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Frequently Asked Questions

1_How long will the video be?

2_Will the taping be obtrusive?

3_How long will it take to complete my video?

4_How do I pay for your services?

5_How will you be dressed for my special day?

6_Do you use any bright powerful Hollywood style lights?

7_Do you use wireless microphones?

8_Will the sound in the reception be as good?

9_Will you attend the rehearsal?

10_Will there be any wires or cables running on the floor?

11_Why do you charge premium prices?

12_Things do not always run smoothly do you have backups plans?

13_I received a demo but what am I looking for?

14_Can I create my own package?

15_Can my Uncle Bob video tape my wedding?

16_My cousin Mark is attending film school. Can he video tape my wedding?

17_Do we have to provide food to you?

18_Different Videographers use different video formats. Which format is better?

19_Why should I get a DVD rather than a VHS tape?

20_Video prices range from $600 up to $10,000. What are the differences?

21_Why two cameras?

22_Why do I need a Photographer and a Videographer?

23_What is a love story video?

24_What is live switching?

1_How long will the video be?

The length of the edited mastered copy can vary between one to two hours depending on the length of the ceremony and reception activities. An average video length of one and a half hour provides all the important wedding events and results in an emotional, interesting and entertaining video. We also learn from Hollywood movies were the average length of a movie is one and a half hour.
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2_Will the taping be obtrusive?

We will be as unobtrusive as possible. We will abide by the rules and special restrictions of your host/hostess and adhere to them. We will also make sure the reverence and sanctity of your religious beliefs are maintained at all times.
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3_How long will it take to complete my video?

Typically videos are completed in four to six weeks. However, during a busy season, videos can take up to three months to complete after the ceremony.

4_How do I pay for your services?

One-third of the payment is due upon signing of contract to reserve your date. Another third must be paid one month before the ceremony, and the final payment is made when the final product is received. If you cancel after signing the contract, one third of the total payment will not be reimbursed. We accept cash, money orders, cashiers checks, personal checks and credit cards through Paypal. Sign up at http://www.paypal.com. There is no cost to you.
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5_How will you be dressed for my special day?

We will dress professionally with slacks, nice polo shirts or long sleeve shirts, mainly dark colors. If you have a different preference, such as a suit or tuxedo, let us know.

6_Do you use any bright powerful Hollywood style lights?

No. Digital video does not require as much light as film. The cameras we use are very sensitive to light with a high quality image. In most churches lights plus the natural light coming in from the windows during daytime, are enough to create a good quality video. However during the reception because the inside lights are usually dim, a small on camera light may be used. The on-camera light ranges from 25 watts during close-ups and up to 50 watts in long distance shots. In addition, the light has a diffuser or soft box that will make it easy on the eyes.

7_Do you use wireless microphones?

Absolutely. In order to capture your vows which we consider the most important part of the ceremony, we provide a small light weight high quality wireless digital microphone to the groom. As the bride and the Groom are facing each other during the vows, the same wireless microphone clearly captures both vows. Therefore, no wireless microphone on the Bride is needed.

Also, another wireless microphone will be used on the officiating minister, if allowed. A wireless microphone works better than a regular microphone because some religious ceremonies require constant movement. If this is not possible, we will use a wireless microphone with a highly sensitive microphone and locate it close to the altar in an inconspicuous area. We will also use a minidisc with stereo quality as a backup

The basic package includes only one wireless microphone. But we will use as many microphones as necessary to clearly record your wedding ceremony including readers, piano, singers, quartets or others. The sound is just as important to us as the picture quality.

8_Will the sound in the reception be good?

Yes. For clear sound, we will either connect directly into the DJ’s box, connect to one of the speakers or will set a wireless microphone in front of a speaker. They all work beautifully.

We also use a wireless handheld microphone for interviews.

9_Will you attend the rehearsal?

I attend the rehearsal on my higher end packages. Attending the rehearsal will allow us to assess the church’s layout, lighting, pace and flow of the procession for better placement of cameras and microphones and to learn what rules the church imposes on Videographers. It will also allow me to meet the bridal party, priest/minister, and wedding coordinator. The only exception will be if we already video taped at the same location numerous times before and we feel comfortable with the place and thoroughly understand the rules and the procession’s flow.

10_Will there be any wires or cables running on the floor?

No. We are safety conscious.

11_Why do you charge premium prices?

Our prices are determined by different factors, such as wedding location, distance, extra options you may choose, time coverage, time spent on editing, number of cameras, extra accessories you request, packaging, years of experience, reputation of camera person and editor expertise.

The following list indicates the average labor hours required to video tape and edit a typical wedding video from start to finish.

1. Record ceremony and reception (two cameras) = 20 hrs.

2. Record wedding raw footage to hard disk for editing (60 minute each tapes) = 5 hrs.

3. Create titles in special program 6 titles = 1.5 hrs.

4. Scan childhood photos 20 = 1 hrs.

5. Manipulate/crop/filter/repair pictures in Photoshop, 20 pictures = 2 hrs.

6. Select and capture background music, 5 selections = 1 hr.

7. Edit video – arrange clips in timeline, sync two cameras, transitions, color correction, special effects on 5 hours row footage = 20 hrs

8. Create opening sequence for video in Photoshop and for tape label = 1 hr

9. Create closing rolling titles with moving background = 0.5 hr.

10. Record DV master tape = 2 hrs.

11. Encode wedding video to mpeg file and creating the chapters for DVD master = 4 hours hrs

12. Dub copies, label cassettes, and prepare for shipment = 2 hrs,

Total hours taping and editing wedding video = 60

12_Things do not always run smoothly do you have backup plans?

All packages include a minimum of two cameras during the ceremony to give you the confidence that if there is a problem with one of them, for whatever the reason, we still have the other recording the most special day of your life. But we assure you, that we take care of our cameras by regular cleaning, checking and scheduled maintenance.

In regards to sound, during the ceremony we use a minimum of one wireless, two microphones from the cameras, and one minidisc with stereo quality as a backup.

During the reception, even if you choose a one camera package, We have an additional equal quality camera readily available.

We also carry an assortment of extra batteries, lights, tapes, and connections to each event.

13_I received a demo but what am I looking for?

You can check for the following

	Is the camera steady?
	Can you clearly hear the vows?
	Is the picture crisp or grainy?
	Is the picture in focus or too blurry?
	Do you see excessive zoom in and out?
	Can you clearly hear the officiating?
	Do you see any cheap 3D effects?
	Does it have smooth transitions?
	Are the titles clear, do they have tasteful colors and are steady?
	Is the bride’s white dress white, yellow or another color?
	How well do you feel the emotions of the day?
	Do you feel like you are actually there?

14_Can I create my own package?

Yes. A list of the most popular packages are provided but we can customize a package to meet your own special needs. Let us know how we can help you.

15_Can my Uncle Charlie video tape my wedding?

He sure can. The question is whether the completed product will be up to your standards. Video taping and editing takes a high level of experience and expertise. Just because someone has a camera doesn’t mean he/she is a Videographer as much as someone carrying a hammer is a carpenter or someone carrying a wrench is a mechanic. Ask Uncle Bob to show you one of his completed videos. After you view it, you will be better able to make a decision.

In addition, the camera is not the only piece of equipment a Videographer needs to create a beautiful picture. Other important equipment needed are lights, batteries belts, tripod, wide angle lens, filters, wireless, microphones, microphone stands, monitors, headphones, matte box and other more specialized equipment such as monopods, cranes and steady trackers.

Likewise, allow me to ask the following question. Are you going to ask another Uncle, Uncle Tom for example, to take your wedding pictures? If he is already in the business, then it is a great idea. But if he is not, you will probably be reluctant to assign him with such an important job. Why would video be any different? Video is like a photograph but with sound, motion, and emotion. When the tape is rolling, the camera records 30 frames (pictures) per second. During an hour, it recorded a total of 108,000 frames (pictures).

16_My cousin Mark is attending film school. Can he video tape my wedding?

Well, although he may be a better choice than Uncle Charlie he is not necessarily ideal. In film school, he learn how to work with film, not video. The characteristics of film and video are different. The greatest drawback between film and video is that we work under a fast-paced environment. One example is that in film, they work with elaborate sets with well position lights with different colors, shades, and contrast. During a wedding we don’t have that luxury. Most churches do not even allow small low wattage light. During the video taping of a wedding we must be constantly be on the look out to avoid mixing light coming in from the windows of the church and the inside lighting. Natural light coming from the outside makes video look blue, while incandescent lighting makes the video look reddish. When they are separate there are no problems and we can easily adjust the camera to compensate. However, during panning or when we leave one type of lighting and enter the other one it makes the video look horrible. Some of these colors mixes can be fixed during the editing process but it is time consuming and takes away from much more important tasks such as enhancing the video quality, creativity, and story telling.

During filming, if a scene doesn’t work out the director will yell CUT and the scene will be repeated as many times as necessary. During a wedding event this is obviously not possible. Videographers get only one chance.

Typically, during the filming of a movie the camera is right in front of the actor’s face. While during the recording of a wedding ceremony and reception, we must stay unobtrusive as to not dominate the proceedings.

Videographer equipment is portable. We must setup and breakdown our equipment in a hurry to go from the ceremony to the reception and sometime to a third location. In film, they use a lot of heavy powerful lights, heavy cameras, and heavy sturdy tripods for the heavy cameras, tracks, and cranes. Using this type of equipment is impractical during a wedding because equipment has to constantly be repositioned during the ceremony and more during the reception. Our equipment is light, easy to setup and capable enough to compete with the quality of film.

Another, big difference between film and video is that in a video there is no script. During the filming of a movie a script is needed that tells everyone exactly what to do, what to say, what kind of setting and lighting will be used, what the mood is, and what to expect. Every second and every frame of filming is accounted for with no random filming. In contrast videotaping a wedding event although there is a plan and a lot of work went into it, there is a lot of down time and if the video is not properly edited it will be dull to watch. The editor needs to be a master in story telling in order to create a story after the fact.

17_Do we have to provide food to you?

No, you don’t have to. But it will be to your benefit if you do. Depending on how long is the event, we may need to eat. We will rather not pick up our equipment, leave the promises, go eat, and then come back and setup our equipment again and potentially missing some important event during our absence. Most reception places have a special area for the contract people photographer, DJ, Videographer, etc. or they may be willing to setup a table.

Whether you decide to provide food or not, just let us know so we can make the proper arrangements.

18_Different Videographers use different video formats. Which format is better?

The most popular video formats for weddings are VHS, S-VHS, Hi8, DV, DVCAM. One important element that indicates video quality is the lines of resolution. The table below indicates the approximate resolution for each of the above formats.

SVH = 240 lines

S-VHS = 400 lines

Hi8 = 400 lines

DV = 530 lines

DVCAM = 530 lines

High Def = 1080 lines

In general, the higher the number of lines of resolution, the better the video. However, another important element is whether the camera is a one chip or three-chip camera. The accepted standard to video taping a wedding is to use a Digital Video (DV) camera with 530 lines of resolution with three chips. A three chip camera separates the Red, Green, and Blue (RGB) colors giving you better colors while a one chip camera does not. DVCAM is the same as DV except that DVCAM reduces dropouts (missing frames) during editing if an editor is editing on a video deck. Because footage is loaded into hard drives, dropouts are not a concerned.

19_Why should I get a DVD rather than a VHS tape?

Because DVDs have a better image quality and longevity. If you look at the table above, you will notice that DV has 530 lines of resolution. When we record in 530 lines of resolution onto a 240 lines VHS tape, the extra lines of resolution are lost. In addition, VHS and S-VHS tapes degrade over time and as you continually make copies from them. In contrast, because DV is digital, duplication of the DVD doesn’t affect the present quality. The only degradation occurs when there is decompression (decoding) or compression (encoding) of the material. Otherwise, the content quality lasts a lot longer compare to VHS.

Another advantage of a DVD is that you will get Dolby Digital sound. Similar to what you hear in a high budget movie. The only difference is that they use 5.1 channels, or even higher, and we only use 2 channels – front-right and front left-speakers. Movies using Dolby Digital 5.1 use two extra speakers on the back for extra sound effects and one on the front-center for dialogue. The 0.1 (subwoofer) is use for really low bass sounds. For a wedding video, these sounds are not applicable. However, we do have the capability to create the 5.1 channels.

Finally, DVDs are more user friendly. You can use chapter menus to go to a specific scene in your video without having to fast forward, although you still have the fast forward capability.

20_Video prices range from $600 up to $10,000. What are the differences?

Some of the differences in price arise from the number of cameras and the number of hours a Videographer has to work. But the most important is the equipment use, skill, talent, and creativity. The equipment is important because a camera that records in DV has a better quality than VHS or S-VHS cameras. Digital Video cameras are a new technology and therefore more expensive. By the same token, reliable high quality wireless microphones cost a couple thousand dollars while cheaper less reliable wireless are in the $500 range. Therefore, Videographers using higher quality, reliable, and better performing equipment need to charge more to compensate for their cost.

The capturing of the raw footage with reliable high performing equipment is only part of the equation in creating powerful, emotional moving video. The other important part of the equation is the creativity employed during the editing process. It takes special talent and creativity to create a wedding video that extracts the feelings and, personal emotions of the day. Many professional Videographers have won many types of awards in recognition of their skill, talent, and creativity

21_Why two cameras?

The advantages of using two cameras are numerous.

	To record the magnificence of the church while the other camera records close-ups on the smaller details.
	To record the actions and reactions. For example, when the bride is coming down the aisle, it is nice to see the groom’s reaction.
	To see the faces of the bride and groom during the vows instead of from only one view.
	A second camera adds a level of professionalism to make it look more like film or television.
	Two cameras are less obtrusive. A Videographer needs to be constantly on the move in order to capture the best shots from the best angle. Two cameras decrease the movement and obtrusion. If the angle is not right for one camera, the second camera will most likely be in a better position.
	To give the editor more choices. The editor can choose which of the two cameras shots is better to use and tell the story.
	To spice up the video. Two cameras add variety and action to the video, making it more entertaining to watch.
	To record the pre-ceremony getting ready of the bride and groom and capture how each one of you feel before the ceremony.

22_Why do I need a Photographer and a Videographer?

Because the product of each is different.

	Photographers stage events while Videographers stand back and accurately record events as they happen.
	The look of 35mm film is different from video. Films look dreamy while video looks real. Although, we can simulate the look of film in camera by using different camera settings, glass filters in front of the lens, and/or by using special video software.
	Film has a bigger range of shades within the colors. For example, it has more variations of gray as it moves from black to white.
	Photos are static while video has motion and sound and better reflect the general ambience, mood and the emotions of the event.
	A 35mm photo has approximately four times the resolution of video.
	A Photographer may be able to take 100 photos of your wedding day while the Videographer can record 108,000 frames (pictures) during one hour in his camera.
	Videographers do not command you to smile. Photographers do.

Because of the above differences, you may be able to hire a photographer for two or four hours to stage and take pictures or your wedding and hire the Videographer longer to video tape your wedding in its entirety.

23_What is a love story video?

We will video tape you in a very nice beautiful setting. Like a park, a lake, the beach or any other place both of you enjoy. A love story video allows you to speak freely about your love for each other.

	How and where you met
	When you discover you where right for each other
	Why you love him or her
	What is so special about him or her

24_What is live switching?

The advantage of using live switching is if you want to transmit your wedding live in the internet. This requires multiple cameras and a console to switch between cameras. The console or switchboard has more than just basic video editing capabilities that will complete the wedding video editing on real time and by the end of the ceremony you will have a completed wedding video.

Another reason to have live switching is if you want to project the ceremony on a big screen, and at the end, you will have a completed wedding video ready to be shown in your wedding reception, if you like.

NOTES

1. If you have any special request such as special traditional ceremony events that you do not agree with or any religious beliefs, please let us know to avoid offending any individuals or organizations.

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Last revised: 11/10/05

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