Heckled during speeches
 

OK at yesterday's wedding the reception tables were so close there was hardly enough room for my tripod but I managed to find a space to be greeted with 'you can't put that there mate - we can't see!' from some guests so I move to the next 'available' space to be also greeted by moans - Finally I compromised by getting in a space not quite central and as the father of the bride started his speech I got a tap on the shoulder 'can you film from the back of the room please - you're blocking my wife's view' - I said - 'sorry I can't move now the speeches are underway'.

Also when the groom started his speech with 'everyone having a good time?' that same person shouted - 'No we can't see you' - obviously aimed at me!

Any polite put-downs come to mind folks? I'm not happy blocking people's view but i've a job to do as I see it - The bride would not be happy with the footage from the back of a really long room!

Pete

Re: Heckled during speeches
 

That's a nightmare Peter, thankfully I've never encountered that yet. However I think pointing out to them politely that you have been paid by the Bride and Groom to produce the film and that if they wish you to move they should ask the Bride themselves.
Its her choice then.
But yep, not good especially when the speeches have started.
My pet hate is the mad photographer who wants to take thousands of photographs during the speeches, why???

Re: Heckled during speeches
 

In 5 years (full time) John, filming weddings it's only happened once before so I can wait 5 years till it happens again - thankfully the togs at all 3 weddings I've done this weekend have been pretty good and we got on well :)

Re: Heckled during speeches
 

Hi Pete

It happened to me once too and I had guests whinging about me being in the way. All our speeches are normally done from the lectern near the bridal table so when I get to the venue I make sure I place it where I also have enough space for camera and lighting .... the major cause of this is bad table layout by the venue and often too many tables in too small a place ... if you can get to the venue before the guests enter then you can always explain to the co-ordinator that they have left no place for you to film the speeches and hopefully they will assist.

Otherwise just write it off to a bad venue plan and move on!!

Chris

Re: Heckled during speeches
 

tough one - I've had a similar situation - I moved. I figure the guests have priority.

I avoid blocking the view of the guests at all costs, I can remember having to do that on a couple of occasions but I left the camera unmanned, lowered the tripod and checked with the guests behind the camera to make sure it was okay (I always shoot with multiple cameras).

I think if you find youself in that position again, asking the person who's view you might be blocking should elicit a positive response and minimise complaints before the event.

Re: Heckled during speeches
 

Paul quite often the tables are so close together there is no way you can set up without blocking someone's view - filming from the rear nearly always is not an option without massively zooming in and all the issues that causes - especially in 'mood' lit receptions.

I'm not sure I would give guests priority in this situation - I've got to deliver good footage that's going to be viewed for many years - If some guests need to shuffle to see around me for half an hour then so be it...

...or am I being harsh?

Re: Heckled during speeches
 

Hey Pete

Quite often I ask (very nicely of course) for guests sitting in the narrow gap I need to place the camera if they wouldn't mind shifting around just for the speeches... I have never had a refusal ...Maybe I'm just a nice guy??? who knows?? It certainly doesn't hurt to ask if the tables are close!! I always tell them it's just for the during of the speeches ... maybe that's the way to do it ...make friends with the table guests you need to re-arrange and then suck up to them big time and they will do anything you ask!

Chris

Re: Heckled during speeches
 

A well-timed bout with silent flatulence might clear a little room for you. And you can blame it on anyone you want to.

Re: Heckled during speeches
 

I quite often find that I am going to be in someone's way for the speeches, so I always mention it to them well before hand and apologise profusely saying that if it wasn't for the fact hat I am being paid to film it, I wouldn't dream of being so rude. People usually go out of their way to move for me and I have never had a problem.

Roger

Re: Heckled during speeches
 

I have this situation more then once, often they get a venue and pack more people in there so there is hardly any space to move between the tables, I now put my sony cx730 as close as I can to the person giving the speech, I lock the focus so it doesn't hunt and leave the camera running unmanned during the speech, I then use a second camera for guest reactions but I never will block the guests view myself. With only a tripod and unmanned camera people can still look past it.

Re: Heckled during speeches
 

That sounds like a bad weekend! its hard enough to do your job without guest sabotaging and embarrassing you...We all do our best to stay off the radar but you can't become invisible! When you were asked to move by the first guest it obviously gave way to a chain reaction and everyone felt they had the right to ask you to move. I can't imagine you are so large that if someone was to leaning a little to the left it would have solved the problem. I've noticed that at some weddings the entire crowd seem unfriendly and other times everyone is great...I know you can't really generalise 100+ people but I'd be interested to know if other videographers/photographers have noticed this as well......I think Peter just got a bad day with a bad crowd. Sign it off and forget about it.

Re: Heckled during speeches
 

It can get worse as the alchohol flows.

Arrange for the MC to announce, big bucks is being paid for a video so please assist, and that includes the best man ..


Cheers.

aromatherapy
 

now thats lateral thinking - you could more through your selected spot and 'mark' the territory and once everyone had moved you could set up your tripod and all you'd get was sniggers from the guests.

Re: Heckled during speeches
 

That's why it's a good idea to initiate your "territory" a bit earlier in the evening and explain nicely to the guests that you have to put a camera there and IF they all shift around a bit then they will all see.

However it sounds like the heckler probably had a few more beers than he is used to and wanted to hear his own voice and this was the perfect opportunity ... I'm sure that some people do get blocked (especially those behind you) but they don't say anything ...it was unfortunate that the heckler was the "comedian" of the wedding ....even if you didn't block his view he probably still would have come up with other loud and obnoxious comments just to get himself noticed.

Luckily they don't pop up and all weddings but when they do they are indeed annoying (I even had a groom who fancied himself as a "standup comedian" and was twisting the words of the vows around of an otherwise solemn ceremony just to get attention.

Chris

Re: Heckled during speeches
 

Yup. Been down the heckled road before. I\'ve even been heckled during the ceremony by the officient by walking in the back with my glidecam. For christssakes, i\'m WALKING IN THE BACK! None of the guests notice me cuz they\'re looking at the altar. But apparently it\'s too distracting for the officient who is the only one looking opposite direction. As for the toasts, I find it easier to use monopods and even have 1 camera on a mini tripod sitting on a table. The guests always say "cool look at that. that\'s a good idea" It\'s non obtrusive, and you kind of get that cool "in the audience" look at the end.