Hiring a Replacement Videography
 

I just got put between a rock and a hard place. I have a contract to film a wedding on aug.25th 5-12pm. I just got informed that my 10yr high school reunion is on the same day. Right now i'm working alone and I don't have someone to cover for me. It's a $1000 package and I don't know how much to pay someone to do this.

How would you guys go about finding someone to cover for you considering my situation?

Actually Sean, if I were you I'd blow off the reunion and go shoot the wedding. With $1000 at stake, honestly the 10-year really ain't all that big of a deal. The 20-year is the good one.

I'm actually thinking that too. I just don't want to regret not going, especially when there's a lot people I never got to keep in contact with. You are totally right about the $1000 at stake. I'd still be doing the editing which is the bulk of the work. And I do know that filming the wedding is the hardest and most stressful part.

Or......hire somebody to go to the reunion on your behalf!

Would you enjoy the reception knowing that someone you didn't know was potentially in the process of trashing your reputation.

Youve taken the booking, I'd honour it.

I just recently started using a friend for 2nd cameraman, and i wouldn't go back. Makes it a MUCH less stressful day, and gives me LOADS more footage to work with. Also, I'm not worrying about trying to shift my gear and loosing shots. I pay him 10% of the package and keep him fed and watered which he is happy with.

What does everyone else pay there hired hand?

Sean,

You've gotten good advice so far. Personally, I try to take the first booking, business OR pleasure and stick with it. There'll be other class reunions. As a current planner of MY class reunion, I think the best thing you could do to anticipate future reunions is to keep your contact information up to date with the planning committee. Then maybe next time, you'll get enough advance notice that you'll not be having to worry about what to do.

Having said this, if you decide to hire a shooter for your wedding, I'd suggest asking a competetor in your area if you might use one of his/her shooters. As for a rate, $300 for the day (for weddings) is fair pay in my part of the world.

Just my 2 cents! (but it may be worth less)

Mark

Give someone a life size picture of yourself and a video camera and let them go to the reunion. On a serious note though, in the wedding/event business, it's one of those choices you make, to put the business first at almost everything.

That is some pretty short notice for a class reunion. Usually there should be at least a few months notice so people can make plans to go. It almost sounds like this reunion was a last minute thing with very little planning. I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of people don't show up because they may already have plans. Most people are not going to drop their lives with two weeks notice for a reunion that may turn out to be a sloppy quickly thrown together event.

In fact you could write the group who put it together and yell at them for giving out such short notice. For a major event like that that should have been 10 years in the planning there should be at least a few months notice.

Hey at least your class tried to do one. My class is so useless they totally forgot to do our 10 year. I ran into one of the useless fools and asked them why we didn't have one and they acted so shocked that it had been 10 years. Of course they never could count to 10 so it didn't really surprise me.

Unless you can find a shooter you trust with your life and that you know will do at least as good of a job as you would then I would not risk it. If the wedding gets ruined not only will you have to give back the $1,000.00 but the couple could sue you because they have no chance to ever have a video of their wedding ever again. No judge will have simpathy for you because you went to a class reunion. If you died or were badly injured you may have a chance but not to go to a party. I would not take the risk unless you can train somebody for a few months and make darn sure they will do a great job.

This is all very useful information. I couldn't thank everyone enough. I've decided to shoot the wedding myself and just wait until the next one. I really couldn't trust anyone else to do the same job I do. The couple was picky to begin with and I wouldn't feel right having someone possibly ruin the video. I certainly don't want to get sued and they would have every right to do it. Did I mention the bride is a lawyer? She wants to help me with my contract to use in the future, so I think it's a good idea to do a great job.

The reunion was actually in the works years ago but nobody could find me. I guess I moved around too much.

Thanks again for all the advice and I'll keep fighting for the good name of videography.

best of both worlds:

- shoot the wedding
- turn up to the reunion (already dressed smartly of course)
- say sorry ur late by buying everyone there a round of drinks (total price $999)
- u walk home with several impressed ladies and $1 in your back pocket

result!

like your thinking
 

I would agree with everyone. You must do the wedding, she bought your work and not someone elses.
Ridhard has it all planned out for you, show up late everyone else is hammered and it is easy pickin's hehehehehe
Brandon

they're charging $80 a head and i'd have to include my wife. both events finish at midnight. otherwise, that would be a great idea ;)

lol, that's great!


I've missed one booked wedding in the past 5 years. I was selected for a boot-camp-style reality TV show and I really wanted to do that. Based on my knowledge of the couple's expectations and the package they booked, and on the fact that I had 2 fairly competent shooters I could use, I decided to take the chance. I'm really glad I did.

In your case, however, you don't have any shooters you can rely on, so I would definitely pass on the reunion.

I agree with most of the responses as in doing the event.

If you wanted to keep in contact with people, you would of already been doing it and not waiting for a reunion as to see people. Granted, its good to see old buddies again but if there a buddy of mine, i would still be talking to them. Silly things happens after high school but oh well...

If you don't have a good shooter nor how much to pay them, i would keep the event

JMO

HMMM $1K ahead, plus good connections... $160 out of pocket to hang out with the same losers I did in HS... I dunno, choice seems pretty easy to me...