Hi everyone,

I'm about to start advertising my prices for videography and i'm really confused about Utah prices.

I read in a Utah Weddings booklet that prices range from $1000 - $3000. So when i got online to look for actual videographers' packages, i was surprised to find that ALL of the ones i've found start at around $500! In fact, as soon as you hit $1000, most are already talking about 2 cameras...

My situation:

I have 1 camera, no extra equipment except for the basics (filters and a tripod), i can't yet justify more expenses (like wireless mics, jibs, etc) since i'm not getting payed for those first two and i have no experience as of yet... but i can certainly practice on my own time.

So the question is: should i just start out at $500? I haven't found anything on DVinfo about prices in Utah. In fact, the last thread i read was a 5 page thread about someone getting lowballed by a guy charging $1000... so i'm a little concerned that people here are starting at $500.

Also, i'd appreciate a link to a site that describes clearly what they offer in their packages... I haven't found much consistency in any of the sites i've researched with Google.

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated

Thanks

Raji

I'd suggest waiting until you have a wireless microphone or iRiver-type recorder before charging anything, since it's difficult to produce a professional wedding video without clear sound. A backup camera would also be a good idea so you don't get stuck if one breaks at an event. Once you have that handled, a starting price around $500-1000 is probably suitable until you have more experience and can charge more based on your previous work.

There's no right or wrong price for video work, just what you think your time and talent is worth and what people are willing to pay you. Low prices will likely bring you more customers with minimal profit; high prices will require careful marketing and good customer service.

Totally agree with Kevin.

There is a kick point wher you equipment meets the basic standard for professional production values.
But that has nothing to do with street pricing. You need experience.

Once that happens and you show the world that you have a creative eye and great editing skills then the referrals will start to happen.

Then you get really good and you can hand pick your brides. Figuratively speaking.

Those who demand low prices can then be ignored and you can build a very successful business creating high end productions that people will seek you out for at a respectible price. Unfortuneately, at the outset, you will have to build your portfolio at the low end of the scale and work up. Just be sure you are ready to deliver the minimum standard from the outset otherwise you will have to wait for the next one for referral work.

You MUST count wireless mics and a proper tripod as STANDARD equipment and IT/THEY are NOT an OPTION....EVER!!!!!!

Also, I used to live in Utah.....I loved that place by the way:)
THere are plenty of people with money living there.....meaning high income bracket, but your skills, equipment, "portfolio", etc. may not allow you to market yourself to those clients, then you will end up targeting the "budgeted type" bride at first....and thats ok to get started.

Raji,

Welcome to the Utah wedding video market, one of the most confusing and different wedding video arenas on earth!!! Guaranteed. :D The reason you are finding different information online (here at DVinfo.net and elsewhere) is because our wedding video market is vastly different from the standard market discussed online. Why? Two words. Temple weddings. That is why you are seeing prices in the $500's and upwards. For an explanation to those not familiar with Utah weddings, please let me fill in a little background. Many people here in Utah are LDS (or Mormon) and are married in temples. As these temples are off limits to any sort of recording, the wedding ceremony is not taped. This greatly reduces the time and effort involved in a typical Utah wedding video. Our wedding videos here, for a temple wedding that is, are more like a photo-shoot, highlights type of clip, generally ranging from 5-10 minutes in length. Add to that the photo slideshows of the bride and groom growing up, plus a slideshow of them together, and you've got a video bordering on 20-30 minutes, more if you film the reception. So we have much less effort involved and much less to charge for. That is why videos are lower here and some things you read may or may not apply to you.

One bit of advice that was offered here was to get a good wireless mic system. While I agree with my colleagues that this is an absolutely critical piece of equipment for traditional weddings, it is generally not needed in Utah. Why? No audio for the most part. Check out my samples. These are typical of the type of videos I and many of my local colleagues shoot. There is no audio from the ceremony as there is no recording of the ceremony. I don't mean to disrespect the advice given here, as you WILL need a good wireless system if you film a traditional wedding. But you need to realize that this is a different market here in Salt Lake. You can find great advice online here, but most of it is geared toward a traditional wedding, not a temple wedding.

Unfortunately, most of the local videographers do not frequent boards like this (or if they do they keep quiet). I'm glad I found your question and I hope I can help you get started. I started out last summer and my current low package goes for $400. I created that based on an average of the local prices (ranging anywhere from $250 on up to $650 for a beginning price). Let me know if you have any questions. It's a cool market here, but not a whole lot of online interaction between videographers. Good to see another local here on the board. =) Good luck with everything.

Utah is definately the prime spot to start a wedding video business. I live in provo and I see several people getting married every week..it's insane!

My friend and I decided to take advantage of this and we started a wedding video business about 6 months ago. Since that initial "forming of the company" we have shot well over 30 weddings (mostly "Temple" weddings, and a few traditional ones).

We started with two GL2s, a couple tripods, and the Glidecam 2000...so now, 6 months later we have 2 glidecam 2000s, a 4000, steadycam equipment, an 8 foot crane, an XL H1, and a DVX100a. We do anywhere from 1-3 weddings..a week.(Except this month we'll only have 4).

When we first started we kept prices relatively low...just under our competitions', but as we put more weddings under our belt we began to raise our prices, put money toward bridal shows and other methods of advertising. And now we're doing very well..(for a couple of guys who still have full time jobs and go to school)

Anyway..sorry to ramble on..I just thought I'd give a little background. We have a site that allows the potential 'client' to customize their own package..which has been a really great way for us to increase sales...you can check it out at www.ehansenproductions.com/, go to 'packages' then choose the 'customize' option to see how our prices break down..we've got fairly high prices now, but people here are more than willing to pay it.

We have a site that allows the potential 'client' to customize their own package..which has been a really great way for us to increase sales...you can check it out at www.ehansenproductions.com/, go to 'packages' then choose the 'customize' option to see how our prices break down...

That's very cool.
-J.

so, whos right...the one utah guy says no taping is allowed in temples and you say you do this often, im just curious???? i miss riding at snowbird!!!!!!



Utah is definately the prime spot to start a wedding video business. I live in provo and I see several people getting married every week..it's insane!

My friend and I decided to take advantage of this and we started a wedding video business about 6 months ago. Since that initial "forming of the company" we have shot well over 30 weddings (mostly "Temple" weddings, and a few traditional ones).

We started with two GL2s, a couple tripods, and the Glidecam 2000...so now, 6 months later we have 2 glidecam 2000s, a 4000, steadycam equipment, an 8 foot crane, an XL H1, and a DVX100a. We do anywhere from 1-3 weddings..a week.(Except this month we'll only have 4).

When we first started we kept prices relatively low...just under our competitions', but as we put more weddings under our belt we began to raise our prices, put money toward bridal shows and other methods of advertising. And now we're doing very well..(for a couple of guys who still have full time jobs and go to school)

Anyway..sorry to ramble on..I just thought I'd give a little background. We have a site that allows the potential 'client' to customize their own package..which has been a really great way for us to increase sales...you can check it out at www.ehansenproductions.com/, go to 'packages' then choose the 'customize' option to see how our prices break down..we've got fairly high prices now, but people here are more than willing to pay it.

so, whos right...the one utah guy says no taping is allowed in temples and you say you do this often, im just curious???? i miss riding at snowbird!!!!!!

We both are. Even though we can't tape inside the temple, we still refer to them as temple weddings. It's just a matter of getting familiar with the terminology. Lowell, it's excellent to see other Utahns on here. That's reassuring to here the success of your business. I'm sure Provo provides you plenty of volume. I think it's a bit more competitive north of Happy Valley, but there's still plenty of work to go around. Thanks for chiming in. I hope to be getting an 8-foot Kessler Crane soon as I like the shot possibilities it opens up. I haven't looked at your site yet but I will soon. Again, nice to see other locals here on such a great forum.

Sorry I should have clarified, when I say I film "temple" weddings, i mean I stand outside the temple doors, wait for the bride and groom to exit, then I film them meeting up with family and friends and take them around and get shots of them in various places doing various poses(outside of the temple)...many of them may look similar because we get requests from people to create the "classic mormon wedding" look and feel. Which tends to stunt some creativity, but they still turn out pretty good and make us the money we need.

Lowell,

I just had to comment that your website is one of the nicest I've seen for a wedding videographer. Very well designed. Did you do it yourself or hire it out?


Raji,

The first wedding I ever videotaped was an LDS wedding here in Boise. I used a single GL2 and a tripod. I didn't even have a monopod. I charged $250 for the job. The next job I used all 3 of my GL2's (non LDS wedding) and paid for a pair of operators. I charged the client $500 for what I now bill more than $2,000 for.

The moral of my rambling? Find out what other videographers are charging for a 1 camera shoot, and then their price and cut it in half or more for your first few clients. When you are first starting out, and you don't have anything to show, you probably won't get clients to pay you what they would pay someone who has videos to show. So don't be afraid to start small and get some experience under your belt. But don't be too agressive with your pricing until you have the experience and equipment to warrant it. Hope that helps. It's 3am here as I write this, so who knows what I wrote.

Hi everyone,

I'm about to start advertising my prices for videography and i'm really confused about Utah prices.

I read in a Utah Weddings booklet that prices range from $1000 - $3000. So when i got online to look for actual videographers' packages, i was surprised to find that ALL of the ones i've found start at around $500! In fact, as soon as you hit $1000, most are already talking about 2 cameras...

My situation:

I have 1 camera, no extra equipment except for the basics (filters and a tripod), i can't yet justify more expenses (like wireless mics, jibs, etc) since i'm not getting payed for those first two and i have no experience as of yet... but i can certainly practice on my own time.

So the question is: should i just start out at $500? I haven't found anything on DVinfo about prices in Utah. In fact, the last thread i read was a 5 page thread about someone getting lowballed by a guy charging $1000... so i'm a little concerned that people here are starting at $500.

Also, i'd appreciate a link to a site that describes clearly what they offer in their packages... I haven't found much consistency in any of the sites i've researched with Google.

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated

Thanks

Raji

hello raji,

i don't do weddings, because i do not edit at the time, but some people here have opened my eye's in regards to what i have to charge. (chris or craig? have a nice formular, thanks to other board members)
no matter what, we have to make a living, get our equipment investment back, pay helpers, media, etc..etc under bitting is the beginning of the end.

i am using now a program to quote, labor, ot, ml, equipment rental (searched 100ml around me), material. what an eye opener. (at least for me)
this program seperates every single item, needed for the project.
i bit on a lot of projects, most of them i don't get (why? may be the pricing, may be i don't edit, may be my expirience, who knows) but, i feel good, protecting my investment, and making shure i get paid right.

i learned that one of the reasons my latest customer shoose me, was a detailed quote.
( 2 hour shoot,calculatet as 10 hour day, unedited, light kit, no audio, camera man+ 1 helper, $ 1600)

2 camera team incl editing goes from about $ 3000 and up. (weddings)

greetings

(bay area, ca)

hello raji,

i don't do weddings, -snip-

( 2 hour shoot,calculatet as 10 hour day, unedited, light kit, no audio, camera man+ 1 helper, $ 1600)

2 camera team incl -snip-

(bay area, ca)

Hi Karl, For reference purposes, what camera do you charge out at 1600 bucks per day including assistant?

Hi Karl, For reference purposes, what camera do you charge out at 1600 bucks per day including assistant?

hello jimmy,

i am sorry

labor package $ 710, (10 hr. day, camera man + 1 helper)
camera package $ 760 (xl1-s, field monitor, tri pt, light kit, etc)
(xl1-s, incl lense $ 350)

greetings

Lowell,
Did you do it yourself or hire it out?


Thanks for the compliment! I actually designed it myself..I work full time as a web designer and commercial videographer in Salt Lake, doing wedding videos is just a side business that pays the extra bills.

I love this post. I was raised in Utah, and until recently my mother rented items out for wedding receptions. One thing I want to add here is that Mormon weddings are generally really, really inexpensive. The temple ceremony is free, and for reasons I won't explain, do not require anybody to rent a tux. The reception is alcohol free (normally a big expense for the gentiles) and typically takes place, again often for free, in a church gymnasium or somebody's backyard. Catering is often done by friends or enterprising teenagers. I would think it would be very difficult to charge $1,000 to document these affairs. My mother used to have a really hard time getting $500 for the whole reception. Often, people opt to pick up the items and set them up themselves just to save a few nickels. I'm not knocking Mormons. I think it's great. The amount of money that other people blow on a wedding can get pretty ridiculous.

i don't know the mormon traditions, etc. but i would think that upper income bride/grooms...lets say that make 100,000.00 per year income, drive a bmw, or mercedes, live in a 3,000.00 or more sq ft house, and can afford the "finer" things in life would have too much issue with spending over 1,000.00 for a wedding video....and i doubt this income class of bride/groom would want a reception in a gymnasium.....obviously i can be wrong but i am doubtful. there are "different" levels of service for all of us abroad.....including utah. when i lived in utah....and i am not mormon.....not that there's anything wrong with that(seinfeld episode 264), it was 10 yra ago, but i noticed that a lot of folks had really nice houses, cars, clothes, etc.......and i spent time all over saltlake......there really weren;t too many "ghetto" type areas relative to other parts of the usa.....utah was actually one of the nicest places i've been. in the end, i just disagree that there is not a demographic that will spend over a grand for a wedding video, i would think that demographic is huge......i know i know.....I could be wrong.




I love this post. I was raised in Utah, and until recently my mother rented items out for wedding receptions. One thing I want to add here is that Mormon weddings are generally really, really inexpensive. The temple ceremony is free, and for reasons I won't explain, do not require anybody to rent a tux. The reception is alcohol free (normally a big expense for the gentiles) and typically takes place, again often for free, in a church gymnasium or somebody's backyard. Catering is often done by friends or enterprising teenagers. I would think it would be very difficult to charge $1,000 to document these affairs. My mother used to have a really hard time getting $500 for the whole reception. Often, people opt to pick up the items and set them up themselves just to save a few nickels. I'm not knocking Mormons. I think it's great. The amount of money that other people blow on a wedding can get pretty ridiculous.

Certainly somebody like Larry Miller is going to splurge a little more on his kids' weddings. I'm not saying you would never be able to charge high-end prices. For one thing, there's a lot of non-Mormons in Utah, especially in Salt Lake. The intitial question was why the prices are so low, and I gave my best guess. My mothers' wedding business was in Bountiful, which is a fairly affluent area, and believe me, there are plenty of wealthy people there with no qualms whatsoever about holding their daughter's reception in a gymnasium.

i don't know the mormon traditions, etc. but i would think that upper income bride/grooms...lets say that make 100,000.00 per year income, drive a bmw, or mercedes, live in a 3,000.00 or more sq ft house, and can afford the "finer" things in life would have too much issue with spending over 1,000.00 for a wedding video....and i doubt this income class of bride/groom would want a reception in a gymnasium.....obviously i can be wrong but i am doubtful. there are "different" levels of service for all of us abroad.....including utah. when i lived in utah....and i am not mormon.....not that there's anything wrong with that(seinfeld episode 264), it was 10 yra ago, but i noticed that a lot of folks had really nice houses, cars, clothes, etc.......and i spent time all over saltlake......there really weren;t too many "ghetto" type areas relative to other parts of the usa.....utah was actually one of the nicest places i've been. in the end, i just disagree that there is not a demographic that will spend over a grand for a wedding video, i would think that demographic is huge......i know i know.....I could be wrong.

Joe,

Thank you for your kind words about Utah. I've lived here all my life and I find it rather nice as well. =) You certainly are right about the high end crowd. There is definitely a market that will spend $1,000 (or more) for a good video. One videographer, David Perry, has actually capitalized on the idea of making high end "temple videos". Check his site: http://www.davidperryfilms.com/. This guy has it figured out. Target that high end LDS market and you'll make a fortune. He does pretty darn well. The ironic thing is that I grew up with him, went to school and played soccer with him. Wish I had half of his equipment now. And his studio.

Like Marco said, most anyone here is looking for a bargain. Which is why I chose to price fairly low for my packages at this time. I'll raise them as I go along, but for now I'd rather go for volume (which there is plenty of opportunity for) rather than pricing myself above the other guys and losing business.

WOW that's a big response to my question! I haven't even had the time to come back on here to check!! So thanks EVERYONE for all your help and suggestions, i'm reading and re-reading many of them and trying to learn what i can.

Mike, i do have a question for you. Am i getting this right about the length of the video? For a temple wedding, the final length is 5-10 minutes? And people will pay $400 for that?? I do appreciate what it takes to get 10 minutes of solid video together, but clients won't... will they?... i just want to make sure i understand what any given client's expectation of the video's length SHOULD be so i don't shoot myself in the foot (thinking i understood what you meant, but didn't).

I wanted to keep things simple in my first post, so i didn't mention a few things.

- I'm doing a regular ceremony first (free - for family) and then doing a temple wedding for $200.
- i own an XL2 and although i LOVE the camera, i'm really starting to think that i might have spent too much on the camera without considering the need for much equipment... typical noob mistake i bet! :D

So a Glidecam 2000 (if it can support the XL2 - otherwise, it'll be the 4000) is going to be in my near future, but not absolutely necessary right NOW, but sound is going to be important, especially for that first one. I tried to look for mics over at B&H and simply couldn't find anything (it doesn't help that i don't know what i'm looking for), so at this point, any links or suggestions would help.

One more thing. Lowell. Your site is VERY well designed. You have no idea how much of a pain in the ass it is most of the time (for both videography AND photography) to find a site that's easy to navigate. Most websites have pages that, if printed, would easily be 5-6 pages long and on the screen, that looks messy as hell. Good job on your site.

thanks again everyone, your help so far has been phenomenally useful and reassuring.

Mike, i do have a question for you. Am i getting this right about the length of the video? For a temple wedding, the final length is 5-10 minutes? And people will pay $400 for that?? I do appreciate what it takes to get 10 minutes of solid video together, but clients won't... will they?... i just want to make sure i understand what any given client's expectation of the video's length SHOULD be so i don't shoot myself in the foot (thinking i understood what you meant, but didn't).

For a temple wedding, you'll see them anywhere from 5-15 minutes. Generally not any longer than that for the temple part. Yes, people will pay that. It's amazing, but they pay much more than my prices for this often enough. That's not all that is on the DVD, because you include their slideshows and such, but as far as actual event video goes you're not looking at a very long video. Try ordering demos from the other videographers around. Silver Box has good samples of what they actually put on their DVDs. http://www.silverboxmedia.com/ There are others too but I can't remember them off the top of my head.

The reception can be a bit longer as there are more actual events occurring. Things like the bouquet toss, garter toss, speeches, cake cutting, etc, will take up time. But if you're talking strictly at the temple (and surrounding area) then you're not looking at a very long video. If you haven't already, start looking at sample videos from other guys here in SLC. It will give you an idea of what clients expect.

While the XL2 is a very nice camera, it may have been better to get something cheaper and get other gear. As others have said, if you are doing a traditional wedding then good audio is a must. But, since you already have the XL2 there's not much good in looking back. I'd go for a good audio system first if you will be doing more traditional weddings. If not, get the Glidecam. It makes for beautiful shots when done properly. If you want to rent a wireless mic system I'd recommend TV Specialists (http://www.tvspecialists.com/rentals/prosumer.php). You can rent a wireless mic for $35 a day, but I've not used that particular one so I'm not sure how good it is. Should be good though, as TV Specialists usually has pretty decent equipment. I'm not too familiar with any other rental shops around, but I'm sure they exist. If you have any other questions feel free to bring them up or email me or whatever. Best of luck. Post up some footage after you shoot these, if possible.

WOW that's a big response to my question! I haven't even had the time to come back on here to check!! So thanks EVERYONE for all your help and suggestions, i'm reading and re-reading many of them and trying to learn what i can.

Mike, i do have a question for you. Am i getting this right about the length of the video? For a temple wedding, the final length is 5-10 minutes? And people will pay $400 for that?? I do appreciate what it takes to get 10 minutes of solid video together, but clients won't... will they?... i just want to make sure i understand what any given client's expectation of the video's length SHOULD be so i don't shoot myself in the foot (thinking i understood what you meant, but didn't).

I wanted to keep things simple in my first post, so i didn't mention a few things.

- I'm doing a regular ceremony first (free - for family) and then doing a temple wedding for $200.
- i own an XL2 and although i LOVE the camera, i'm really starting to think that i might have spent too much on the camera without considering the need for much equipment... typical noob mistake i bet! :D

So a Glidecam 2000 (if it can support the XL2 - otherwise, it'll be the 4000) is going to be in my near future, but not absolutely necessary right NOW, but sound is going to be important, especially for that first one. I tried to look for mics over at B&H and simply couldn't find anything (it doesn't help that i don't know what i'm looking for), so at this point, any links or suggestions would help.

One more thing. Lowell. Your site is VERY well designed. You have no idea how much of a pain in the ass it is most of the time (for both videography AND photography) to find a site that's easy to navigate. Most websites have pages that, if printed, would easily be 5-6 pages long and on the screen, that looks messy as hell. Good job on your site.

thanks again everyone, your help so far has been phenomenally useful and reassuring.

hello raji,

in my case a member, i think it was james, was the one who opened my eys.

even if the ceremony is 10-15 min, you will spend easy 4 hours total, you will have ml, media, pay a friend to help you, same thing, hours, ml, etc
then you need to add your editing time, again media, plus somehow you have to get something for your equipment. on top of it, there has to be some profit.

have done a lot of work for free, about 1 1/2 year, until my wife started to get on my case. i started to search this board, and oh boy........

for the longest time i thought "what are they talking about, i can't charge like that"

i just started this january to charge "right", but got my first "real" paying customer. so, let's see how the rest of the year goes.

greetings

In my opinion, the Glidecam unit is far from essential, especially for someone just starting out. I've been doing weddings for several years and we use monopods 99% of the time that we are off the tripod. Don't get me wrong, a Glidecam can get you some amazing shots, but if you are looking to do more than just a temple highlight video, there are definitely better ways to spend your money to start off.

First, I would look at getting an audio system. Even if you just spend $100 on a DVR or an iRiver, you will need something to capture audio at traditional ceremonies.

Second, I would consider saving up for a 2nd camera and tripod. The days of 1 camera wedding shoots (not including LDS weddings, obviously) are numbered I think, unless you're looking to do low-end weddings forever.

Just my thoughts.

Thanks for the compliment! I actually designed it myself..I work full time as a web designer and commercial videographer in Salt Lake, doing wedding videos is just a side business that pays the extra bills.


I agree, very nice site.

Just adding to what my business partner Lowell said, we started offering only the Temple and a simple photo montage for $250. We signed up like 6 or 7 of these after a month of participating in a bridal show. After about the 4th I hated the fact that we weren't really making anything. BUT, it was essential to the growth of our company. What happened was, ya we hated the fact that we weren't making much, but we got tons of footage to make a nice demo, Our clients loved our work getting more than what they paid for. And after a while we got to the point where we decided to up our prices and it worked, we're still able to sign up just as many people and now make more money on a job, it's all about timing!!!
If you're a new company, why would I pay the same for you to do a job, when there is some other company that's been around for a few years and charges the same? Anyway, hope we're helping you out. Let us know if you have any other questions about this market, it's different...

Eric Hansen
www.ehansenproductions.com

Eric, yeah everything here has been extremely helpful. Since my last post i've purchased a Sennheiser Evolution G2 100 series for the traditional ceremony i'll be shooting and i'm going to try to do without a monopod for now to see how it works. I'm just a little worried about the handheld shots since i don't have any glidecam equipment or anything, so i'll just have to work around that and keep from anything looking amateur-ish. That's not even a word... lol

but yeah, regarding prices, this thread has truly helped me! As soon as i got back to read all the replies, i immediately posted my prices over at http://memories.tinycomet.com but i'm thinking of lowering them some more to about what you suggested.

At this point i really do feel stuck though... with photography, at least i have some sort of a portfolio coming along, but with film i have NOTHING... so at this point i'm going to see if advertising for a free wedding videography package (for whomever calls and books me first!!) will do anything to at least get me started. I'm waiting around for the first bride to get married in April but it's taking too long for my taste, i need to move forward some other way in the meantime.

We started our low package at $400 as I thought that was a decent midpoint between the low-ballers and the professionals. So far it's booked us 4 weddings. But it is a difficult market. Many people do it here and most people are looking for a bargain.

At this point I'm teaming up with my cousin who does photography. He used to do videography, but about 2 months ago he informed me he was getting out of it but still wanted to offer video with his packages. So, we're still maintaining separate companies but partnering to offer combined packages for our clients. So far it seems to be working.

Eric, which bridal show did you do? I was thinking of doing one in January but I didn't have any good demo footage to show so I am planning on next year. It seems to be a good way to get weddings booked. Your thoughts on that? Will you do them again? Are they worth the investment?

Mike,
We've participated in a few shows so far. I think they are worth it because you pay around $700 to be in the show and another $500 or so depending on what you decide to give out, some don't give anything out, so it just depends. But after you book the first show you've pretty much covered the cost. Plus I just like personal selling myself.

As far as shows go, last September we did the one at Thanksgiving Point and the show in Provo. Like I said before we booked about 10 from the show at Thanksgiving point, mostly the cheap package and 0 from the Provo show. We also did the TP in January and we've book a few from that show and have a few people calling and interested.

I like the Thanksgiving Point show because you get brides from both areas, SL and Utah Valley, and a lot of them are more willing to pay more, and it just feels a lot more classy to me. The Provo show on the other hand is well...Provo... we didn't get a single job from the show, a lot of them were getting married out of state (BYU) etc. So I wouldn't really recommend that one.

We are participating in the March show at TP again and in April we're going to do the Provo show (probably the last time only because we said that we would do future shows last September) and the Bride and Groom Gala at the South Town Expo Center for the first time. We're hoping to get a lot of business for this summer, so we'll see what happens.

Eric Hansen

You are really so kind Eric. Thanks for the information about what has worked for you and what hasn't. I agree that Thanksgiving Point does allow for a wider range of brides, as well as bringing in a bit higher end of a crowd. I don't think we'll make it to the March one, as there is so little time to get ready, but the September one might be an option.

What I really like about this conversation is that people are actually trying to help people out. I don't try to be secretive with my "tactics" but I have met many local videographers that won't tell you anything for fear that you'll compete with them. While we do all compete, there is plenty of work out there. I love to see people helping other people, and I try to return the favor as much as I can. So thanks Eric, for being an upstanding example of what a videographer should be. You not only have quality productions but you are also willing to help others. That's commendable.

Hey Mike,
No problem, isn't that what we're here for. I figure it would have been nice to know this place existed before I started up, but hey, love to help out. There are a few anal video guys up here that I've met, but very few, for the most part they are all cool guys who like to help out.

Eric Hansen
www.ehansenproductions.com

I noticed my name mentioned on here, so I thought I would say Hi and congratulate you on your great work. I stopped by your website (ehansonproductions.com) and I really like your layout and your work.
Yes, Mormon weddings are a whole other ballgame, but I think it can be a lot better wedding to film in many ways.
Even though I do specialize in temple weddings, I film traditional weddings as well. In fact, one I recently filmed is showing on Good Things Utah on Monday (ABC4 at 10 am).
Traditional weddings usually take me almost twice as long to edit and are a lot more stressful. No second takes when the bride is walking down the isle, etc. With a temple wedding you can pretty much throw out any particular shot that you didn't like and it's not that big of a deal. Never have problems with the audio because most brides just want a music video. Sure, we might have speeches at the reception, but not a big deal for most brides. What is also nice is that doing a same day edit, I am forced to get the temple video done that day. That means when I wake up the next morning I only need to edit the reception and I am done. Work flow goes a lot faster!
It's true that the LDS market seems to want the best deal and they will just have their cousin film it for them, etc. But we aren't really going for the average customer. We want the customer that believes the video is the most important part of the day. I had one customer that had their sister make their wedding cake, had their reception in their backyard and the groom didn't even rent a tux. They just saw the value in the wedding video and that is where all their money went. So, how do you find those brides? For me it's all about networking. I really take care of those who will take care of me. One of the local bridal shops I approached when I was starting about 6 years ago. I did some video production for them for free. I made their commercial for free. I now give them half price on all their video work. Do they refer me? You had better believe it. And that's the highest booking client I get - Calling in because their bridal shop and their reception center and their photographer all mentioned me. It took a long time to get the network, but it sure pays off. One thing I recommend doing is finding out who is the best in the business (photographer, bridal shop, bakery, etc.) and networking. I have partnered up with the Joseph SMith Building, La Caille, Kenneth LInge, Photography by Portia, Latter Day Bride, Carries Cakes, New Media Weddings, Joe Muscalino Band, Culinary Crafts, etc. Just one really good connection could mean the difference between staying in business or not.
Another great connection are other videographers. I have a lot to learn from others and I love helping when I can. That gets around and other videographers refer me as well as me them. You were mentioning some videographers - check out www.norajames.com. She has some refreshing ideas. Go to Juliet's wedding. Good stuff.
Maybe I am just rambling here, but if you have any questions on LDS weddings contact me and I would be glad to help: dperry@davidperryfilms.com
All the best!

David -

Thanks for the insight into your sound, sensible marketing approach and that link to Nora James' site. That's a really good example of a very well produced website. I think we might all note that there are no prices on that site. She invites a telephone or email inquiry, allowing her the opportunity to engage in a dialog with prospective clients before going into pricing (while she politely invites inquiries regarding pricing, I seriously doubt she immediately answers a "how much" question with a number - even an email inquiry). Clean cut site.

David,

Nice to see you on here. I'm not sure if you remember me from the old days, but I haven't forgotten you. I went to Sprucewood Elementary with you, and on up through the chain, culminating in a graduation from Alta High. I became aware that you did this type of work last summer when I was getting started. I must say that your work is rather spectacular and you've set an incredible standard for others to follow. I've always wanted to catch up to you. Never thought it would happen here. I know we weren't good pals back in the day, but it is nice to see a familiar face on the scene. On a business note, you've definitely gotten yourself acquainted with the right people/companies. I can tell it is paying off for you. Thanks for posting with the tips and I, for one, hope to see you around the community a bit more.

David,
Thanks for the post David, Those are some great ideas. I've been meaning to get going on the networking thing, but school tends to get in the way and what not. I've started with a local jewlery store, I do some advertising for them and they let me put demos in the shop or whatever, but i need to do more that's for sure.

Eric Hansen
www.ehansenproductions.com

Nora James has only one price - $2000. She is a stay at home mom and really isn't looking for quantity. I called her up and chatted a few weeks ago. She is really cool with a fresh perspective on the market. I think it is important to discover your style and market just that.
For me, my style is all about the glidecam and wide angle lenses. I hardly ever use a tripod. I usually don't even bring a tripod to a wedding. With the glidecam 2000 pro I can rest it on my belt and use it as a tripod if needed, but usually I am moving on almost every shot. Pictures are for still shots - video is all about moving. Check out my wesbite demos and notice that almost every single shot I am either zooming in or out, moving the camera or the couple is doing some movement. Not too much motion, but enough to keep things entertaining. MTV has limited our attention spans to about... one second.
One great video that got me started was Black Belt Series of Video work (or something like that.) I think you can get that at EliteVideo.com. Yeah, a little cheezy but great ideas and it really got me on my way.

I have been doing a little research on advertising and I have found that UtahBrides.com is by far the best website at which to advertise. Pretty pricy but good exposure. Salt Lake Bride is another great site that is really great for the money. $400 per year for only the website. Not bad considering I get more hits from Salt Lake Brides, than from Utahweddings.com. Not sure if I am going to stay with Utahweddings.com. Sure, I get weddings from them, but it is something like $2000 per year (that includes their book).

Mike,
I did get graduate from Alta, but I think you might be thinking of the other David Perry that graduated in 1990. I graduated in 1989, but I'm pretty sure I still remember you. Didn't you hang out with Robby Horn?

If any of you guys want a demo or want to stop by my studio, just give me a call at 801.302.9988 or email me at dperry@davidperryfilms.com.

Have any of guys checked in to www.UPVA.org? It's great to meet with some other videographers once a month. Next month is the awards ceremony, so our next meeting is the first Wednesday in May. Hope to see some of you there. We meet at Performance Audio on 2100 South and West Temple.

One last thing.. About price. I actually came out with a new package that is only $850.00 (my smallest package used to be $1000.) That package only comes with three songs total. Once I meet with them, a lot decide to go with a bigger package, but it does attract more clients. I also limit what days I will do the smaller package (weekdays or off months only). When I first got started I used to do a lot more 'deals' but I am finding that whenever I start doing all these special discounts the clients seem to really run with that and try to take advantage of me. The trick is to have a reason for every discount. i.e., the wedding is on a weekday or I haven't filmed at this location before, or offer a discount for full payment up front - anything, but have a reason so it doesn't cheapen your product or open the flood gate!

Another great website to check out is http://www.iriscinema.com/film_clips.php
The date video at the bottom blew me away. Looks like an indie film. Sweet.

Mike,
I did get graduate from Alta, but I think you might be thinking of the other David Perry that graduated in 1990. I graduated in 1989, but I'm pretty sure I still remember you. Didn't you hang out with Robby Horn?

If any of you guys want a demo or want to stop by my studio, just give me a call at 801.302.9988 or email me at dperry@davidperryfilms.com.

Have any of guys checked in to www.UPVA.org? It's great to meet with some other videographers once a month. Next month is the awards ceremony, so our next meeting is the first Wednesday in May. Hope to see some of you there. We meet at Performance Audio on 2100 South and West Temple.



Well darn. You're a totally different David Perry than what I had been told. One of my friends (who also went to Alta and is my age) confirmed that you are THE David Perry that we both went to school with. Apparently she was wrong as I went to Alta a wee bit after you, graduating in 1997. Oh well. Even though I don't actually know you I've still admired your work since the earliest days when I started looking into doing this myself. You have an excellent style and I think it's great to have quality videographers like yourself in town.

I'd like to stop by your studio and see your setup. Nothing like seeing what "could be" someday. I think it would be awesome to have an actual studio and do this full time. I just don't think it's my time for that yet. I'll give you a call sometime.

I did go to a couple of meetings of UPVA. Decent group, although it's rather small. I've been meaning to join up permanently. Thanks for the reminder. Hope to meet you there. If I remember correctly you pretty much swept last years awards. :D Keep up the good work. Nice to have some local voices here.

what a tremendous source of information this thread has been! I was hoping for just a few replies. Now we have 3 pages of them!!

Since the thread is still going and seems moderately active, i'd like to ask another question here.

I was planning on offering a 1-week period of free videography for people who would book me between X date and X date in an effort to really jump start my business. So any client that books me within that one-week period gets free videography. Since i don't have a reel and am willing to offer free work, i thought it might be a fast way to prove myself as being capable of doing the work and setting myself up for a lot of reel material that would otherwise take forever to build to a decent level. If i do the work well, i would also expect lots of referrals from people who understand that the "free period" is over, so i don't end up with a whole bunch of people who booked me thinking it would be free.

Is this a good idea? Is this just the dumbest thing any of you have ever heard? hehe. I just thought i'd run that by you guys, since you were talking about being careful not to open the floodgates.

I'm just not sure how in the world to advertise myself. Flyers at colleges? That's about the only real idea i've got. I can't just go to a bridal shop or an expo without a reel... can i? Any ideas for cheap/free advertising? Per everyone's advice in this thread, my prices are incredibly low (starts at $250), at least until i get myself moving.

you have to do alot of adversiting before hand so people will know there is the free 1 week period.

Since I own another company doing fengshui and other related services.
I had tried adversiting on the newspaper for a month only 4 people had called us. You should try a month rather than only a week to get more customser and you'll get referral from them. Referral is the best way to get client where they listen to you and really really nice which they also don't bargin and not picky.

Raji, I don't know if you want to spend the time and effort to advertise for the special. I think it would be must more effecient to go out and get the clients personally. Here in Utah you have to know somebody or know somebody who knows somebody who is getting married...The first few videos I did were for free from people I knew that I offered to them in this way. That way you don't have to worry about people contacting you and you can control just how many videos that you accept to do for free.
You could also participate at a bride show with flyers and what not and participate in the free giveaways maybe. but I understand your concern I wouldn't want to do a show w/o examples. Just some ideas, Let us know what you decide.

Eric Hansen
www.ehansenproductions.com

what a tremendous source of information this thread has been! I was hoping for just a few replies. Now we have 3 pages of them!!

Since the thread is still going and seems moderately active, i'd like to ask another question here.

I was planning on offering a 1-week period of free videography for people who would book me between X date and X date in an effort to really jump start my business. So any client that books me within that one-week period gets free videography. Since i don't have a reel and am willing to offer free work, i thought it might be a fast way to prove myself as being capable of doing the work and setting myself up for a lot of reel material that would otherwise take forever to build to a decent level. If i do the work well, i would also expect lots of referrals from people who understand that the "free period" is over, so i don't end up with a whole bunch of people who booked me thinking it would be free.

Is this a good idea? Is this just the dumbest thing any of you have ever heard? hehe. I just thought i'd run that by you guys, since you were talking about being careful not to open the floodgates.

I'm just not sure how in the world to advertise myself. Flyers at colleges? That's about the only real idea i've got. I can't just go to a bridal shop or an expo without a reel... can i? Any ideas for cheap/free advertising? Per everyone's advice in this thread, my prices are incredibly low (starts at $250), at least until i get myself moving.

Why not borrow a venue and stage a fake one to film?

Why not borrow a venue and stage a fake one to film?

Personally I don't think that's necessary. Like Eric said, it is easier/better to get out there and find someone to shoot for free. What I have found helpful is to just talk to everyone. Tell them you shoot wedding videos now. People will start coming out of the woodwork and saying "Hey, my friend is getting married" or "One of my relatives is getting married." Just talk to anyone and everyone. Don't be obnoxious about it, but get the word out that you've started and you need material. People will bite. I lucked out because I did two of my sister's in the same summer and used them as demo material to start out with. But you can find people. Even if you could "borrow a venue" I think it would be hard to fake one. No offense Steve, really.

Here's an idea.

Contact a photographer and tell them that you are going to help the photographer give a bonus to their potential clients so they will book with the photographer.
The bonus is a free - or discounted - wedding video.
The photographer wins because it could be the extra push to get the client to book with them and you win by building up your portfolio.
Now, if you work well with the photographer, they might want to refer clients to you in the future, even if it is only a small discount off your regular prices.
If the photographer isn't convinced and your really want the business... tell the photographer that you will produce a demo video for them. At the wedding, you will take some shots of them taking pictures, working with the couple, etc. and add some of their photos. They now have a demo for their website or something to pass out at wedding shows.
I think a photographer would love that.
If you would like to see an example of a demo I did for a photographer, go here: http://www.utahbrides.com/vendors/index.php?id=42&cat=12 and click on View Demo (UtahBrides.com - Photography by Portia).

Another option:
Tell your family and friends that if they know anyone getting married - you will do their wedding for free or a discount and it can be a gift from your family or friend.

Another option:
Contact a reception center and offer to make a demo of their reception location so they can play it for potential brides when they come in. Have them put it on their website with your info. I did this for the 23rd floor event center. Go to www.23floor.net. On their homepage on the left corner it says click here for a video tour. Have them find out which upcoming event does not have a videographer and you can go film it and use it for your demo as well.

Another option:
You can't really solicit at the temple, but you can go to a place where people do a lot of bridals (Thanksgiving Point, etc.) and look for someone getting their bridal done. Go up to them and congratulate them on their upcoming wedding. Let them know you are out getting some shots as you are just getting into the business. Ask them if they have a videographer, if they don't offer your services for free or at a discount.

Another option:
Go to a day spa and give them some coupons for a free wedding video to give to their potential brides.

I guess the possibilities are endless. One thing to note is that many people look at "free" as having some kind of catch. If it were me I would ask them to just pay for my film and supplies (Like $25.00 or something). It makes it more like a sweet deal than a gimmick. Does that make sense?

David,

thank you so much! Those are incredible ideas!! Talking to a photographer... why didn't i think of that??

I think what happened to me is that i spent so much time racking my brain trying to find a good idea that i couldn't think outside the box anymore. So thanks a lot for your help.

one thing, for those in the future that wanna go there, it's http://www.23rdfloor.net , NOT http://www.23floor.net !! The typo you made led me to some weird japanese forum... lol