list that aren’t actually in the store!
For instance, let’s say I’m making chicken soup for dinner tonight and my grocery list includes “chicken” and “carrots.” If I don’t specifically write down “salt,” then I might not remember to pick up salt—and my soup would turn out bland as a result!
We’re getting off track… but the point is, if you don’t have it specifically written down that you need to film the cake cutting – you might get lost in the moment and forget to! This is less likely if you’re a professional and it’s literally the only reason you’re at the wedding, but particularly risky for friends of FIY customers that are filming – as primarily they’re there to enjoy the day.
That’s why we always recommend our customers create a list of the key events and designate specific people to film each part.
Learn how to take advantage of natural light.
Natural light is the best type of lighting to use for a video, but it’s not always available. That’s okay! Artificial lighting can be used instead and can be just as flattering. You might not have control over the type of artificial light you have access to (window light isn’t always available), but you should still make sure it’s flattering for your couple and their guests.
In your search for window light, be wary of backlighting. It won’t look great if your subject (e.g. the bride and groom) are stood in front of the window, as you’ll likely end up just filming their silhouette. To avoid this, always position yourself between the window and the subject.
Be a people person.
Being a people person is important in wedding videography, as you’ll be spending most of the day with your clients and their guests.
To start off, make friends with the wedding party by saying “hi” or chatting with them during setup. Talk to guests as they arrive at the ceremony site and get to know them; ask them questions about where they’re from and what they do for fun. Ask for each guest’s name if possible—this will help ensure that you’re pronouncing names correctly when introducing them later on in your video! You should also get to know your clients better before shooting starts so that there are no awkward silences once filming begins—try asking thoughtful questions like what music they’d like played at their reception or how many pets they have at home.
This is one of the great advantages of using our film your own wedding services, as those behind the camera will, generally speaking, already know all the main people at the wedding!
Practice beforehand.
Practicing beforehand is a great way to ensure that, come wedding day, you will be prepared for anything. While this may seem like something that only applies to professionals with years of experience under their belts (and it does), there are some things you can do on your own that will help prepare for any unexpected situations.
The best thing about practicing beforehand is that it gives you a chance to work out any kinks or technical difficulties with your equipment and settings before the real deal hits. There are certain things that might not even occur to you until they actually happen—like how long it takes for battery life to last when shooting an outdoor ceremony in humid weather or how high the ISO needs to be in order for enough light is coming through windows during an indoor reception—and practicing beforehand allows time for troubleshooting before they become problems.
We always send out cameras to our customers a few days beforehand, so key people have a chance to test out and get comfortable with the cameras before the day.
Making a successful wedding video means being prepared and making yourself aware of what’s happening.
It’s not just about being prepared, though. You also need to be aware of what’s happening around you. Whether it’s at the ceremony or during dancing and reception, making sure you’re in the right place at the right time is important. It can be hard to avoid missing something when there are so many things going on at once, but if you make sure that your camera is ready for any shot, then you’ll have more time for observation and getting creative shots with different angles—all without losing out on anything important!
In terms of equipment, having a tripod will help keep things stable as well as give yourself peace of mind that everything will be captured well without having to worry about accidentally dropping or shaking the camera while shooting video (which would cause blurring and damage to your equipment).
Conclusion
In conclusion, making a wedding video is not easy… It requires an investment of time, energy and money. But if you’re passionate about it, then it can be a rewarding experience that will give you something to show off for years to come!
The best place to start is with yourself – knowing your style and making sure that what you’re doing feels right for you as well as the couple being filmed. Then take into consideration how much time you have available (or want) in order to prepare before filming begins so that everything runs smoothly during those precious hours when everyone’s attention is focused entirely on each other. Finally, practice beforehand so everything goes smoothly on the big day itself – we promise it’ll make things easier for everyone involved… including yourself!
