Episode #50: Where to find creativity for your wedding videos

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wedding video creativity tips

If you’ve been doing wedding videos for very long, chances are that you’ve used a lot of the same tricks and techniques.  This can make your videos seem canned or like a basic template.  How can you get out of the “wedding video creative rut”?  In this episode, I’ll share several things that I do to keep myself creative and excited about what I do.

What do you do to continue to innovate and get creative ideas?  Share some ideas in the comments below!

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Do you want to learn how to grow your wedding video business?

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Do you want to learn how to grow your wedding video business?

Check out these audio tutorials:

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Tell me what you think!  What do you do to insure the wedding video looks AND sounds great while shooting outside?  Leave your comments below.  

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Do you want to learn how to grow your wedding video business?

Check out these audio tutorials:

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Episode #38: Interview with Melissa Barney of www.TheBrideAndGroom.com

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www.TheBrideandGroom.com

This podcast features an interview with someone who is not only familiar with wedding videography but also marketing and the overall needs of the wedding industry.  In this episode she’ll share how to market your video services, why social media should be a part of your business and tips to improve your wedding video business.  I think you’ll enjoy her advice and fun personality!

Check out more audio shows on this site about marketing, video production and social media.  Click the play button on the blue audio player below the subscribe buttons.

Bio of Melissa Barney:
Melissa Barney is the content manager of the wedding website www.thebrideandgroom.com. As she began her career helping her husband with his videography business and later on the bridal shows he produced, she found a deep passion & desire to be part of such a fun, ever changing industry. She loves the wedding industry & has a passion for finding the latest trends, fashions, & unique ideas for weddings so that she can share them with brides and grooms. Her goal is to help wedding vendors succeed in their business as they share their experience, knowledge, talents & ideas. Melissa loves helping both brides as well as wedding vendors & her site is created to do both.

You can contact her here:
email:
Melissa (at) brideandgroommarketing.com
Facebook:
1.  Melissa Roundy Barney
2.  She has created a facebook page which is devoted to inspire & help wedding vendors be successful: The bride and groom.com vendors.
3.  Her website can also be found on facebook at: The Bride and Groom.com.
Twitter:
@mbarney5
@Thebridengroom.

[Read more...]

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Tell me what you think!  What do you do to insure the wedding video looks AND sounds great while shooting outside?  Leave your comments below.  

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Episode #33: 4 problems to look for during the ceremony

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esc button The more weddings you do, the more you may find some issues that may arise.  I’ve found that a few things keep coming up over the years and I want to make sure you know about them and how to successfully work around them.  Even though issues come up, I’ve found that dealing with them professionally can help you bring in new clients.

What did you think of the episode?  Give me some feedback in the comments below.

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Do you want to learn how to grow your wedding video business?

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Tell me what you think!  What do you do to insure the wedding video looks AND sounds great while shooting outside?  Leave your comments below.  

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Do you want to learn how to grow your wedding video business?

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Episode #32: 7 things you have to film at the end of the ceremony

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camera lensNow that we’ve reached the end of the ceremony (in our podcast sessions), let’s talk about what you NEED to film in order to create a great wedding video.  I’ll go over 7 things that you have to film at the end of the ceremony based on my experience.  There are very similar things that happen in many weddings and you can anticipate the action that will come.

Leave a message and let me know what you thought of this podcast.  I’d love to know!

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Tell me what you think!  What do you do to insure the wedding video looks AND sounds great while shooting outside?  Leave your comments below.  

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Do you want to learn how to grow your wedding video business?

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Episode #31: 7 variables that happen during the wedding ceremony

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Improve my wedding video: ceremonyYou can plan and prepare, talk to the wedding planner and the bride and groom but there are several things that may surprise you during the wedding ceremony as you video it.  In this episode I’ll share 7 variables that happen during the wedding ceremony.  I’ve found that as good as I am with planning, and that I have a lot of experience in my wedding video business, there are still things that may surprise me.

What surprises have you found in the wedding ceremony or your wedding video business?  Leave any feedback below.  Also look me up on Twitter.  Twitter.com/TrueFocusMedia

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Tell me what you think!  What do you do to insure the wedding video looks AND sounds great while shooting outside?  Leave your comments below.  

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Do you want to learn how to grow your wedding video business?

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Episode 30: 6 things you must film during the wedding ceremony

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Improve my wedding video: wedding entrancesThere are a lot of things that happen during the wedding ceremony.  If you’re not prepared you might be surprised at what happens during the wedding and it will affect how you video the wedding ceremony.  In this episode, I’ll go over 6 things you must film during the wedding ceremony.

Feel free to leave some comments.  What do you think about this episode?  How are you starting a wedding video business?  I’d love to hear how you shoot and edit wedding videos and how you are doing in your wedding video business.

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Do you want to learn how to grow your wedding video business?

Check out these audio tutorials:

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Tell me what you think!  What do you do to insure the wedding video looks AND sounds great while shooting outside?  Leave your comments below.  

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Do you want to learn how to grow your wedding video business?

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Episode #24: How to film a wedding with one camera

tripod

What do you need to know when shooting a wedding video with one camera?  There are some advantages and disadvantages of shooting a wedding with one camera.  Some of those are during the actual shoot and some advantages and disadvantages happen when you’re editing a wedding video.

I’ll share with you what I’ve learned in the past from using just one video camera during a wedding.

This episode is now a part of the “audio bundle series”. You can find it by clicking here

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Tell me what you think!  What do you do to insure the wedding video looks AND sounds great while shooting outside?  Leave your comments below.  

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Do you want to learn how to grow your wedding video business?

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Episode #10: Lessons for a shooting wedding video in a large chapel

Chapel I was recently at a wedding with a HUGE chapel and will share my insights on how to shoot a wedding video at a large chapel.  Their are challenges at a venue like this but also many similarities between a normal sized wedding chapel.  I’ll discuss what to keep in mind at such a location and walk through how to set up and shoot a great looking wedding video.

This episode is now a part of the “audio bundle series”. You can find it by clicking here

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Do you want to learn how to grow your wedding video business?

Check out these audio tutorials:

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Tell me what you think!  What do you do to insure the wedding video looks AND sounds great while shooting outside?  Leave your comments below.  

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Do you want to learn how to grow your wedding video business?

Check out these audio tutorials:

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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.

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Do you want to learn how to grow your wedding video business?

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Tell me what you think!  What do you do to insure the wedding video looks AND sounds great while shooting outside?  Leave your comments below.  

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Do you want to learn how to grow your wedding video business?

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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.

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Do you want to learn how to grow your wedding video business?

Check out these audio tutorials:

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Tell me what you think!  What do you do to insure the wedding video looks AND sounds great while shooting outside?  Leave your comments below.  

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Do you want to learn how to grow your wedding video business?

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Products and Services

The more I meet beginner videographers, the more I realize they have the passion and drive to do a great job filming but they need the information. I would have loved during my first years to have the “secrets of the pros”. I’ve done enough wedding and corporate videos to be able to help beginners raise their level of success to the next level.

What are some products and services I could develop and provide? I would love to have ideas, checklists, documents and other resources available to download both for free and for a fee that would help beginners raise their skills to the next level. One of my first weddings, I somehow missed the bride walking down the aisle. I think I was checking my settings or something. Thankfully I had a second camera set up that got most of it. If I would have had some information from a professional I would have known how to deal with the couple during the meeting, what to expect the day of the wedding, and how to deliver a great project. It took me countless weddings and several years to perfect my craft.

So again….what tips and tricks would you like me to provide that would help you film weddings (or even corporate videos) and take you to the next level? Respond back and I’ll get started ASAP.

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Do you want to learn how to grow your wedding video business?

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Tell me what you think!  What do you do to insure the wedding video looks AND sounds great while shooting outside?  Leave your comments below.  

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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.

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Do you want to learn how to grow your wedding video business?

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Tell me what you think!  What do you do to insure the wedding video looks AND sounds great while shooting outside?  Leave your comments below.  

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Do you want to learn how to grow your wedding video business?

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The Biz…gotta love it

I filmed a wedding the other week (not a big deal since I am a videographer) and I again was encouraged by the amount of people wanting to be on camera and asking what I do. They were intrigued by the fact that I own my own company and work when I want and for whom I want. They were impressed by my camera as well as my audio equipment. I always tell people that a great investment is a good looking camera. You don’t have to know how to use each button and feature at first but people will respect you more when you have a decent camera.

I was also reminded of setting up before the wedding so no surprises happen. At the last minute I was asked to put a personal camera on stage. I usually don’t do these last minute things but since I knew some of the people involved in the wedding, I obliged. If I had guessed where everyone was standing, I wouldn’t have put the camera in the right place but since I had done the homework and asked the right people, I knew where to put the camera so it would get great placement.

Just remember, do what you love and keep the dream alive that you can start, run and succeed at owning your own video production company. Even if it’s only on week nights and weekends.

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Do you want to learn how to grow your wedding video business?

Check out these audio tutorials:

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Tell me what you think!  What do you do to insure the wedding video looks AND sounds great while shooting outside?  Leave your comments below.  

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Do you want to learn how to grow your wedding video business?

Check out these audio tutorials:

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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).

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Do you want to learn how to grow your wedding video business?

Check out these audio tutorials:

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Tell me what you think!  What do you do to insure the wedding video looks AND sounds great while shooting outside?  Leave your comments below.  

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Do you want to learn how to grow your wedding video business?

Check out these audio tutorials:

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