All The Right Questions • Videography + Photography

How to select photo/video teams?

1. How many hours of coverage would you like to document during the wedding?
   • 6 to 8hrs is common for most couples – 8hrs supports more Preptime and late evening coverage that’s difficult with 6hrs
2. How many photo/video people do I really need?
   • Extra shooters really helps provide more spontaneous coverage, more footage for creative editing, more mobility with less intrusive movement, ability to cover separate locations (like prep locations and off-site activities) – highly recommended for 8hrs or more coverage (extended days and activiites)
3. What kind of Style and what finished photos/videos do you want?
   • Style is both creative/visual and directorial/documentary. Often the best way to communicate your style is with samples that appeal to you! Send some links from my site or other vids/pics you’ve liked and I can chat with you about “how to do it” .. maybe even better!

What is the cost? What packages do you offer? What does that include? How many people will shoot the event? Do you have an assistant? Will there be a travel fee? Do you require a deposit?

You may have other questions. Want to chat? Jeff 720.273.1516

Quick Quotes!  For a quick followup email! Or Read On!

What’s your video style? Documentary, Cinematic, Vintage, “Filmmaker” … Is your shooting and editing style more documentary or creative/expressive? What’s the difference between a Filmmaker and a Videographer anyways!?

• I tend to have a mix of documentary and “filmmaker” approach – real couples vows + guests dialogs/interactions/spontaneity … creatively mixed with splashes of time with couples, and more “directed” activities
• Look at my Highlights Weddings! That’s my style, and range of style, and history. If you like it, I’d love to participate in your celebration, and we can talk about creative vs documentary more!
• Pretty much any kind of design look and directorial behavior is workable with some collaborative planning between us. What have you seen that you especially like? Let’s start the discussion with those examples and ideas…
• YOU may want a particular look and feel – I can deliver that! You are the boss.

Have you done many weddings before? What is your storytelling approach when it comes to covering a wedding?

• I do a mix of personal, events and corp/business work. I’ve produced and edited over 200 weddings! I’m fundamentally a STORYTELLER.
  • Your turn – What’s your story?
  • My producer history and broad experiences have some advantages! I know how to create a story, a visual flow, editing and engagement power. Mixing REAL and CREATIVE!
  • I have broader experience in media presentation, direction, shooting, and especially … editing … than most.
  • The storytelling component is actually more about EDITING than shooting. Yes, you need very capable shooting pros to get nice compositions, the key shots and important timing – but the story is in the edits, when it comes down to watching your Memories-in-Motion – what makes you laugh and cry and clap your hands … The Story.

We already hired a photographer, can you coordinate and get along with our photographer? Have you ever shot a wedding at Such-And-Such-Place?

• Absolutely, I try to stay out of their way and assist however I can; I hope they try to support me the same way… and there are cool opportunities for both of us to collaborate … for example shooting video “behind the scenes” of the group sessions or engagement activities, pre-wedding preparations, etc.
• There’s an infinity of wedding venues from castles and cathedrals to event-centers to home-based. I may not have been to your chosen venue before, BUT! I try to always checkout the venue ahead of time. I usually come to the rehearsal, to be sure to see the flow of the ceremony, and plan strategy for schedules and camera flow. You can search for your venue also – to see some samples! I’ve been to most of the local favs.
• Lighting conditions and audio support are all key items to investigate PRIOR to the wedding for the best results! Many vendors don’t do this, they just show up and hope for the spontaneous best!

Are we the only wedding you cover on our wedding day? What is your time limit? How should we plan how many hours of coverage we need? Do you have a backup plan if you get sick?

• Scheduling and coverage is completely up to you – we will estimate your hourly plans and activities coverage, if circumstances require more time, no problem, just more per-hour charges for shooting and editing time (roughly $200hr ), any time-overage will always be at your discretion and approval. Spontaneous plan changes are ok, usually.
• Having backup videographers/photographers is an important pro distinction and policy. I typically work with partners and we cover each other as needed. Prime-time wedding months (June/Sept etc) may be difficult to find quality backup, however. In those instances, it’s possible and useful to simply schedule an additional shooter for at least ceremony coverage, as a smart backup plan. I’ve never left anyone hanging!

What types of cameras, audio, lighting, and microphones will be used? How will you achieve the “look and feel” we are after in our photos/videos? How new is the equipment? Backup equipment and support?

• I’m all-digital, 4k/6k UltraDef, with multi-cam shooting/backup. I have shooting partners available on standby. We typically shoot video with 3-4 cams for editing variety (2 mobile!)
• Current equipment: SONY/Canon/Panasonic, mostly DSLRs, wireless audio on groom and minister, venue audio system tap, independent audio recorder backup in stage area, support lighting available for interviews and the like. Multi-camera support, immediate archiving of digital files following event … all raw footage/images available, if desired.
• “Cinematic” equipment standard … camera stabilizers/gimbals, drones … even 360ºVR

Will the video be edited? Music added? Interviews? What formats for delivery? Archiving footage/images? Do we get full release of the video? Do we get all images?

• Typical video deliveries are 3 vids: edited full ceremony, 5-10 min highlights (music video, see online samples), full length reception speeches, dances, activities and well-wishing video. Other videos may be cool to do – pre-ceremony interviews and “back stories” (family and friends interviews, elopements, sequences of childhood images/video edits)
• Convenient delivery formats (and highest quality) are online viewing with a download option. Online files/deliveries provide broadest viewer access, easy downloads, ability to post to Facebook and Youtube, etc.
• For archives, I can provide a USBflashdrive or harddrive, with high resolution finished videos/images. All raw source files and edting/design project files are also available for a small processing and USBdrive prep/delivery fee. Again it’s all up to you – what do you want?

What parts of the wedding day do you film?

• Review the Quote page for details, but typical coverage would be some later pre-wedding preparations, full ceremony coverage, 2-5 hrs of reception coverage, speeches and interviews … dollars boil down to how many hours of shooting, and how many shooters (keeping in mind that it takes 3X the hours to edit, as to shoot, with EACH camera)

When will we receive the final wedding video?

• Usually less than 2 wks following the wedding. The full ceremony video usually within 2-3 days! Expedited editing is possible with sleeplessness fees and other scheduling considerations, as well as advance planning collaboration.

Is there a contract? Can we see a copy?

• I don’t use have a formal contract – I DO provide a detailed invoice itemization of agreed services and terms, planning, payment schedule, options, etc. – all online, secure invoicing via PayPal. Very simple.

Where can we see some recent work?

• Click the Featured Weddings menu, on this site. Browse the About section for more links and venue/lifestyle samples!

What makes you different from your competitors?

• The magic is in the details! Attention to detail! Editing is where the storytelling magic comes – a mix of creativity, experience, entertainment ability, strong camera skills, composition skills, good skills for audio mixing, music selection, rhythm, timing, pace … what makes a good filmmaker? Entertainment and storytelling (editing, shooting, directing, planning, experience, depth and breadth)
• Work Ethic and Process, Collaborative Intent. I tend to work with a more creative mentality, often incorporating motion graphics, storytelling techniques, more cinematic mobile/fluid shooting (3-4 cams), etc. I’m a broad-based film/video producer and creative director/editor, not a high-volume wedding producer. I’m not for everyone!
• The extra emotional and storytelling effort / time is mostly in the storytelling attention to editing, and creative editing, as well as design considerations … although some of it is attempting to setup with more quality than the usual point-and-shoot dudes, too. For example, I try to mic the groom/podium and tap into room DJ audio, for much better quality audio than the usual room ambient camera mics that most use. I shoot with 3-4 cams for cooler editing options.
• The lower quotes will typically be fast, basic edits (“documentary” is a synonym for tripod point and shoot and done), with no attention to viewer engagement, storytelling, support visuals and music, “memory-making”, family and friends stories and interactions … they will give you what you pay for, which is a quick 1 hr edit and a short 5min highlights vid, basic event documentation with little creativity or personality infused.
• So – more than editing time is involved, it’s usually a very creative collaboration time between my clients and I. Same comments apply on the photography side, look for visual creativity and collaborative intent, in the talent you hire. Engaging visuals really are time intensive, as well as creatively and collaboratively intensive … there really aren’t any shortcuts for that (other than experience).

Your memory/money objectives of this life event will define the end result – scrapbook or memory!

We’ll do it right.

• Options range from about $995 for basic ceremony 1-2hr “documentary” shoot, up to about $3500 for more complex, extended, full-day, multi-camera and multi-shooter “cinematic” options. This is per photo/video team. For example 6hrs with a photographer and a videographer, with typical finished photo/videos is about $2495 ($1495 video and $995 photo)
• Other add-ons may be of interest also like pre-wedding “love-story” promos, aerial “drone” footage, 4k/6k video (UltraHighDef), raw footage archives, quick pre-wedding or ceremony turn-arounds for celebrations/online, broadcasting live, etc.
• Extra camera operators, assistants, etc may be appropriate for your goals, these are discussion items. Generally, no travel fees in CO/NM/AZ/CA
• I do need a refundable deposit to confirm and block-out your calendar date ($495) and typically, balance due 30 days prior to the wedding. I can do monthly installments if needed.

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