New Highlight Vignette
 

Thanks for your feedback all.

http://home.comcast.net/~g.elliott3/...ighlights2.wmv

Like I said on VU, awesome!
I loved the VO from the priest.

Hey it's TOOGY- I didn't even know you were a member here- I didn't put 2 and 2 together. Thanks you Jeff.

File Not Found
 

Hey,

I get a file not found page... not sure why?

Matt Trubac

Try it again.

Very Nice.
 

Glen,

That was a great piece. I really like your work.

You shoot with the Raynox XL-3000, correct?
What percentage of your shots do you leave this lens on your camera?

Does the, I believe 3rd shot, of the flower have any special lens attached to the camera, like the fisheye? About how far away from the flower was the camera? Is the next shot, low angle down the center aisle, with a fisheye?

I really like the technique you use, and would like to get a better grasp of how you shoot. I'd like to see things on an actual NTSC monitor instead of computer monitors.

I found a Do It Yourself project, to modify an XL-3000pro Fisheye to fit a DVX-100(a). I think I might try it out.

Great Work!

Great stuff as usual. I really liked the music in that video, what soundtrack is that from?

Also were you using a wide angle lens on your 2100 or the stock configuration?


Steve

Wow, Glen. That was beautiful. The fade up on the dance and subsequent segment was stunning! And it seemed as though you'd had the soundtrack written/arranged especially for this vignette.

Is it just me, or did this video turn out with a slightly softer focus than many of your others? I like the look, but this one seemed more "on the edge" than what I think I've seen of your work. Probably my imagination.

As for the technical info you provided, I felt like the editing was great, the audio nice and clear. This makes me particularly happy because I'll be receiving an iriver 795 next week and was feeling apprehensive about the quaility. I thought the minister sounded quite good.

I believe this is the first time I've replied to one of your posts. Thank you so much for all the help you give and the example you set for us.

I don't believe any of the shots in this piece were with the fish-eye. The wide angle shots were either a Canon WD-58 or my favorite the Century Optics .55x bayonette. I'm finding more and more ways, however, to incorporate fish-eye shots.

Thanks Lorinda, I'm glad you enjoyed it. Have fun with your 795, they are truly godsends to ceremony audio aquisition.

Glen,

I really love the way you consistently manipulate your images. All of the shots looks very similar to a diffuse glow in Photoshop and I find that having that feel to every clip really ties it together. I also really enjoyed how you followed the brides emotion through the whole day and as the venue changed you saw how her expression changed. I think that is something she, and her family, will go crazy for.

I did find that the zooming on the vows caught my attention a little. It looked as though you zoomed in half way, stopped for a second then zoomed again. I think I noticed it twice. That's the problem with producing work like this, you can't get away with anything.

I was wondering how much input you give the couple when they book you. Do they have any input over the music suggestions and general feel of the video, or do you take that portion over entirely? And one more question, do you do a reception montage as well of things like the bouquet and garter toss, cake cutting, and random dance footage? If you do, I would really enjoy it if you could post something like that. I think it is a clip that you have a hard time doing in this slow romantic style and I would be very interested to see how your style changes with the tempo.

Thanks for sharing.

Patrick

Another brilliant piece... as usual.. :)
Not my style of music personally so it threw me off a litte.. but im a little wierd.. the choice itself was ok, but i am personally just over that genre of music in general.
I liek your choice of shots for one main reason..
it felt raw and it didnt feel too staged. The hardest thing we do is learn the ability to present something in a cinematic way, but also present certain key pieces in a rawer, more natural way, without it tryin too hard to be a movie.. it brings out more character in the piece this way and you nailed it :)

I usually conduct 2 pre-production meetings either in person or on the phone (or both). The first one showing them a wider variety of my work and finished weddings as they are delivered to the client. The second meeting, usually, closer to the event date is to get an itinerary and shot list from notes I take from asking questions about the day. I find out the most important things to the couple and make sure I add them to my shot list.

I always give the couple the choice on music- however 99% of them give me full creative licence beings they like my previous work and trust my taste.

What you saw was a highlight montage/vignette that recaps the entire day- which is placed at the end of the video as a recap. There are two other portions edited this way which include Bridal Prep (if applicable), and Photosession Montage. The ceremony and reception are shown in a more straight forward style using mulitple cameras. 3 cams for ceremony- 2 for reception. The only other slow motion or artistic editing is done for the dance sequences (first dance, parents dances, and occasionally a fast-dance montage).

I've posted a clip fairly recently- one that some people JUST requested I repost that was edited with a very fast tempo. Fast cuts, edited rythmically to the beat. More of a fun piece than an emotional retrospective.

I like to capture as much content canddidly as possible. However it's necessary on some occassions to pose them. The clients already know this and I make them aware that I will, occassionally, pose them. They never mind because they see the end result and a posed shot may take all of 30 seconds to complete.

Thanks for the kind words Peter.

Hi Glen-

Awesome as usual...you inspire me with every clip I see...the soft glow, the music, the angles...the audio! Where is that music from?

yeah, the couple hesitant zooms caught my attention a bit, but you did need to be a bit closer for emotion and the end result (where you ended up) was perfect!

How do you sell this higlight video? Is it at the end of your main video? As an option? A seperate DVD? Or part of a package? Not asking how much you charge, just how sell it...

Stunning!!! Thank you for the clip, it tells me that I need to be more agressive to get those type of shots. Too often I am just trying to hold back and stay out of the way, however I'll try to at least get closer to get the shot. Thank you, as always a great learning experience.

Why all the praise?
 

A simple question.

Maybe it is the romantic in all of us - many question a romantic theme for a wedding - why?

Its simple - a wedding IS about romance, its the culmination of many dreams by two people who by virtue of their wedding vows, joins them forever. The realisation of childhood dreams!

If none of you married members don't ever think back of YOUR wedding day when viewing clips like these, then you must question YOUR vows and your commitment to your partner.

Glen, the partner in your life is surely blessed! Your artistic talent and ability to capture the single most important moment in someones life is unique.

Many thanks for inspiring us and pushing us to achieve that ultimate combination for a wedding video.

Why all the praise - we all like seeing a job well done!

Cheers

Why did the link disapear so fast? I didn't get a chance to have a look :(

Thank you everyone for the feedback and kind words. I'll re-post the link beings it's up for 4 weeks, for the bride and her family/friends to see as well.

http://home.comcast.net/~g.elliott3/...ighlights2.wmv

Another piece of art...i believe this is the bigger cake from what you have let us tasted a few weeks back.

really nice audio, i hope i will acquire as clear as yours when i shoot with the iriver..hey did you put a lav mic on the groom? where did you put it and how far is it from his head...i didn't notice that.

keep it up...gel;n, educate us more... :)

I put an iRiver on the Officiant and on the Podium. I mic'd the groom with my wireless system- placing the lapel mic closer to the area where both collars meet above the top button. The reasoning for positioning the mic this low is to avoid a large variance of audio levels from the groom and bride. Cliping it low on the lapel allows for a more equal distance to be achieved between the bride and grooms mouths. Usually when it's mounted up high under the chin of the groom it is much closer to the groom than it is the bride which causes the audio for the groom to be much louder and boomy in comparison.

Yes, this was the highlight vignette from the wedding the last piece I've shown came from.

Fantastic work Glen but I BET THEY DON'T ALL COME OUT THAT GOOD! ok now that I've got everyone's attention (don't banish me) - I'll expound on that statement.

Not due to lack of talent or lack of imagination or effort but because every once in a while we get pinched! Like when the bride gets back from the hairdresser 45 minutes late! So now your competing with the photographer to get hurried shots... so Glen, there goes your shots of the bride in front of the mirror/doorway looking all relaxed right out the window. How about when the ceremony starts a half hour late or runs longer than planned, then after the ceremony the bride cancels the post ceremony time and heads straight to the reception? Happens all the time. Or how about... when the B&G show up at the reception hall over an hour late and scrub those location shots? Or how about when you get a Bride and/or Groom that don't even look happy? I've gotten a couple of those.

I guess one of our challenges as videographers is to create that illusion "everything went exactly as planned like God himself had scripted it" and do the best with the footage we're able to get.

No discredit Glen (the B&G will love it), but I noticed no preceremony of the groom (not even a one sec shot) and nothing beyond the cake cutting... did you leave before the reception was over or is it because you consciously choose to omit scenes when the lights are turned down?

Fantastic work Glen but I BET THEY DON'T ALL COME OUT THAT GOOD! ok now that I've got everyone's attention (don't banish me) - I'll expound on that statement.

Not due to lack of talent or lack of imagination or effort but because every once in a while we get pinched! Like when the bride gets back from the hairdresser 45 minutes late!
This bride was actually VERY late for the prep. I only had 10 minutes to get the shots I did of her. I had to drive from Margate City, NJ (shore) inland over 1 1/2 hours to the ceremony location. All the shots were also aquired with the photographer right beside me snaping away. Very stressful and very quick. However I knew what shots I needed and went straight for them.

So now your competing with the photographer to get hurried shots... so Glen, there goes your shots of the bride in front of the mirror/doorway looking all relaxed right out the window.
The one shot (close up of face) was actually when her mom was trying to fix a snag in the zipper in the back of her dress. I moved away and used some zoom and held it on the bride for about 20-25 seconds. With patience while holding a good compesition you'll be suprised and what kind of shots you can get. The other shot (reveal from around doorway) was actually WHILE the photographer was working. I was able to get another shot of her from outside the room- using the doorway as a foreground element.


How about when the ceremony starts a half hour late or runs longer than planned, then after the ceremony the bride cancels the post ceremony time and heads straight to the reception? Happens all the time. Or how about... when the B&G show up at the reception hall over an hour late and scrub those location shots?
That's fine- they don't get post ceremony coverage then. The point is to make the best of what you do get, and know what to look for in the time that you are alloted, whether it be 1 hour or a few minutes. I can't count how many times I've scheduled a bridal prep for at least 1 hour of time with the bride. The bride shows up late and I only have her in her dress for 5-7 minutes. If I run through all the shots very quickly I can get a very usable bridal prep. Granted, I like to have more time but if I can't I STILL have to make it work.

Or how about when you get a Bride and/or Groom that don't even look happy? I've gotten a couple of those.
This happens all the time too. What I usually do, with the camera still rolling and on the bride, simply say, "Hey...SMILE, this is YOUR Day". That usually evokes a really big smile and great expression. Whether it's genuine or not it still looks great. Don't be afraid to ask them to smile. Even though we are not photographers sometimes a little bit of direction/guidance can help the shot.

I guess one of our challenges as videographers is to create that illusion "everything went exactly as planned like God himself had scripted it" and do the best with the footage we're able to get.
Absolutely. Some may argue that what we are doing is "changing" the reality....and I suppose we are- but in a good way. No one wants to remember how "hectic" the day was. They all like to look like movie stars moving very gracefully across the screen. As Chris Watson said once- we are still achieving the Emotional Truth in the video.

No discredit Glen (the B&G will love it), but I noticed no preceremony of the groom (not even a one sec shot) and nothing beyond the cake cutting...
??? The groom was in every shot after the cake cutting.

..did you leave before the reception was over or is it because you consciously choose to omit scenes when the lights are turned down?
All the dance floor shots (first dance, parents dances) were when the lights were turned low. I was shooting with two VX2100 at +12db and a frezzi mini dimmer with softbox.

The gist of what I am saying is you don't have to have perfect conditions to create your best work. In fact most videographers tend to create their best work in weddings when there were an inordinant amount of challenges and problems- this one not being excluded. That's the heart of the challenge behind wedding/event videography.

Sorry Glen - I'll clarify...

first sentence...
I noticed no preceremony of the groom (not even a one sec shot)?

next sentence...
Was there no video shot by you late into the night, after the cake cutting? In other words, did you leave before the reception was over?


For the record, I get the "gist" of what you're saying. ...I'm pickin' up what you're trowin' down to me ...and I even smell what you're steppin in on this one Glen. WALLDO would be proud of my work... ummm, well, some of it. I believe I've got plenty of creative elixir. My biggest challenges are logistical. I got a lot to learn - like how to get those self-important photographers out of my shot, how to negotiate for time, or how to get the limo departure and arrival without driving through redlights.

No I didn't leave the reception early- the cake cutting was, however, the last formal event of the night. Only fast dancing followed. I don't include fast dancing in my vignettes usually- especially ones that are edited with a more romantic, elegant flavor.

Glen,

Whose reflection is it that I see in the bride's first prep shot.. on the right side of the mirror?

Would that be you?

Yeah- that would be my cameo. Overscan takes care of most of it on a television though. I was wondering how many would catch on to that shot.

Hi Glen-
As always......very,very nice video.
Quick question. How did you do the time lapse effect with the cross and clouds. Let's see if I understand the setup. The shot was done timelapse.

1. Sat camera on tripod and shoot for a few minutes without touching camera.
2. On post....fast-motion effect so the clouds can be seen moving and a zoom-in effect at the same time.

Am I correct or totally wrong? I am very new in the wedding business. Shot for somebody (about 15 indian weddings) but never really found time to edit myself. Started to study adobe but since you mentioned vegas, converted to vegas 5. I shoot alright but would really need major help with editing.

Regards!!

Exactly- just lock the tripod down for about 5 minutes. My assistant did this while I was in the church setting up. (Another good reason to work in pairs)

Good choice with Vegas. What kind of help do you need- general editing technique help or Vegas specific editing help?