How do you start your wedding DVD

[Chris Harding]

Hi Guys

I was just wondering what happens when the bride pops her eagerly awaited DVD/BD into the player.

Does your production have a little intro with a short storyline and titles before it goes into the menu or do you simply go straight into the DVD menu ... I have seen a couple that emulate Hollywood movie starts with the bridal party in pre-production credits and then some that give a minute of highlights featuring the couple and their "new life together" and some simply have a menu splash screen with details and menu options.

It has been said that the first 30 seconds create the biggest impression so how do you start your DVD??

Chris

[Don Bloom]

Chris,
I typically start mine by pressing the play button on the remote! lol! Sorry my friend, but I couldn't resist!
OK I'll get serious now. Sometimes I use a first play to lead into my preceremony which has titles, you know, The celebration of Marriage of...or something like that with the names, date and location and that's using some sort of royality free background music (movie trailer type) just to set the stage. Sometimes I don't use a first play and simply go into my preceremony, sometimes the titles are on black, sometimes they're over a scene but towards the bottom of the screen, it all depends on the footage, the mood of the day and my mood at the time. I really do keep it simple though because like you, I do a doc style with an occassional cinematic touch for good measure where and when appropriate.

[Nigel Barker]

Straight into a simple menu with generally a picture of the couple as the background & a list of chapter titles. No animated graphics. No music.

[Oren Arieli]

I usually have an animated main menu (created in After Effects) or at the least, a background image from the wedding. There are at least two or three main menu options:
1) Play All
2) Chapter Selection
3) Bonus footage (or bloopers)

The chapter menus have photo backgrounds (either stills pulled from the video or from the photographer), and moving chapter icons. Most DVDs contain about a dozen chapters, so there are multiple submenus of 4 to 6 chapters each.

[Peter Manojlovic]

It they've paid for it, i put the highlight reel as first play...After that, the main menu..After the song has timed out on the main menu, Play All....

[Chris Harding]

Thanks Guys

I was just wondering if the general trend had changed at all ..obviously it hasn't as I also go into a menu with the couple's pic behind and no Don the bride doesn't press play on the remote she presses "Enter" as my menu option defaults to "Play All" ...she can also of course press play too!!

I did expect a "fun" comment from the master and it's great to see you still have your sense of humour in the icy Chicago winter months.

Chris

[Don Bloom]

Ha Chris, I figured you'd see the funny in my comment. Actually regardless of whether I use a 1st play or not (and more and more lately I'm not) I have a Main Menu page with a Play Movie and Scene Selection Button. I may or may not have a short peice of music behind it. Same for the Scene Selction Menu or Menus. Sometimes I need 2, don't want to crowd the page too much.
It is definately getting cold, windy and snowy here BUT nothing I haven't experienced before much as I HATE it. I've talked to my boss (Mrs. B.) about getting the hell out of here and she still says an emphatic NO. doesn't want to leave the grand kids. I say we'll send them tickets. <sigh> I'm doomed to cold weather! ;-(

[Peter Rush]

Straight into a menu with background pic (or montage) of the bride and groom and menu options (little motion menu thumbnails) with background music - It's been like that for a few years and I keep thinking i should change it but my couples love their DVDs so why change it?

Works for me :)

[Chris Harding]

Thanks Guys

Mine are very much the same but my wedding tomorrow they were asking for lots of "special effects" .. I told them that died in the 80's when you had floating hearts all over the screen ..I thought maybe fancy titles were back in vogue but obviously not (thank goodness)

The Indian culture here still seem to like extended boring titles with lots of titles that animate on the screen ... I was shown one with the cake cutting and titles floated all over (including hearts and sparkles) and it really did take me back to my VHS days when those were the norm. Luckily I was just doing the Indian reception as here there go to India for a 5 day ceremony and local videographers do the job for it seems just a few hundred dollars !!

I'll also stick to my menus with a photo of the couple like I always to ...as Murphy's Law states "if it works don't mess with it"

Chris

[Roger Gunkel]

Pretty much the same thing for me, menu page with B&G background page and buttons for chapters or start.

On start, many of my clients like to have a series of childhood and growing up shots from their family albums as a pre history, before dissolving into the start of the day.

When I delivered my first ever wedding video in the mid 1980s, they enjoyed it, but as it faded away with 'The End' over a picture of them, the Bride said " The video is great, but when it says The End, it's a bit like we died!" I took it away, changed it, and ever since then my wedding video have finished with 'The End (and the beginning)'

Roger

[Peter Rush]

Ahhh Chris - now you mentioned the indian culture - that's a different world altogether. The Asian weddings I have done have fancy titles/fireworks/explosions etc etc!!! Joking aside when I meet with Asian couples they all (without fail) ask for 'special effects' within the video - they seem to love fast pans/zooms, cheesy transitions etc.

It must be a cultural thing I suppose - i do have a special menu screen with motion graphics from Digital Juice in After Effects format that I reserve for Asian Weddings

[Chip Thome]

"How do you start your wedding DVD"

I click "Play" :-)

Sorry Chris.... I couldn't resist :-) :-) :-)

[Chris Harding]

Chip you didn't read all the posts ..Don Bloom's post already tried that one with me. Technically on my DVD menus firstly the text reads "Play all Movies" and secondly as Don rightly says you press play on the remote (You would click the select button only with a 'puter)

However you are excused due to the 8" of snow in Green Bay keeping you indoors while we are basking in a mild tropical warmth this morning of 75 degrees!

Chris

[Tariq Peter]

I used to have the Play - Scene Selection (with its own menu and animated boxes) Bonus Features (Highlights and Picture slideshow)

I soon figured out that a simple Play Movie - Play Highlights was the way to go. Couples just want to quickly get into the video and although you may think its a good idea to tell them things like you offer animated menus etc its simply not worth it, couples don't care.

[Chris Harding]

I must admit I also now keep it as simple as possible so my menu defaults to the first option which is "Play all Movies" ..that way also if the couple can't find/can't use/don't have the remote they can still press play on the DVD player itself and all the sections will play sequentially. I do however offer 3 or 4 options so they can "part watch" sections like "Preparations", "Ceremony", "Photoshoot" etc etc.

I used to make a 30 second intro that played before the menu started like a short hilite clip saying something like " On 23rd January....Lisa and Ron began a new life together ... This is their Story" but I have become a little lazy now and normally just go straight into the menu.

Chris