Who here only does trailers? Most brides want everything. I have had the opportunity to just sell a wedding trailer. I shoot everything but use a fraction of what I have shot. It is so much faster to do it this way....I wish we could sell it to all the brides.

I never do! I figure a movie trailer is made at great cost, to promote an upcoming film release, so the box office makes a fortune. I can see the justification in that but a wedding trailer????

I was under the impression that trailers were made to keep the bride from bugging you for the final version of her wedding if there was a substantial edit time. I deliver usually within a week so a trailer is pointless to "stall" the bride.

But hold on just a minute Jeff? You said the bride PAID for the trailer ? so it's on disk/usb and she keeps it?? Are you sure you are talking a trailer (like 2 minutes) and not a high light video??

I assumed trailers were mainly used to stall the bride on long edits or mainly to showcase your work

Chris

Hi Jeff, there was a photographer I used to work for who sometimes offered a trailer/highlights only. (Let's assume both words mean the same thing, and that it's 3-5 minutes set to music.)

I suppose it was a matter of upsell for a bride who wouldn't have got video otherwise. "Just pay $1000 extra, and we'll supply you with a beautiful short video as well."

(Don't know if it was $1000 extra, or what it was.)

I have always considered a "trailer" as simply a teaser whereas a highlight video is a lot more and is actually (to me anyway) a short compilation of the wedding that brides can show off. A highlight is definitely a "sellable" product but honestly I cannot see why a bride would pay for a video that says "This is what you are going to get a bit later"

Chris

For me, the "trailer" or preview comes first (online), and then that is also including along with the Highlights/Running footage on the final discs.

The trailer serves a larger purpose than just being a teaser for the bride, though. It is a huge marketing tool. In fact, it's what most couples watch as they're shopping around, I'd think.

They're short, concise, and they (should) be the best example of your editing and style.

I think another thing to clarify is that what some people mean by "highlights" is more like 8-15 minutes, rather than 3-5 minutes set to music.

I've got a feeling this is what Tim means?

Also, what some people mean by "trailer" can be more like 30 seconds.

I usually do the 3-5 minute trailer. It is a great marketing tool, and I like the creative process. Many shots and nice editing can go along way. I would really like to focus mainly on trailers or highlight videos. It just seems to take a longer time for the long version. I am pretty quick, but I would love to just upload and deliver a trailer or highlight and move on to the next.

Hi Jeff

I understand a trailer being the length of just one song but what do you include in your highlight video? I mean a little bridal prep (say 3 mins), the bridal arrival and vows (about 10 minutes) and then what? No speeches?? For a reception where you have already used up 13-15 minutes already before it starts what do you include in a few minutes??

Chris

I think another thing to clarify is that what some people mean by "highlights" is more like 8-15 minutes, rather than 3-5 minutes set to music.

I've got a feeling this is what Tim means?



Yes! At least in my case, that's right. About 15 minutes is what my "highlights" comes out to. A preview or trailer is usually a short song or part of a song (2-3 minutes).

Chris: to answer what you were asking regarding time: (again, at least for me): I never really count minutes. I'm not charging the client for 10 minute highlights versus 15 minute highlights. It just usually ends up being around 15 minutes average. I definitely use the toasts (if they're any good), and generally cut them up so that short excerpts from the toasts are scattered throughout as a sort of frame or narrative. I tend not to stay strict to chronology-- I like to mix it up a bit and be a bit thematic. Not as a rule -- just to keep things a bit less predictable and more theme-oriented around a narrative structure.

Thanks Tim

I can relate to that now
A short 2-3 minutes teaser that the bride can see if your edit is likely to take a few weeks or more

I often don't get asked for highlights? I also don't offer them as part of a package but maybe I should
I have done a couple and it's a nice 15-20 minutes what I call a "synopsis" of the entire wedding so nothing is actually left out during the day just drastically shortened. Ideal to show your friends without making them sit down and watch the entire 100 minutes or so.

Just for interest, do you guys always include a highlight video as part of your deal? Maybe some brides don't book me because my competitors are including a highlight video??

It would be interesting to see if packages with an included highlights would be perceived as better value for money ...one would, of course, cost it in to a final price.

Does everyone include a highlight video or is it an optional paid extra??

Chris

One thing I'm curious about -- is there any real difference between a "15 minute highlights" and a "short form" video?

My interpretation of a short form video and a highlight video would be one and the same. Even if it went to 20 or 30 minutes you are not going to include all the prelude to the actual vows part or include all the speeches either so surely they are much the same?

If you insist on making a highlight video out of chronological order then probably the short form would be in order but I couldn't see why one would do both a short form and a highlight?

Surely despite the short form/highlight the brides would still want another disk with the full ceremony and the full speeches anyway. I know my brides would but the only advantage for me would be I would still supply two disks ...one with the short form and the other with the full ceremony and speeches.

To me a short form would serve the same purpose, to show friends and family who don't want to sit thru the entire day?

What exactly do you supply brides, Adrian??

Chris

Hi Chris, what I supply brides varies a lot.

Until last week, I had an "a la carte menu" -- build your own package. Choose how many videographers, what sort of video you'd like edited (short form, long form, highlights, formalities only, even raw footage), and how you want it delivered (DVD, BluRay, USB, online download). The idea was: (1) to be able to appeal to budget clients as well as clients with more money to spend; (2) to make clients feel that they got exactly what they wanted and no more and no less.

Now I've structured it as five packages, including photo-only and photo-and-video options. Feedback on the build-your-own-package system was mixed. Some clients loved it, and chose me because of it! Others found it confusing. In the end, I kind of wanted to minimise time spent during the initial meeting discussing it, so packages seemed easier.

I always supply a highlights or short form so the couple don't bore people shitless. I also include ceremony & reception & bride & groom prep depending on the package. I've had 1 bride who wanted a highlights only but since I have to shoot for the day to get those highlights I don't see the point

Dunno if you guys watch "Brain Games" on Foxtel but it has some very neat marketing info on how people make choices. Too many choices confuse them ..the perfect is supposed to be 3 so the client can make an easy choice ..if you have more then it's supposed to be better to drop those into a "options" section.

I have 4 packages which is supposed to be too much again but for each package I give a video price and a video + photo price .... sheesh start putting in number of shooters and all that and she will have a massive task deciding what to get.

Thanks Paul too ..so is your short form all part of the package? or you they pay extra for that? Do you include a little bit of the entire day on the short form or do you give the speeches a miss as they are included with the longer video?

I honesty would have thought that highlights would have the prep, then arrival and ceremony (just vows, rings and kiss) a photoshoot and then at the reception bridal entry, a condensed section of the speeches and then cake and a shorten first dance. On the longer form you give them the whole day I guess ?

To me that's extra work compared to just a long form as the short form is created from all the footage anyway but if the brides are happy that way and are prepared to pay more for a "more complex package" then that's more money per event. Maybe I shouldn't be lazy and do both and up my package prices?

Chris

I recently worked together with a photog who just had one package at one price, he then would start during brideprep and end one hour after the first dance. He wasn't cheap but in this way he did guarantee a max profit every single weekend.

One thing I'm curious about -- is there any real difference between a "15 minute highlights" and a "short form" video?

Probably not, but it's nice for us to be clear. Same thing with the trailer - we're all just trying to be clear about what we're talking about, I guess.

Noa, I used to be similar to your photog friend. Before we offered videography, and it was just me as the MC/DJ, I simply had one price: hire me, or don't. Very easy. Now? *sigh* not so much.

We have been assuming everyone wants the full length and the 15 minute highlight, but now I've learned to ask, just in case it will mean less work :)

Hi Robert

If you include the high light video in the package and charge extra ..yes it does mean extra editing but it also means you are making more from a wedding and being a one off event that's limited in quantity during the season (only so many days per season that most brides will choose!) wouldn't we rather make as much as possible from each wedding.

If you do a DJ job for say, just two hours you still have to load your gear, set it up, break it down pack it up and probably unpack it at home .. I would say that the pack/un-pack segment would take you longer than the actual 2 hour gig so isn't it better to do a 6 hour gig to make the job more profitable ...If you can get the bride to pay the extra for the highlight you have already shot it so it's just a edit to do.

I know I should also try to get brides to include bridal prep and right to midnight to maximise each wedding but the long hours kill me!

Chris

I recently worked together with a photog who just had one package at one price, he then would start during brideprep and end one hour after the first dance. He wasn't cheap but in this way he did guarantee a max profit every single weekend.

This is how I'd like to price my packages if I turned pro/semi-pro... the way I see it, I'm a one-man team, shooting your wedding day. Every part of your day is important to me, and therefore, I want to share it with you.

I'd find editing a wedding that I missed the preps for instance difficult in the edit, or at least unsatisfying as it's an unfulfilling watch from my perspective if you've missed parts. Similar to how I feel about missing the groom prep, even if that's just the way it is at times.

Noa, I've emailed you my first edit of my latest film to your secondary email, as usual! Hope you have the time to check it out! :)

Agreed, Chris. We were pushing our all day coverage with both edits, but after filming 17 weddings like that last year, decided to back off. Too much time editing. Too many long days (I also DJ'ed 32 weddings, 9 school dances). Besides, I can make almost as much as a DJ/MC, and when the event is over, it's done, there is no post-work except a blog post, and that takes a lot less time than editing.

After having filmed a ceremony by myself, for cheap (compared to our full price), with the promise of good coverage (usual mics, and 2 or 3 cameras), but with basic editing and digital only delivery... yeah, I really like that. A lot. So much less work. (6-8 hours compared to 20-40). If I add that onto it, then I AM making as much as doing the all-day video, but still with less work.

Of course, unlike you guys, I'm not making my living with the videography. What it does is turn the video into even more of an add-on to my DJ services. To make sure we don't go too far in that direction, we'll still try to get about 6 all-day productions. That is still better, though, since my wife just hasn't shown the drive to be a good first shooter, so I am, and I just can't do it all myself all the time.

Hi Jeff

I understand a trailer being the length of just one song but what do you include in your highlight video? I mean a little bridal prep (say 3 mins), the bridal arrival and vows (about 10 minutes) and then what? No speeches?? For a reception where you have already used up 13-15 minutes already before it starts what do you include in a few minutes??

Chris

Sorry for the confusion. I only do a trailer that is one song. I also include the long version of the wedding too. The trailer are quick shots of the event. I do include some audio maybe at the beginning of the trailer and then bring up music. I would love it if us videographers could just shoot the whole day and deliver a nice edited 15 minute video. It would be nice to cut the extra hours we put in doing the long form. However, the 15 minute highlight would still need to be edited well.

I always include a trailer with all packages I offer. Clients sort of expect it since it's the only video that's publicly available, and since most often clients are referred by previous clients they would love it. I only include highlights from the day along with abridged vows, although each wedding is different (so I might use speeches etc. to base the trailer on).

I started mixing in the term "short form" (which is basically highlights in my lingo) to mean something that is less chronological and linear, perhaps, than just a straight highlights. The two could be interchangeable terms, I suppose, (like "fast jogging vs. slow running"), but I'm just trying to convey a more thematic approach in "short form" than just chronological.

I do! I edit it just like an actual movie trailer. I also try my best to follow MPAA guidelines. Have it edited a week after the wedding. It's a great way to build anticipation for the newlyweds and their family and friends to see the wedding. Here is one that I put together last year. They loved it! Disneys Grand Floridian Resort Wedding Trailer Video (http://goo.gl/zdZPV9)