Love story cheese
 

Is it just an american thing or is it just me but does anyone else find the love story videos really cringing and cheesy. I know they are filmed well, edited well and so on but I just think they look so tacky. Again i was not commenting on the filming just the whole idea.

Or is that just me

Luke

It's an example of how different the various markets are - if there's one thing that stands out from this forum it is that there isn't just one wedding market.

One thing you have to remember is that as videographers, we see these videos in spades. However, the clients see one - theirs. Ok, maybe they see one or two other samples, but for all practical purposes, their video is uniquely their own.

It's kind of like cheesecake. One piece is fabulous, but after the third or fourth it starts tasting like soap.

I have to disagree with you Chris.. I've eaten dozens of cheesecake and they all still taste like cheesecake!! Maybe I just love eating :P

Luke:

Lots of American videographers also find some of the wedding video styles cheese laden, contrived and tacky.

However, we gotta have something to laugh at.

As a 47 year old videographer who has been married for a long time, Im sure I have a very different perspective than a 30 year old single videographer. When I look at my wedding video now, I dont want to see me, but I want to see family and friends from long ago. Of course the kids like seeing mom & dad in the video. I think some videographers have gone too far (for my tastes) in making a "movie" rather than documenting the day so we can see what Uncle Fred looked and sounded like 20 years ago.

Cheese is in the eye of the beholder. I've seen "love story's" that could win an Oscar and I've seen ones that...well, let's just say they didn't hit the mark. Most of them are shot after consulting with the B&G as to the story line and honestly as a professional I think it's up to the vidperson to help guide the couple to something that will tell their story efficiently and quickly not to mention with class and quality.
Having said that, I honestly haven't done one for a long tme, I guess it's money issues for the couple.
Anyway the majority of the weddings I do are doco style with a bit of "cine" style thrown in for certain parts of the product and I agree with Jeff about seeing the old family in the videos. I wish I had more footage of my mother in my kids videos. It would be nice to see and hear her again.
Different areas have different needs and wants. You gotta find your market and become better than everyone in it otherwise it makes for a short and non-profitable career. If love story's don't float your boat, don't do 'em.

In addition to engagement photo sessions (which I think is the norm here in US),
Love Stories are a great way to tell the guests how the couple end up marrying or to get to know about the couple a little more.

It also can serve as an icebreaker during the reception or a transition from one program to the other. Or, as a chapter of the reception. Also, from experience, it is also another way for the guests and the BG to start a conversation other than "congratulations, I'm very happy for you."

Instead of same day edits we play lovestory videos as a mainstay for our business
In the past 2 years 90% of our clients have booked packages with this option
IMHO its a great idea given that there are a lot of guests who probably didn't know how the couple met and such.. so i think it makes for a wonderful (and fun) piece to feature during the reception.

Kren
Vertical Video Works* Winnipeg Videography

Personally, I couldn't stand editing a 'love story' video. Most of my brides are self-absorbed daddys girls who only love themselves. I can't stand being around them longer than one miserable day.

Hahaha brilliant.

Mr. Knight, have you considered switching to funeral videos ;-)
-Sorry, couldn't resist.

I'm with Don. Speaking from the customer's point of view, as a "commissioner of photography" for my own eldest daughter's wedding (I've been banned from using any type of camera on the day), I found that all interested parties were agreed on the style required. Any humour will, I hope, be intentional (unlike some of the samples we've looked at on the web). But each to his own.

I do offer the service, but there is no market or interest here.

That said, most customers I have are people where one or both are from another country, with different wedding video culture. Actualy, I can only remember a few 'both norwegians' weddings :) Got a rush of vietnamese catolic weddings this summer, now that's a bit different (particulary when everything is in vietnamese).

Anyway, my point is that different people want different stuff. The mentioned vietnamese customers tend to want a lot more 'bling bling' and CGI hearts I actualy have a lot of problems editing in, simply because I think it's very ugly, and I have a bit of problem throwing in enough of the stuff.

So, I think it's just a matter of accepting that others have different taste, and also respect that different cultures likes/dislikes different things.

!
 

Maybe we ought to copy the fast food chains. "Would you like your burger with cheese?" And then we could charge more for those customers who want it? Of course, that's what most of us do. More editing time means higher prices, if you want to make any profit at all.

How about adding some bacon to go along with that cheese!!

Some clients are more price conscious than others. Different clients have different tastes too, and are willing to pay for what they want. You have to please your customers, but you want work that is pleasing to you too. I don't like cheese that much. But I can provide it.