Wedding Video

Update on the Podcast

So…it’s been a while since I last posted a podcast about how to start your own wedding video business. About a month ago my office flooded and it’s been a LONG process getting everything back up and running. Thankfully I didn’t lose any equipment but I did lose about a month of productivity and wedding video podcasts. My plan is to start up again in late June and keep the ball rolling on the process of start to finish about how to start your own wedding video business.

Let me know what topics you want me to talk about and put them in the schedule. It’s been a lot of fun and I’ve gotten some good feedback from the listeners. Stay tuned because I will return shortly with more wedding video podcasts!

Episode #20: Using Twitter for your wedding video business

What is Twitter and how can you use it for your wedding video business?  In this episode, I’ll talk about why you should be using it and the best way to engage with others.  I’ve used Twitter for years and have built relationships, gotten clients and broadened my reach by using this amazing service.  Go ahead….get involved.  Help people, reach out, and join the conversation.

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To connect with me on Twitter, go the right hand part of this website and find the coffee cup with the “T” logo on it.  Or, click below to follow me.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 13:20 — 12.4MB)

Episode #9: Why Wordpress is the best for your video business

If you need a website for your wedding video business, then Wordpress.org is your answer. In ths episode, we’ll talk about why you should learn more about this company and how it can easily benefit your wedding video business. If the web stuff isn’t your style, then drop me a line and I can create a great looking website for your wedding video business.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 16:23 — 15.2MB)

Podcast #7: How to create a Demo Reel that gets seen

In this episode we’ll discuss why a demo reel is so important and what should go on it. We’ll also discuss where you should put your demo reel and how to get it to future clients, friends, family, co-workers and more!

Do you have questions or comments?  E-mail me at: info@improvemyvideo.com.  I’d love to hear from you.  I can even read them on a podcast so they help others (I’ll leave out your name if you want).

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:20 — 10.6MB)

E-book #3: Checklist for meeting with the couple

Product #3 “Checklist for meeting with the couple” Buy this product here OR sign up for the newsletter updates and get this e-book for FREE. Learn how to meet with the couple and book the weddings you want. Find out what to bring, what to say, and the steps to take. A detailed checklist with explanations.

$9.95

Just joined Twitter

I just added Twitter to this website.  Feel free to reTweet my posts and connect with me @ImproveMyIdea.  I would love to get to know you better.

How to dress like a video pro to earn like a video pro

Chances are that if you are just starting you video career or are filming a wedding for a friend or family member that you may overlook something very important. The way you dress as a professional says a lot about yourself. Even if you are filming a wedding for free, you still want to be respectful and dress appropriately for the job.

The key for knowing what to wear at a wedding, is to match the type of wedding that you are filming. Know if you are filming a wedding that is: at a beach, very formal, relaxed, has a theme or some variation.

Here are 4 tips on how to dress like a professional.
1. Ask the bride what type of wedding it will be. The fastest way to look like a professional is to give her examples such as, “will the attenders all be in tuxedos or is it more casual?”
2. Notice what time of day the wedding takes place. Most weddings will be a bit more dressy if it’s an evening wedding rather than an afternoon wedding.
3. Ask where the wedding and reception will be held. If the wedding is at the nicest banquet all in town and everyone is drinking fine wine and eating delicious steaks, then it will probably be a format wedding.
4. Verify what many guests will be wearing. By asking the bride or groom about your guests, you can determine how they might be dressed and base your decision on that. If most of the attenders are going to be coming off the farms, then they probably won’t dress up much. If they are all getting out of their luxury cars, it might be a high end, formal wedding.

The most important thing about knowing how to dress as a wedding videographer is to not draw attention to yourself in any way. I usually wear dress pants, dress shirt with a tie (and sometimes jacket) and nice dress shoes. The standard color for photographers and videographers is black which lets you not stand out while you are running around getting footage. If you have wrinkled clothes or unshaved face (hopefully just for the guys), then you will be making yourself look bad. Remember, everyone there could use your video services at one time or another and you are to look as professional as possible. This isn’t the time to show that you are an individual and never dress up. Throw away your attitude and know that in the professional world, people wear dress pants, take a shower and shave daily. If you don’t do that every day, at least do it on the day of the wedding.

Go out and buy some nice clothes, and notice how the amount of weddings you film will go up. People respect others that look nice and “look” professional. Michael Jordan once said something like, “people treat you based on how you are dressed”. The better you dress, the better people will treat you. So kick of those sandals and get some dress shoes on because you’re a professional.

How to Film a Wedding

With the economy going down, more and more people are wanting to get some money on the side and filming weddings are a great way to go. It is one of the ways a lot of people enter the video market is to start by filming friends and family weddings. This is something you shouldn’t take lightly since a wedding is a very important day for more than just the bride and groom. On one hand, it can be easy but it does take some skill and experience to anticipate what happens next. Please keep in mind, that if you are diving into this field, then please do your homework. Talk to the bride and groom about the order or service, what they expect, what they want on the DVD and when you’ll give them the final product…and stick to it. I’ve heard from a lot of couples that waited a year or more to get the DVD from their friend who filmed it, but never “got around to it”.

If you are wanting to get experience by filming your family members wedding and then go on to film people you don’t know, you better get your prices together and a system to make each wedding easy on yourself. You don’t want to spend 40+ hours editing a wedding when it should take you around 20 hours to edit.

I’ve developed some products to help beginners dive into the wedding market. Don’t risk this important day for the family by assuming you can film and edit a wedding. Get some tool kits that will help you. I love helping people and developed them with the beginner in mind.

Click on the “products” page to find out more.

Color Correction

It’s easy when you first start out in the video production field to focus on the simple things like: hitting the record button when you want to start so you get the bride walking down the aisle and hitting the record button a second time when you want to stop so you don’t film your feet for ten minutes.  It’s also easy to think about how to show your client that you are knowledgeable and have experience (even if your only experience is filming Christmas morning for you family).

Once you get settled in to producing wedding videos, you’ll find the importance of color correction.  I always make sure the cameras are white balanced to the correct setting, but at times I notice that when I’m editing, they still need a hint of color correction.  Sometimes worse than others but you can still see a huge difference in the brides dress when you color correct and when you don’t.  It separates the amateurs from the pros.  Most editing programs have some type of color correcting.  Final Cut Express, Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere, Magix Movie Edit 10, Pinnacle Studio, and Ulead VideoStudio all support color correction in some form.

Original frame but white balanced in camera from a recent wedding

This is a view of the couple without color correction.  Notice how the bride’s dress appears dingy and not crisp and pure white?  If the entire wedding is like this, then you might be able to get away with it but I would never recommend that. The skin tones are also a bit off and appear dirty and not true to life.

Color Corrected frame from a recent wedding

AHHHH…much better.  Doesn’t that look a lot better?

The Bride’s dress look a lot more pure white and the skin tones seem more natural.  This process only took me a few seconds but makes a world of difference.  Most programs allow you to adjust the colors and even let’s you determine what is true white and then adjusts the footage accordingly.

So the next time you shoot a wedding video, make sure you white balance your camera (or you’ll have results worse than those above) and spend the extra time while editing to white balance.  The Product will look better and you will look more professional.

That’s how to Improve Your Video.

New Toolkit available

I have been working hard the last few weeks to produce a toolkit that will help from start to finish of getting a wedding video to filming the ceremony and reception.

These comprehensive topics will give details on each topic and how to film like a professional. You’ll learn things like:

1)  The Basics of Filming a Wedding
2)  7 Keys to Determine your Pricing
3)  Sample price sheet of how much to charge and what to include
4)  14 ways to market yourself for free
5)  Checklist on meeting with the couple
6)  16 things you should never leave at home when filming a wedding
7)  Checklist on filming the wedding day like a pro.

Find where to get this toolkit by clicking here

This product is great for anyone who wants to learn more, earn more and make the process of filming a wedding video a lot more smooth.  Spread the word.

3 Ways to ensure success with your video company.

Last Friday I had the privilege of filming a wedding.  This time, it was for a close friend.  It means so much to me when I get to capture a wedding on video for a friend.  This couple is so encouraging and with God’s help will continue to encourage people for decades to come.  Even though I work hard when filming anything, I put an extra touch into weddings where I know the couple, family or situation.  It becomes more than a job when I have a relationship with the couple.

Most people that get into the “wedding video biz” start by filming friends and family weddings.  Since you know the couple and you are trying to get started, go the extra mile.  Don’t get picky with staying an extra 15 minutes, even though it says in your contract that you won’t stay past 10pm.  The little you do for free, will come back to you in referrals.  Here are 3 ways to insure succes with your video company.

1. Network: Tell as many people what you do and find common services that can recommend your video services.  You have to get your name and company out there for people to pay you.  Set up a basic website, use Facebook, talk to friends and family, go to networking meetings in your area.  Go to the “products” page and in the coming weeks I’ll have some info to purchase on how to market yourself (for free).  Don’t forget to think about areas that other videographers won’t (see my ebook on the products page).  If you are sitting at home wondering why people aren’t calling you with work, then you need to get out and talk to some businesses.  People do business with people they know and trust.

2. Go the extra mile: Don’t be lazy, overly picky or rude when starting your business (or once you are successful!).  Remember, your clients are making you successful and you need them to refer you to anyone.  You can be picky about the weddings you film (especially if you only film beach weddings, high end weddings or any other niche) but don’t be picky and tell the couple all the things you don’t do (”I don’t go to the rehearsal. I don’t go to film the bride getting ready.  I don’t stay longer than 2 hours for the reception.”)  I’ve heard some crazy things the videographer tells the couple.  Go the extra mile and it will come back to you.

3.  Quick turn around: It’s easy to get lazy once the wedding is done and you’ve gotten paid.  But, you still have the editing to do.  Make it a goal to get the DVD back to the couple by the time they get back from the honeymoon.  That’s my goal.  When I first started I would wait a few weeks but then I would procrastinate and never “feel” like finishing the wedding.  It’s best to just get it done and into the hands of the anxious couple.  Most wedding photographers aren’t able to offer quick turn around so if you can hand the DVD to the couple a few days after they get back from the honeymoon, you will look like the best business person EVER!  They will tell all their friends/family about you and your video services.

So there you have it.  Get people to know who you are, your work ethic and that you offer quick turn around and you will have customers lining up.

Tell me what you think in the comments…

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Start it up!

I keep hearing from people how bad the economy is as well as the job market, home market and lending market. From all the reports I would agree, it does look pretty bleak. What if I had a built in market that will never stop and will continue to come back. Sounds pretty good eh?

One of the many things about video production is that their is a built in market. Wedding videos. There are a little over 2.2 million wedding a year…and ya know what? Most of them will want their wedding filmed. They may choose a friend or family member or they may chose a big, expensive company to film their wedding. Either way, you have a market that is reoccurring. No matter what the economy, there will be people that want someone to film the wedding. Doesn’t that sound great. It doesn’t matter if you film weddings full time, part time or are just getting into the “biz”, wedding videography is a great place to be…whatever the market looks like.

Follow me over the coming months as we talk about wedding videography and how to make the most of it. My goal is that you will improve your video, no matter what your current skill and knowledge leve.

How to price your video…and make the money you want.

Pricing is the best part of the job. You can literally make what you want to make regardless of where you live. I would say, if you’ve never filmed a wedding, to keep it under $1000 (at least for your first wedding). Search online around your area to see what others are charging. Remember, their will always be “cheap” and “discounted” wedding videographers in the area but they will always stay in those price ranges. Once you set a price and the word gets out, it’s hard to up your fees. The best time to do that is when weddings are slow which is usually around January through February. I have met people who filmed weddings at under $500 and have never been able to raise their rates because they attract the kind of people who will only pay for a $500 wedding video. Your prices reflect your clients pockets. Are they the type of client who will pay anything for the wedding or are scraping by and trying to find the cheapest deal. If you have a couple who complains about your price, remind them that they will be able to watch this forever and you can’t put a price on the memory (don’t get too cheesy or they won’t book you).
If your plan is to get into the market with cheaper prices ALWAYS put the full price (let’s say $800) and give them a 50% discount. That way, if anyone asks you can tell them that you charge $800. Like I said before, it’s hard to bump up your prices once you are labeled a “discount” videographer. Your reputation follows you.
So, it’s up to you…what do you want to make and what type of clients do you want to work with? Look for future posts about finding Clients (which are good) and Grinders (which will waste your life away).

Confidence

In wedding videos there is one thing that separates the people who make money and those that don’t. It’s confidence. Most wedding videographers create the same product but one charges well under $1000 and the other starts his basic package at $1000. Confidence will put money in your pocket. I have seen almost exact wedding packages, demos, and websites yet one will charge double or triple what the competitor charges. Is it because of experience, equipment, location, length of editing, or some other mystery? I say, it all boils down to confidence.

Agree or disagree?  How does experience fit into this equation?