Signet Ring Films

How much time will be spent editing?

Often unwritten in the packages listed...the time that is taken after your wedding day is just as important as the capturing the day itself. Ever been amazed by a highlight's reel only to be disappointed with the ceremony? The secret is in the editing hours and it's okay to ask how many hours of editing you can expect to be taken on your movie. I average at least 80-90 hours of editing/finishing/detailing for every 6/7 hour wedding...if it's a 12 hour wedding, it's going to be a lot longer.

What are transitions, titles, and special effects?

We videographers sometimes spout these terms off as if everyone knows what the heck we're talking about. Here's the down-low:

Transitions: When we cut the footage, we can cut from one piece to another, or add transitions between each splide, adding to the flow of a finished movie. Most common is the "Cross" transition: blending the last piece of footage with the next. You may also see a "Dip to white" transition or the "Dip to Black" transition, both used for impact and/or fading at the end.

Titles: The date and place of the wedding at the beginning, or the bride and groom's names cut into the movie.

Special Effects: Slow motion, old film looks, blurring and color keying: (The bouquet is in color, and the rest of the scene is in black and white). You can view samples of these FX at http://www.signetringf... .

Who's actually capturing your wedding?
Is the person with the camera on your day going to be the same person whom you're talking to in the interview? If not, who will the videographers be, and what are their credentials?

Who's actually editing the footage?
Preferably, one of the videographers capturing your day will also be editing..they were there to see your story in real life...they know how your story went, and will portray it through the editing in this same way, rather than editing to a template.

HD versus SD?
Your videographer should be able to (at least) offer you an HD capture of your wedding. Even if you're looking for a standard def. DVD for a final product, an HD camera offers a higher picture quality, and you will gain a generation rather than losing in quality. High Def. cameras with their better span of color information are going to be the choice you want especially in an indoor wedding that has lower lighting. If a videographer is still using a camera with a bright light, his equipment is probably out of date. Now that Blu-ray has won the battle with HD-DVD, our days with standard definition DVD players are numbered. You should be given the option of having a Blu-Ray copy your final movie.





How To Spot a Scammer

Brides, it's always a good plan to educate yourself ahead of time about some of the basics before you interview your videographers. Unfortunately, in the wedding videography industry, there are a few "used car salesmen" types who persist in preying on the trust of their clients. I'm writing these tips about how to spot a scammer on behalf of the many wedding videographers whom you CAN trust.

SCAMMER ALERT #1:
"If you purchase our HD videography package, you won't need a photographer! We can pull amazing photographs from High Def. footage."
TRUTH: Yes, it is possible to pull photos from HD--(I work in HD myself and will use my HD photos as small clips to showcase the movie on the BACK of the bride's dvd case) but you might as well use photos from a disposable camera because those might be at the same level of pixel quality. Videography quality is improving all the time, but NO WAY is HD at the level of quality yet that you should use it for capturing photographic memories of your wedding.

SCAMMER ALERT #2:
You are approached in the middle of your wedding and are told that the time you paid for is up and they will only stay longer if you agree to pay them an additional (high) hourly rate for however long they stay after.
TRUTH: You and your videographer should have already decided how long you were contracting them for and if additional hours were needed. It should be written in a contract: this is not a decision that they should be asking you to make in the middle of your special day--they are preying on your desire to not miss a single memory. Ask your videographer in your interview how they plan their pay rate on additional hours...but definitely decide this upfront, and make sure it is written in your contract.

SCAMMER ALERT #3
You are given the opportunity to choose add-ons after you recieve your video.
TRUTH: This is a very clever marketing trick--they already have your footage; they know that you are butter in their hands. They can offer any number of potential ways that they can spruce up your video (how can you turn down the opportunity to keep your maid of honor's speech or the moment when your grandparents danced at the reception?)

A videography company operating with integrity (and many of them ARE out there) will discuss what is important to you in advance of your wedding. All the details about your contract and what is included in your package, your dvd, etc will be ironed out before the wedding day itself. For instance, I consult in advance with the bride and groom in detail to discover what moments are especially important to them. We discuss the options that are available and will let our couples know upfront what the total cost will be. We do not skimp on the editing hours after the wedding day itself, but make sure that we spend all the time necessary making every facet of the movie as high quality as can be.

Make wise choices for yourself as you plan your wedding. There are many excellent videography companies to choose from--don't fall for one of the few who scam.