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Shooting non-repeatable events: weddings, recitals, plays, performances...

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Old March 13th, 2006, 01:15 PM   #1
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Wedding video on the IPOD?

Anyone doing it, I've been reading about the conversion, and it doesnt' appear to be that big of deal. Not anymore than web video conversion. Hehe, I wonder how much you would charge to convert wedding clips for IPOD download?
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Old March 13th, 2006, 03:37 PM   #2
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Interesting idea... creating a separate video for a clients video iPod. I bet those with the v-iPod would go for it.

On a similar note, you can use the video iPod or PSP as a promotional tool. I bought a PSP, partially because my boys begged me, partially because I'm a gamer myself, but mostly for the video and photo capabilities. I've converted all my sample videos to the PSP format (which is just a variance of mp4) and stored them on a 1gb memory card. It's already come in handy. I was with some friends out to lunch yesterday and one of them mentioned to an engaged waitress they knew that I was a videographer. She asked me for a card, and I gave her one, but I also pulled out my PSP and showed her some sample videos right there. She seemed very impressed and said she would call me to talk more. She also said that her fiance has one those PSP's and they had no clue you could use it for video other than the movies you can buy for it. I didn't think of it until reading your post, but if I happen to pick up this wedding, I'll offer a PSP version of their highlights video. Couldn't hurt!

The screen is very crisp and clear, and much larger than an iPod. It has built-in speakers, so headphones aren't required. Plus, the games are cool!

Later,
Dan
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Old March 13th, 2006, 04:09 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dan Shallenberger
Interesting idea... creating a separate video for a clients video iPod. I bet those with the v-iPod would go for it.

On a similar note, you can use the video iPod or PSP as a promotional tool. Later,
Dan
Dan, let me know how the PSP development goes, not that I need to spend the money, but this would be a great on the fly presentation. I honestly don't have an ownership history with gaming stations, and I know very little about the PSP, but your idea is very insteresting. I was reading an article today in my DV magazine where they were doing the workflow for IPOD casting, so I thought about why not use it for video and offer it like any other media. But now that you've given me the idea about IPOD Demo, I might actually ask the Boss what she thinks.
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Old March 13th, 2006, 05:03 PM   #4
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Well, while the Sony PSP has a bigger 4.2" 16x9 format screen, built-in speakers and removable storage, it is thought-of and marketed-as a video game machine. Although it does an *incredible* job of playing music, photos and video, if someone recognizes it, they would possibly think it as a Playstation toy.

The iPod video on the other hand has a 2.5" 4:3 screen, but the internal storage is very large and it looks very, very cool. The iPod is definitely more "chic" and a much, much better mp3 player than the PSP. The iPod is definitely NOT thought of as a 'toy'.

For me, the two best points for the PSP, in using it as a video marketing tool, is that it has built-in speakers and the screen is 16x9 format. If I show a demo to a potential client with an iPod video, they would have to put on headphones to hear it. Some people, particularly strangers, would likely be put-off by that.

Really, when it comes down to it, me being a gamer anyhow (my wife is still wondering when I'll grow up!), the PSP was a good choice. If you're more into listening to music, then the iPod video would not disappoint you at all! There are also other choices out there for portable media players. Creative Labs has one, I think, as well as others.

Great idea, though, marketing a video formatted for a clients portable players, if they have one!

Later,
Dan
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Old March 13th, 2006, 05:11 PM   #5
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Originally Posted by Dan Shallenberger
(my wife is still wondering when I'll grow up!),
Dan
Dan, as I tell my wife, we nerds don't grow up, our toys just tend to need a MACK warrantee
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Old March 13th, 2006, 08:10 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dan Shallenberger
Interesting idea... creating a separate video for a clients video iPod. I bet those with the v-iPod would go for it.

On a similar note, you can use the video iPod or PSP as a promotional tool. I bought a PSP, partially because my boys begged me, partially because I'm a gamer myself, but mostly for the video and photo capabilities. I've converted all my sample videos to the PSP format (which is just a variance of mp4) and stored them on a 1gb memory card. It's already come in handy. I was with some friends out to lunch yesterday and one of them mentioned to an engaged waitress they knew that I was a videographer. She asked me for a card, and I gave her one, but I also pulled out my PSP and showed her some sample videos right there. She seemed very impressed and said she would call me to talk more. She also said that her fiance has one those PSP's and they had no clue you could use it for video other than the movies you can buy for it. I didn't think of it until reading your post, but if I happen to pick up this wedding, I'll offer a PSP version of their highlights video. Couldn't hurt!

The screen is very crisp and clear, and much larger than an iPod. It has built-in speakers, so headphones aren't required. Plus, the games are cool!

Later,
Dan
Hahhahaah u know whats funny, Ive started doing this too, and a VERY similar situation came up for me along these very lines.. it not only comes in handy having an on the spot demo machine, but i also agree.. the gams absolutely kick ass..

here are some games id recommend ;)

Burnout Legends (even if ur not into racing, its more fun crashing)
Wipeout pure (better than the Ps2 version)as for H.264 on PSP, Vegas lets u manage al this from within the timeline..pretty awesome stuiff. It wouldnt surprise me if they allow this kind of manipulation when the PS3 or BluRay comes out either....

Theyre yet to decide an official video format for BD, so we wait...
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Old March 13th, 2006, 08:15 PM   #7
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The ipod is mpeg-4 complient right? I have premiere pro 2.0 and to the best of my knowledge I cant publish mpeg-4. How do you convert?
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Old March 13th, 2006, 08:42 PM   #8
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Peter... I totally agree, the games are awesome! I have Burnout Legends. Almost to the end. As awesome as the game is, I'm struggling with the Super class. They are so fast on that relatively small screen that I am constantly crashing :-( Haven't play WWipeout on psp yet, but I love racing games. I'm planning on picking up Most Wanted and Splinter Cell next week. Speaking of kick-*** games, I just found an incredible deal on a 360. Talk about awesome games. I picked up Burnout Legends for it and it rocks! I feel like such a nerd among all these professionals here for being such an avid gamer. It's such a stress release for me!

I use PSPVideo 9 on my windows box to convert for the psp. The mac solutions are crap so far. FFmpegx is the best so far, but I'm having such intermittent results that I just go to my windows machine to convert, and they come out very, very nice... expecially the 16:9 clips! Since I'm a mac user primarily, I don't use Vegas, although I've heard great things about it.

Oh... ahemmm... my wife is convinced it's a "business tool" only, but I just can't help but to pick up some games.

Ruben... the iPod videos are mp4, but not stock. For the PSP, there's a special header written to the file, so you can't just drop any mp4 on it. I'm pretty sure the iPod video is the same. There are many, many 3rd-party video conversion programs you can get for pc if PP2 won't do the conversion natively. Quicktime Pro also does the conversion seamlessly, and it's what I recommend the most (only $30 if you don't have pro already). Do you have an iPod video?

Later,
Dan
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Old March 13th, 2006, 09:01 PM   #9
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No i dont, but i thought it could be an easy "lets have fun and create videos that i can put on friend's ipod videos". But im not gonna drop 30 bucks for something i would hardly use.
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Old March 13th, 2006, 09:50 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Steven Davis
Anyone doing it, I've been reading about the conversion, and it doesnt' appear to be that big of deal. Not anymore than web video conversion. Hehe, I wonder how much you would charge to convert wedding clips for IPOD download?
I've done this as a special 'surprise' bonus for my wedding clients since the the iPod w/video was released. Even before the video iPod was released I had already adopted as standard practice the inclusion of DVD-ROM bonus features that include various compressions of the wedding video, blooper reels, etc in formats that the client can give to friends on CD-ROMs or post on their family websites, etc.

The wedding coordinator from whom I get most of my business specializes in a special type of ceremony that seems to attract an international draw of very small intimate groups...folks who have family and friends all over the world who cannot be present for the ceremony. My first wedding video was for a bride from Korea and a groom from Germany whose father had recently suffered a stroke and couldn't travel - it gave me the idea of providing the extra formats as a special surprise bonus that I continued with all my wedding videos at no extra charge. As soon as the video iPod was released last fall, I began including iPod compatible versions on the DVD-ROM as well. I suspect that in short order the little gadgets will become so 'ever-present' that it will become a nice little novelty to be able to show your wedding video to your co-workers or in other settings at a moment's notice.

I haven't noted any other videographers in my area who provide this service, although there are production houses that charge some decent to high rates for such conversions. I have been told that I need to advertise this feature to gain clientele, but from what I have noted from dealing with brides and grooms, this info is often pretty much lost on them. Since weddings are only a small part of my business, I'm as busy as I can handle and don't mind a small amount of extra effort to provide a cool little spin on their product that they may or not come to appreciate in a year or two when their spouse gives them a video iPod as a Christmas gift. Maybe they will come to appreciate how 'forward-thinking' their wedding videographer was. Although I suspect most of them haven't even thought twice about this feature, in time they will all have iPods and think of it as a cool thing that their wedding video is ready to go.

I also include a menu screen on the DVD (in the bonus features section) that explains the bonus features in clear concise form, and a 'read-me' text file on the DVD-ROM that explains it in greater detail, so that if they ever decide to put the DVD into a DVD compatible computer, it should be pretty self explanatory and simple to access the iPod version of their video and load it up in their iPod.

Although it does take a little extra time to provide the extra formats, it really doesn't take any significant amount of work..I hope to soon have an Automator script that pretty much takes my mastered video file and does the conversions by itself overnight so that in the morning I can just drop the folder into the DVD-ROM segment of the DVD and burn it.
-Jon
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Old March 13th, 2006, 11:01 PM   #11
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I saw someone who added his and her iPods onto the wedding package for a extra $800.00. He was just putting pictures on the iPods.
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Old March 14th, 2006, 03:53 AM   #12
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Hey Dan, the 360 aint here jsut yet...

as for being an avid gamer, i too am in that boat.. nothign beats burnout3 on the ps2 across a 7 metre screen... ;)

I used to write and shoot stills for a gaming magazine almost 10 yrs ago and its amazing how far things have evolved.

Either way, now i find that the PSP for what it is and what it can do, is prolly the most advanced unit out there. Now if only the xbox360 came with a proper operating system where we could install our own software to it.. how nice would it be to have 3 of these chained up.. imagein 3 triple core CPUS for video editing..
Absolutly kick ass...

coffee time ... back to BO Legends... ;)

Last edited by Peter Jefferson; March 14th, 2006 at 06:47 AM.
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Old March 14th, 2006, 04:34 AM   #13
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I use my Dell Axim PDA with a 4gb compact flash card. It has a 3.7 inch screen. I have 4 dvd's on the CF card right now that have been encoded with i264 codec, mpg4. I have my demo on it as well. In a pinch it works great. I use mine while I travel to watch movies.

I encoded the whole series of after effects training so I can watch it on the road. :)

Jon
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Old March 14th, 2006, 06:39 AM   #14
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I also own a PSP, I brought it in San Francisco from the mega Sony store they have their. I was lucky to get it when it first came out and a reasonable price. $249.00 + a purchase of one game was what it was required.

The convincing I had to do with my wife. Honey, it's such a long trip, we'll get bored. This could take some of the boredom out while driving back to Washington! Look at all the cool features! (Ever try to explain the wonders of electonics to a wife?) :)

I recently purchased a 4gb hd and battery pack that came included. It offers more memmory and extra long life. The cost was $199 at Fry's but I brought mine at Best Buy with the price match that Best Buy offers. This is great! The Hd comes with it's own management software that will convert your video files for use on the hd. It's the simplest system I've used. It'll convert to H.264 with the header files and you can set the quality settings for compression. It also offers to save in wide screen or tv mode. All the music I have installed and the music videos I have installed on it, and I still have 2.5 gigs left.

The downside of this 4 gig back is that your once cool looking PSP has two big bulges in the back. Now your daughter can use the PSP as a table for her Barbies. Personally, I think it offers a better hold on the system. A bigger grip on to your game system. :)

I do think the PSP is the greatest portable game system that's come out so far. The graphics and games are simply the best. The only thing is the streaking effect with fast motion that I don't care for.

P.S. All the music videos that the users post on this great site is downloaded onto my PSP. I watch it and study it, hoping to become a better camera man. It's a great way to study someone else's work.
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Old March 14th, 2006, 06:55 AM   #15
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Well, I'll start doing some research on PSP vs. VPOD in terms of cost benefit, storage etc. I do like the business applications of the VPOD. I'm going to go see what good packages are out there.
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