Stop Before You Shoot! Tips for Capturing Good Video Footage of Your Wedding

Welcome back Mike Fisher from Storymix Media, who will be guest blogging about tips for shooting good DIY video footage at your wedding.

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In our last guest post, we explored the reasons for capturing video of your wedding. If you have opted for getting the video shot by a non-professional, we have advice for making sure your cameraperson gets the scenes you want and the best results possible.

The key to getting the important shots and scenes for your movie is planning beforehand.  If you have a game plan, you are much more likely to be ready when those great moments present themselves. Here are some tips:

General
1.    Know thy equipment.  Be sure to understand the functionality and features on the camera.  A Flip cam will have very different capabilities than an expensive camcorder.

2.    What extras will you need?  Extra batteries, tapes, and flash memory cards aren't sold at the bar.  Prepare the night before.

3.    Key shots list.  Make a list of the important moments you want to capture. Here are some shots you'll want:

• Walking down the aisle
• Vows
• First kiss
• Leaving church or venue
• Entrance into reception
• Best Man's toast and Maid of Honor's toast
• First dance, father-daughter dance, mother-son dance
• Bouquet toss
• Guests - don't focus just on the couple, but go easy on the guests' toasts
• More than ceremony and reception - your wedding experience also includes the rehearsal, bridal shower, honeymoon, etc.  Try to include those moments too if possible.

4.   Don't forget the "b-roll."  Take shots of buildings, scenery, banners, signs, invitation, food, shoes, etc.   

Shooting Video
1.    Two cameras are better than one.  Multiple angles and more coverage will result in a better final edited movie.

2.    Nice and easy.  Be conscious of how quickly or slowly you pan and zoom.  A nice smooth movement will prevent your viewers from getting seasick due to the jerky to and fro common in home movies.

3.    Have tripod, will travel.  Using a tripod will make it much easier to get great video shots.  If you know you'll be shooting from one spot for a while, your legs and arms will thank you.  There are also great table top tripods available on the market that are easy to travel with and do a fine job keeping your footage still and smooth.

4.    Film near a stereo speaker at the ceremony.  If you have more than one camera, position one camera near a stereo speaker.  Even if you can't get good video, the audio can be added later with the appropriate footage.

5.    Get a lot of closeups of the couple and guests.  Catching facial expressions and emotions makes for great video.

For more detailed tips and explanations for producing good quality video footage, check out our blog: www.My-Photo-Video.com.

In our next guest post, we'll discuss the questions to ask if you decide to hire a professional videographer.

November Giveaway!

As part of these great tips, Storymix Media is offering their Custom Wedding Video Wedding Mix package to one lucky reader.  This $200 value product is great for turning your DIY raw video into a great 20-30 minute highlight movie that will be a treasured keepsake.

To enter, simply leave a comment to this post by November 21st with an e-mail address to contact if you win.  You will receive an additional entry if you follow us on twitter and send us a tweet. We will randomly select a winner on November 22nd.  If we don't hear back from the winner within one week, we will randomly select a new winner.  No purchase is necessary to enter.

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