HOW TO CHOOSE A WEDDING VIDEOGRAPHER
Times have changed when it comes to filming a wedding. Back in the day it was Uncle Bob and his VHS recorder getting some zoom shots wherever possible (he’s still around by the way, he just uses an IPAD now) but now with the availability of lightweight professional DSLRs/cameras, the birth of social media and advances in mobile tech; wedding videos have become the new and refreshing way to share/memorise your big day. And because of that, there is now a big market of wedding videographers, myself included, for you to choose from – so how the hell do you pick the right one? Here’s 4 things I would consider on How to Choose a Wedding Videographer….
1. Budget
Budget is a total arse. But it’s an important thing to keep in mind when choosing a videographer because costs can range from as little as £200 – £5000 (maybe more) however there are some huge differences to be considered.
Your low range videographers are likely to be new to the game, inexperienced, ill-equipped and/or still exploring the market. That’s not to say they’re not any good but you shouldn’t be expecting the same quality of work/content of a high end videographer. If there is no portfolio of work then you need to be happy to take the risk that your wedding video may have been best left to Uncle Bob but on the flip side of the coin you may bag yourself a talented individual who is charging low prices to break into the industry. If that’s the case, it would be important to at least see something they’ve shot, it doesn’t have to be wedding but it should at least reassure you that they know how to operate a camera and record some sound.
Your high end videographers however, should have a strong portfolio of creative work and are likely to have a very unique style (something else you need to consider). They will probably have years of experience with some pretty impressive (probably multiple) cameras, high end equipment and a strong track record of delivering exceptional, possibly even award-winning videos. But understandably, and very fairly, all that experience and investment will come at a cost – but you are guaranteed to look like a superstar in your own movie.
Your mid-range videographers sit comfortably in the middle and I would say this is where you will find the biggest range of filmmakers and if you think your budget sits within the middle ground then you need to start narrowing down your choice.
2.Style
Do you want a cinematic dream-like film which makes your day appear as magically as it felt? Or do you want to belly laugh at a sneaky shot of Uncle Bob picking his nose in the corner of the room? Or do you want both? Do you want to be taken away from your guests so your videographer can direct some beautiful shots of you smooching, whispering I love you’s, having a laugh together and making you look like the stars of romantic movie or are you happy for your videographer to hide in the shadows, capturing the more natural moments as they happen so you can chill with your guests longer? Do you want speeches running over the top of your film or do you want music to be the main audio? Different videographers have different styles of delivering a wedding video, they are different artists, some are Banksy, some are Da Vinci! What style do you like? Do your research, find the videos you’re most drawn to and then find the videographers that can deliver that within your budget. Perhaps consider using key words in your searches “Cinematic Wedding Videographer” “Fun Wedding Videographer” “Naturalistic Wedding Videographer” “Alternative Wedding Videographer” “Eco-Friendly Wedding Videographer” etc etc
3. Personality
Your videographer is going to be interacting with your guests, with venue co-ordinators and with your photographer. If they’re an arse, you’re going to have trouble. Arrange a call maybe, just to gauge an idea of what they’re like to talk to, perhaps even push for a meet up.
4. Kit
There’s two parts to this; quality of kit, what are they using, what have they achieved with that kit. But perhaps more importantly, how much kit is there? Do you want lights beaming your way during speeches with 8 cameras dotted around the room so every angle/reaction is covered or would you prefer something more low key, less invasive and instead compromise on less angles? It’s not a top consideration but it’s certainly worth noting.
So there you have it, 4 things to note when you’re looking at booking a videographer, are there any considerations I may have missed? Let me know in the comments below :)