So, I'll start by saying:
I learned alot, and I'm extremely excited about the future!
So, where to begin. I'm gonna just go through the day. Please read, and please respond!
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The equipment list we ended up with for wedding #1
(2) Sony Vx2000's with low hours each
(1) Samsung "best buy" camera
(1) 70" basic best buy "pro" tripod
(1) Bogen/Manfrotto 503 HDV fluid head w/ bogen/man tripod 70" or so (approx. 650.00 package..partner bought it)
(1) Flycam setup (glidecam)
(1) Sony minidisc recorder using the azden wms pro handheld mic)
(1) Azden WMS Pro wireless mic setup
(2) Sony 10w/20w lights using sony batteries
(1) Marantz 660
Just as a note, we did attend the rehearsal, and all seemed well. Audio guy was ready, we were clear on all activities. The photographers didn't come to the rehearsal, and the bride said they had shot there before and that was why.
Day begins at the church 12:00pm:
We arrive, equipment in hand, and immediately start setting up audio. My partner breaks out the minidisc, and attaches the azden mic by rubber band to the pulpit (readers location), while I take the marantz to the church coordinator.
Turns out the audio guy isn't showing up, and they are clueless to hook up the marantz. They don't want to be bothered, but do say their system will burn a cd of all the church audio. So I accept that offer, and with that figure, that's one backup down.
I then setup and balance my glidecam, and start getting some outside shots. At about that time the photogs show up. They avoid us for the mostpart and start shooting their stuff. The one is pretty rude, and likes making comments under his breath (we had a word later that ended all that
). So, i take the initiative and go to the head photog and introduce my partner and I. I offer that I want to be coordinated with him, and he merely states "he'll be up front". I tell him that the priest very specifically said after the candle lighting, everyone goes in back. He's knows nothing (surprise! you didn't come to the rehearsal, imagine that).
So, we go about our business. I catch the limo's delivering the bride and her peeps, then the groom and his. The bridal room SUCKS!! It's horribly decorated, no windows, no nice furniture, a SINK! Everything else in the church is on lockdown. I'm HIGHLY disappointed that I truly ended up with just about nothing in shooting her. I got some interaction between her and the bridesmaids, and caught some of the photography session, but it straight up sucked.
During that time, via wireless comm., my partner is getting guests coming in, seating, etc.
I then head over to the groom, and find them FINALLY. They are in the priests study, which is a WRECK! Once again, back in a hallway, no rooms opened, no opened areas, very cramped. Once again...I got squat!
Aggravated, I grab the best man and demand some ring action. I find a piano that's got a dark stain, and do some things with my light and a tripod'd cam. Then, before I know it, it's 15 minutes til start.
I glidecam some shots going through the hosts into the church area. I then move to the front and get the parents and grandparents getting sat. Stuff begins, and I share the front with the photog. We stay out of each others way, and I glidecam it all, with my partner at the end of the center aisle getting from the back. The third cam is tripod'd at the left of the alter facing the kneeler where the bride and groom will be.
All goes well, and I move to the back. My partner moves more center aisle, while I have a safe shot. He stays tripod'd and has the grooms wireless fed to his cam. I move around the back getting various shots, and closeups. My partner isn't very good at shooting at all, so he basically just stood behind his camera and got the safe shot.
I shoot the entire thing tripod'd but moving around, but then at communion switch (and rebalance glidecam) JUST in time for the rose at the blessed mother. This is in a remote area of the church, and I am on it. The photog is running across the back of the church because he didn't know it was coming.
From there, I glidecam walking backwards in front of them as they walk out. Some receiving action happens, while my partner is tripod'd high on a bench, and I glidecam close to them.
We head back inside for pictures. I glide around, but the photog controls that deal. I get what I can, but no attention is paid to me. I just grab what's happening during the process, then sweep in front of them between poses.
The end of that
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The photography location
We get to the photography location and I am gliding around, while my partner captures the scene from tripod. The bride is VERY happy with us so far. She grabs me and says how thrilled she is, and how the entire wedding party is amazed we've brought so much energy to the event.
Once again, the photog runs this deal and I glide around. I capture alot of funny comments, alot of bridal party fun, and alot of poses while they get shot by the photog. No poses are done specifically for me. This is something I have to get opinions on. I want some love for my camera, but just have to figure out how/when to go after it when the photog dominates this process.
Anyway, I get what I can and we split.
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Reception- Sheraton Grand Ballroom
We arrive there, and immediately get with the DJ. My partner bought, and has been in possession of the Marantz. I've handled booking our weddings, producing and getting contracts signed, researching equipment needs, shooting the hard stuff, coordinating everything...and this guy had NO idea how to use this marantz. Luckily the DJ is willing to help him and they are reading the freakin manual together! I'm SLIGHTLY aggravated, so I leave the area and start shooting the room, the food, the center pieces, the card tables...etc.
So, at this point, I'm hurting bad. I can't carry this glidecam anymore, and I go handheld. Not to mention, I can't balance the glidecam with the light mounted and a 970 sony battery
I go handheld for introductions, and my partner gets a tripod'd view. We get it all and run 10w lights on each at about 10db gain. (no idea if it's right, but on the LCD it looks ok....I know that's not a gaurantee, but this is what these first events are for...to learn right
)
So, we go through that, and they go straight to cutting cake. I get the cake cutting...my partner tripod'd again. Then comes speaches. My partner tripods and I am handheld getting multiple angles. My partner tripods about 15 feet from the table, with the dance floor between him and the party. I am handheld moving around, and I figure he's got the safe shot. So I get closeups for emotion, then move, then move. Well, while I'm moving, I see his camera unmanned. I continue to move, but notice the photog is right in front of his camera....and he's nowhere!
At this point I start safe shooting handheld and don't move. Just my luck, the 2nd best man is funny as hell, and while I try not to laugh, I probably have shake. Well, the speaches end, and there appears my partner from the floor like two tables back from his camera. He's furious and says, "well, kiss that f*ckin shot goodbye, because the photographer stood in front of my camera!". Well, I am NOT HAPPY. I very calmly say, well, why the hell didn't you move it! He says, people wanted to see the speech, and I was in their way. I'm like, "well, if you want to stoop down do it, but move the freakin camera if it's blocked!!!!!" So, that series of shots could be a problem...and I'm not happy about it.
So, from there dinner comes, and I'm exhausted. The photogs, the dj, and my parner and I are at a table. They complain about the food, complain about the drinks, complain about the lighting, complain about everything. My partner and I just welcome the break and the opportunity to eat something.
So, from there the dancing starts...we get dual positions...me handheld, him tripoded high. I avoid shooting in his direction to avoid the light...all seems well. I get closeups, he gets the safe shot...that was the plan for the entire night, and we stick to it.
Well, about 9:30 rolls around and the photogs are dipping out. I've been around the bride and her people, and they are really warming up to me....to the point they are trying to make me dance with them...lol. So, I hold the camera high as I can with the LCD turned down, and shoot down on them dancing. They love it, and before I know it the grooms sister starts gettin up on me...lol. I'm thinking, I'm outa here before someone gets pissed...plus she's hot and I'm gonna get in trouble.
So, at the brides request, she WANTS interviews. She tells me to force them, drag them, I have permission..just MAKE them do it! So my partner and I get everyone out in an opened area, and we get some GREAT interviews, plus since this is our first wedding, and technically we share an anniversary with these people, we decide to give them an anniversary surprise (like an easter egg they'll find later). We get the whole wedding party to scream "Happy Anniversary.......NOT!" The NOT part being the idea of a drunk maid of honor...but hey, she knows them well and they all agreed it'd be funny, so I'm sure they'll like it. We're gonna use it in a creative way for an anniversary surprise when they sit down to watch their video next year.
Anyway, as the alcohol flows, I'm up in the dancing. I have bridesmaids dancing in front of me, they form a soul train line with me in the middle and they are dancing down away from my cam. They are having a ridiculously good time. During this my partner comes up and says all these people came up to him outside and said we were the best videographers they'd ever seen
They say we made the wedding better for them because they were looking where we were, and that everyone was amazed how we were there, but not there. We must've laid out 50 business cards, and they were all gone! So, either we did something right, or we got lucky with a nice family. Either way, it's an unexpected thing, and it was a nice surprise.
So, as things start to wrap up at 11:30, we catch some great stuff. The groom loves michigan st. football, and the bride has the dj play the Ohio st buckeye song, and he's all mad...it was funny. Then they play some country, they are hugging, the bride and groom are making out...people are screaming, and I'm thinking...NO photographer captures this kind of moment. They are having a great time, and he's been gone for two hours.
So we are heading out and the bride and groom come over shaking our hands, hugging us. The DJ takes a bunch of our cards and says he wants to work with us much more in the future. He took alot of my music suggestions during the wedding, and he said they were so into it that they are gonna be part of his new playlist.
We walk away pretty happy. I'm exhausted, but I'm amazed, as is my partner, at how much these people loved us
. We just did what we do, and acted like ourselves...but how were we so special to these people? We were just ourselves in a young crowd, and something sold them all. I'm thinking, are videographers in this town so bad that we're this freakin impressive? Hey, might be good for us right!?
On the way home my partner apologized about the speech incident. He said he realized he was wrong, and should've moved the camera. So that's all fine.
In a post check, the church cd audio turned out good, the minidisc turned out good, and the wireless mic turned out good. So, so far so good! #1 is out of the way, and now it's time to put these 20 freakin tapes into my pc!!!!!
WHEW.....that was long, and I hope your still here. I learned alot, and the biggest disappointment to me was the pre-wedding coverage. I wanted those special dress shots, bride shots, and groom shots. I'm really disappointed in that, but what to do when they are locked in this little terrible rooms? I see some local guys demo's and they have demo's in these big grand churches...and of course they look good. A BIG HUGE grand church just plain looks good on it's own, but how do you really make something great with a freakin bland bridal room?
So, overall I'm gonna go on a limb and say this was about a 6 out of 10 performance. I'm gonna do a set of highlights first and then I have to figure out where to serve it online so that it doesn't get destroyed, like on youtube. Our site isn't up yet, so that's other stuff I...yes I, have to work on.
Alright...so let the comments flow!
