Post two - What you can do to help your videographer make the best video possible!

Let’s talk about some small things you can do to make sure you get the perfect wedding video for you! In most cases you can give your videographer the basic information about your wedding and then they can attempt to fill in the blanks and come up with a video they think you will like. But if you put in just a little bit of work with your videographer up front, I guarantee you will get a better wedding video out of it…

1.      Find a videographer who’s style suits what you want from your wedding video!

Now this one might seem like a bit on a no brainer but let me go a little deeper on what I mean by this. Does the videographer shoot a more documentary style video or montage style video that’s cut to music and does that music appeal to you. Does the videographer use audio to enhance the story like the recording of vows or speeches, or do you like the colour and composition of the shots they use. Have a think about these things and figure out what you like best. Because if you find a videographer with a style you like, then chances are you will love the video when it comes to your special day.

And don't be afraid to tell a videographer what you do and don't want in your wedding video, this will save both you and them a headache and hopefully avoid the video not coming out the way you had hoped!

2.      A common fear I see from brides is the worry that a videographer will miss an important moment from the day.  Here are a few tips which you can implement to help your videographer be in the right spot as well as a few tips to make their life easier and make a better video!

Share the itinerary for the day. This lets the videographer know when all the key moments are happening and lets them plan when they can get the supplementary b-roll shots of the venue or detail shots of the cake, and not be worried they are missing you throwing the bouquet somewhere. In general, nothing important happens at a wedding without the bride so as long as the videographer has got a good idea of where the bride is or where she is going to be then they shouldn't miss any of the big moments.

Put the videographer in touch with the venue. This will allow the videographer to plan if any additional lighting might be required if it’s a darker venue and give the videographer a chance to plan out their location/venue shots again making their life easier on the day resulting a better video for you.

Put the videographer in touch with the photographer! This one can really help with how smooth things run on the day. If the videographer and photographer are on a good footing and working with each other rather than against each other this can only be a good thing for both the video and the photos. If this can be done before the wedding day this is even better!

3.      Ok we are getting a little bit into the weeds here in terms of technical aspects of wedding film making but my argument here is that if you’re forking out a professional wedding video, you want to make sure it looks professional. Asking your videographer these questions should give you that confidence, and if they don't have a good answer then you might want to rethink who you are booking with.

• Is the camera a full frame camera? your videographer will know what this means and if they don't then run away as fast as you can. Now this isn't essential for good looking footage but if you a paying higher end prices, then the videographer really should be shooting on a full frame camera as these tend to be 'higher end' cameras.

• Do they use a stabiliser like a glide cam or gimbal. This ensure you have nice smooth footage that isn't jittery.

• Do they have proper audio recording equipment. If you’re paying to have your vows recorded make sure they are in touch with the DJ or have their own LAV mic set up

• Are they licencing good music from a reputable website. Music can have a huge impact on the tone and pace of your video. If you can find the time, ask your videographer which music licencing site they use and then find some music you like and let them know what it is. Finding music is the bane of many an editor’s life, so most of us will love you for doing this and much like my other recommendations in this list, you will get the video you want and cherish at the end of it!

If you can implement even half of these steps, you will reap the rewards of a better and more tailored wedding video!