Why can't some togs remember a name - I mean I'm not the best but at a recent wedding the tog kept calling me 'the video man' and also kept calling the bride Danielle - even though it was Katie - his excuse was he'd photographed a Katie the day before.

Pete

Embroidered shirts?

Heh, I always tell people call me whatever just spell my name right on the check. Believe it or not, that generally stopped them from calling me anything but my name.

I would kick myself hard for calling the bride by the wrong name. If you're not sure look at the paperwork. A persons name is THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT THING THEY HAVE! Get it right.

I mean as I get older it's harder for me to remember everyones name so there have been times when I'm better off not using a name. I'll go up to someone and say something like "Do you have a minute, I need to ask you something?" At that time my wife usually says "Yes". ;-)

I had that at a wedding recently, the photographer kept calling me Mr video man....... After a while I decided to return the compliment and started to say ..... "Excuse me photographer".... and "Ah Photographer, can I just"..... After a while he said to me 'Sorry what was your name again?' It was first name terms from then on:-)

Roger

I guess we will all have to make big badges saying "Hello ..my name is Roger and I'm the videographer"

If you don't remember the bride and grooms name then you are not taking your job very seriously are you.

My spec sheet obviously has the couple's name but it also has the celebrant, photog and DJ/MC's first names too. Much nicer to greet a fellow vendor with his name than say "hello Mr DJ"

Chris

it is a compliment
you know "the best man" etc

Heh, I always tell people call me whatever just spell my name right on the check.
Right on Don

I guess we will all have to make big badges saying "Hello ..my name is Roger and I'm the videographer"

It would certainly make life easy for the photographers if every videographer wore a badge saying their name was Roger ;)

So, now we're all called Roger, what else do we have to moan about? :D

I introduce myself, I do the polite thing to remember their name and I expect the same. I do warn them that if they call me 'video guy' then we are done! :)

This reminds me of the old TV commercial for Culligan water softeners. Probably didn't run anywhere but the US. the cartoon womans voice..."HEY Culligan man"!!!!!

It would certainly make life easy for the photographers if every videographer wore a badge saying their name was Roger ;)

So, now we're all called Roger, what else do we have to moan about? :D

LOL made me dribble my tea!!

Roger

If also works the other way around! I was with my regular photographer Richard and his wife Allyson and the celebrant kept calling him "Michael" ... much to my, and her delight, we also decided to call him Michael for the duration of the wedding.

He gave up eventually and accepted that for this wedding he was going to be Michael, whether he liked it or not!

I notice that over here most shop assistants and sales people (even supermarket checkout girls) have name tags so maybe that's the way to go? At least you will be correctly addressed but it does seem a bit rough to have to have an ID badge everywhere you go!

Chris

A forum is supposed to ask for solutions for problems.
Now I do not have this problem as my first name is Jo, pronounced as "Yo". So if the call me VideJo Guy, I think I am addressed properly.
But for all of you, who are not so lucky, I have been thinking of solutions for this severe problem.

1) Call your company "The Video Guy",
2) Adopt yourself a second first name, "Guy",
3) Start filming at funerals. At a grave everyone should remain silent.
4) Get yourself a LARGE bagde with your first name on it.
5) Do not get upset, every time they call you "The Video Guy".

:-))

I notice that over here most shop assistants and sales people (even supermarket checkout girls) have name tags so maybe that's the way to go? At least you will be correctly addressed but it does seem a bit rough to have to have an ID badge everywhere you go!
Chris

The problem is of course that when you look down at a large chested girl's name badge the wife, the checkout girl and everyone else around thinks you're looking at cleavage!

I've seen photographers wear name tags. The proper office employee staff tags that you have around your neck. Passport size pic, and name underneath.

I feel that's a bit OTT ... but I guess they were fed up with people calling them 'photographer'

Hi Dave

EXACTLY!! Why would they put them anywhere except right next to a major focal point on their body.

Bless those managers who decided where badges will be worn!

Chris

A forum is supposed to ask for solutions for problems.
Now I do not have this problem as my first name is Jo, pronounced as "Yo". So if the call me VideJo Guy, I think I am addressed properly.
But for all of you, who are not so lucky, I have been thinking of solutions for this severe problem.

1) Call your company "The Video Guy",
2) Adopt yourself a second first name, "Guy",
3) Start filming at funerals. At a grave everyone should remain silent.
4) Get yourself a LARGE bagde with your first name on it.
5) Do not get upset, every time they call you "The Video Guy".

:-))
Love it, best post for ages

Sorry, somehow double posted

Love it, best post for ages
Thanks.
But do not call me "The Comedy Guy"! Jo-ker will do
But seriously, language is such a nice tool. You can do such much more with it than saying "Yes we can" on every occasion.

I must admit that I do admire brides for their memory. Quite often I have booked them over a year ago yet they turn up at the rehearsal and instantly recognise me and remember my name while I'm struggling to remember what they look like (I have my spec sheet so I still get the name right) It's easy at the wedding cos she's the one in white but at the rehearsal she looks like everyone else. I usually carry just one camera with me and wait outside the venue so at least she will know I was the video guy she booked! (Don't actually need the camera as it's more often than not a venue I have already done, but it does make sure he knows I'm the video guy)

I'm sure one of our regular posters here actually takes a quick still of the couple once they book so he can remember what they look like.

Yep, excellent post Jo! but no thanks, I have been asked to do funerals but always decline ...I don't think I could handle such sad events.. I do weddings cos they are happy events.

Chris

There's a market for funeral videography? I'm in! Can't think of a more depressing thing than western weddings. I'm calling my new company "The Video Man In Black".

Yeah Chris, I asked about this at my Church and the minister said the funeral companies organise it, gimme a lead!

I am not "The Video Man in Black" (patent pending Dmitri Zigany), I am "The Film Noir Maker" (patent pending).

Some folks want the funeral (or wedding) streaming online so out-of-towners can "attend."

I used UStream to stream our last wedding - I taped (!) my smart phone to the front of my tripod so it saw what I saw.

When I was doing a rehearsal a while ago (Catholic) some funeral ladies were waiting at the back of the Church with the coffin so the priest could do a blessing on the deceased (prior to the funeral)

Chatting to the ladies they said plenty of funerals have a video guy!! There is obviously a market but I must admit it's not my cuppa tea at all.

I would suspect it's very much like a wedding in content ?? Film the hearse arriving and then film the "ceremony" (whatever it's called) and then almost like wedding speeches one would capture various family members saying their bit.

There is probably a bigger market if you rather called it a "Celebration of Life" rather than a "Funeral" .. I would suspect that one would also refrain from closeups of the window weeping and rather make the whole thing about what a good life the deceased had and enjoyed.

One would assume not to turn up in a floral shirt, jeans and sneakers but respectfully dressed in black ..I wonder if a suit is necessary?? It gets might warm in this part of the world and a lot of funerals here are done by marriage celebrants. Might be worth looking at in a positive light to fill in the barren week days??

Chris

I've done 2 funerals. Both military. Never again. As former military (Vietnam-US Army Infantry) I thought I could handle it. Nope.
I'd rather do weddings, seminars, talking heads, gouge my eyes out. No funerals for me.

I had an onsite wedding coordinator use 'video guy' in front of a client and I corrected her right in front of the client and told her I didn't like the tag, and she could call me Steve. Video guy makes you sound like a cheap 100 dollar Walmart camera.

I'm not sure if anyone saw the documentary of the guy called "Ugly George" who used to comb the streets and persuade women to flash their assets?? Not sure where in the USA but his efforts were shown on cable.

He was a video guy so I'm sure we don't want to be labelled in the same category as soft porn camera people. Our weddings are high class and respectful so there is no problem using our name.

My black dress shirts are indeed embroided with the Company Name ..when I replace them next maybe a name underneath the company name just might be a good idea.

Chris

On a cemetary close to the place I live, there is a grave, that shows a videoscreen, with a video of the life of the deceased is running constantly. Wonder however, who switches the batteries every now and then.
So there is another market for you guys.
I will stick to filming on journeys I make.

I dunno it looks like easy money from the ones I saw on a couple of sites ... $550 for around 1.5 hours work and all they do is film the guests arriving ..then the service (usually civil here with a few people coming up to say their piece) and then the guests leaving .... That's about it!! If you can accept the morbidness of the occasion then it looks simple.

My wife loves the idea!! I guess one could work in with funeral homes but they probably would want a cut!! My thoughts?? I'm still not sold on filming morbid events ... what's your feeling on this Tim??

However I always have an open mind and I could be busier during the week ..not quite yet at Don's stage where I am ready to gouge my eyes out. I would of thought that footage of a military funeral would look quite stunning actually but if the guys are close to your heart then I understand the comment from Don.

Chris

Hey Chris, I reckon it could be a relatively straight forward gig, even with a multi camera edit, but I think you would want a wide shot back at the congregation for some of the parts, like the singing. You would also want to get a good amount of b roll to go with it.

You don't get as much notice as with weddings though Chris, would that suit?

But I really think it is a business opportunity worth considering. You can have SOR Chris and I'll do NOR. Film Noir now taking bookings.

Hi Tim

Funnily enough either it's an untapped market or one not worth pursuing!! If you google "funeral videos perth" there are a few people doing slideshows (which most funeral houses do themselves) but no videographers...even local classifieds like Gumtree and Locanto have absolutely zero ads for anything funeral related.

Wonder why???

We had now better let this thread get back on track about being called "the video man" .. There was a thread here a while back about funerals ..you might like to search for it.

Ok back on track I guess we need to have a badge or our name on our shirt?? Is that the general consensus or should others just remember our name ??? I could take my Dymo labeller and label all my gear .. "this camera belongs to CHRIS (the video guy) "

Chris

I'm with Don . . . who cares what they call me? I'm getting paid and don't care who calls me what. Many times that's exactly how I introduce myself . . . "I'm the video guy." Let's face it, "videographer" is a mouthful, and a word I've never been fond of anyway. I don't take it all so seriously that I feel I have to be like that.

I've gone to media producer. We do both photography and video, so media producer is more accurate.

I often too, do video and stills combined and when I'm doing a wedding with both they always seem to call me the photographer if they are referring to my "title" never the video guy!! Not a lot of people would use the videographer term as it's quite a mouthful so video guy is more common.

I don't ever hear the photographer being referred to as the photo guy ...wonder why?? It must be the fact that "photographer" is a more common word?

Chris

Mr lighting man, miss sound lady, mr video are perfectly ok, and in the theatre world where I mostly work, everyone has an abbreviated job title, so "where's stage LX?" Is fine. I don't expect people to find out my name, I work with perhaps 4 to maybe over 20 people on a crew and after 40 odd shows, I might know half of the names. It's not an insult if they don't know your name. Far more important things to worry about. I answer to anything if it's civil!

In the music industry, it is perfectly acceptable (and rather more practical) to address people by their function as in these well known phrases:

"trombones - could you please go easy on the fortissimos?"
"drums - you're pushing the tempo a bit (again)"
"did anyone manage to book a celeste? Oh, sorry celeste - any chance the rest of you could come down even more?""

Bad things tend to be coming your way if you are addressed by your name when you are one of 30 - 90 people and you are not either (a) leading or (b) playing the concerto.

For 99% of corporate jobs, I agree with Colin. No names, but job title. Depends on the crew size and frankly how friendly they are. I've worked on crews that know EVERYONES names and I've worked on crews that it seemed like it would kill them to even crack a bit of a smile. Either way I get paid.

Weddings are a bit different but in all honesty the only ones I worry about are the Bride and Groom. For the bridal party I introduce myself like this, "Hi I'm Don. I'm the video guy." Chances are they aren't going to remember my name and I KNOW I'm not going to remember their names. The B&G on the other hand I do what I have to remember their names.

I must admit that I do admire brides for their memory. Quite often I have booked them over a year ago yet they turn up at the rehearsal and instantly recognise me and remember my name while I'm struggling to remember what they look like (I have my spec sheet so I still get the name right) It's easy at the wedding cos she's the one in white but at the rehearsal she looks like everyone else.More than once I have turned up to shoot the bridal prep & not recognised the bride or at least not been entirely sure which one of the girls in a face mask & curlers is the bride.

We have done a few funerals. I would happily do more as they tend to be midweek & out of wedding season. They are also much shorter affairs although a colleague of mine was recently asked to film the wake too along with the funeral. As noted previously you can shoot it pretty much like a lightweight wedding very straightforwardly (1 camera wide at back, 1 camera wide on celebrant/speaker, one camera operated on celebrant, speaker, singer etc. No sexing it up with slider shots or Steadicam up the aisle walking backwards in front of the pall bearers, no GoPro on the coffin:-).

One thing that I learned is to only take long shots of grieving mourners & also to have a sign up at the entrance or a note in the order of service to let the attendees know that you have been hired to shoot the video & are not just some ghoul who walked in off the street.

I've done a few funerals but they always call at such short notice. I recommend people book at least 6 months in advance now.

I've done a few funerals but they always call at such short notice. I recommend people book at least 6 months in advance now.

We've done a few too and would happily do more, but I think the idea of making people book in advance will be a dead loss. Taking late bookings may be a dead end business, but .....

.... oh never mind ;)

You are all missing the point with funeral videos as a business model, it is not the late bookings and the inconvenience of having people die when you are already booked, it is the lack of repeat business!

Hi Tim

Technically wedding videos are also a non repeat business as you are supposed to get married for life. I don't do a lot of 2nd marriages so I also consider it a "one off" event.

Dunno about the rest of the world but in Perth we have an ageing population and I'm pretty sure we had a negative population growth a few years back. I wonder if more people die every year than get married???

It's seems strange that local media doesn't show up anything for funeral videos or even photography!

Chris

Maybe Chris it is because the funeral (and wake) are a time to remember the person and their life, but grieving means we need to move and and a record of the day would make that harder?

Also with weddings, there is at least the chance of repeat business...