DV Info Net - Getting my wedding video website started...

Hey Ben,

I might as well chime in too as someone who filmed his first wedding 20 years ago (which was a complete disaster btw, and caused me to not shoot another one seriously until NLE came along).

You can't rush your business plan. It does take time to develop the skills needed to properly cover and edit a wedding. By the time you get to say...20 or so, you get reasonably proficient. That might take you 2 years to get there. Maybe 1, but you will have either grey, or no hair by the end of it.

We do have a tradition of honest critiquing here at dvinfo, so don't take this wrong. The value in this forum is to progress the business and art of wedding videography. Many of us are battling the negative stigma of cheesy work in the 90's (no offence to those of us who were there) Personally, and honestly, I thought your clip looked to amateurish to use for a professional promotion. The competition in your market could use it against you.

There are clips that definitely shouldn't be included. Like the zoom on the palm tree at 1:35 for example. And I really don't like on-camera zooms unless there is a very good reason (the human eye doesn't zoom). And one scene has the background in focus while the couple are soft. There are a great many artists whose work is available here to study while you look for wedding work.

I'm assuming that you have a camera, so in the meantime, use it, learn it, inside and out. Learn to use the manual settings (focus and exposure). Learn all that you can about audio, mic placement etc. Learn the art of camera movement. Get to know your NLE to the point of fluency. I refer to it as the relentless pursuit of excellence.

I wouldn't do free weddings, but you could do cheap to start. Unless you have a relative who is getting married and you can give them a gift and get a demo out of the deal. You will find that do properly produce a wedding when you're just starting, that it takes at least 40 hours, so even at $500.00, you're working for $10.00 an hour.

All the best, and good luck. I look forward to seeing how you progress.