Raw Footage Vs. Final Cut

These days it seems the majority of videographers deliver to their couples highlight video’s ranging from 5 to 20 mins as their final product. Because of this, we receive requests for our raw footage from time to time. As wedding videographers, we feel obligated to deliver a wedding video that covers your wedding day in full, as we feel that is what our couples are looking for and requesting. Our completed wedding videos run an average of 75 to 90 mins in length. We understand that when a completed and delivered video only runs less than 20 mins or so, there has obviously been a lot of footage removed, which is why raw footage may be requested. Our wedding videos are shot and edited in such a way that raw footage is not necessary. We use all usable footage to tell the story of your wedding day. We include the ceremony, first dance, specialty dances, cake cutting, bouquet and garter toss, etc…, in their full length in the final edit. Below is a link to a video showing the comparison of a Final Edit and the raw footage it was culled from. This footage is from the pre-ceremony segment of Sara and Jeff’s Wedding Video. As you can see, nothing of importance was left out that took away from the final edit. In fact, the raw footage without any color correction, color grading, added filters, and corrected audio, make for a less pleasing video to watch.

Let us know if you have any comments or questions about this video.

http://www.langdonvideo.com     kelly@langdonvideo.com     702-645-3831

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A Wedding Video is Generational

On the fence about whether you should get a wedding video or not? Did you know that one of the biggest regrets brides have after their wedding day is that they didn’t get a wedding video. You’ve probably read all the pros and cons about wedding videos, but here are the two most overlooked reasons as to why having a videographer on your wedding day is more important than you think.

1. After months and months of planning, your wedding day finally arrives, and it goes by in a flash. There is so much of your wedding day that you forget or never see. The pre-ceremony prep, your vows, the ceremony itself, the reception, all go by so fast you hardly have time to take it in. What makes a wedding video so different from wedding photographs, is that you get to see and hear everything that you missed or forgot. Ask a friend or family member who were recently married… ask what they remember about their ceremony….their reception. Chances are, a lot less than you would think. A wedding video brings it all back, and then some, and let’s you relive your wedding day over and over again.

2.  You always hear from people older than you how fast the years fly by. Well, in this case they’re right. Ask a friend or family member who is celebrating their 5th, 10th, or 20th wedding anniversary, and they will tell you they can’t believe how fast the years have gone by. How long has it been since you graduated from high school or college? 10 year reunion coming up? Went by quick didn’t it. With a wedding video, you can go back and relive your wedding day like it was yesterday. With the HD quality of today’s cameras, you’ll experience it as if it were yesterday. Do your parents have a wedding video? Do you wish they did? Can you imagine your kids watching grandma and grandpa getting married? Do you wish you could see your grandparents wedding ceremony? How young everyone looked? A wedding video is not only for you, but for your family and future generations to come.

All our videos are shot in Cinematic Documentary style. We present your wedding day as it happens. All the main parts of your wedding day are shown in their entirety. Your ceremony, your first dance, your dance with your parents, cake cutting, toasts, and your bouquet and garter toss. All there for you to experience at anytime. Wedding Videos are great to watch on your wedding anniversaries. It brings back all the reasons why you fell in love and got married.

Email or call us today to book us as your wedding videographer.             kelly@langdonvideo.com        www.langdonvideo.com        702-645-3831

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A Few Tips for a Better Wedding Video (& Photos)

If you are getting married this year and are considering a Wedding Video, here are a just a few tips for a better video (and photos).

1. If you are having the videographer and photographer come to your room for some pre-ceremony footage, you can save some time if you have the items for detail shots ready to go. This includes your dress, shoes, rings, jewelry, and any other items you would like photographed or included in your video. As for the video itself, if you have music playing in the room, have it turned down or off. We like to add music to your pre-ceremony footage, but we also like to include the natural room sounds (conversations, laughter, etc…), so if there is music playing in the background, this will compete with the added music, and having two songs playing at the same time does not make for good audio.
2. Have an “unplugged” wedding ceremony. Ask your guests to put away their phones, cameras, and IPads. Shots can be compromised with guests unintentionally getting in the way of or blocking a camera while taking a picture for themselves. We’ve experienced processional and recessional shots unintentionally ruined because some guests have positioned themselves in the aisle to get a picture or video for themselves using their phones/cameras/ IPads and have inadvertanly blocked some of our shots. This can also end up disrupting the flow of the ceremony. You can have your officiant make an announcement before the ceremony for all your guests to put away their phones, cameras, etc…., and that there are photographers and videographers there to get the best photos and video possible for the couple. This also lets your guests enjoy the ceremony and enjoy being in the moment.
3. When having your Toasts at your reception, whenever possible, position the “toaster” next to or behind you at your table. This is so we can include everyone in the shot. If the “toaster” is standing away from you, such as on the dance floor away from you or at their own table, then we aren’t able to capture reaction shots of you during the toast and are only able to capture the “toaster”. Having everyone in the shot is the most ideal way of shooting your toasts.
4. Do your best to not pay attention to the videographer and/or photographer’s presence while we are shooting. It’s a little harder than it sounds, but since our goal is to video/photograph candid moments as they happen, it makes for better shots if you aren’t always aware of the cameras, and it will also make you a little less self conscious. If you pretend we are not there, then the shots will look more natural. Of course this doesn’t apply when doing posed photographs with the photographer, or if the videographer asks for a particular shot.

These are just a few tips to help your videographer and photographer get the best possible shots they can on this, your wedding day. We want you to be able to look back and enjoy your video and photographs and remember this day in the best possible way.

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Dare To Be Different

It’s been awhile since our last blog, but thanks to all our Brides and Grooms for choosing us to document their Wedding Day, and for keeping us so busy. We met couples from all over the world….Australia, Scotland, England, Canada, Ukraine, France, and at least a dozen or so of our own states. This year we saw an increase in Weddings stepping out of the norm. There were themed weddings: 1920’s, Pittsburgh Steelers, Old Vegas, Costumed, Elvis, Chinese, and Scottish. Along with the normal wedding venues, we also filmed weddings at The Grand Canyon, Valley of Fire, on the top of the High Roller, Mt Charleston, Nelson, and Red Rock Canyon. We even had a helicopter pick up the Bride and Groom at the end of the reception, instead of using the typical limo ride. So when planning your wedding day, don’t be afraid to be different. Surprise people, throw in those little touches that show personality and distinguishes your wedding day from the rest.

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It’s In The Details

Personalizing your wedding day? Here are some ideas from a recent wedding.

The photo above with their initials and wedding date was their dance floor made especially for their reception.

http://www.langdonvideo.com     kelly@langdonvideo.com

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Looking Back At 2014

Observations for 2014:

Looking back at all the weddings we did this past year, we noticed a few trends and thought we would chime in concerning some of these.

DJ’s:  We’ve had couples hire friends or less expensive DJ’s before, but there seemed to be an increase this year. A DJ can make or break your reception. They are the Master of Ceremonies for your reception. A successful DJ is entertaining, can read the crowd (knowing what to play when), is interactive with the guests, works well with the vendors, particularly with the photographer and the videographer, and creates a fun party atmosphere. The “less successful” ones have almost no interaction with the crowd, think their only job is to play music, whether people are dancing to it or not, offers almost no communication with the photographer/videographer, which can sometimes lead to possible missed shots of events, and doesn’t have a basic timeline of the reception, which unfortunately lends itself to a disorganized, somewhat boring reception. We have found that usually the “less successful” ones happen to be friends of the couple, or haven’t done many weddings, if any at all, or just don’t really care. Check reviews, ask other couples you know, and spend a little bit more money on your DJ if need be. This is your wedding reception. You want it fun, memorable, and for it to be the best it can be.

Officiant:  We’ve seen an uptick in “friends of the family” this year performing ceremonies for the bride and groom. Most do a good job, even though this is not their specialty, but please, please, please….make sure they invite the guests to sit down after the bride has made it to the altar. Having your guests stand throughout the ceremony… and no they will not sit down unless prompted to… makes it difficult for the secondary video camera to get a decent shot of the ceremony depending on the layout of the venue. Also, you certainly don’t want your guests to have to stand up for 20 minutes or so, especially on those warm days.

Photographer: We understand photographers can be very expensive. There are also some talented photographers that are budget friendly. As videographers, we try to keep our prices budget friendly. Again, we have seen an increase in “friends” doing the photography at some weddings. Ask any photographer, weddings are one of the most difficult types of photography there is. Besides not having any experience at doing weddings, many of these friends have no experience at posing groups of people, let alone the Bride and Groom, fumble with their equipment, miss (or almost miss) special moments, get into and ruin some of our shots, and miss opportunities for some great shots(sunsets,locations) because of bad planning in the limited time they have to take photos, especially post ceremony. You don’t need to spend thousands of dollars for a good photographer if it isn’t in your budget. We have some in town ranging from $900-$1500.00 that do very nice work. But if anything, hire one (friend or professional) who has had experience shooting weddings. Some of the brides we spoke to after their wedding day admitted being disappointed in their photos and realized they shouldn’t have had a “friend” shoot their wedding. This is a one time shot….no do overs.

Langdon Video Services    www.langdonvideo.com   kelly@langdonvideo.com

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Stressing Out?

• What if it rains on our outdoor ceremony?  This is Las Vegas…chances are pretty slim. Most of the wedding we do are outdoor weddings. We have never had one rained out. Some close calls…but we have never been rained out.
• I want our vows to be perfect.  Write your own. Don’t rely on the officiant to say how you feel about each other…speak your own words to each other. How perfect is that.
• I’m really shy…I don’t like to be in front of large groups of people.  These are your family and friends. Once you get up there, you won’t even notice 95% of them. Just concentrate on the task at hand. Look into each other’s eyes, speak your vows slowly and clearly, make sure his ring is sized to never come off, and follow all the officiants instructions. Everything else will be a blur. That’s why you are having your wedding videotaped…remember.
• What if I’m running late?   Your Wedding can’t start without you. Just don’t be too late. There is a large group of people who can’t wait to see how beautiful you look.
• I Hate Having My Photo Taken.  Too late now. Get ready to have hundreds of photos taken of the two of you….and you will cherish everyone of them….and you’ll look beautiful.
• I don’t know how to dance…I’m a little worried about our first dance.   You and just about every other Bride and Groom. Unless you’ve taken lessons, you’re in the same boat as almost everyone else. Pick a slow song, stand close to one another, rock back and forth, look into each others eyes, and you’ll be fine.
• What if things don’t go perfectly?   Perfectly? Wedding? Not gonna happen. A lot of ingredients go into your Wedding Day. Wedding professionals, guests, weather, traffic, transportation, venues, accommodations, and all those little miscellaneous items that took you hours and hours of work and planning. No wedding day goes perfectly. Instead of stressing out, remember, if anything does go wrong, one day you’ll just end up laughing about it. You’ve done all the hard work, your wedding day is here, so now just relax and enjoy this special moment in your life. There may/will be bumps, but don’t let them ruin your day. By the end of the day, you will have been married, danced, partied, and had a great time….honest.
• If you’ve hired the best professional vendors you could find: Planner, Venue, Florist, Officiant, Photographer, DJ, Videographer, Hair & Make-up, Caterer, Bakery, etc…, let them do the jobs you hired them to do so you can relax and enjoy your wedding day. No matter what happens, your wedding day will always be a day you will never forget.

• Langdon Video Services  www.langdonvideo.com  kelly@langdonvideo.com

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