highlight video ONLY
 

Anyone offer this as a package? just the 3-5 min highlight? I just started offering that with the inclusion of all the speeches as an extra on the dvd as a basic edit.

I have one couple book it so far but I just started offering it. I actually offer this to my friends who are getting married as a wedding gift "highlight only" but Im curious if you folks have noticed brides wanting only the highlight

Re: highlight video ONLY
 

I do offer it and this summer with the economy not being in the best shape and budgets being low its pretty much all brides wanted.. which was great for me, its quick and easy in post production.

Re: highlight video ONLY
 

Same thing as Louis said. I offer a highlight/music video only package and with the economy being what it is it's my most popular package.

Re: highlight video ONLY
 

I wish I only offered it... but yep I have a package similar to this. I also give out all of the raw footage on a HD as well.

Re: highlight video ONLY
 

Louis, NIck and Steve. (SNJ, PA and NYC). You guys pretty much surround me as I am on the Jersey Shore. Do you charge the same amount for just a highlight as you would for a full edit? For me, I want to make as much money as I can on the wedding day. So I'm not going out for less just to film a highlight. Louis, the economy hasn't hurt my business at all..so I don't really follow what you are saying, especially you being in NYC where eveything is still expensive.

Re: highlight video ONLY
 

I'm just looking for a smaller work load time to time. I love doing highlight/trailers... It's my favorite part of filming a wedding. The actual edit takes a lot out of me, and it's nice to be able to draft something quick and creative, and still get compensated for it.
All that being said, I understand your point on not wanting to short change yourself...

Steve

Re: highlight video ONLY
 

I am intrigued by this highlight only idea. Do you still shoot like you are on a regular 10-12 hour day? But you shoot only about 10-15 shots of the bridal preps etc.? Brides actually go for this when they know they will not receive every word of the ceremony? Do you add a DVD chapter for the toasts or leave them out all together?
I would be interested to try something like this next summer as I was so slammed in editing this year, I haven't even taken the time to update my website with new weddings. (shame on me)
I can see where a fast turn around would be an appealing option for this package.

Re: highlight video ONLY
 

It's interesting to hear all this because, for me at least, the Highlight is what takes so long! The documentary part (the running ceremony etc.) basically gets edited fairly quickly/automatically as I comb through and search out the Highlights Material. I generally spend 2-3 hours doing the comb through and edit of the running footage, and then a good 12-15 hours on the Highlights. So I couldn't see saving money by offering just the highlights as that's 80% of the work (which includes creating a trailer, too). For me it would be the opposite: they'd save money by just having cleaned up running footage with NO highlight. But I don't think I'd ever offer that because it would be a fairly ho-hum product to have my name on.

Re: highlight video ONLY
 

I just finished shooting a wedding in NYC and the couple only want a highlight video about 5-10min in length. They specifically stated they didn't want an hour of stuff no one wants to watch. I found that very interesting.

They understood that since we were traveling from NC to NYC to shoot it would not be an inexpensive shoot but that didn't matter to them. Only that they get a good highlight video. What they want is something more like a music video and don't even want use NAT sound. This is a first for me but OK, if thats what they want I'm happy to provide the service.

Re: highlight video ONLY
 

Yep everything is still expensive, but slow... but thats not to say that my highlights only thing is cheap... I still charge a lot for it, but its not my highest end package but its good for me because its the least amount of time in post and for me thats the part I hate the most.

Re: highlight video ONLY
 

I've been offering 4-6 min. highlights only for about 6 months or so. It's totally changed my turnaround times and my business as a whole - not to mention the additional creative boost.

I do provide an option to add on/upgrade this to a 10-15 minute 'main feature', still cut in a similar style but my days of producing anything creative longer than 20 minutes max. are happily over.

BTW...very basic start>finish doco edits of ceremony/speeches are included via an extra menu on the dvds.

Re: highlight video ONLY
 

wow lots of you guys doing the short videos! Thats great! makes me look forward to offering it to more clients. I love the turnaround time the best. I really enjoy editing the highlights but really dont enjoy the long edits.

Re: highlight video ONLY
 

Thinking about doing this next year. In California, from what I am told, if you offer digital download only, you don't have to pay tax.

Re: highlight video ONLY
 

You mean collect tax ;)

Re: highlight video ONLY
 

I find that when I post the 4 minute highlight film online, many responses are "I can't wait to see the rest of the video"!.