Have you ever noticed that the moment you insert the word ‘wedding’ into a conversation related to a product or service, the cost shoots up? For instance, a ‘cake’ might cost x amount but if you want a ‘wedding cake,’ then be prepared to pay far, far more.
This goes for all sorts of big occasions and is almost something we blindly accept, mainly because we don’t want to appear cheap to our friends or want to look as if we don’t value the celebration highly enough.
So when it comes to the video that is shot at these particular celebrations, the idea initially that we might shoot, edit and produce our own masterpiece may seem very far-fetched, but in 2022 it’s entirely plausible and something that more and more of us are electing to do.
The reasons behind doing so are not entirely financial. After all, if the celebration is a special one then what better way to mark and commemorate it than filming it yourself, after all, you are in a better place to know precisely what aspects of the occasion are most important as well as the particular style you want to film it in.
In other words, no need for primadonna directors who think they are Steven Spielberg.
To help you in this endeavor, here are a few essential tips that should help point you, and your camera, in the right direction.
Meet Expectations and Plan
Before you start the process, sit down with the relevant parties and discuss what they want from the final filmed video of their special occasion.
Discuss with them the aspects that are most important and delve deeper into how they’d like their finished product to look.
Maybe they want something deliberately rough and ready, or perhaps they want something more polished and stylized as if it’s just been cut from a Steven Soderbergh movie.
Also, be sure to manage expectations.
Obviously, if they are willing to spend the necessary amount of shoot with five cameras and with additional upscale lighting and even the odd SFX shot, then that’s fine, but more than likely, they are trying to keep costs down, so tell them what you can offer, you are after all either producing the video for yourself, in which case the expectations that you manage are your own, or your friends are filming, in which case you may have to cut them some slack.
Get the Right Equipment
Make sure you have good camera equipment or at least something that will capture the occasion effectively. This might mean a handheld camera or could, at a push, be via a very high-end cell phone, which may be more relevant for a milestone birthday party than a wedding.
If the party is outside, consider having additional microphone capabilities; similarly, if you do want good lighting, then keeping it natural will save you money and is entirely possible, so long as the conditions are favorable.
Get Plenty of Footage
As you are very unlikely to be using actual film, there is no issue with shooting as much content as possible. If a few of you are shooting the party, then make sure to get as many angles as possible and to capture the spirit of the occasion.
It’s always better to have too much rather than too little filmed footage; that way, when it comes to editing your film footage, you’ll have plenty of room to maneuver.
One great way to get more footage is to record plenty of the build-up, this is often the most ‘honest’ content you’ll get and can often be very touching, and when seen by the relevant audience, it can usually be the most impactful.
Edit Your Celebration Video
So, now you’ve shot the party, and now it’s time to cut down your four-hour epic into a more manageable and entertaining end product. You’ll need to edit your work professionally, and that’s not as difficult as you may at first think.
The idea of asking a professional to edit your video will cost you a very large sum, and with a little bit of practice, care, and attention, you can do this yourself.
Firstly get yourself one of the best editing software packages on the market; we’d suggest Adobe Premiere Pro and do some groundwork.
There are loads of excellent instructional videos out there that can help you make the most of whichever software you download, and the work you put in now will be of great use moving forward.
Sharing the Finished Product
Once you’ve made your triumph of a party video, it’s not time to share the spoils of victory, and there are many fantastic ways you can do this.
Perhaps you’ll host the video on a specific web domain, and that way, the occasion is immortalized online.
You might want to go the extra mile and produce a DVD with deleted scenes, which could perhaps include more risque footage that you might have secretly recorded from the debauched event.
Alternatively, perhaps the video is only meant for the special subjects of the party, a bride and groom perhaps, in which case you can host the video online in an area that is only visible to them or those they wish to share with.
