My first wedding: I am SO not ready
 

As I mentioned in another thread, I'm starting my video production company full-time in September. A few months ago, I learned the daughter of some good friends was getting married. I asked if I could video the wedding simply for the purpose of getting some experience with my equipment. I was trying to keep expectations low... Of course, this would have been done free or for a token cost. I was thanked for my offer, but told they had already contacted a videographer. No problem, I still get to attend the wedding and enjoy the day.

Well, I just got a frantic message from the bride - the videographer they hired (a "friend of a friend" type situation) is being uncooperative and his work thus far (on a photo montage to be played at the reception) is far below their expectations. So she is desperate to have me video her wedding THIS SATURDAY!

Honestly, I didn't expect my first wedding for at least six months. Heck, I only have one battery for my camera - that's not going to last all day... I've been watching all the sample wedding videos posted on this site to get ideas for scenes and camera angles and more. Does anyone know of any books or materials I can get TODAY to learn more about wedding videography?

I'm secure in my abilities to produce good video. I've been doing it for a long time for churches, non-profits and community organizations, but weddings are a whole different animal. I need to get educated FAST!

Oh yeah, one more thing... The original videographer will still be there. He's under contract and it's too late to cancel. So I get to share space with him.

Using advanced search, I got a lot of good hits searching the wedding forum only, for "first wedding".

Being there with the original videographer should be interesting ...

What camcorder do you use?

Canon GL2. I listed my equipment in this thread:

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=47959

Just be carefull it can be a sticky situation- especially if there is going to be a hired videographer present, under contract. Make sure this bride has read all the fine print and that he/she doesn't have anything against having another videographer present.

Regarding training material- there is lots of it on the web...you just have to know how to find it. Thus the reason I've been meaning to start a locked thread at the top of this forum to serve as a central hub for information and websites where these training materials can be purchased.

Email me and I'll give you the run-down of some of the information I've gathered thus far.

I will echo Glen's sentiments

My contract stipulates that I am to be the sole videographer on site.

If this is the case, then I would suggest that the bride contacts the videographer to find some plauseible solution where both parties can work together and put it in writing.

As the current videographer is under contract, he is obliged to finish. Now this does put some pressure on both parties since the one is slightly unhappy and the other is being unco-operative (sad really because bang goes his referral system)

Do the best with the information at hand and with what information Glen has offered.

Just don't allow yourself to be pressurised since your original offer was a token gesture. Be calm and remember, we all had to do our first one sometime :)

This can only be a good learning curve - I did 3 freebies before I felt comfortable charging someone.

Cheers

I just got more info - the original videographer has no contract with the couple, everything is based on a handshake. They are still keeping him on because they are decent people, almost kind to a fault. His position is to "keep it simple and cheap", but unfortunately, they don't want simple, and they don't care if it's not cheap.

So he's going to shoot only the ceremony, and I will shoot everything.

Thanks to everyone for the info, I will let you know how it goes (and post the results someday.)

I realize you're in the middle of the fray now but perhaps you can just get his footage and send him on his stuborn way. Extra footage never hurts and just may save you if you were changing batteries or tape or just didn't get a good shot.

goodluck..........

The wedding went great. I think I was kind of getting a bit too much of one side of the story from the (understandably) nervous bride. The other videographer was a wonderful person, very cooperative, and more than willing to share his footage. He's an old-school videographer who has spent more years behind a camera than probably most of us here. We just share a different vision of what wedding video is.

All's well that ends well.

Sometimes we are quick to jump to conclusions and I'm glad that everything worked out at the end - from what I read, it seems that everyone is going to benefit and MOST importantly, the customer.

Cheers