Anyone do single camera weddings?

[Jeff Kellam]

Originally Posted by Mark Ganglfinger

... I had to offer 1 cam weddings ($495). Now I do them all the time...

I wish for the sake of the clients I could do a $495 short/highlights wedding. But, I just can't afford to do that right now.

[Buba Kastorski]

For the most part of the wedding day one camera is enough, but for the ceremony I'd love to have at least three, but who's gonna pay for it? When you show your clients demos shut with multiple cameras, steadicam and crane they say 'wow', when you tell them that it's not free, they say 'yeah, we'll think about it'.
I shoot with EX1 and have Z1 and HC9 in my car, lesson learned hard, years ago I had to finish reception with the camcorder borrowed from one of the guests, but multiple cameras as a basic package, i don't have such clientele.

[Ken Diewert]

I had to finish reception with the camcorder borrowed from one of the guests, but multiple cameras as a basic package, i don't have such clientele.

That's pretty funny.

[Josh Swan]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kellam

I probably obsess a little too much in post. But besides what you mention, you have two cameras to color grade, another audio track to mix in and compress-enhance-EQ and more footage to run a deshaker script on.

But for a cheap package, they wouldn't need the color correction and so forth. Use the audio from Cam 1 and it's a simple edit, just cut to a stationary cam here and there throughout the Ceremony in post. I shoot everything myself as well. One maybe 2 stationary cams in the back of the church or the balcony. It gives you more freedom to move around on your manned cam (cam 1) Even if it's for a cheap shoot, I would still use 2 cams. You already have the equipment, why not use what you worked so hard to get. If something goes wrong if you shoot with one cam, someone steps in front of your shot, need to change tapes, etc. youll wish you had that second cam to cover you.

[Jason Robinson]

Originally Posted by Joe Allen Rosenberger

Jason, I have shot for the Tonight Show w/ Jay Leno and you are wrong....we shot with (1) camera. Not the studio stuff but in the field was one, (me). I have shot a lot for TV and often with 1 camera.

In tv and movies, there is obviously the opportunity for multiple takes(most of the time), whereas with a wedding there is not. I don't think they should be compared as one being easier or harder than the other....they both have their own challenges and obstacles.

Sorry, I meant the studio parts. The parts that are meant to look as good as possible. They have wide cams, cams on jibs, cams for close up left, close up Right, etc. Just judging from what I watch, no actual inside knowledge of course.

[Jason Robinson]

Originally Posted by Jason Robinson

I told the brides at the wedding show this weekend, if your "friend / relative" is shooting the wedding for you on 1 cam, then you are gettign what you paid for..... static & boring shots of your wedding day. With two cams I can show your faces, not just the backs of your head.

Now I must say that with one cam, and the ability to move around, I could still do a killer highlight productions. Just not a long form edit where all the audio must be captured. Though I could run the wireless lapel into my MiniDisc recorder and get the audio covered that way. Hummm, actually not a bad idea.

[Jeff Harper]

Actually you just need dual audio jacks, one with shotgun and one for wireless. But I've used a solid state recorder as well on one occasion.

[Steve Elgar]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kellam

I am sure the answer is yes, but I am not sure if it is common. I have only shot one single cam wedding and it seemed very limiting in post to say the least.

The reason I ask is that I am contemplating a budget single cam wedding for a client. Most of my time in post is spent mixing the camera angles and audio. A single cam shoot would be a much quicker edit.

What do you think?

After all these posts, I'm sure Jeff is now totally confused. Poor Bugger. Just do what you can with what you have and within the budget you have been given.