My first video

[Denny Kyser]

Ok, finally got time to edit my first video and would love some critique. I had never shot video before and got my camera the night before this wedding. I only shot some video to have something to play with and had no audio or video light. I was the hired photographer and just did this for my own use.

I shot this with the default settings, editied in Vegas 7

www.kyserphoto.com/FirstWedMHQ.wmv

Would love some ideas on what to improve on first. I know I have a long long ways to go, but enjoying it so far.

Denny

[Bill Busby]

Not bad for your 1st shoot/edit, but I have just one main comment.. LOSE THE ZOOMS! I saw several times where it was like you couldn't decide when to finally stop... "I'll zoom out a little... no that's not it, a little more... no just a little more, there... no... just a tiny bit more" etc. Nothing screams amateur more than someone zoom happy :)

Good luck to you,
Bill

[Denny Kyser]

Originally Posted by Bill Busby

Not bad for your 1st shoot/edit, but I have just one main comment.. LOSE THE ZOOMS! I saw several times where it was like you couldn't decide when to finally stop... "I'll zoom out a little... no that's not it, a little more... no just a little more, there... no... just a tiny bit more" etc. Nothing screams amateur more than someone zoom happy :)

Good luck to you,
Bill

Thanks Bill, and I so agree with the zooms, I hate that and my wife shot some of the video and cut some heads off. I had to concentrate more on the photography than video for most of this wedding, was small enough I could do some of both though.

I learned a LOT by doing the editing. I have to hand it to you guys this is MUCH harder than it looks. At first I thought I will love this, not as much to think about as camera / flash / ambient light settings. WRONG.... you guys have just as much and add in the audio and I see its another art form altogether.

Doing an engagement session tonight, may drag out the HX-A1 too. :)

[Josh Laronge]

Hey Denny,
Looks good for your first. One thing you can do in your edit is animate your photos ala Ken Burns style instead of just having them static. Your still shots will have so much more resolution then the video that you'll have plenty of room to move them around. Also, I'd lose the fake film scratches it doesn't add anything.
--JL

[Denny Kyser]

Originally Posted by Josh Laronge

Hey Denny,
Looks good for your first. One thing you can do in your edit is animate your photos ala Ken Burns style instead of just having them static. Your still shots will have so much more resolution then the video that you'll have plenty of room to move them around. Also, I'd lose the fake film scratches it doesn't add anything.
--JL

Thanks Josh, will learn that next, I agree, they seem to just "Hang There"

You guys are great, appreciate all the help.

My Evolution G2 100 Series - Wireless Microphone, Bescor KLX-624D 40W video light and battery and Canon HV20 cam will be here tomorrow. I am excited about doing video now that I am getting the right equipment.

[Chris Barcellos]

I agree get rid of fake film... at least as pronounced as you have it.

I agree loose zooms... though very very slow zoom, could work if necessary in a long continuous shot...

[Jerome Cloninger]

Not bad, but (probably echoing some of the other replies)....

1- Loose the timid-choppy-amateur zooms!!!!!
2- Loose the film effect.
3- Decide what aspect your video is, either 4:3 or 16:9 and stick with it! I know you used still shots (looked good BTW) but crop them if doing 16:9 or crop your 16:9 to 4:3 if you want 4:3....
4- Add motion "Ken Burns" to still photos.
5- Color correct the video.
6- Why was the video footage not the width of the frame in all the clip? It was much smaller (less wide) than the photos.

Probably a few other things, but one thing at a time.

No offense, but I hope you aren't going to start selling combo packages to clients anytime soon. Usually, one or the other will suffer quality wise, and usually, it does.

[Denny Kyser]

Originally Posted by Jerome Cloninger

Not bad, but (probably echoing some of the other replies)....

1- Loose the timid-choppy-amateur zooms!!!!!
2- Loose the film effect.
3- Decide what aspect your video is, either 4:3 or 16:9 and stick with it! I know you used still shots (looked good BTW) but crop them if doing 16:9 or crop your 16:9 to 4:3 if you want 4:3....
4- Add motion "Ken Burns" to still photos.
5- Color correct the video.
6- Why was the video footage not the width of the frame in all the clip? It was much smaller (less wide) than the photos.

Probably a few other things, but one thing at a time.

No offense, but I hope you aren't going to start selling combo packages to clients anytime soon. Usually, one or the other will suffer quality wise, and usually, it does.

No offense taken, I am not offering any combo deals this year but hope to next. I would actually like to do a few Video only weddings on weekends that we dont have a Photography Bookings.

I just grabbed the stills from a folder my wife has set up to work on, they are not touched up yet, only croped to 4X5. I agree that the widescreen crop would look better.

[Trent Humphrey]

hey man..I wont touch on anything previously stated, however keep it up. That is coming from someone new in the field as well. although I am doing real estate shots not weddings, keep it up. I jumped in video as well and I am learning as I go along. Just a little encouragement, we all need it from time to time.

trent

[Chris Rentzel]

Nice job! Good editing, and nice images. I kind of like the old film look myself. And switching from 16:9 to 4:3 doesn't bother me a bit. In fact it's interesting to me. Only thing I'd do is add a bit of live dialog here and there. Keep up the good work!

[Ken Wozniak]

Welcome to the world of wedding videography. Sucker. ;) Seriously, I think we all need our heads examined. I was at a workshop where the presenter was a DP on feature films and major television programs. He said wedding videography is the hardest thing he's ever done. You know how bad things can go on wedding day, Denny.

My critique would echo much of what has already been said. Not a bad clip, though. You got all the must-have moments represented, which is important. Now practice practice practice with the camera. There's nothing wrong with a s--l--o--w zoom every now and then, but you need to make them almost imperceptible. If the zoom stops before you wanted, you got to take what you get and do not start to zoom again. It's always best to zoom and frame before shooting, or cut the zoom in post.

The transition from the bride-groom dance to the father-daughter dance was a bit "uncomfortable". The scenes were too similar. The first time through, I didn't realize that the dance partner had changed. B-roll in between the two would help separate them.

I just started using the A1 for weddings this past June. I had been shooting weddings for five years prior, but moving to the A1 was like starting all over again. It can be a handful in a run and gun situation like a wedding, but the results are well worth it.

You obviously have an eye for composition, now you just need to practice to put those compositions in motion.

[Denny Kyser]

Thanks everyone and i will practice and keep posting for help, I really apprecaite it.

I got my HV20 yesterday so I can shoot more often and practice.

I am at the peak of our High School Seniors Portraits, so time is hard to come by, but winter will give me lots of time to learn.

Denny