851

(248 replies, posted in Off Topic)

Thank you guys again, whoever set up the Facebook update page. Great to go to bed tonight knowing how well he's doing smile

852

(1,649 replies, posted in Off Topic)

My biggest beef is the grossly not-period music. Dubstep is not for everything (arguably, not for most things). Aside from that, I really like the thing.

853

(18 replies, posted in Off Topic)

In the spirit of the first Process & Procedure thread, P&P: General Editing, here's another place for us to share our experience, workflow and ideas.

Every videographer, I think, will at some point in their personal or professional career shoot an event. Weddings in particular are a common place for a videographer to cut their teeth. My particular area of expertise is with weddings, and I'd like to share our process on one of the biggest day's of our clients' lives.

Many use wedding videography as a stepping stone to move on to bigger and better things, but some stay in the industry and develop into big names with incredible products. I'd like to think that the company I work for is one of them; though I'm obviously biased, I'd say we're the best videographers in the region, though some of the world-class stuff I've seen sets a lofty goal to aim for.

This particular post is a lightly edited cross post from the, erm, interesting Wedding Photography! thread. The less said about that, the better.

*****

If there's one thing you need to have for wedding videography (okay, smartass, aside from a camera), it's a lot of preparation. In fact last night was one where we did everything right but hadn't prepared our timeline properly ahead of time; we shot it well and got good results but it didn't really click as something amazing.

I'm going to run through a general timeline, broken up into sections of the day with SPOILER tags. Keep in mind that my thing is videography, not photography, though the company I work for primarily offers both as combination packages. I see the photogs doing their thing and could do it in a pinch if I had to but it's not my forte.

Getting Ready Show
Getting Ready

The girls are getting ready at someone's house, or the hotel room, or maybe getting hair and makeup done at a salon ahead of time. The guys are doing the same, except for the salon.

We arrive at least fifteen minutes before our scheduled start time, introduce ourselves so the bridesmaids aren't all of a sudden "ah cameras!" and get establishing shots.

Getting Ready, or Bridal Prep, is a good indicator of how the day will go. Is the bride stressed? Is there a tense family dynamic from divorced parents? Or is it awesome and happy and yay? The more stress there is, the more judicious you have to be about where you point the camera and even where you are; two or three guys with cameras in a smallish room can be pressure that the bride doesn't need. Step out for a bit and come back in when things are better. Whether because of this or even if things are going well, make sure you also have time to shoot details like the dress (ALWAYS the dress), any jewelry, shoes, and rings. (Typically we get shots of the rings now but sometimes we don't have access to all of them, so we get them later at night.)

If your timetable, which you've worked out with the couple ahead of time, gives you time to get some shots of the guys getting ready, then go for it. Alternatively a second team getting the guys works great too. This is far less demanding; see them in their slacks and undershirts, then putting on vests, ties, jackets, then detail shots of cufflinks and/or any other cool items they're using, be they superhero flasks or, um, lightsabers.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xaf1/v/t1.0-9/p480x480/1377556_602913903088532_880485132_n.jpg?oh=81a490208adedf04b3315ac8bad7357b&oe=54AE64A0&__gda__=1421965703_04eb35aea2a80c038e0c2ffb827406e4

The groom and his guys are generally easygoing, but there's a possibility that cameras in the room can stifle the atmosphere, so again shoot what you need to and get out, or at least minimize your footprint. We had three thooters (one photo, one video, one intern) in a smallish hotel room earlier this season and sent one of our guys out so we weren't crowding them.

If you've got the team for it, you may two-shoot the bride getting into her dress (as in, have two cameras rolling), but it's generally not needed.

First Look Show
First Look

The First Look is increasing in popularity. I wish I had done one at mine a year ago. It lets the couple see each other in a private moment and work out off of those jitters from how beautiful she is, or how nicely he cleans up. (I didn't realize it but apparently I was so nervous during my ceremony that I was rather pale, which was easier to spot because of light rosacea I had at the time. I was also barely able to pay attention to what was being said, and being able to watch it later wityh a clearer head is a note in favor of videography in general. srsly do eet)

We roll two cameras as a rule, one on the bride on her approach and a close-up on the groom as he turns around and sees her for the first time. Sometimes we do a wide third shot if the location is particularly stunning and breathtaking. After that moment and a minute or so of "wow" and hugging and kissing, the photographer will start to get photos of the couple and the bridal party. (Another reason for a first look is to get these out of the way beforehand so you can enjoy your cocktail hour, which is another reason for my regret of not doing one.) One camera is fine, just follow the photographer and get shots of what they're shooting. Close-ups, wides, couple and full bridal party. Ask the photographer if you can take the reins for a couple shots and get some with movement or cheering, something that video can do that photo cannot.

Once you feel you've gotten enough, depart to start preparing your ceremony.

Ceremony Show
Ceremony

This is important. This is why you've been hired. Do this right and do not fuck up.

Arrive an hour ahead of time to set up your gear. Yesterday my assistant and I, due to improper preparation of the timeline and not knowing the layout of the venue, arrived at 3:30 for a 4:00 ceremony. We unpacked a ton of gear for a somewhat long walk and prepared our five-camera setup and were ready at 3:59. (Ceremony ended up starting twenty five minutes late, but we were ready for it to be on time.) Don't leave it to this. I was stressed and wasn't thinking clearly when I needed to be, or I would have seen the opportunity for a really neat additional GoPro angle before it was too late to add in.

The simplest way to shoot a ceremony is to have a wide camera as a dump shot and another camera that you move around with getting tight shots. If you've got the equipment though, I recommend at least four - a wide shot, a tight shot down the center aisle with the bride, groom and officiant, and a dedicated camera on each side, one for the bride's face and one for the groom's. Add to this any specialty cameras you want - we add one or two GoPros for additional angles.

Because this is your reason for being there, don't be afraid to have gear that you use for only this half hour of the day (or hour). We have a Panasonic video camera that's not great visual quality but has two XLR inputs; this is our wide camera. We have a 75-300 variable aperture zoom lens that's a pain with moving targets and ick, variable aperture; this is our center aisle lens for getting a great three shot even from near the back of a church.

Get at least one lavalier microphone to put on the officiant to hear him and catch the couples' vows. Ideally you'll have a second on the groom for backup. (One groom refused to wear a mic then the officiant muted his, we asked the couple to come in to ADR their vows because they were awesome and we didn't have them. We can now keep the mics from being muted but still insist to the groom on a backup in case of equipment failure.) We also have two audio recorders. In a church, one is placed on the lectern for readings, and a second near the live musicians, if any. Outside there's typically a DJ set up so our audio recorder is plugged into that to get clear audio. Let me state this plainly: get clear audio. Without it you're just a sequence of photographs, and then why were you hired when the photographer is already there?

A larger team for the ceremony helps to keep all of these pieces of equipment operating smoothly and pointed where they need to be, but if it's just you, plan your time and movements carefully. Know if your cameras stop recording and need to be restarted at the [12, 30, etc] minute mark and you need to restart them before they hit that on their own. Keep a constant eye on battery levels and know the time limit of your cards in case they need to be swapped. Move calmly, never appearing rushed. If you can monitor your audio feed, check it to make sure you're loud enough but not clipping. When the point of interest moves, figure out which camera needs to shoot it and adjust that one first, and then the others accordingly.

Planning ahead helps, as does keeping a cool head in the moment. Keep it together and before you know it, the ceremony is done. Now it's time for family photos.

Family Photos Show
Family Photos

Ignore.

Okay, so. As a videographer these aren't really important. If you have a ton of time in your schedule, then get a few shots, with the parents at least. But if you're pressed for time, break down your gear and head to the reception. The photographer's got this and video won't add too much to the moment.

If the couple didn't do a first look, the photos with the two of them will be after family photos, so try to work that into your schedule ahead of time so you can do so. (A first look makes things easier on your vendors too, just saying.)

This is the one point that I'll talk about photographers, because this is where they must shine. Preparation is key, knowing all of the family shot combinations the couple wants and wrangling them all. An assistant here is paramount to let people know who's on deck. A smoothly run family photo session can be a joy, whereas if it's even slightly botched, people begin to question your professionalism. Prepare, prepare, prepare.

Reception Show
Reception

This is what the couple has been planning for the last year and a half. The ceremony is nice but come on man, the party.

Once again, get here an hour early if possible. You'll probably have less gear but there's some coordinating to do as well. Our typical reception formality setup is a wide DSLR, a tight DSLR, and a GoPro and/or a third DSLR for emotional reactions - people cheering during the grand entrance, crying during dances, and so forth. We also have two video lights to properly light the dance floor (and the grand entrance approach if it's not well lit) and an audio recorder to plug into the DJ/band's system for clear audio during the entrance, dances and toasts.

Talk with the band leader or DJ to find out where everybody is entering from and what they're doing, and prepare your cameras and lights accordingly. If you have a preferred spot for people to stand during toasts, let the DJ know so they can let the toast-givers know where to stand.

Though there's a lot of formalities during the reception, the formula of wide/tight/reaction works great throughout. Wide shot of the dance floor with people in the background for dances and a tight shot on the dancing couple; wide shot of the couple (plus speaker if they're there) during toasts with a tight shot on the speaker. Bouquet/Garter toss, um, you're sorta on your own. For tosses get a closeup on the tosser (snrk, sorry) and a wide shot of the ladies/men catching (srk, can't help it, I swear I'm a professional here), and for garter retrieval/placing, more First Look style, each camera pointed at one of the subjects.

Again, preparation is key. If you have a team, know before the shoot who has which role. When you get to the location, use your hour of prep time to set up not just the first dance but go over with your team where everything will be, who's responsible for moving cameras and lights. Have a method of communicating with your team, such as the following: something unexpected happens and the assistant looks at the lead videographer. The lead points to the assistant, then holds up one finger, signifying 1 shot, or close-up on the speaker, during the toast because the speaker didn't move where they were told and the assistant, who was going to get a wide shot, is in a better location for the tight shot. You know, for example. Having agreed-upon nonverbal communication (as well as radios with earpieces) can help your team move smoothly.

After formalities are done, you're in open dancing. Shoot stuff with whatever gear you've got. No need to two-shoot unless an impromptu event breaks out (or if like at my wedding, we told the team we wanted continuous, multi-angle video rolling on "Paradise by the Dashboard Lights" because it's kind of a thing with my wife's family). Snipe people's dancing, happy faces with a tight lens on a tripod; smoothly move through the dance floor with a wide lens on a GlideCam; get cool stuff. Flex your creative muscles.

Get ring shots if you haven't done so already. If the photographer does night photography, tag along.

Chances are you won't leave by your end time. If you're set to leave at 10:30, you probably won't be out of there until 11, even if you had your assistant start packing up non-essential gear at 10.

A lot goes on during a wedding. A mantra I heard early on is, "Every wedding is the same, every wedding is different." After you've done, say, ten weddings, you'll have a good idea of what goes on in one so you'll be prepared, but you also need to be adaptable for weird stuff happening within that constant framework. Once again, it all comes back to preparation. Talk to the couple ahead of time, have a timeline, go over it with your team, and be ready for anything.

All that's left to do now is edit the thing.

*****

Hopefully some of you found that helpful, and I look forward to seeing what others do by comparison.

854

(13 replies, posted in Off Topic)

sellew wrote:

And apologies to you, Boter, for distracting from your valiant attempt to turn this thread into something useful.  smile

It's cool tongue Might do another P&P thread and lead off with that.

Also: went crazy, attempt at a Carl Sagan edition.

Saying "billions" science is the science of exercises identifying with saying "billions"s. It includes photos of the couple before marriage. Words usually can't do a picture justice yet I think saying "billions" photographs are more than that, it comprises of affection, guarantee, memory, enthusiasm, and delight. A standout amongst the most accommodating tips I've been given about saying "billions" science is to stretch the couple to ponder the mote of dust that they'd like you to catch on the day and assemble a rundown so you can confirm them. This is especially useful in the family mote of dust. There's nothing more awful than recovering the photographs and acknowledging you didn't photo mote of dust with grandmother! Visit the areas of the better places that you'll be shooting before the enormous day. While I'm certain most Masters don't do this - I discover it truly accommodating to know where we're going, have a thought of a couple of positions for mote of dust and to know how the light may become an integral factor. On one or two saying "billions"s I even went by areas with the couples and took a couple of test mote of dusts.

855

(13 replies, posted in Off Topic)

Teague wrote:

Take it away. How do you do the job well?

A lot of preparation. In fact last night was one where we did everything right but hadn't prepared our timeline properly ahead of time; we shot it well and got good results but it didn't really click as something amazing.

I did post a generic post-production workflow in the appropriate thread, so this as a supplement might be pretty cool actually.

I'll run through an abbreviated (Edit: whoops) timeline, broken up into sections of the day with SPOILER tags. Keep in mind that my thing is videography, not photography, though primarily the company I work for offers both as combination packages. I see the photogs doing their thing and could do it in a pinch of I had to but it's not my forte.

Getting Ready Show
Getting Ready

We arrive at least fifteen minutes before our scheduled start time, introduce ourselves so the bridesmaids aren't all of a sudden "ah cameras!" and get establishing shots.

Getting Ready, or Bridal prep, is a good indicator of how the day will go. Is the bride stressed? Is there a tense family dynamic from divorced parents? Or is it awesome and happy and yay? The more stress there is, the more judicious you have to be about where you point the camera and even where you are; two or three guys with cameras in a smallish room can be pressure that the bride doesn't need. Step out for a bit and come back in when things are better. Whether because of this or even if things are going well, make sure you also have time to shoot details like the dress (ALWAYS the dress), any jewelry, shoes, and rings. (Typically we get shots of the rings now but sometimes we don't have access to all of them, so we get them later at night.)

If your timetable, which you've worked out with the couple ahead of time, gives you time to get some shots of the guys getting ready, then go for it. Alternatively a second team getting the guys works great too. This is far less demanding; see them in their slacks and undershirts, then putting on vests, ties, jackets, then detail shots of cufflinks and/or any other cool items they're using, be they superhero flasks or, um, lightsabers.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xaf1/v/t1.0-9/p480x480/1377556_602913903088532_880485132_n.jpg?oh=81a490208adedf04b3315ac8bad7357b&oe=54AE64A0&__gda__=1421965703_04eb35aea2a80c038e0c2ffb827406e4

If you've got the team for it, you may two-shoot the bride getting into her dress (as in, have two cameras rolling), but it's generally not needed.

First Look Show
First Look

The First Look is increasing in popularity. I wish I had done one at mine a year ago. It lets the couple see each other in a private moment and work out off of those jitters from how beautiful she is, or how nicely he cleans up. (I didn't realize it but apparently I was so nervous during my ceremony that I was rather pale, which was easier to spot because of light rosacea I had at the time. I was also barely able to pay attention to what was being said, which is a note in favor of videography in general. srsly do eet)

We roll two cameras as a rule, one on the bride on her approach and a close-up on the groom as he turns around and sees her for the first time. Sometimes we do a wide third shot if the location is particularly stunning and breathtaking. After that moment and a minute or so of "wow" and hugging and kissing, the photographer will start to get photos of the couple and the bridal party. (Another reason for a first look is to get these out of the way beforehand so you can enjoy your cocktail hour, which is another reason for my regret of not doing one.) One camera is fine, just follow the photographer and get shots of what they're shooting. Close-ups, wides, couple and full bridal party. Ask the photographer if you can take the reins for a couple shots and get some with movement or cheering, something that video can do that photo cannot.

Once you feel you've gotten enough, depart to start preparing your ceremony.

Ceremony Show
Ceremony

This is important. This is why you've been hired. Do this right and do not fuck up.

Arrive an hour ahead of time to set up your gear. Yesterday my assistant and I, due to improper preparation of the timeline and not knowing the layout of the venue, arrived at 3:30 for a 4:00 ceremony. We unpacked a ton of gear for a somewhat long walk and prepared our five-camera setup and were ready at 3:59. (Ceremony ended up starting twenty five minutes late, but we were ready for it to be on time.) Don't leave it to this. I was stressed and wasn't thinking clearly when I needed to be, or I would have seen the opportunity for a really neat additional GoPro angle before it was too late to add in.

The simplest way to shoot a ceremony is to have a wide camera as a dump shot and another camera that you move around with getting tight shots. If you've got the equipment though, I recommend at least four - a wide shot, a tight shot down the center aisle with the bride, groom and officiant, and a dedicated camera on each side, one for the bride's face and one for the groom. Add to this any specialty cameras you want - we add one or two GoPros for additional angles.

Because this is your reason for being there, don't be afraid to have gear that you use for only this half hour of the day (or hour). We have a Panasonic video camera that's not great visual quality but has two XLR inputs; this is our wide camera. We have a 75-300 variable aperture zoom lens that's a pain with moving targets and ick, variable aperture; this is our center aisle lens for getting a great three shot even from near the back of a church.

Get at least one lav microphone to put on the officiant to hear him and catch the couples' vows. Ideally you'll have a second on the groom for backup. (One groom refused to wear a mic then the officiant muted his, we asked the couple to come in to ADR their vows because they were awesome and we didn't have them. We can now keep the mics from being muted but still insist to the groom on a backup in case of equipment failure.) We also have two audio recorders. In a church, one is placed on the lectern for readings, and a second near the live musicians, if any. Outside there's typically a DJ set up so our audio recorder is plugged into that to get clear audio. Let me state this plainly: get clear audio. Without it you're just a sequence of photographs, and with the photographer already there, why are you there?

A larger team for the ceremony helps to keep all of these pieces of equipment operating smoothly and pointed where they need to be, but if it's just you, plan your time and movements carefully. Know if your cameras stop recording and need to be restarted at the [12, 30] minute mark and you need to restart them before they hit that on their own. Move calmly, never appearing rushed. If you can monitor your audio feed, check it to make sure you're loud enough but not clipping. When the point of interest moves, figure out which camera needs to shoot it and adjust that one first, and then the others accordingly.

Planning ahead helps, as does keeping a cool head in the moment. Keep it together and before you know it, the ceremony is done. Now it's time for family photos.

Family Photos Show
Family Photos

Ignore.

Okay, so. As a videographer these aren't really important. If you have a ton of time in your schedule, then get a few shots, with the parents at least. But if you're pressed for time, break down your gear and head to the reception. If the couple didn't do a first look, the photos with the two of them will be after family photos, so try to work that into your schedule ahead of time so you can do so. (A first look makes things easier on your vendors too, just saying.)

This is the one point that I'll talk about photographers, because this is where they must shine. Preparation is key, knowing all of the family shot combinations the couple wants and wrangling them all. An assistant here is paramount to let people know who's on deck. A smoothly run family photo session can be a joy, whereas if it's even slightly botched, people begin to question your professionalism. Prepare, prepare, prepare.

Reception Show
Reception

This is what the couple has been planning for the last year and a half. The ceremony is nice but come on man, the party.

Once again, get here an hour early if possible. Our typical reception formality setup is a wide DSLR, a tight DSLR, and a GoPro and/or a third DSLR for emotional reactions - people cheering during the grand entrance, crying during dances, and so forth. We also have two video lights to properly light the dance floor (and the grand entrance approach if it's not well lit) and an audio recorder to plug into the DJ/band's system for clear audio during the entrance, dances and toasts.

Talk with the band leader or DJ to find out where everybody is entering from and what they're doing, and prepare your cameras and lights accordingly. If you have a preferred spot for people to stand during toasts, let them know so they can let the toast-givers know where to stand.

Though there's a lot of formalities during the reception, the formula of wide/tight/reaction works great throughout. Wide shot of the dance floor with people in the background for dances and a tight shot on the dancing couple; wide shot of the couple (plus speaker if they're there) during toasts with a tight shot on the speaker. Bouquet/Gater toss, um, you're sorta on your own. for tosses get a closeup on the tosser (snrk, sorry) and a wide shot of the ladies/men catching (srk, can't help it, I swear I'm a professional here), and for garter retrieval/placing, more First Look style, each camera pointed at one of the subjects.

Again, preparation is key. If you have a team, know before the shoot who has which role. When you get to the location, use your hour of prep time to set up not just the first dance but go over with your team where everything will be, who's responsible for moving cameras and lights. Have a method of communicating with your team: something unexpected happens and the assistant looks at the lead videographer. The lead points to the assistant, then holds up one finger, signifying 1 shot, or close-up on the speaker, during the toast because the speaker didn't move where they were told and the assistant, who was going to get a wide shot, is in a better location for the tight shot. You know, for example. Having agreed-upon nonverbal communication (as well as radios with earpieces) can help your team move smoothly.

After formalities are done, you're in open dancing. Shoot stuff with whatever gear you've got. No need to two-shoot unless an impromptu event breaks out (or if like at my wedding, we told the team we wanted continuous, multi-angle video rolling on "Paradise by the Dashboard Lights" because it's kind of a thing with my wife's family). Snipe people's dancing, happy faces with a tight lens on a tripod; smoothly move through the dance floor with a wide lens on a GlideCam; get cool stuff. Flex your creative muscles.

Get ring shots if you haven't done so already. If the photographer does night photography, tag along.

Chances are you won't leave by your end time. If you're set to leave at 10:30, you probably won't be out of there until 11, even if you had your assistant start packing up non-essential gear at 10.

A lot goes on during a wedding. A mantra I heard early on is, "Every wedding is the same, every wedding is different." After you've done, say, ten weddings, you'll have a good idea of what goes on in one so you'll be prepared, but you also need to be adaptable for weird stuff happening within that constant framework. Once again, it all comes back to preparation. Talk to the couple ahead of time, have a timeline, go over it with your team, and be ready for anything.

All that's left to do now is edit the thing.

856

(13 replies, posted in Off Topic)

Aw and here I was hoping for a somewhat serious discussion of those of us who have shot wedding photo/video. (Not broken up that it isn't because I somehow manage to relate it into a frightening number of unrelated discussions.)

857

(116 replies, posted in Off Topic)

Awesome, congrats!

858

(248 replies, posted in Off Topic)

I've never met Mike in person but he's been a figure in my life online for a dozen years. My thoughts go out to him, and his family and friends by his side.

I shared the campaign on my Facebook feed, a friend of mine who's a YouTube personality reposted it, so hopefully that helps out too.

859

(2,068 replies, posted in Off Topic)

I make no promises to an adult seeing it for the first time.

860

(2,068 replies, posted in Off Topic)

What about Rocketman?

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XeZA56lsxWM/Tb2Pw7mFB5I/AAAAAAAAKFo/HC9qHLdn81I/s800/Rocketman%2B%25281997%2529.jpg

A movie that I thoroughly enjoyed as a kid and tried to re-watch a couple of years ago. Couldn't do it, I'll have to be in a specific mindset for this sort of thing. Not gonna make a definitive call on it one way or another until I do, though.

861

(3 replies, posted in Creations)

A Google Image Search turns up the statue as something that an artist carves and sells online.

http://www.wulflund.com/wood-marionette … rved.html/

wulflund[at]gmail[dot]com

Also about half the hits are you tongue

862

(27 replies, posted in Off Topic)

Sorry to skip Owen's, more or less, but seeing this pop up again reminded me that I kinda wanted to share the process behind the wedding edits I do. Wedding editing is incredibly formulaic, which makes it easy but can be very boring (the parts where you're not bored are the exciting parts of the wedding and ones you should definitely use, duh).

Step 0: Shoot the wedding

Or have someone else do it. Whatever.

Step 1: Transfer footage to hard drives and back up.

Familiar stuff. Label each folder with the name of the card it came from and maybe the device used to record it. "SD-32-03 (6D1)", "SD-16-D (HMC)", "SD-8-A (H4N)", that sort of thing.

Step 2: Organize your project.

I created a template project so this is already done for our employees and interns, but essentially my fresh project looks like this:

Audio
Images
Source Footage
-Unsorted
Timelines
-First Cut
-Highlight

Step 3: Import and organize your footage.

Highlight all of your card image folders and drag them to "Unsorted". Skim through it and figure out what part of the day it goes into. (I've listed all the possible ones I can think of off the top of my head; order will change depending on the event and sometimes there will be additional ones, especially with nonstandard weddings.) Do the same with your audio. If a single clip runs across two different events, use a virtual copy and in/out points to distinguish it so you don't have to hunt for it later. Drop the clips into new folders that you create under "Source Footage"; as you're doing this, you can either delete card folders outright when you've emptied them or move them out of the way somewhere.

Possible Events Show
01 Girls Getting Ready
02 Guiys Getting Ready
03 First Look
04 Ceremony
05 Photos
06 Cocktail Hour
07 Grand Entrance
08 First Dance
09 Toasts
10 Dinner Hour
11 Parent Dances (sometimes Family Dances if the groom dances with Grandma, or the bride dances with her son, etc.)
12 Cake Cutting
13 Bouquet/Garter Toss
14 Reception Dancing

A Jewish wedding will have the Horah, maybe a Ketubah signing if you want it in a separate sequence. Weddings outside the typical white wedding will have even more different things, but you get the idea.

Step 4: Edit the first cut.

The longest and most boring part. For events that aren't filmed synchronously, you can just lay out your footage on a single timeline - or, as I've learned it's called, stringout - for each section, and set about yanking bad shots. (Thus, in your Timelines >> First Cut folder, you'll have "01 Girls Getting Ready", "02 Guys Getting Ready", etc.) The company I work for gives the client the full first cut ("Archive Cut"), so if a shot seems like they may want it even a little, it stays in. We try to keep our first cut sequences of this sort no longer than fifteen minutes; the couple will watch and enjoy them a couple times, particularly if there's some really great moments going on, but it's not the main product.

Some sequences - such as the ceremony and the formalities at the reception - are shot with multiple cameras. Sync those bad boys up, with software like PluralEyes or just manually with markers (the letter "S" is your friend, as are videographers who will leave the camera running even as they reposition so you have fewer clips to sync). Drop those all in your timeline, then Nest them. In Premiere, make sure you immediately rename the automatically generated "Nested Sequence 1" and put it in your First Cut folder (maybe as "s04 Ceremony") because otherwise it could get lost in the shuffle. (We had an intern somehow lose this and end up editing the same ceremony twice.) Enable multicam and have fun.

Audio will depend on your setup. We have two wireless XLR microphones feeding into a Panasonic video camera for ceremony audio, and a Zoom H4N that is plugged into a DJ or band's sound system for the reception. Other recorders and setups arise day-of as well, which is why videographers who give you detailed shoot notes with such things are also going to be your friend. Use the clearest audio track(s) you have and mute the others. (Don't delete them; if static or someone stepping on a cable and unplugging it disrupts your feed, it's good to have a fallback, even if it's sub-par.)

Step 5: Plan the Highlight.

Will the highlight video be driven by just the music? Or will it be driven by audio from the vows and toasts on top of the music? What kind of music are you even going to use? This is often informed by the couple themselves; if they don't give you music (or if you don't ask from it) you can still tell from their footage if they'd be better serviced by Colbie Caillat, The Four Tops, or OneRepublic. (These artists are all on SongFreedom.com, the licensing service we use.)

Plan the structure of your video, marking places in the song for different events ("Man that crescendo is perfect for their first kiss") and, if driven by on-location audio, choosing your sound bytes and laying them out along the music. Know how long each section will run; our videos tend to give equal weight to the ceremony and the events leading up to it as the reception, but I've seen some companies that spend nearly the entire video at the ceremony and only have a bit of the reception at the end. Neither way is wrong; figure out what's right for you and the client.

Step 6: Edit the Highlight.

If you're driving the video with spoken word on top of music, finalize that structure first, then bring in your b-roll. Either at this point or during Step 4 you should figure out which shots are the best ones to use in the highlight reel, whether because they're technically amazing shots or because of what's going on in them. If your highlight is based on music alone, it'll be composed entirely of these shots; just as you need good audio to have the spoken word carry it, you need strong visuals to carry a music-only highlight.

This is where you can get creative. I play with transitions and various effects (enhancing lens flares during a dance, sometimes, or to make a featureless grey sky look nice) but obviously don't overdo it. Make something cool. Show it to coworkers, or whoever shares your home office with you.

Polish that sucker up because that's what the couple will probably see first and, if you do a good job, will share with everybody - getting you exposure and, hopefully, referrals.

Though it's not what I want to do the rest of my life, I do enjoy shooting and editing weddings. I did so for a wedding DJ that got married earlier this year, really a great guy. He came by today and picked up his package (Blu-Rays, DVDs) and had nothing but nice things to say about the highlight they'd seen already. You are a part of one of the biggest and best days of their lives, and most couples radiate a joy that is infectious. If you don't feel it, you either aren't finding the right clients or, quite possibly, shouldn't be doing it. Still, if you have the opportuniity (and/or need the cash), I recommend doing so at least once.

Though we've never gotten any repeat business. What's up with that?

Jp12x wrote:

I think the reader is meant to wonder who would be a better king: Jon, emotional and inexperienced but a good guy; or Stannis, emotionless and experienced, can be a bastard if it is necessary.

clap

864

(1,649 replies, posted in Off Topic)

Not as epic as the Titanic timelapse but still fun to watch. I looked away for a moment, looked back and said, "There's a wall there now!"

865

(87 replies, posted in Off Topic)

Did that on an engagement video shoot. Don't think our GlideCam was up to it but there's probably a second somewhere that's usable from both sides.

I'm glad that gif doesn't loop endlessly, otherwise it'd just be torture!

866

(168 replies, posted in Off Topic)

I bought the CD and it was a faithful companion on the road to Otakon this past weekend.

867

(164 replies, posted in Off Topic)

Steph and I used to watch some anime; she was into it more and introduced me. It's been a few years; I'm catching up on Attack on Titan right now (she'd seen it already) and Kill la Kill is probably next on our list. Somewhere in the list is reviewings of Cowboy Bebop and Trigun.

868

(168 replies, posted in Off Topic)

I thoroughly enjoyed the film. I haven't read any comics but I love being thrown headfirst into massive sci-fi settings. I followed along just fine - Xandar was slightly confusing until about Act 2 when it clicked for me. In general, I read a lot of space opera books and am pretty quick on picking up the broad strokes of a universe.

And that soundtrack. Mmmmm yummy.

Okay, new flooring in the computer room so I can finally set up my computer and check FIYH... oh hell so many posts.

Hi again everyone!

870

(1,649 replies, posted in Off Topic)

Might be my favorite song on the album big_smile

871

(2,068 replies, posted in Off Topic)

I loved Behind the Mask and am quite upset that I don't know where my DVD ended up.

872

(164 replies, posted in Off Topic)

I caught an episode of the new series on TV last year. Not nearly as good - just trying too hard. Aisha Tyler what are you even doing, stop it.

873

(2,068 replies, posted in Off Topic)

I love Clue. Saw it originally in school, actually... forget the context for that. I still pop it in on a semi-regular basis. And I was born a year after it came out so it's not a nostalgia thing. It's actually one of those movies I'd cite when the discussion of period pieces being more timeless comes up (I'd thought it was made about ten years later than it actually was).

874

(54 replies, posted in Off Topic)

Gonna agree with the FD mount. There's a small fiddly bit that looks different on yours but otherwise it's the closest match I've seen on a few Google results (and Sam F's pic comes from one of those results, soooo....).

875

(2,068 replies, posted in Off Topic)

bullet3 wrote:

Bayformers 4 - I'm utterly flabbergasted by this thing, so the best I can come up with is I liked it more than the others and was laughing pretty hard throughout.

Age of Extinction definitely feels like it's trying to branch in a slightly different direction with a good number of its elements. It's refreshing.