Some Technical Questions and Answers

Many bridal couples and their families have questions and concerns about how the wedding will be taped. Below are some of the questions I’m most often asked, together with information I hope will be helpful to you when considering video services for your wedding.

Will the video equipment be distracting during the ceremony?

Because portable video equipment is compact and silent, the most important consideration here is whether or not the videographer has the skill to avoid intruding on the ceremony. I feel strongly that both the ceremony and reception should be taped in as unobtrusive a manner as possible. For example, the videographer should not move about during the ceremony – the camera should remain stationary on the tripod.

Most people are concerned about the use of flood lamps during the wedding service, and I agree that the use of such lighting is not appropriate during the ceremony. I use low-light professional video equipment which can produce images in all but the most dimly-lit interiors without video lamps. Lighting is used during the photograph sessions as a fill type of light which eliminates shadows. This is similar to the flash used by the still photographer.

We want to be sure that our vows can be heard on the tape. Will this be possible if the camera is placed away from the altar?

If the ceremony were to be recorded using the camera’s built-in microphone, then your vows would only be as good as the sound system of the church or facility. As a backup to this, we use a separate mini disk recorder with a lapel microphone that is placed on the groom before the ceremony begins. This provides a better source of sound for the wedding ceremony and can be added to the video during processing.

We are being married in an evening ceremony and the church lights aren’t very bright. How will the video look?

Although video cameras produce their best images when there is ample light, our professional low-light cameras do remarkably well in most churches and synagogues. However, you can expect that the colors on your DVD or tape will not be as vivid as those you see on broadcast TV; there is also some loss of picture sharpness. We work in advance with the church to make sure that there is as much lighting as possible to avoid these problems.

You offer an edited finished product. Why would we need editing, since we want to see all of the scenes that were recorded?

As I use the term, editing does not mean the removal of usable scenes. Rather, editing a wedding ceremony involves the following.

- The addition of titles, music, still photos, etc (depending on the package you choose)
- The elimination of “glitches” which would detract from the ceremony. For example, if I move the camera to quickly catch something that is going on. This movement would be edited out of the finished product.
- Editing can be used creatively to give a better finished product. At the end of your product will be a production put to the music of your favorite song with highlights from the ceremony itself.
- Digital video editing is done using computer software that helps to provide a professional product.
- The finished product can be produced on either DVD or VHS tape.

A well-edited production looks far more polished and thus will be more enjoyable to watch; unedited productions have an amateur quality.

Will the production images fade over time?

The use of digital technology insures that your ceremony will last indefinitely with no loss of quality if properly stored and cared for.

For other questions feel free to contact us at jfsides@hotmail.com.