noni films & media: video production, social media, communications and marketing services on maui

Why Weddings are like Movie Sets: (formerly: Fostering Wedding Planner – Wedding Videographer Communication)

September 2, 2009 at 12:51 pm Leave a comment

Wedding ceremonies and receptions are a lot like movie sets. While they may certainly differ in size, location, and budget, there are some very clear parallels.

Before the main event (ceremony or film shoot), multiple teams of people scurry about, setting up furniture, props, decorative elements, makeup and hair, wardrobe, lighting, sound, and other audio/visual gear. Then there’s the cast of characters- the bride and groom, the officiant, flower designers, catering staff, and the list goes on. If they’re not already working at the event, they are getting ready, even rehearsing their lines for the big moment.

If a wedding was a movie set, the wedding planner would be The Producer. It’s their job to carefully set up a framework for executing a perfect event, holding the “big picture” in mind while being on top of every last detail, keeping it all on or under budget.

A good producer clearly communicates what they want to all of the vendors that are contributing to the success of their production. This includes the videographer. Having done more weddings than usual in recent months, we’ve noticed a few things that *must* be considered by both wedding planners and wedding videographers before arrival to the location on the big day.

5 Tips after the jump…

5 Things Wedding Videographers & Wedding Planners Need to Discuss (for a Great-looking Video)

1. Location Layout: wherever possible, schedule a location scout. If that can’t happen, a quality drawing of the layout is extremely helpful when considering/planning shot angles and coverage – especially with multiple cameras. Major things to consider: lighting, sun location, sunset time, available light after sunset, colors at location. This information inform the types of filters, lenses, and other accessories the video crew decide to prepare.
2. Wedding Party Positioning: How the bride, groom, officiant, and wedding party will be situated during the ceremony.
3. Wedding Party Movements: How the bride, groom, and wedding party move at the beginning, middle and end of the ceremony.  Entrances and exits are very important for visual storytelling. When planning and rehearsing, avoid any situation where the officiant blocks the audience/camera view of the couple – this has caught us off-guard in the past, and resulted in unusable footage of the ceremony.
4. Ceremony & Reception Audio: If there is a microphone used during the ceremony, will the videographer be able to receive a feed from the PA system? Will the minister and groom mind wearing a lavalier microphone?
5. Ceremony & Reception Timeline: This usually goes without saying, but we’ve seen even the best wedding planners neglect to inform their crew of a particular moment in the ceremony that might lend itself to a different type of filming. We don’t expect a wedding planner to list every detail, but a wedding video crew with a detailed timeline of events can be much more “in the loop” and able to find and capture those “don’t miss” moments. For example, if doves are released, or there is a special performer or guest speaker during the event – the video team needs to know so they can make the movie magic happen! There’s a lot more involved than simple pointing and shooting.

Like with any production, communication is key when making wedding movie magic!

Entry filed under: Industrial & Corporate Video, Media Services, wedding video. Tags: hawaii wedding, hawaii wedding planner, maui video production, maui wedding, maui wedding location, maui wedding planner, maui wedding video, noni films, wedding coordinator, wedding video, wedding videography.