One of the most common mistakes I have seen brides make when budgeting their wedding is cutting out the wedding video. Photographs alone do not capture the butterflies in your stomach, the emotions in your vows, or Uncle Charlie’s killer dance moves. You have worked hard to make your wedding day perfect. The wedding video is your time machine to the best day of your life. In years to come, you will be able to relive that first dance, your maid of honor’s toast, and listen to the well-wishes of family members who have since passed away.
I recently interviewed Don Moon of Captiva Video to get the scoop on wedding videos. Don filmed Holly and Dean’s wedding at the Edison & Ford Winter Estates this spring and edited it especially for our blog. Take a look:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEF9WtBCXU4]
What inspired you to get into videography?
I got into videography when my daughter was born in 1987. Video cameras were just coming onto the scene and we bought one of the first ones out. Because I had a camcorder before anyone else, friends and family asked me to videotape their weddings and parties. I soon joined the Wedding and Event Videography Association (WEVA) and attended their convention every year to improve my skills. This is my 15th year videotaping weddings, and I have seen videography improve year after year. The wedding videos of today are more like a movie.
What are some new trends you are seeing in wedding videos?
I have seen trends change from a no-effects documentary of the wedding to a special effects epic film. The trend now is to use special effects only if they help tell the story. Some of the special effects that are popular right now include slow motion, black and white, shadow box (black border along the top and bottom of the frame), and soft focus (where the clip has a soft dreamy like effect). Video clips that fly off the screen are out right now. As far as music, sound tracks from hit movies are definitely in. Whenever a new movie comes out with a great sound track, all the videographers incorporate that music into their production.
Tell me about the most interesting wedding you’ve filmed.
The most high end wedding I have videotaped so far was the wedding of Vidal Sassoon’s son, David. It was held in Connecticut a few years back. It was a very extravagant affair.
What advice do you have for brides when hiring a videographer?
My advice is to make sure he/she is a professional. So many videographers work another job and videotape weddings on the side. Make sure that the videographer is a member of at least one trade organization. I belong to Wedding and Event Videography Association (WEVA), National Association of Wedding Professionals (NAWP), and Wedding and Party Professionals of Naples (WPPN). The main quality a bride should be looking for is the ability to unobtrusively capture the day without infringing on it. The videographer must have the equipment to bring the images to life in vivid color. A good wireless microphone system is very important as good audio is the key to a well produced video.
What can one expect to pay for videography services?
My prices range from $595 to $3595. We have packages to meet any budget.
What other services do you offer?
I offer photo montages or slideshows that the couple can play at their reception. They are always the hit of the party and can arouse quite a bit of emotion. The person organizing the photo montage must number the photos in the order they would like them to appear in the slideshow. They also choose the music; typically 1 song per 25 photos.
Don Moon / Captiva Video / 239.466.8010 / www.captivavideo.com / don@captivavideo.com
