Most good videographers provide wedding couples a priceless record of their wedding, shot with professional high-grade digital equipment, with their wedding beautifully edited to tell a story, a story that captures the faces, the sound, the mood, and the joy of the moment, so the wedding couple can share with friends on special occasions and to share with those they weren't there and to share your wedding with children and grandchildren that weren't born yet.
In your search for a good videographer, you want to find a videographer that can produce the style you want your wedding be, a videographer that communicates well in working with others, and producing a good video is an art that requires a lot of experience. The videographer has to have strong communication skills in order for the wedding couple, bridal party, wedding guests, and other professional vendors know what to expect and do for the video so the video comes out well. The video sequences are different than a movie, you can't yell cut and do the scene over, things have to come together in one cut.
Most wedding videographers worth their salt will present a ton of ideas as to how to shoot your wedding ceremony, your wedding reception and other wedding related events and present your ideas with themes, motives, and musical scores with meaning to your montage. The wedding videographers will set the scene by videoing your location and settings prior to your arrival.
You nay be asked to have a wireless microphone placed on your person. A popular wireless microphone used today is called a lavalier which clearly pickup the words you most want to hear, hopefully "I do". You want a videographer that works well with other wedding vendors particularly cooperatively with your still photographer to insure each captures optimum results.
When you meet with each videographer that you interview, ask for a demo tape from each and go through their portfolios thoroughly to determine whether they can shoot an entire wedding wedding with a style you like or do they just produce occasional good shots. Focus on style and how the videographer communicates with those around to create a special keepsake from your special day.
Interview Questions for your Wedding Videographer
1-Ask for a business card, what is the name, address, phone number, and website address of the videography studio?
2-What is the name and phone number of the videograper you are interviewing?
3-Are you the videographer that would be shooting our wedding or would it be another videographer person? if it's another get that person's phone and number?
4-Is the videographer available to shoot the date of our wedding? (if no, can we change the date of our wedding or the interview is over)
5-How long has the video studio been in business?
6-How many years has the videographer been shooting weddings?
7-How many wedding videos has the videographer shot?
8-Does the videographer do videography full time or part time? if part time, what does the videographer do when not shooting weddings?
9-When the videographer shoots weddings, how many assistants help him shoot weddings?
10-What would the videographer say their style is? (documentary, cinematic, other) explain your style!
11-What's the videographer's storytelling approach at the wedding?
12-How does the videographer communicate with the wedding couple? bridal party? family members? wedding guests? and other wedding professionals?
13-Is the videographer familiar with our ceremony site? reception location? wedding shoot locations?
14-Does the videographer visit the ceremony site, reception location, and other wedding venues before the date of the wedding?
15-Has the videographer worked any weddings similar to ours? does the videographer have any videos of their work that was similar to ours? if yes can we borrow the video to view how it went?
16-Can we see a demo of weddings and/or events you have worked before?
17-Who keeps the raw footage of your shooting? can we get a copy of the raw footage?
18-Can we see you in action and observe another wedding or event that you videotape?
19-What type of equipment, cameras, tapes, and microphones used in your video work? (After the interview, when you have time, research the equipment planned to be used)
20-How long will it take to edit the footage? how does the editing process work in the shop?
21-When will you arrive at the wedding and how long will you shoot?
22-How is the lighting handled when shooting the wedding? what if it's a dismal day? how is inside lighting handled? are bridal montages shot another day if there is inclement weather?
23-Does the videographer do his own editing or use an assistant?
24-What video packages are available? what are the prices for the packages? are there any hidden fees we need to know about?
25-Do we get to review the videos before they are finished? can we ask for any changes to the videos before the video is final?
26-Do the packages include titles for the videos? if not could a title be added? if so, at what cost?
27-Do the packages include music for the videos? if not could music be added? if so, at what cost? do we have a say on the music?
28-Do you bring along backup equipment in the event of any equipment failure? if so, what type of equipment?
29-What happens should you become ill for our wedding day or if you have a family emergency? do you have a backup person?
30-Are there any special electrical outlets you need for access for the wedding?
31-How does the videographer count overtime and how would it be calculated?
32-Determine the plan that would be best, what would the final cost of the plans we would be interested in? can we customize any packages to our wishes?
33-Do you provide a written contract and a guarantee? (written contract or no deal)
34-Can we take a contract home to review, before we sign it?
35-To insure we book you as our wedding videographer, what date must we book the contract by?
36-When would the videographer require a deposit and when would final payment be due?
37-What is your cancellation policy and are you insured?
38-What questions do you need answered from me, such as information on family members?
39-Can your videos include montages and predictions from family members, bridal party, and wedding guests of what the future holds for us 20 years out?
40-Does your company handle 3D weddings? if not, do you know companies in the area that does 3D weddings? (3D wedding equipment has come out, only a handful of companies do 3D weddings at this time)
41-Can you provide references of wedding couples that have made a video similar to ours? (try to get 3 and make contact with at least 2).
Use the questions above as a guideline for your interview, interview a number of companies before deciding which one to book and check the contract thoroughly, that all costs are understood. Find a videographer in which you like their style and you are comfortable working with and are good at communicating. Check demos out carefully. If you can't afford a videographer, which you should try to get, ask family members bring along their video phones and video cameras and ask if they can send a copy, at least you will have some video snippets from your wedding.
Make sure you get a good video group to tape your wedding!
See you on the other side!
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