How Do I Find The Right Wedding Videographer

1. THE BASICS WHEN SEARCHING FOR A WEDDING VIDEOGRAPHER

Wedding Videography have come a long way. It's no longer about sticking a tripod in the back of the ceremony. Today's wedding videographer can make your wedding video look more like a beautifully produced movie.  Wedding Videography is also more than just having a nice video camera and getting pretty shots. The goal of this article is to help prevent you from hiring the wrong videographer.

This section aims to provide not just technical knowledge of what to expect in a videographer but also skills that are often left out like personalities, charisma, consistency and professionalism.

2. IS YOUR WEDDING VIDEOGRAPHER AN EXPERT

This goes without saying, the wedding videographer you are considering must first and foremost be an artist. In this field, an artist is someone who has a creative eye and can adapt very quickly to the changes in a live event environment. This wedding videographer needs to have expert knowledge of all the technical aspects of filmmaking.

Avoid asking your wedding videographer about gear. It's more about how they can maneuver through challenges throughout the day with the gear they have. Here's a non-exhaustive list of some questions you can ask your wedding videographer:

• With the multi-camera coverage, are they all the same cameras? If not, what is your method to ensure consistency?
• What is your solution when the sun comes in and out and changes the "look" of the day?
• Do you have any backup solutions to camera equipment and post production processes?
• How many years of experience do you and your other shooters have in the wedding industry?
• What is the turn around time for your videos?

These are just a few of the very important questions to ask your wedding videographer. If they have thorough understanding of these questions, you can have peace of mind knowing they can deliver base on their expertise.

3. WHAT IS YOUR WEDDING VIDEOGRAPHER'S PERSONALITY

Personality plays a major role in the success of your wedding day with your wedding videographer. If you guys don't get along or have very different ideas of what to do, things can go downhill very fast from there. At a minimum, your wedding videographer should understand that the day is about you and not them. If things don't go according to plan, are they willing to accommodate you and your partner?

Do you guys hit it off at your initial meeting? If the videographer is cut and dry, does that match your own sensibilities or are you looking for someone who a little more outspoken and fun to work with? 

Will your wedding videographer command the attention of your wedding party? It might not be a deal breaker but things do get hectic at a wedding. The wedding videographer is essentially your film director of the day and they should be able to steer everyone back on track even if it's just for the video.

Will he/she work well with your photographer? With other vendors? There will be many vendors on the day of your wedding it is key that your videographer is a team player. Ask for references if you feel hesitant about their ability to collaborate with others.

4. HOW MUCH EXPERIENCE DOES YOUR WEDDING VIDEOGRAPHER HAVE

It is absolutely incredible how many people enter into the world of wedding videography. With a decent camera from Costco, anyone can begin to produce beautiful images that just wasn't possible 10 years ago. That also means there are a lot of "wedding videographers" that do this as a hobby because they like it.

I've worked with many people who have day jobs as engineers and brokers and the reason they shoot weddings is because they like purchasing camera equipment. While the part-timers may be able to offer a lower price, do you want to work with people who sometimes shoot weddings or someone who does this as a full-time career and knows all the ins and outs of how to produce a next level wedding video?

Of course there are pros and cons with someone who's been in business for a very long time as well. Does the seasoned wedding videographer continue to challenge him/herself and does he/she stay up on the latest trends? Do they feel like they're burned out from capturing wedding cinema?

By looking at their recent work and asking for references, you can quickly find out if he/she is the right vendor for you.

5. DOES YOUR WEDDING VIDEOGRAPHER CHOOSE QUALITY OVER QUANTITY

Quality work comes from consistency. It is something that closely follows the previous point. If the wedding videographer you are considering is a hobbyist, chances are he/she have not developed a consistent look and final product that is suitable to your needs, especially if you are paying thousands of dollars for this finished product.

On the other hand, a studio may have a cookie cutter formula in order to pump out their finished product because their volume is too high. In the end, you do get what you pay for either way.

The challenge is to find out how your wedding videographer controls quality and how can they tailor your video for you so that it's not just another video for them.

6. DOES YOUR WEDDING VIDEOGRAPHER HAVE A TEAM

Filmmaking is a collaborative effort. While many can deliver a pretty looking highlight film, does your wedding videographer bring a team with him/her to ensure that everything that is important to you is not left uncaptured or is he/she a rogue operator that only focuses on certain aspects of the wedding?

Videography is very different from photography. Photographers can tell a story through isolated images as well as how they present these isolated images in a package. Wedding videography on the other hand is a series of moments that happens continuously. During a ceremony, if the videographer is by himself but needs to move to capture a different angle or a guest suddenly stands up in front of his camera, that moment is lost forever. The only way to ensure that these moments do not get lost is if there are multiple cameras with a camera operator there that's watching the footage.

As mentioned throughout this article, weddings are hectic and things suddenly come up. Will there be an assistant to help grab an extra battery if the camera suddenly fails or someone to hold a reflector to get better lighting during a couple's session? It may seem unnecessary but again, filmmaking is a collaborative effort.