First HD Wedding Highlight at DVinfo.net

First HD Wedding Highlight · October 1st, 2009, 11:25 AM

Hey ya'll,

Just wanted to post this wedding highlight I finished recently. I'm not really a wedding videographer per say (I've maybe shot 4 of them), but I do it for friends and such. In this case, it was my girlfriend's sister. Kind of a last minute deal...definitely not as prepared as I should have been..but I managed to put together something I'm pretty happy with, and the bride and groom are as well . Shot with a single Canon HV30 and no additional lighting, so there were obvious pitfalls, but it was a learning experience if anything, besides being the first wedding I've shot in HD and with this camera.

Any advice and critique is welcome...thank you!!
~brendan

Vimeo description:
I shot this video for my girlfriend's sister's wedding back in May and finally got it cut and done (it was one hell of a busy summer). The wedding was a blast and I wish the best of luck and hapiness to Jake and Lilly in their new life together.

**This was kind of a last minute shoot and I encountered numerous technical issues, worst of which being the shotgun mic kept cutting out through the service/reception and I lost good bit of key audio moments...but was able to salvage enough to cut the video still, and I am personally happy with the outcome**

Warren Kawamoto · October 1st, 2009, 02:52 PM

Uhmm.. I'm very sorry to say this, but the first 20 seconds of your opening convinced me that I was watching a funeral, or horror flick. I expected demons and death, especially with those red roses. I was waiting for very bad things to happen in the church. When the bride's voiceover started all happy and chirpy, it totally didn't match the mood you established.

Music is extremely important. It sets the mood and pacing of your piece. In this case, the music you selected was like putting a big scoop of strawberry ice cream on your juicy steak...Mmmmm

Warren Kawamoto · October 1st, 2009, 02:59 PM

Your shots were ok, editing was ok, I think just your music selection really creeped me out at the beginning.

Brendan Donohue · October 1st, 2009, 03:37 PM

haha..Warren I can definitely agree with you about the music, it's not necessarily the happiest piece. It is quite unsettling there at the beginning...but I wanted to use that piece so bad (once it resolves, it really is an inspirational/epic song)..I thought about just cutting out the first 20 seconds of the song "the weird part", but then I decided to work with it and try to establish some tension and resolution (as the song does) and do something a little different I guess...

It is pretty dark there at the beginning, but if you think about it, as the music resolves so does the video and the content.. that's kind of what I was going for..it was that kind of day anyway...real weird morning, it was thundering and they were calling for rain and there was a lot of pre-wedding tension, but it wound up being a beautiful day and didn't rain at all..I guess I'm a little unhinged with my thought process in some respects, maybe I should have prefaced that haha

thank you so much for watching though and for your critique, I'm sure you're not the only one who feels that
~brendan

Oren Arieli · October 1st, 2009, 05:33 PM

Have to agree...cut the first 40 seconds of music or find another song that you really like. The bride probably doesn't want to start off listening to "Nightmare on Main Street", regardless of your motivation. You did remarkably well with the HV30, but (as you noted) audio was your biggest weakness. Without a wireless mic, you're getting only half the story (at least during the ceremony). That is why the energy of the piece dropped off the map during your ceremony segment....the only available audio was the clapping, which pointed attention to the lack of audio during the rest of the ceremony. Nice use of sound bytes for the beginning. That is something that most amateurs neglect.

Brendan Donohue · October 2nd, 2009, 08:36 AM

alright..so I replaced the first 40 sec. of music with another song and then faded it in to the other piece just to experiment (not neccessarily what I will use)..put up an alt version on vimeo (sd)...better or worse?? not sure I'm digging it yet, but it is much less creepy

Chad Nickle · October 2nd, 2009, 09:00 AM

Brendan, the song is a little better, instead of a horror movie, it is now more like a thriller or something. I would experiment some more.

I know you are going for a cinematic experience, but that doesn't necessarily mean you have to use a huge epic piece of music. Music choice is as important as anything else in your piece, it sets the tone for the entire film. Choose wisely!

Brendan Donohue · October 2nd, 2009, 09:36 AM

thanks chad,
problem is I kind of dig myself into a trap cuz I edit to the music (basically just lay down a track and start cutting), I can't help timing edits to the rhythm of the piece in most cases..I really don't want to change main piece..I think it's actually very moving and the select people who have seen it: bride..groom..family have been very moved emotionally by it; I reckon that's the desired effect..so I'm cool with that..it's just the first 40 seconds that need to be changed..just too ominous..but I'll keep working on it til I find something fitting and surely keep everbody's advice in mind...on the contrary..I don't think any of the scenery of that church really lends itself well to happy, sunny pop tunes...so I am trying to strike some kind of middle ground I guess..I def wouldn't have chosen a piece like this if I filmed in Fiji or somethin..haha..normally I would've asked them to pick a song, but they told me to just pick something myself..

Brendan Donohue · October 5th, 2009, 02:08 PM

ok...so I wound up settling on this music for the first 40 sec...changes the tone of the opening shots drastically and is much more pleasing to the senses:)

Steven Davis · October 10th, 2009, 10:28 PM

I loved the lighting you had, man, most dark places I go I have to pop my cam lights on. I liked your color/lighting.

Brendan Donohue · October 14th, 2009, 07:32 AM

thanks Steven..did a good bit of color work in post and had to brighten up a bunch of the reception footage..shadow/highlight plugin!..lighting was cool there with all those chinese lanterns up around the stage at the reception, but it was real dark everywhere else...I really do need to invest in some on camera lighting for those situations..cuz with that HV30 some of the low light footage was awful....what are you using for your on-cam lighting??

thanks!

Steven Davis · October 14th, 2009, 09:06 AM

YeaH, we use Frezzi dimmable lights. It's one of our best investments.

October 2nd, 2009, 08:36 AM	#6
Brendan Donohue Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 161	alt alright..so I replaced the first 40 sec. of music with another song and then faded it in to the other piece just to experiment (not neccessarily what I will use)..put up an alt version on vimeo (sd)...better or worse?? not sure I'm digging it yet, but it is much less creepy

October 5th, 2009, 02:08 PM	#9
Brendan Donohue Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 161	ok...so I wound up settling on this music for the first 40 sec...changes the tone of the opening shots drastically and is much more pleasing to the senses:) Jake and Lilly Lankheit Wedding Highlight \| May 09, 2009 on Vimeo

October 10th, 2009, 10:28 PM	#10
Steven Davis Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Richmond, VA Posts: 3,065	I loved the lighting you had, man, most dark places I go I have to pop my cam lights on. I liked your color/lighting. __________________ What happens if I push the 'Red' button?

October 14th, 2009, 09:06 AM	#12
Steven Davis Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Richmond, VA Posts: 3,065	YeaH, we use Frezzi dimmable lights. It's one of our best investments. __________________ What happens if I push the 'Red' button?

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October 1st, 2009, 02:52 PM	#2
Warren Kawamoto Trustee Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Honolulu, HI Posts: 1,435	Uhmm.. I'm very sorry to say this, but the first 20 seconds of your opening convinced me that I was watching a funeral, or horror flick. I expected demons and death, especially with those red roses. I was waiting for very bad things to happen in the church. When the bride's voiceover started all happy and chirpy, it totally didn't match the mood you established. Music is extremely important. It sets the mood and pacing of your piece. In this case, the music you selected was like putting a big scoop of strawberry ice cream on your juicy steak...Mmmmm

October 1st, 2009, 02:59 PM	#3
Warren Kawamoto Trustee Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Honolulu, HI Posts: 1,435	Your shots were ok, editing was ok, I think just your music selection really creeped me out at the beginning.

October 1st, 2009, 03:37 PM	#4
Brendan Donohue Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 161	haha..Warren I can definitely agree with you about the music, it's not necessarily the happiest piece. It is quite unsettling there at the beginning...but I wanted to use that piece so bad (once it resolves, it really is an inspirational/epic song)..I thought about just cutting out the first 20 seconds of the song "the weird part", but then I decided to work with it and try to establish some tension and resolution (as the song does) and do something a little different I guess... It is pretty dark there at the beginning, but if you think about it, as the music resolves so does the video and the content.. that's kind of what I was going for..it was that kind of day anyway...real weird morning, it was thundering and they were calling for rain and there was a lot of pre-wedding tension, but it wound up being a beautiful day and didn't rain at all..I guess I'm a little unhinged with my thought process in some respects, maybe I should have prefaced that haha thank you so much for watching though and for your critique, I'm sure you're not the only one who feels that ~brendan

October 1st, 2009, 05:33 PM	#5
Oren Arieli Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: San Jose, California Posts: 919	Have to agree...cut the first 40 seconds of music or find another song that you really like. The bride probably doesn't want to start off listening to "Nightmare on Main Street", regardless of your motivation. You did remarkably well with the HV30, but (as you noted) audio was your biggest weakness. Without a wireless mic, you're getting only half the story (at least during the ceremony). That is why the energy of the piece dropped off the map during your ceremony segment....the only available audio was the clapping, which pointed attention to the lack of audio during the rest of the ceremony. Nice use of sound bytes for the beginning. That is something that most amateurs neglect.

October 2nd, 2009, 09:00 AM	#7
Chad Nickle Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 84	Brendan, the song is a little better, instead of a horror movie, it is now more like a thriller or something. I would experiment some more. I know you are going for a cinematic experience, but that doesn't necessarily mean you have to use a huge epic piece of music. Music choice is as important as anything else in your piece, it sets the tone for the entire film. Choose wisely!

October 2nd, 2009, 09:36 AM	#8
Brendan Donohue Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 161	thanks chad, problem is I kind of dig myself into a trap cuz I edit to the music (basically just lay down a track and start cutting), I can't help timing edits to the rhythm of the piece in most cases..I really don't want to change main piece..I think it's actually very moving and the select people who have seen it: bride..groom..family have been very moved emotionally by it; I reckon that's the desired effect..so I'm cool with that..it's just the first 40 seconds that need to be changed..just too ominous..but I'll keep working on it til I find something fitting and surely keep everbody's advice in mind...on the contrary..I don't think any of the scenery of that church really lends itself well to happy, sunny pop tunes...so I am trying to strike some kind of middle ground I guess..I def wouldn't have chosen a piece like this if I filmed in Fiji or somethin..haha..normally I would've asked them to pick a song, but they told me to just pick something myself..

October 14th, 2009, 07:32 AM	#11
Brendan Donohue Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 161	thanks Steven..did a good bit of color work in post and had to brighten up a bunch of the reception footage..shadow/highlight plugin!..lighting was cool there with all those chinese lanterns up around the stage at the reception, but it was real dark everywhere else...I really do need to invest in some on camera lighting for those situations..cuz with that HV30 some of the low light footage was awful....what are you using for your on-cam lighting?? thanks!