I hate being called 'The video man'

Chris Harding · February 5th, 2014, 07:19 AM

Hi Tim

Funnily enough either it's an untapped market or one not worth pursuing!! If you google "funeral videos perth" there are a few people doing slideshows (which most funeral houses do themselves) but no videographers...even local classifieds like Gumtree and Locanto have absolutely zero ads for anything funeral related.

Wonder why???

We had now better let this thread get back on track about being called "the video man" .. There was a thread here a while back about funerals ..you might like to search for it.

Ok back on track I guess we need to have a badge or our name on our shirt?? Is that the general consensus or should others just remember our name ??? I could take my Dymo labeller and label all my gear .. "this camera belongs to CHRIS (the video guy) "

Chris

Corey Graham · February 5th, 2014, 10:41 AM

I'm with Don . . . who cares what they call me? I'm getting paid and don't care who calls me what. Many times that's exactly how I introduce myself . . . "I'm the video guy." Let's face it, "videographer" is a mouthful, and a word I've never been fond of anyway. I don't take it all so seriously that I feel I have to be like that.

Steven Davis · February 5th, 2014, 11:06 AM

I've gone to media producer. We do both photography and video, so media producer is more accurate.

Chris Harding · February 5th, 2014, 06:20 PM

I often too, do video and stills combined and when I'm doing a wedding with both they always seem to call me the photographer if they are referring to my "title" never the video guy!! Not a lot of people would use the videographer term as it's quite a mouthful so video guy is more common.

I don't ever hear the photographer being referred to as the photo guy ...wonder why?? It must be the fact that "photographer" is a more common word?

Chris

Paul R Johnson · February 6th, 2014, 05:04 AM

Mr lighting man, miss sound lady, mr video are perfectly ok, and in the theatre world where I mostly work, everyone has an abbreviated job title, so "where's stage LX?" Is fine. I don't expect people to find out my name, I work with perhaps 4 to maybe over 20 people on a crew and after 40 odd shows, I might know half of the names. It's not an insult if they don't know your name. Far more important things to worry about. I answer to anything if it's civil!

Colin McDonald · February 6th, 2014, 06:22 AM

In the music industry, it is perfectly acceptable (and rather more practical) to address people by their function as in these well known phrases:

"trombones - could you please go easy on the fortissimos?"
"drums - you're pushing the tempo a bit (again)"
"did anyone manage to book a celeste? Oh, sorry celeste - any chance the rest of you could come down even more?""

Bad things tend to be coming your way if you are addressed by your name when you are one of 30 - 90 people and you are not either (a) leading or (b) playing the concerto.

Don Bloom · February 6th, 2014, 06:45 AM

For 99% of corporate jobs, I agree with Colin. No names, but job title. Depends on the crew size and frankly how friendly they are. I've worked on crews that know EVERYONES names and I've worked on crews that it seemed like it would kill them to even crack a bit of a smile. Either way I get paid.

Weddings are a bit different but in all honesty the only ones I worry about are the Bride and Groom. For the bridal party I introduce myself like this, "Hi I'm Don. I'm the video guy." Chances are they aren't going to remember my name and I KNOW I'm not going to remember their names. The B&G on the other hand I do what I have to remember their names.

Nigel Barker · February 6th, 2014, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Harding

I must admit that I do admire brides for their memory. Quite often I have booked them over a year ago yet they turn up at the rehearsal and instantly recognise me and remember my name while I'm struggling to remember what they look like (I have my spec sheet so I still get the name right) It's easy at the wedding cos she's the one in white but at the rehearsal she looks like everyone else.

More than once I have turned up to shoot the bridal prep & not recognised the bride or at least not been entirely sure which one of the girls in a face mask & curlers is the bride.

Nigel Barker · February 6th, 2014, 10:34 AM

We have done a few funerals. I would happily do more as they tend to be midweek & out of wedding season. They are also much shorter affairs although a colleague of mine was recently asked to film the wake too along with the funeral. As noted previously you can shoot it pretty much like a lightweight wedding very straightforwardly (1 camera wide at back, 1 camera wide on celebrant/speaker, one camera operated on celebrant, speaker, singer etc. No sexing it up with slider shots or Steadicam up the aisle walking backwards in front of the pall bearers, no GoPro on the coffin:-).

One thing that I learned is to only take long shots of grieving mourners & also to have a sign up at the entrance or a note in the order of service to let the attendees know that you have been hired to shoot the video & are not just some ghoul who walked in off the street.

John Knight · February 6th, 2014, 03:47 PM

I've done a few funerals but they always call at such short notice. I recommend people book at least 6 months in advance now.

Dave Partington · February 6th, 2014, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Knight

I've done a few funerals but they always call at such short notice. I recommend people book at least 6 months in advance now.

We've done a few too and would happily do more, but I think the idea of making people book in advance will be a dead loss. Taking late bookings may be a dead end business, but .....

.... oh never mind ;)

Tim Lewis · February 6th, 2014, 06:26 PM

You are all missing the point with funeral videos as a business model, it is not the late bookings and the inconvenience of having people die when you are already booked, it is the lack of repeat business!

Chris Harding · February 6th, 2014, 06:44 PM

Hi Tim

Technically wedding videos are also a non repeat business as you are supposed to get married for life. I don't do a lot of 2nd marriages so I also consider it a "one off" event.

Dunno about the rest of the world but in Perth we have an ageing population and I'm pretty sure we had a negative population growth a few years back. I wonder if more people die every year than get married???

It's seems strange that local media doesn't show up anything for funeral videos or even photography!

Chris

Tim Lewis · February 6th, 2014, 06:48 PM

Maybe Chris it is because the funeral (and wake) are a time to remember the person and their life, but grieving means we need to move and and a record of the day would make that harder?

Also with weddings, there is at least the chance of repeat business...

February 5th, 2014, 07:19 AM	#31
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: I hate being called 'The video man' Hi Tim Funnily enough either it's an untapped market or one not worth pursuing!! If you google "funeral videos perth" there are a few people doing slideshows (which most funeral houses do themselves) but no videographers...even local classifieds like Gumtree and Locanto have absolutely zero ads for anything funeral related. Wonder why??? We had now better let this thread get back on track about being called "the video man" .. There was a thread here a while back about funerals ..you might like to search for it. Ok back on track I guess we need to have a badge or our name on our shirt?? Is that the general consensus or should others just remember our name ??? I could take my Dymo labeller and label all my gear .. "this camera belongs to CHRIS (the video guy) " Chris

February 5th, 2014, 10:41 AM	#32
Corey Graham Major Player Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Erie, PA Posts: 390	Re: I hate being called 'The video man' I'm with Don . . . who cares what they call me? I'm getting paid and don't care who calls me what. Many times that's exactly how I introduce myself . . . "I'm the video guy." Let's face it, "videographer" is a mouthful, and a word I've never been fond of anyway. I don't take it all so seriously that I feel I have to be like that. __________________ http://coreygraham.me http://coreygrahamweddings.com

February 5th, 2014, 11:06 AM	#33
Steven Davis Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Richmond, VA Posts: 3,065	Re: I hate being called 'The video man' I've gone to media producer. We do both photography and video, so media producer is more accurate. __________________ What happens if I push the 'Red' button?

February 5th, 2014, 06:20 PM	#34
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: I hate being called 'The video man' I often too, do video and stills combined and when I'm doing a wedding with both they always seem to call me the photographer if they are referring to my "title" never the video guy!! Not a lot of people would use the videographer term as it's quite a mouthful so video guy is more common. I don't ever hear the photographer being referred to as the photo guy ...wonder why?? It must be the fact that "photographer" is a more common word? Chris

February 6th, 2014, 05:04 AM	#35
Paul R Johnson Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Lowestoft - UK Posts: 4,016	Re: I hate being called 'The video man' Mr lighting man, miss sound lady, mr video are perfectly ok, and in the theatre world where I mostly work, everyone has an abbreviated job title, so "where's stage LX?" Is fine. I don't expect people to find out my name, I work with perhaps 4 to maybe over 20 people on a crew and after 40 odd shows, I might know half of the names. It's not an insult if they don't know your name. Far more important things to worry about. I answer to anything if it's civil!

February 6th, 2014, 06:22 AM	#36
Colin McDonald Trustee Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Glasgow, Scotland Posts: 1,546	Re: I hate being called 'The video man' In the music industry, it is perfectly acceptable (and rather more practical) to address people by their function as in these well known phrases: "trombones - could you please go easy on the fortissimos?" "drums - you're pushing the tempo a bit (again)" "did anyone manage to book a celeste? Oh, sorry celeste - any chance the rest of you could come down even more?"" Bad things tend to be coming your way if you are addressed by your name when you are one of 30 - 90 people and you are not either (a) leading or (b) playing the concerto.

February 6th, 2014, 06:45 AM	#37
Don Bloom Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,609	Re: I hate being called 'The video man' For 99% of corporate jobs, I agree with Colin. No names, but job title. Depends on the crew size and frankly how friendly they are. I've worked on crews that know EVERYONES names and I've worked on crews that it seemed like it would kill them to even crack a bit of a smile. Either way I get paid. Weddings are a bit different but in all honesty the only ones I worry about are the Bride and Groom. For the bridal party I introduce myself like this, "Hi I'm Don. I'm the video guy." Chances are they aren't going to remember my name and I KNOW I'm not going to remember their names. The B&G on the other hand I do what I have to remember their names. __________________ What do I know? I'm just a video-O-grafer. Don

February 6th, 2014, 10:34 AM	#39
Nigel Barker Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Norwich, Norfolk, UK Posts: 3,531	Re: I hate being called 'The video man' We have done a few funerals. I would happily do more as they tend to be midweek & out of wedding season. They are also much shorter affairs although a colleague of mine was recently asked to film the wake too along with the funeral. As noted previously you can shoot it pretty much like a lightweight wedding very straightforwardly (1 camera wide at back, 1 camera wide on celebrant/speaker, one camera operated on celebrant, speaker, singer etc. No sexing it up with slider shots or Steadicam up the aisle walking backwards in front of the pall bearers, no GoPro on the coffin:-). One thing that I learned is to only take long shots of grieving mourners & also to have a sign up at the entrance or a note in the order of service to let the attendees know that you have been hired to shoot the video & are not just some ghoul who walked in off the street.

February 6th, 2014, 03:47 PM	#40
John Knight Major Player Join Date: May 2008 Location: Auckland, New Zealand Posts: 588	Re: I hate being called 'The video man' I've done a few funerals but they always call at such short notice. I recommend people book at least 6 months in advance now.

February 6th, 2014, 06:26 PM	#42
Tim Lewis Major Player Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Perth, Western Australia. Posts: 591	Re: I hate being called 'The video man' You are all missing the point with funeral videos as a business model, it is not the late bookings and the inconvenience of having people die when you are already booked, it is the lack of repeat business! __________________ Cheers Tim

February 6th, 2014, 06:44 PM	#43
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: I hate being called 'The video man' Hi Tim Technically wedding videos are also a non repeat business as you are supposed to get married for life. I don't do a lot of 2nd marriages so I also consider it a "one off" event. Dunno about the rest of the world but in Perth we have an ageing population and I'm pretty sure we had a negative population growth a few years back. I wonder if more people die every year than get married??? It's seems strange that local media doesn't show up anything for funeral videos or even photography! Chris

February 6th, 2014, 06:48 PM	#44
Tim Lewis Major Player Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Perth, Western Australia. Posts: 591	Re: I hate being called 'The video man' Maybe Chris it is because the funeral (and wake) are a time to remember the person and their life, but grieving means we need to move and and a record of the day would make that harder? Also with weddings, there is at least the chance of repeat business... __________________ Cheers Tim