Reusing footage
 

There's lots of reception venues and churches around Sydney that I've shot on numerous occasions. So I was thinking... The establishing shots and detail shots that I do of these places -- why don't I just keep them on file and reuse them from wedding to wedding?

Do you guys ever do this?

Now, I could only use the ones than don't have wedding guests in them, and where the time of day and weather matches. But, as dodgy a shortcut as it might seem, I can justify it to myself this way: if I'm not spending time getting wide shots of churches, I have more time to get shots of guests and bridal party. Or I have more time at bride's house filming prep before I have to dash off to the church.

What do you think?

Re: Reusing footage
 

Hi Adrian

What about weather??? A wedding done in glorious sunshine can't be used if the new wedding is on an overcast day or even different wedding times when sun positions are different or the Church grounds themselves have different flowers blooming??

Admittedly I tend to include guests arriving rather than just establishing shots of the venue itself. However I don't see why closeups wouldn't work ???

Interesting concept if you tend to use a lot of establishing footage!

Chris

Re: Reusing footage
 

I keep some files of places I go to alot. All shot in various weather conditions and times of day and even different times of year. My plan was to use "stock footage" and not have to "waste" time getting this B footage every single time I went to that particular venue.
I STILL get the B footage every single I go to that particular venue. I can't help myself. I want it with all the other footage. Ask me how often I've use the footage in my "stock footage" file!? Once! Yep one whole time. Everytime at any particular venue is different and honestly I can't cover all the different scenarios so I just shoot it use it and shoot it again the next time. :-()

Re: Reusing footage
 

Maybe we are creatures of habit???

I obviously keep all my footage but also reshoot everything on the day...at the very worst when the bridal party skip off for photos I can get shots I need if I was rushed arriving at the Church but that seldom happens!!! I always leave the bride 30 minutes ahead so I end up sitting and waiting for the limo after setup so I always have enough time and current footage is easier to find rather than thinking, "Which wedding last year has the stock shots I need" It would be trickier with tape for you Don anyway?? With AVCHD every start/stop is a new clip so logging is really easy!

Chris

Re: Reusing footage
 

I tried that too, didn't work, mainly because of decorations. It's easier for me just to shoot it again.

Re: Reusing footage
 

Even with tape every time I push the red button I get a new clip. the trick is of course to set the clock function on the camera. It's just so much easier to reshoot it everytime.

Re: Reusing footage
 

I echo all of these thoughts. I had intentions of trying some of this and soon found out that there was always a reason to film anew. Even if you HAPPEN to have the same weather, same everything, odds are you'll have some new trick up your sleeve -- new angle, new lens-- and you won't settle for less!

One exception for me this year: I filmed two weddings in the same maritime seaport town on consecutive sunny weekends. I made an elaborate timelapse of an iconic seafront scene and there was no way I wasn't going to reuse it that second time!

Re: Reusing footage
 

This can work at times. For example the stained glass windows in popular churches.
Another thing I look for is footage that may be able to be used for titles or transitions.
It doesn't matter what medium it's on I make a folder and add files to it. A nice stone wall, waving flag, etc can become part of a generic clip.
I found though that grabbing as many clips as possible at the particular event is the fastest way to edit. There is usually plenty of material when you look for it.

Re: Reusing footage
 

I was just going to say exactly that! Close ups of stained glass can take quite some time to set up and this can be intrusive for the arriving guests. The lighting also needs to be optimal, and probably won't be on the day of many weddings.

I also have footage of organ manuals and pedals in the church I'm in most often - I don't think most viewer's awareness of continuity will pick up a change of socks by the organist from one shot to a later one. (A change of sex - probably!). It's surprising how often the same music is chosen around here, and introductions to hymns are usually fairly consistent when the same organist is playing.

Doesn't always work, but it's good to have a few extra angles up one's sleeve that can't be shot on the day during a live event.