I know that we as Videographers have been an active part in changing what people, brides, think about videography. Videography is becoming as much as an importance as photography. I want to know what you think about this.

At OurWeddingDay.com is a nice site, they put brides in contact with vendors. but I have a problem. I noticed that when the bride is looking for a photographer it gives her some options:

Photographer budget $1,500 - $3,000 then goes up.

Then right under the photographer it gives the bride an option for the videographer

Videographer budget up to $1,000

My thoughts is... it states to the bride that you should pay more for the photographer and you should not have to pay that much for
the videographer. wow... it is a little hard not to take that the wrong way.

The website is very nice and works well. The website gave us a 14 day trial and the only problem we had was with this issue.

They did not seam impressed to change this on their site, they said based off research is why they have the difference in price.

Am I the only one reading this... seam to have an issue/problem with this? I would like to know what you think.

A reprentative from the company asked me to let him know your response. Thank you for your time in reading this and comments.

tminchew@msn.com

The only package I have under $1000 is for raw footage. My prices are right along side the Photog listing. I think they definitely need to change the prices for the videographers! If they didn't I would think twice about advertising with them since they are not making your prices look good compared to what they are making the brides believe is the 'norm'.
Not the most positive thing for a bride to see, clicking on a link for videographers under $1000 just to see that your prices are well over. That would make the illusion that you are highly overpriced (which is not the case)
I don't know where and who they received their information from for the research, but it's almost insulting to good videographers to post such prices. I mean come on....what is this craigslist.

I encourage everyone to let me know what you think. I appreciate it.

This is crazy! They are giving us a bad deal, I feel that we should stand together and petition against comments like that. Our equipment cost more than photographers, our edits take longer, we need monster workstations to handle all the data of HD and we employ staff to help with the shooting, in every sense we should be charging more than photographers. I don't even have a package for $1000.

Research??? Sounds like Uncle Bob Cam pricing. I MIGHT shoot for that if we share genes or I've known you for a LOOOONG time. AND that's only if I like you... a lot... on a personal level...

OK, maybe I'd stick a camera on a tripod and hand you a CD of the result... that's painless... except I'd be twitching because I know how much better a proper multicam documentary of the day would memorialize the most important day of many people's lives...

With the economy as it is (and our local economy is pretty lousy), I'm considering lower priced packages, whatever pays the bills, but anything even close to the 1K mark would be "no frills". I'm close to a templated package that might make for a viable quick cut and swap files approach for the end product (for the typical short ceremony and fast reception), but...

It makes for a REALLY low expectation to say "up to $1K", and for a site wanting to get you to advertise, they need to readjust their espectations...

Valuing a vendor at 1/2-1/3 of what they are worth or at MOST 2/3rds... I'm not feeling the love.

It's really a shame that people generally don't seem to know the difference between well shot video and "monkey cam" footage and set the bar so low.

Ditch them and go somewhere else. I have been lookging through a lot of sites and I came to one vendor's director web site. THE picture for videography was a consumer camera sitting on a POS tripod. I emailed the owner saying "you have got to be serious if you think this is videography"

No response. And he won't be getting my money either.

I encourage everyone to let me know what you think. I appreciate it.

Travis,

Send them some links to sites like Stillmotion, Cloudnine, Silver-media, etc., and some of the other established wedding videographers who have prices listed.

Obviously the site was set up by a former photographer.

Here is another one, money saving tip offered by a wedding site. I know 1 & 2 are given but asking a friend is an open invitation.

*
Go for packages with one camera coverage
*
Pick a package with limited editing or none at all.
*
If you can't afford a professional video, ask a friend or 2 that own their own video cameras to shoot the day for you. Putting an unfamiliar camera in someone else's hands is useless. Professionals know what to shoot and how to shoot it. So, give your friend a list of events that you want footage of and how you want each shot, for the entire day. Example:
o
Pre-Ceremony: Close-up footage for 10-seconds of the different decorations.(altar arrangements, pew bows, wreath outside and unity candle)
o
The guys waiting. Ask the groom what he's thinking about.
o
The guests arriving (especially immediate family)

while at it the bride can give her *must take* photo list to Uncle Harry. Hell more often than not he's got the same if not better equipment than the hired photog.

See this is what really gets me. Now I've been around long enough to know and understand that video is usually the last thing to get and the first thing to go but come on. Oh wait, that's right. They can't hire me because they just spent 2 grand on a stretch Hummer limothat they'll ride in for all of about 45 minutes (house to church--church to reception) and they'll forget about the ride in 3 days, but hire a professional videographer to capture the most important day of their lives? Something they can keep and watch for their lives together, remember their grandparents and later their parents, something their kids can watch tooalso remember their family members with? Naw, we'll never watch it. I hate the way I look in videos. Maybe if you had someone that knows how to use a camera and editing system you wouldn't hate the way you look. Oh by the way, didn't your friends have a pro do the video? Ask them how they like it.
I'm being a bit sarcastic here and a bit grumpy but it's never made sense to me. Even back in the 80's I got better excuses than some give me today.
Ahh never mind me, I'm sick today and just feelin' feisty but I know there's some truth in what I say.

There's a lot of truth to what you say!!!!

I'll keep it simple for what I see all the time. I've been fortunate to personally see more people book us in the beginning of their planning, but as far as the industry goes, it's still bad.

Always the last thing to get if they still have room in their 'budget', but when they don't, it's the first thing they regret once the day is over!!!!!!!



Matt

I'm a little crazy I guess, and I'm in a funky market here, but I have a one camera package that we do for (barely) under $1000. I actually make about the same on my one cam package as I do on my two cam package because I shoot as many shows as I can myself.

I don't have a high-end cushy lifestyle, but I feel like it's a good price for where I'm at right now, and the brides I work for love my work.

Plus we do better with one camera than most of my competition in the area can do with two.

Maybe I'm working too hard, but I'd rather be working (-:

Thank you for posting to this topic, I know there are some videographers who prices are under and up to $1,000, but this does not make it right for a website to say you should pay more for a photographer and videographers you should not have to pay as much. That is telling the bride , photographers should cost more.

Our standard average booking for our company for an average bride is $2,000-$4,000 but we do have prices in our price structure that a bride can book us for around a $1,000, and ceremony only for about $500-$750.

It is wrong for a website to give the option to brides saying that photographer budget $1,500-$3,000 and then right under the photographer it has the videographer only "0 up to $1,000" This is the topic of this thread.... I want to know what you guys think about the above paragraph. This company after they did not change or offer to change it, I told them I would post this topic on forums for videographers and let them know what their company's website does for videographer industry, and let them know what replys I get.

I appreciate your comments on this issue and will let you know the outcome or progress, sure it is just one company, but it tells brides that videography is not as important.

what is your thoughts?

we should create our own website - kinda yellowpages for wedding videogs with tips how to book a gig and make sure it's done the way they want it. with a a brake down how much work we do put in it and with examples why it is so important to have video at the wedding.

i.e.

www.bestweddingvideotips.com

Those sites are out there. WEVA and 4evergroup both have site dedicated to videography business. IMO if anyone in any business needs a website to tell them how to book work after they've been in whatever business then I'm sorry to say they shouldn't be in business. Being in the video business requires more than being a good shooter and editor. It requires being a good businessperson. That means know where and how to get work, how to book it, how much to charge and charging for what. HOw to amortize your gear, knowing that you have overhead and expenses that need to be proportioned over the business you book, etc. Sorry if I sound harsh or mean or grumpy but when someone says to me "I booked a gig charged $1000 so I made $1000 on the job" it's all I can do to hold my tongue. We don't need another website to do this. Theres plenty of information here, on WEVA and 4evergroup.
Now on to the OP question. It's easy. The people that run that site are idiots and place no value on video so they don't think anyone else should either. So the solution to the question is easy. Don't sign up with them andforget about trying to change their minds because you never will. You will drive yourself crazy, waste valuable time and energy and accomplish nothing. Forget it, move on and put your energy to better uses.

Travis, I tend to agree with Don on the response to the website's post. The 'who's more valuable' question has been around for a long time. I think the answer is always going to be 'it depends on what the bride wants', and hopefully we are educating our brides to want a higher quality video, because they'll be glad they did ten or twenty years down the road.

I guess I posted what I did because I feel like brides are always going to be spending less on video than photography, and if I can create a low-cost, high-quality product for them that I can still make a good profit on, then everyone wins.

...sure it is just one company, but it tells brides that videography is not as important.

IT is NOT one company. This is just one of MANY companies I have seen that have cheapass consumer camera pictures next to the "Videography" title, or have videography lumped in with the DJ (WFT???? DJs?), or have un-equitable price structure, etc.

Travis,

To answer the original post's question...

I find it hard to believe that pricing goes "up to $1000" in anyone's market. If they feel the need to quote prices, it really should be a range like was done with the photographer's pricing. Then it should be a range from the least expensive package they can find to the most expensive package they can find. Around here, I've seen $795 up through $3500, with most packages in the $1200 to $1500 range. However, if I were going to publish this on a web site, I'd likely do a more exhaustive price search before I publish.

Just my opinion!

Mark

When you have a website and you are hooking up brides with vendors and you have photography and videography next to each other with the option for photographers "the first option" has $1500-$3,000 and then right under photography there is videography and they have "up to $1,000" THIS SAYS TO THE BRIDE ... You should pay more for photographers and videographers should cost less.. This is an insult to our industry. This is my opinion. What is yours? This is the Topic of this Thread. What do you think?

I will send these replies to this company, because they wanted to see what you guys thought.

Phillip wrote: "I guess I posted what I did because I feel like brides are always going to be spending less on video than photography, and if I can create a low-cost, high-quality product for them that I can still make a good profit on, then everyone wins. "

I highly disagree with "feeling that brides are always going to be spending less on video than photography"

In our business we are have brides spend more money on video than on photography. The industry and the way brides look at videography is changing and websites like the one I am talking about is telling brides that photography is more important and should cost more.

We even had a few weddings with only video? wow! We could not believe it.
The past 3 years we have had brides book us before the venue, photographer, cake, florist, or dress was chosen. Was it this way 5 years ago? no. Video would be the last to get called or booked. We (as a whole - videographers) have worked on our product and style and have helped change the image and view of videography. Websites like the one I am talking about on this forum is only one example of a company saying photography is more important than videography. this is not right.

Those sites are out there. WEVA and 4evergroup both have site dedicated to videography business. IMO if anyone in any business needs a website to tell them how to book work after they've been in whatever business then I'm sorry to say they shouldn't be in business. Being in the video business requires more than being a good shooter and editor. It requires being a good businessperson. That means know where and how to get work, how to book it, how much to charge and charging for what. HOw to amortize your gear, knowing that you have overhead and expenses that need to be proportioned over the business you book, etc. Sorry if I sound harsh or mean or grumpy but when someone says to me "I booked a gig charged $1000 so I made $1000 on the job" it's all I can do to hold my tongue. We don't need another website to do this. Theres plenty of information here, on WEVA and 4evergroup.
Now on to the OP question. It's easy. The people that run that site are idiots and place no value on video so they don't think anyone else should either. So the solution to the question is easy. Don't sign up with them andforget about trying to change their minds because you never will. You will drive yourself crazy, waste valuable time and energy and accomplish nothing. Forget it, move on and put your energy to better uses.


I dont think I am wasting time on this, this company is not making me lose money or business. I think anytime I can promote, Videography (our industry) it helps everyone... even if it is just one website saying photography should cost more. Thanks for your post though... The only reason I even posted this is to here what you guys thought? sorry of your time got wasted.

Travis -
I think the ONE thing they should do is at least put a "starting value". Saying "up to $1K" makes it sound like you should hold out for some bozo who will shoot for nothing. I guess we've all done a "freebie" or two to get some experience (that's the first one I ever did, was just set up a couple cams for a friend, rough edit, they loved it anyway...), but that shouldn't be an expectation...

The problem with a site that devalues a vendor that they are asking to advertise is that they are saying "you stink, but we want your money", and I'd rather not try to educate them about basic business.

I think the suggestion of checking around the market (whether local, national, international, or whatever, it can make a HUGE difference in prices, quality, and so on), and THEN, based on REAL reasearch, they post a range. I can guarantee that if they took into account some of the high end video guys that strut their stuff here (deservedly so!!), the top end would be above those photog quotes... and the quality would be well worth it.

You've got a pretty good sampling from the regulars here - I don't know that any of us would say "how low we would go" in the current economy but it's safe to say I'm not working TOO cheap, and even in a bad economy in an area deeply affected by said economy, I'm shooting for a minimum of $1k...

That said, if someone says it's a 15 minute ceremony followed immediately by a quick simple reception of an hour or two, and it's just down the street a piece, I'm flexible (and I did a couple like that on "last minute" calls, wouldn't mind doing those regularly - fast, easy, in and out, easy to edit too!).

There are a lot of variables, but any site that wants to attract advertisements from vendors should take a reasonable sampling and post some realistic numbers.... "up to $1k" is insulting and rather silly, IMO.



Hopefully not too far off topic, but...
Has anyone ever done an accounting on "percentage of budget"? I'm thinking someone spending a couple thousand on a quickie wedding might still want photo and video, but will either have a small budget or use a significant percentage on those things. Compare that to say a big destination wedding, and the numbers might be a bit different. Long cultural weddings would be far more than the above protestant affair... I would think that an evaluation of how much of the total budget should be set aside for specific vendors might be more practical for the planning stages...

The website wants to hear what you guys think about prices? they want to know basic price breakdown of our services. They are wanting to change the website for photography and videography. if you look in the previous posts... photography is $1,500-$3,000 then videography starts at "up to $1,000"

What are your price breakdowns?

I think they should place no budget there... or at least make it $1,500 -$3,000 just like the photographers... or add "up to $1,000" to the photographers so both are the same... and it does not basically have different prices for videography and photography and it does not show them being "you should pay more for_______________" than for ____________"

Your Comments?
(One more day and I will email all the post you guys have made to the owners of the website... thanks for your time and comments.

I think it is a helpful service to brides to have some kind of idea of pricing, so I'm not dead against websites having dollar amounts listed. Sounds like you're talking 1000-3000 or so for your basic to mid range packages.

If you ask me, I think they should place the photos and videos on even footing at least ($1500-$3000.) You are absolutely correct about hubs like these devaluing our services to brides, I know of one site that breaks it down further with videography pricing blocks at every $500 starting at "less than $500" and I can't tell you how many quote requests we have received from that site asking for $250-$500 services. I try to educate those leads but have to turn away most of them, several reevaluate their budget but it does us a terrible disservice when the wedding hub sites devalue our work before we even get the lead...

I have been getting updates as a result of my free listing with BigDaySmallWorld.com. Unfortunately, they had a picture of a cheap handycam style camera for their "Videography" section. I complained a few times about the completely un-professional look of that picture, and finally on my most recent complaint someone read the email and changes the picture!

Chances are, the site is a one man shop so he is responsive to complaints from potential customers.

I have a feeling this hub you are dealing with might react the same. If nothing else, it will serve as a good indicator for how responsive and customer oriented they are. If they don't change the price range then shake the dust off your feet and leave! If they do change to meet your suggestions, then they may not be a bad company to look into.

In January we spend 80% of our marketing for the year and I was waiting to see if Ourweddingday.com would make the change right away and see how they respond to their customers. I wanted to see them take action faster, that would have said something more about them. BUT they are making changes and are willing to listed and change.


thanks for yor comments.

I think it is a helpful service to brides to have some kind of idea of pricing, so I'm not dead against websites having dollar amounts listed. Sounds like you're talking 1000-3000 or so for your basic to mid range packages.

Phillip, I know that it is helpful to know the brides budget... but that is not what I am talking about. It is helpful to know the brides budget... of course... but it is NOT helpful for a website to have different prices for photography and videography with photography. It is telling brides that you should pay less for video... That is the point.

I think this has a lot to do with the history of wedding video, which more often than not is a stationary camera on a tripod at the back of the sanctuary. Basically a security video.

I don't take bookings for weddings anymore because in my area that's what people still expect - an individual with a Sony Handycam recording only the ceremony for $250.

Too many times I've told brides my starting rate (a ridiculously low $1500) and have to explain why it costs "so much". If they hang on long enough to view a sample on my website, they always say "I had no idea you could do that!" But they still pass on me because they were expecting to pay $250.

The style of wedding video most here provide is in a completely different category than the "videographer" on OurWeddingDay.com.

EDIT: I just looked at their article about selecting a videographer, and that seemed up-to-date ("Unlike the old, clunky days of home movies, videographers can shoot digitally, make montages, and add special effects, themes, narration, and even old stills of the two of you into the story.") The article also says "It will also take out an additional 5-10% of your entire budget." Since the average wedding budget is $20k+, that means a videographer would costs $1k to $2k, according to their own article. Seems kind of silly they'd place a cap of $1k on the videographer budget.

I'd certainly point out that little bit of contradiction on their website.