Putting The Dream On DVD
A Crash Course in Directing your Video
by Jonathan Metcalf

After deciding to hire a videographer, many brides and grooms find that they don't fully understand what a videographer can actually do to customize their video while shooting or during editing. Fortunately, with just a little bit of information, most couples are able to plan their perfect video with us in just under an hour.

Wedding video is a technical business, but it is also a service business. While it's not important for a bride and groom to understand how video cameras work, or how a videographer will edit the footage of their wedding day, there are a few instances where a little knowledge can go a long way. One of those areas is understanding the subtle differences between look, style and feel. Style, look and feel give your video emotion, life and energy. The amount and intensity of emotion your video will have depend on your wishes.

Style

Style is defined as the way the camera moves and follows the action. Closeups, wide shots, framing and movement are all components of style.
Many couples say they want a "Documentary" or "Journalistic" style. To a videographer, that means an objective recording of the days events. Of course, every journalist knows they must tell a story, so what story should your video tell?
Is it about this grand event?
Is it about the love you share?
Is it about your family and friends coming to celebrate with you?

Some popular styles include:

• Wide angle- Shows lots of action and sets the scene, but sometimes lacks emotion
• Telephoto- Shows lots of detail and is intimate, but the big picture can be lost
• "MTV style"- handheld and moving to create excitement, tilts and zooms are common
• Live- Camera follows action as it moves and gets appropriate reactions.
• Perspective- The camera chooses subjects according to desired perspective.
  Would you like to see your wedding as if you were a guest in the audience?
  Would you like to see your wedding as you saw it from the altar?
  Would you like to see it as though you were a fly on the wall?

Most couples decide that they would like a combination of styles to be used as long as each style is appropriate for their desired results. Many couples also choose to mix perspectives as well.

Look

"Look" refers the qualities of the recorded images- not the subject itself. Brightness, depth of color, focus, and special lens effects are some components of possible looks. Some popular options are:

• Color or Black & White
• Sharp focus or soft focus
• Clear image or film grain texture
• Smooth motion or strobe-like cinematic movement
• Bright picture or subdued tones

Again, most couples opt for a mixture of looks to keep the video visually interesting.

Feel

Feel refers to the timing and flow of the edited program. The pacing of the edits and speed of transitions serve to enhance the feel.

A video montage with slow motion dissolves from shot to shot and romantic music has a dreamy feel. On the other hand, the groomsmen shaking their booties to fast music while laughing during your reception has an upbeat and exciting feel.

Understanding style, look and feel will go a long way toward helping you recognize elements you like and dislike while deciding what you'd like in your wedding video. While watching sample videos, it is important to notice which elements contribute to your like or dislike of the video. Wedding video, like other artistic endeavors is subjective, and not everybody has the same taste. The good news is that once you have a little background information, you get to choose exactly how your video will look, based upon your own preferences. be sure to ask your videographer to show you examples of the different looks, styles, and feels so you can decide what will suit you best.

You have many options available to you for your wedding video. And you also have very rich sources for ideas on TV and in the movies. Knowing what is possible with your wedding video doesn't always make the decision easier, but once you make up your mind, you'll know exactly what you're getting in the end.