Where to start now that the tapes are made?
 

Hello all!

I shot my brother in laws wedding this past weekend. We thought we'd give them a nice dvd set of their wedding as a gift. The only thing I'm haveing a hard time with is where to start?

I shot the wedding using 3 cameras. (one in the choir loft one next to the altar and one that I moved around with for closeups and such) I then shot the reception with just one camera. I also shot the rehersal and some candid stuff through out.

I can kind of see how I want it all to go together in the final product.

So what;s the easiest way to start this all out?

I was thinking about putting the footage from each camera into individual video tracks in my NLE, syncing them up then cutting and pasting to meet my wants. Make sence?

Any thoughts or pointers?


Thanks in advance for all the help.


Lowell

What's your NLE? The big ones can do multicam editing - doing it the way you describe will take for ever.

I use Ulead Video Studio 11+.

This software to my knowledge does not have the multi cam ability. I'll check it out though.

Any other pointers?


Thanks!
Lowell

VideoStudio 11+ is a consumer level editor and can't automatically do multi-camera editing. Using VS it's just trial and error until you get it synced up.

Yes I know VS11 is a "consumer" grade product. I didn't have $500.00 to drop on something that will give me more performance. If I can get VS to do what I'm looking for then maybe someday when I'm a big time producer then I'll get the higher grade stuff.

So I guess for now I'll have to use trial and error.



Thanks
Lowell

Do your project in sections.

First do the Rehearsal/rehearsal dinner edit, cutting and editing. Make it no more than a 10 minute run. You don't have to show every speech or comment. Use is more as an introduction of the couple and the other players. Music and slow motion is fun to work in.

Then edit a wedding prep portion, if you were there doing shooting during that process (bride getting ready, groom getting ready, etc wedding party, etc.) Some live sound, but also will add music for a mostly film memory type piece.

Third Will be a full edit of the wedding, usually running full ceremony. With your three cameras, hopefully you rolled continuously. On a multitrack editing system, you could then try to match up the video on three different lines, and cut from one to the other.
If you don't have that, then I would pick the one with the continuous roll, either alter or loft, and use that as your time line, then cut from other clips to overlay the shots you want to cut in. Don't know Ulead, so not sure how you would do that there.

Fourth is reception. Again, this more artsy, with the little events like toast, cake cutting, bouquet throw being highlighted, with some voice sound. I would pick a few songs for background, that fit the spirit of the wedding.

Final is leaving for the honeymoon.... as a close to the video.

Put this in chapters on your DVD.

You could do a second and/or third dvd with all footage just laid down with no edit, if they want that.

Lowell I also use VS11+ and my clients are happy with my results. What makes someone a great videographer is not really the equipment as such, but his imagination and talent.

Stelios

Chris that was an excellent advise!
So how long would this be? from the prep portion to the leaving for honeymoon.

Stelios

That's kind of what I was thinking too. I figured we do one DVD of just the ceremony and then a few different DVD's that are more like slide shows.

Stelios,

Thanks for the vote of confidence. Glad to here there are some out there who attempt the same as I'm going to using what I'm using.



Thanks all!
Lowell

I love VS
 

Hey Lowell, just a note here. I have been shooting wedding video's for 20 years and I still use VS. I have seen it all and tried every software around and I always come back to VS. Yes, it does have it's limits, but my bottom line is, my customers love their wedding DVD's. So why change a good thing.

Gary
LNR Productions

Yes me too Gary. VS is more than enough for most of Wedding Videos. Simplicity sometimes is best.

Stelios

Just to jump in here...

Lowell,

I use Final Cut Express right now for my editing. It doesn't have multitrack editing either. Going with separate video tracks for each camera and lining them up is what I do on multi-cam shoots.

One thing that I have found that helps out tremendously to line up the different tracks is looking for a camera flash. If someone shot stills during the ceremony, use it to your advantage. The flash will only really appear on one frame, find it on each track and you're pretty well lined up. I've taken to carrying a cheap flash in my bag for multi-cam shoots (I don't do weddings, but conferences and speaking engagements). The best part about it is people are trained to ignore camera flashes. Nobody even looks up.

Hope this helps...

Kevin