Women in Wedding Videography

[Megan Coates]

After reading through this forum for the past few months, I'm noticing that are few to no women who post on here.

I know there are tons of women wedding photographers, but not a lot of videographers.

I was just wondering, if there are other women out there working in this field, and if they're running their own business like I am.

[Aaron Mayberry]

You just missed the POSH cruise for female wedding videographers!

POSH 2010: A Retreat and Workshop for Women Filmmakers and Photographers

[Chris Harding]

Hi Megan

There probably are plenty of videographers of the fairer sex but they are not as obsessed with the technical side of production and post production as we tend to be. We love talking about complicated issues, camera and kit pros and con and specifications whilst women just tend to get on with the job. You will find a couple of posts regarding the more personal side like "how the working hours of a videographer affect your family" but seldom do you find any technical posts.

They are out there just doing their thing and getting good results without any fuss!!

Chris

[Philip Howells]

Megan, I have no idea where you get your basic information from - is anyone doing polling even allowed to make the gender relevant these days? Or perhaps you're referring to apocryphal polls?

What I will say very strongly is that I'm pleased that my wife is one of the camera people in our team of three, not for any technical reason (because I don't think there are any differences based on gender) but because she's able to relate to different people in different ways. Weddings are emotional events and when emotions rise to a crescendo a woman in the team is a huge advantage.

So why don't you see her writing here (which I think is Megan's other concern)? She maintains she doesn't have time so that's all I have time to write!

[Noel Lising]

Megan, there are plenty of female videographers. In fact one of them was listed as an event dv top 25 a few years back.

Bliss* Productions Blog

[Chris Hurd]

Megan is referring to the lack of wedding videographers
posting to DV Info Net who are women. Not about the
industry in general, but at this site in particular.

That's something I'm already aware of, and would like
to change. We've had some terrific forum leadership
by Lorinda Norton and Meryem Ersoz, and I would
like to expand our moderator team to include more
of the ladies.

In the long run, though, I've never seen gender -- or
race, age, orientation, etc. as any sort of barrier to
entry into the DVi universe. All it takes is civility,
pluck, and genuine enthusiasm. Hope this helps,

[Carla Raposo]

When I first started in video, it was helping my husband out as a second camera operator. But I've slowly taken over the operation to the point that I pretty much run the business, and he's my second.

[Tom Dickerson]

My wife helps me with wedding videography if she's not doing the photography or officiating. She has more technical knowledge of her DSLR but has no problems using the video cameras.

Like with Philip, often times my wife can communicate/relate to the bride and families better than I can. She also provides great advice during rehearsals (since she's officiated so many weddings) and the couples really love her.

That being said, she has no real desire to post on the various video or photography forums. To be honest, I've seen some forums (not this one) that are disrespectful to women.

[Marion Abrams]

When I have time I check in here.
Perhaps we should try to be more active on the list.

[Warren Kawamoto]

Although my wife helps with weddings, she says it's more of a man's job. We have cameras, tripods, lights, bags, and cases that needs to move from location to location. She said helping me has built up her upper body strength. Although she likes weddings, she hates talking about technical stuff.

[Nigel Barker]

It's more likely that posting on forums is more of a boy thing & it doesn't matter what the subject of the forum is. At least it is a bit better than in the old days on Usenet Newsgroups.

[Rochelle Morris]

Hi Megan,

yep there sure are lots of female producers around - agree with Chris H that women tend to get on with the job and it certainly would be worthwhile checking Posh out.

90% of the time I chat with my male colleagues and find that for myself, I have few female networks in OZ...perhaps a goal to change for the future.

I would love to go to the Posh event next year and meet more like minded females.

[Chip Thome]

Originally Posted by Rochelle Morris

I would love to go to the Posh event next year and meet more like minded females.

ME TOO !!!!!

Ahhhh come on guys....... you know darn well you thought the same thing...... well at least you single guys did !!!! :-)

[Chris Harding]

Oh dear!!! My buddy Chip is at it again!!! Any opportunity to meet someone of the opposite sex!!!

Seriously Rochelle, I do think that female videographers are a minority group in Perth!! I advertised for a few weeks at the beginning of the season for a mature lady with either experience or prepared to be trained and got just one response. (I wanted someone mature as in past the "want to have children" stage, or "my boyfriend is jealous" lost me quite a few good freelance photogs!! )

Maybe videography doesn't have as much appeal to the ladies???? My only lady who did seem enthusiastic faded away pretty quickly within a few weeks!!! Maybe photography appears more glamorous ????

I am now is my busiest part of the year without a second shooter which really would make life a whole lot easier, especially when you have to cram in groomsmen prep, bridal prep and still get to the ceremony 30 mins before the bride. There seem to be quite a few young guys that would be happy to do it but I do like the idea of bridal prep to be done by a lady videographer and the girls are more comfortable too!!!

I think you do have to realise that most women between 25 and 50 are busy bringing up kids, running the house and running husbands so they seldom have time for anything else!!! I really would have thought that there would have been some interest amongst the 50+ group who's kids have left the nest and hubby has become self sufficent at last.

Chris

[Philip Howells]

Chris, do you think the adjectives "mature" anmd "experienced" were the right ones to use?

I do think that even without the complication of the various labour laws we have to meet, defining a lady by her age is always difficult.

Perhaps you could try "wanted - Jane Fonda lookalike video camera operator". Still doesn't mean she'll know her neutral density from her hyperfocal distance.

It isn't that they don't exist - after all I'm happily married to one - but defining them effectively and legally.

When the UK employment equality laws were first introduced I seem to recall a building contractor advertising for "bricklayers willing to work bare-chested" - but even that didn't work out as he intended!