The Key to Do-It-Yourself Wedding Video Success: Pre-Production

Posted on March 13, 2008
Filed Under Pre-Production | Comments Off

Preproduction

Ask any professional videographer about the most important element of a professional wedding video and they will all say the same thing: pre-production.

If you want to produce a beautiful wedding video, save time, money, unnecessary work and frustration, the majority of your focus should be placed on pre-production.

This element is so important, if you skip it or pay little attention to it, you can count on having a very disappointing outcome. However, if you put you energies into this critical step, you’re going to have a smooth production experience that will ultimately result in a finished production that you will be proud to present to the bride and groom.

Pre-production involves both the bridal couple and whoever is going to produce the wedding video.

The bridal couple has three pre-production tasks:

  1. Talk about, agree to and outline specifically what they want captured (videotaped) on their wedding day.
  2. Decide who they want to be in charge of producing the video: a friend or family member…or even a professional videographer
  3. At least two weeks before the wedding, talk to the designated producer, give him your notes and be clear about exactly what is to be videotaped because if you don’t shoot it you won’t have it.

The pre-production tasks for the producer include but are not limited to:

  1. Talk to the bridal couple to establish expectations for the wedding video. If you have questions don’t hesitate to ask. Take clear notes.
  2. Get all video/audio equipment together. A minimum of two cameras is strongly suggested…three are even better. At least one of the video cameras should include:
    • jack for external audio (Mic In) headphone
    • external light jack
    • flip out view screen
    • internal camera microphone
    • AC power adapter.
    • Two, fully-charged batteries for each camera
  3. Provide a tripod for each cameraRegardless of what type of camera you’re using, a tripod is the one piece of equipment that cannot be omitted.
  4. Make sure to have enough blank videotape cassettes for each camera. If you’re not sure how many to buy, just ask the bride how long she thinks the wedding to be, then buy enough videotape to cover twice that length of time.

    5. Example: If the bride tells you she expects the wedding to last one hour (60 minutes) then buy enough tape to cover two hours (120 minutes) for each camera. This way, you are likely to have enough tape to cover both the wedding and the reception. Too many tapes are better than not having enough.

  5. Be at the wedding rehearsal

The producer should complete the first four pre-production tasks no later than one week before the wedding rehearsal/wedding.

These pre-production steps will put you well on your way to making a do-it-yourself wedding video look as professional as the professionals.

Click here to learn more professional Wedding Video Secrets!

Comments

Installed by SimpleScripts