Wedding videography and DVD production FAQs: Matt Barwick Multimedia: Gold Coast, Brisbane, Byron Bay, Tweed Coast, Northern Rivers

WEDDING VIDEO FAQs

Why choose video to remember your day?
There is no other medium that can truly capture the feeling and emotion of your day like video. Photos are fantastic and are a great way to preserve elements of your wedding day, but they are limited, in that they are just a static image of a particular point in your day - no matter how well they are presented, they are limited by the nature of the medium.
Only video has the ability to capture stunning moving images and equally as importantly, the audio from your day. How else will you remember how your vows sounded, or what was said in the speeches when you're celebrating your 30th, 40th or 50th year anniversary?

According to a recent survey by WEVA of recent newlyweds, as opposed to brides-to-be:
Of surveyed brides, 38% did not have their weddings videotaped by anyone – amateur or professional, and apparently have some regrets. 63% of them now either somewhat or strongly recommend that future brides hire a professional videographer. To view the full results of the survery click here.

Why not get a friend or guest to video the day?
Would you be happy for them to sew the dress, perform the ceremony or make the cake? You wouldn't trust any of these duties to anyone but a professional, so why would you want an amateur filming and editing your wedding video?
Trying to cut corners on a video is most probably a decision you'll regret. It's only when you sit down weeks or months after the day to watch it that you'll think - "I can't hear the vows at all" or "all I can see is the ground " or "The footage is so shaky - why didn't we get this done properly?"
This is a special day that should be given the respect it deserves - one of the most important rites of passage that we go through as humans deserves to be captured properly and by a professional.

Why does professional wedding video production cost what it does?
Professional wedding videography still remains one of the most undervalued wedding services in Australia. Consider this;

On your day, there video production will involve many thousands of dollars in equipment used to ensure that it is captured properly. In addition to the camera equipment, there are microphones, professional video tripods, additional audio sources and so on.

Up to 12 hours on the day (not including pre-wedding footage) is spent by a professional videographer, a master of their craft, under challenging and sometimes ever-changing conditions. It's a once-in-a-lifetime event, where there is only one chance to get it right - it's not a feature film, where there are multiple takes.

Once the footage is aquired, this is when the real work begins. Depending on the package and final product, a wedding video DVD can take up to 40 - 50 hours to edit from start to finish, on many, many more thousands of dollars worth of equipment.

In total, there is a trained, accredited professional working on your wedding video with tens of thousands of dollars worth of equipment for over 60 hours!. With the exception of the photographer, there is no other service that comes close to devoting that amount of time on your wedding. Now imagine what a hire care and chauffer for 60 hours would cost you...
The adage "you get what you pay for" certainly rings true for professional wedding videography. If a video production business seems to be offering a service that is much cheaper than the alternatives, there's generally a reason behind it.

What about audio?
In years gone by, wedding videos had a bad rap, due in no small part to the sub-par audio quality that was being produced. This is now a thing of the past. Hearing a bride or groom recite their vows, or say "I do" is priceless. To capture these moments, prior to the ceremony we attach a small, discrete lapel microphone to the groom (or officiant where applicable). This ensures the audio on the day is crystal clear. We also set up smaller audio recorders in appropriate locations during the ceremony (e.g. at lecterns for readings, recitals etc.) Even in challenging audio situations like beach weddings, our audio quality sets us apart.

Do you use external lighting?
Our camera equipment is excellent in low light situations, so in most cases additional lighting is unnecessary. However, video cameras love light, and sometimes it can be a trade-off. On the occassions where additional lighting is needed, we use a very diffused, soft lighting system (as low as 3-10W - by comparison, most household light bulbs are around 60-75W). This ensures there are no squinting guests due to blinding lights!

What style of videos do you produce?
Our wedding videos are often described as contemporary, classical and timeless.
Contemporary: in that they are shot and edited in a modern, up to date style that maintatins pleasing visual aspects at all times.
Classical: in that the footage and editing is done in an elegant fashion. We do not use any tacky effects - any that are used are done tastefully and in a subtle style and blend seamlessly into the final production.
Timeless: in that although the fashions or music of your day may date - the way in which your wedding video is produced will not. It will be a pleasure for generations to watch many years from now.

Who to choose?
There are a number of methods that you can use to select your wedding videographer - you will hear a lot of jargon and lingo during your research. Many vendors will dazzle you with industry terms such as: 3CCD cameras, HD, 16:9 widescreen, radio mics, low lux rated cameras, mpeg2 compression, DVD authoring, motion menus, shotgun mics, non-linear editing and so on that by the end of it, it all sounds like gobbledy gook and you feel like just deciding to go with anyone whose footage seems remotely acceptable.
All these things mentioned are important and have their place, but in our opinion, the 2 most important factors when choosing a video production business for your wedding video are these:

You admire previous wedding video work (video and audio) and would like your day captured, edited and produced and remembered in a similar style and;
You 'click' with the videographer

Of the 2 points, the 1st probably goes without saying, but the 2nd is probably one of the most overlooked. You will spend more time with your videographer than anyone else on the day. They are the only ones that will be with you from start to finish: from getting ready to the end of the reception - this can be up to 12 hours of more (not including any pre-wedding footage taken). Before spending this amount of time with someone, and entrusting the capturing of the most important day of your life with them, you want to ensure that you get along - they can have a huge bearing on your day.
Imagine the difference between:

a videographer that runs the day like it's their show: orchestrating shots, giving orders, getting into personal space or;
one that is skilled and unobtrusive and captures your day barely being noticed

The two of them are worlds apart.

One of the most common wedding video compliments we receive from couples whose wedding videos we've produced is that they don't remember seeing us much on the day - we blend in seamlessly and don't hijack your day. We realise that our job is to capture your day - not run it.

What kind of turnaround do you offer? When can we expect our DVDs?
We have a turnaround of 8-10 weeks from your wedding date, assuming we have all necessary material (music selections, baby photographs etc.) We have a disciplined editing schedule, and will not promise things we cannot deliver. Like all good things, they are well worth waiting for. However, for those couples that need their DVDs sooner than the normal timetable, we do offer a priority editing option. Contact us for more details on this.

Our work, our passion ...
Each wedding video we produce is a 'hand crafted' work of art that tells the story of your day the way it happened. We do not use any 'cookie cutter' or 'canned effects' to produce our videos - everything is unique to your wedding.

We present the finished DVDs to you in an individually designed cover, consisting of still frames taken from the footage of the day. The covers in themselves are spectacular and the perfect way to present the priceless memories of your day.

Having filmed wedding videos from Caloundra to Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Byron Bay to Sydney and as far south as Mollymook on the south coast of NSW, our relaxed nature and experience in all kinds of situations gives you the piece of mind on the day that only a professional can offer. We have filmed nearly every denomination and kind of wedding you can imagine.

Please take the time to look around the video still frame or wedding video galleries - you should get a good feel for the style that our wedding videos are produced in from there. If you would like a free demo wedding DVD sent out, then contact us with your wedding date and details and also any questions and if the date's available, one will be sent out to you straight away. This will allow you to sit back in the comfort of your own home and view our work.

Congratulations on your engagement - you've got a wonderful and exciting time of your life in front of you! We hope you decide to select us to help you capture your day. It would be an honour.