West-Films
How to shoot a wedding cinematic
Usually the wedding video and cinema - things are a little related. But sometimes wedding videographers prefer to shoot a short but interesting story about the newlyweds instead of many hours of little-used video archive, which later will not be ashamed to show to friends and family.
In this article Matti Haapoja will talk about some of the principles of filming cinematic wedding videos.
My friend Samuel invited me to film his wedding in France. The celebration was to take place in a castle in Normandy, and people from all over the world were to come to it. Naturally, the location makes us think about how to capture the amazing locations around the castle, and how great it was to be there. But I often think that videographers (and sometimes the newlyweds themselves) forget that the film should not be about the place of the wedding, not about dresses, decorations, etc., but about people.
Samuel and Hindegann are a super fun and" not a mess " couple, so I decided to emphasize how cheerful they are, and what kind of friends and relatives they are surrounded by.
The video was shot on a Panasonic GH4 camera: we just switched from the Canon 5D mark III to the GH4, so this was the first work on this camera. In my bag are the following components:
- GH4
- Sigma 18-35mm 1.8
- Nikon 85mm 1.8
- Tiffen 77mm adjustable neutral optical filter (VND)
- Manfrotto Fluid monopod with head 500 Series
- and the Glidecam XR-4000.
I also had a Canon 5D III plus a Zeiss 50mm 1.4 in stock.
10 tips for shooting a cinematic wedding video
1. Don't shoot too much footage
I made this wedding film on my own, which requires a lot of hard work, but it also cut me a lot of work in post-production. When I first started shooting weddings, I had a lot of footage. But since our Studio Heart Visuals specializes in short 3-5 minute wedding "video trailers", I absolutely do not need so much material.
2. Will you use this frame in the video?
But what you really need is the right good shots. With experience, I started shooting on the basis of ideas that had already arisen. I'm constantly trying to imagine a video montage in my head and asking myself over and over again, " will I use this frame or angle in the video?"and if the answer is No, then I will not waste my time on this shot, and I will save my time not to review these unsuccessful shots in post-production.
3. Be fast and mobile
My strategy for weddings is to be as mobile as possible with the equipment, and to be able to change lenses and stabilization devices as quickly as possible.
I never use tripods at weddings. The monopod is great for shooting a static frame and allows you to quickly move from scene to scene, go from frame to frame. I have the same camera backing on my glidecam, so I can quickly switch from one device to another.
The bulk of the material is shot on Sigma 18-35mm with multiple frames at 85mm.
4. Keep the naturalness of what is happening in the frame
At weddings, I try to use a cinematic documentary style, avoiding excessive tension and staging. I try to shoot naturalistically and catch the most sincere and candid shots. The Panasonic GH4 camera with a cinematic shooting mode and lenses that give me depth of field helps me capture a lot of natural and excellent shots.
5. Take care of the "mandatory" frames
There are some frames that belong to the category of "mandatory", for example, a kiss. With these shots, you need to be careful and find a safe location where I will be sure that I will remove them, because in these cases, there are no repetitions.
In other articles on cinematic wedding video, talking about the rehearsals and the samples in the set. I never repeat. I get to a place and imagine what it should look like, where the lighting is coming from, and when I should start shooting directly.
Usually before these important shots with the bride and groom, I specify what their plan of the ceremony is, because Yes, these are some of the key difficult moments. Basically, I just need to know when the kiss is going to happen, because I don't want to be caught off guard.
6. Create creative and beautiful frames
Unlike those "must-have" frames, I always try to experiment with new camera angles and movements to create a video as beautiful as I can. I do this in my " free time "in between" mandatory " scenes.
7. Capture emotions
In my opinion, the main secret lies in capturing the emotions of people in the film. Weddings are such an emotional event that if you don't catch the smiles, tears, and laughter of both the couple and the guests, I think you're missing the point of the event itself.
People in front of the camera are usually shy and will not show their emotions, so it is very important that they do not see how you shoot them. Sometimes I use a little trick, setting up the camera in advance, but pointing the camera in the other direction to distract others. And when I see that they are about to react, speak, or there is some interesting situation, I quickly start shooting.
In this way I can achieve a genuine reaction where people don't quench at the sight of the camera pointed at their faces.
8. Practise
Of course, this all requires experience, and the more you do shooting weddings, the better you know where it will happen, and what shots will be the best for you, which you would not want to miss.
9. Imagine that you are a ninja
For me, the ceremony requires the greatest effort in the work. Usually you do not have the opportunity to influence or change the lighting (in the case of direct sunlight), and the task is to get all the necessary shots, without creating unnecessary distractions during the ceremony.
Sometimes I meet wedding videographers with a huge rig, a large compendium and standing in close proximity to the newlyweds during the ceremony, and in my opinion this is completely discourteous and unreasonable.
Imagine that you are a ninja or something like that.
10. Use something that works in all lighting conditions
For shooting the environment at weddings often have difficulties, not only in connection with the events of the event, but also in terms of lighting. Therefore, it is correct to prepare in advance and have a camera and lenses that give a good result in poor lighting conditions. I previously assumed that with GH4 in the evening with low light will be difficult, but now I believe that it has coped with its task.
Using Speedbooster at dusk helps to get a good image and a lower depth of field. Other cameras such as the 5D or Sony A7 can also be used successfully.
Good equipment helps, but the result is this: When you shoot in documentary style, there is always light on the stage, you only need to find it!
Do you need a long video?
Our videos are quite short, but often wedding videos are full of many details and greatly stretched over time. We've had a few such videos in the past, but to be honest, I don't think the couple really needs it, except if they really want to show the video to someone from close relatives in another country who couldn't make it to the holiday.
I believe that it is not difficult to tell a story about the past day in 3-5 minutes. I don't like creating typical wedding videos with chatter in the background and all that.
Therefore, as a rule, we recommend that newlyweds simply create a film with the most vivid episodes from the wedding. If couples ask for a long video, I try to find out from them if they really need it.
Afterword
My brother and I always find it funny when wedding videographers and photographers spend a lot of time alone with the newlyweds at the end of the day. But it is also very important that the couple feel comfortable and relaxed next to you.
If you cause a couple some excessive tension, it is a failure, and it will be noticeable in the video and photo.
So be cool guys and talk to the newlyweds especially in the morning to relieve tension and help them be more relaxed during the day. But do not be too Intrusive, especially during the event. This way the couple will not pay attention to the cameras, and for you it will be the best documentary video. Good luck and enjoy shooting!
See more: