How To Shoot A Wedding Video Like A Professional
Covering a wedding is exciting to work in the field of videography, but the pressure of capturing exceptional footage is higher here than in any other kind of video shoot. As a wedding videographer, you only get one chance to film the iconic moments, as retakes are not an option. Besides this, you need to be proactive in capturing lively candid moments that contribute to the memories of the couple’s big day.
If you have no experience in wedding videography, you must build your filming skills before diving right into capturing cinematic wedding videos. At the same time, if you are a professional videographer and a friend of the couple who’s asked you to do their wedding film, we suggest that you thoroughly prepare yourself. Even if you’re looking to improve your wedding videography skills, preparation is going to make all the difference in your output.
To help you prepare thoroughly for your next wedding video shoot, Xpression Video Productions has put together a list of tips on how to shoot a wedding video like a professional.
1. Understand the couple’s expectations and make realistic promises.
It’s not possible to capture every minute of the wedding, and this is one thing your clients or the couple need to know. Don’t explode their expectations by promising to cover everything, but rather let them understand the crucial parts that you will be covering. These include the preparation, the ceremony, park photos, and the reception. Most wedding videos usually last between 5 minutes to about two hours, and this is not adequate to cover every second of the event.
2. Decide on your equipment and style.
Essential gear for a wedding shoot includes a camera, tripod, headphones, batteries, memory cards, a microphone, and probably different kinds of lenses. You also need other nonessential, but highly recommended items such as on-camera lights, a monopod tripod, and a wireless microphone. You may be tempted to carry the whole lighting kit, but this is not recommended as you need to be light and very mobile during the video shoot. Besides, using the available light will be less invasive and give natural results as compared to incorporating professional video lighting. Learn more about wedding videography gear.
The tripods and monopods are a must-have as they will come in handy and help in stabilization to avoid shaky shots. They will also be useful in holding the cameras in the right posture if the ceremony goes on for long, and your hands become tired. Equally important are the various kinds of lenses you will use. Decide on the suitable lenses with the appropriate focal lengths and apertures. These should be decided by the style you will adopt for the shooting.
3. Get the right shots.
Once you have your equipment ready and you have settled on the preferred shooting style, it’s time to get the cameras rolling. As the wedding cinematographer, you should not get to the venue with the wedding parties. You need to arrive early and consult with the wedding planner or the officiating clergy over the wedding program.
The essence of this is to let you know from where both the bride and the groom will enter the venue, the various sitting arrangements, and if there are any special activities planned. With this information, you can decide on the best places to have the cameras stationed, and you will also know where you should be and at what time to get the best shots. A great tip is to have the wedding program with you.
4. Know what shots to take for the ceremony.
Before the ceremony begins, you need to have your camera ready for entry. Ideally, you need to set up somewhere behind the altar so that you get excellent and direct shots of the parties as they walk in. Before the parties make their entry, be sure to take some close-up shots of the decorations, the flowers, and the guests.
While the parties make their entry, film them as they are walking down the aisle. Do not follow each individual with the camera unless they are doing something unique and worth capturing alone. Otherwise, be in a fixed place and take medium shots while allowing each one to walk in and out of your focal point.
To capture the bride’s entrance, you should have the camera already focused on her. As she walks down the aisle, take medium shots of her. Once she gets to the altar and exchanges pleasantries with the groom, then walks towards the officiating clergy, change your position to either left or right of the altar. This is where you will get the best shots of the bride and the groom, especially when they will be exchanging wedding vows.
Here are some of the shots you should never miss during the actual ceremony:
The bride’s entry as she walks down the aisle
The groom when he first lays his eyes on the bride
The wedding vows
The first kiss as husband and wife
The newlyweds as they walk back after exchanging vows
5. Know what shots to take for the reception.
The reception is usually a bit casual, with a lot of funny things worth capturing. It is recommended that you get to know the reception venue beforehand and decide on the best places for you to set up your equipment. Be sure to capture all the highlights such as the couple’s entry into the venue, the cutting of the cake, toasts, the first dance, and also the bouquet toss. Don’t forget to take some close shots of the venue, the registration book, the cake before they cut it, the table settings, invitations, and any other elements that might look conspicuous and worth capturing.
It is also recommended that you don’t give much attention to people eating or messing up themselves with food. It would be embarrassing for these people to see themselves once the video is out, and your conduct and professionalism may be doubted.
6. Follow the photographer.
Finally, it would be a good idea to follow the photographer. During the ceremony and the reception, the wedding photographer will take certain posed photos, and this would be a good chance for you to take candid videos of the party as well. Again, you can take advantage of the photographer’s directions and record for a few seconds while they take their shots. Try to be courteous to the photographer and never get into their shots, unless, of course, they tell you otherwise.
7. Structure the editing process.
Once you have the raw shots, the final video will depend on the kind of video editing you will have to make. You may choose to edit in a chronological or time-shift structure wedding video. The style all depends on your brand of service and client expectations. Never try to create something that your client is not aware of or expecting. Tell a story that is both engaging and emotional.
To produce beautiful output, it is vital to invest in decent and professional video editing software. There are many editing programs you can use, including Filmora Wondershare Video Editor, Pinnacle Studio 16 Ultimate, AVS Video Editor, Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro X, iMovie 11, Corel Video Studio Pro, and many others.
While editing, be careful not to use copyrighted images, video clips, or background music. Only use the royalty-free ones or the ones for which you have obtained copyrights. There are plenty of online websites that sell music licensing. A simple search on Google will reveal to you a plethora of sources where you can find royalty-free materials for your videos. We specifically purchase our licensed wedding and commercial music from The Music Bed.
Ultimately, you need to remember that this is the most important day in the couple’s life. Respect and professionalism must go hand in hand. Strive at all times and dedicate your thoughts, efforts, and energies towards getting the best shots of them and their guests. That way, you will have a wedding video that the couple will love, and you will always be proud of your work and contribution to the success of their big day.
For more tips on how to film professional wedding videos, reach out to Xpression Video Productions. We are leading wedding videographers in Toronto and the rest of Ontario. Our team of creative storytellers is talented in artistically capturing and delivering the look and feel of different occasions. We always put our clients’ expectations and requirements first. Whether they are looking for a professional wedding and event videographer to accompany them on their special day or a professional wedding video editor who will edit a beautiful video of the event, we have exactly what they need.
To learn more about our wedding videography services, please click here or get in touch with us by clicking here.
