Sensational wedding screenplay

Spending time with a videographer beforehand helps you script your unique video and enables him or her, and the team if there is one, to determine the style, mood and any other important aspects that need to be included.

Your love story is captured from the start of the romance, through the relationship, to the proposal and the wedding day.

Consider special effects as well as music to be used in the final editing of the video; you might even like to incorporate a 'his and hers' snapshot history in the introduction, including childhood photographs as well as those taken during your courtship.

The bridal couple and family members each tell their side of the story, and the film is edited with the most appropriate music, again carefully chosen by the couple and video team members.

The right direction

The criteria for choosing a video producer are similar to those for selecting your photographer. As with a photographer, it is essential to assess the style and quality of a videographer's work, and you simply can't screen a potential candidate over the phone.

Another essential quality to look for in a good videographer is discretion. While you want to capture the ambience of your wedding as well as candid, unrehearsed scenes, he or she should be discreet and not intrude on your special moments, especially during the ceremony. In the words of a well-known local videographer, 'Priests can sometimes be a bit difficult, and you have to know how to conduct yourself in church and where to stand. You also need to be sensitive to the couple's and guests' needs. Some guests don't want to be interviewed, for example, and you need to know when to move on.'

In some cases your photographer may have a partner who specialises in video and is able to offer this as part of a total package. The advantages to this scenario are that the photographer and videographer should already have a good working rapport, and it also saves on transport costs!

Getting creative

A creative and experienced team of cinematographers can also use new techniques to add excitement and impact, like filming intimate moments of the wedding in candlelight at night. Another advantage to co-producing a video is that you have a say in certain elements, such as the musical background.

According to one top videographer, 'Although it is important not to be too over the top, especially at the church, we like to get different shots and unusual effects by lying on the floor, shooting up, for example, or with the use of slow motion. Like most videographers, we do keep up with trends, but we like to ask about preferences,' she explains. 'We had a surfer who wanted rave music, for example. This may not be everybody's choice but he thought it was great. Another couple might want only classical music or contemporary love songs.'

She also feels it is important to ask about musical input, as some videographers don't do 'sound on sound', whereby you can have music in the background, but still hear the conversation. 'It's nice to be able to do this in certain shots, like those of the couple at home and getting dressed before the wedding. There are some noises you want to block out, but there's nothing worse than seeing lips moving, and you can't hear what is being said.'

The final take

While it is important to think of your roles, you should also consider the videographer's needs and requirements. For example, your videographer will need enough space at the reception for filming, and he or she will also need adequate available light. These points are essential as, unlike photographers, videographers are not free to walk around when the speeches are taking place, for example.

One of the main factors is allowing the videographer or team enough time to do their job. According to another professional video producer and wedding coordinator, this is generally not the case. 'Working with a photographer saves time as two can do the job, but I often find that I am running out of time because a bride hasn't planned her day carefully,' she says. 'I am ahead of the bride the whole day, so timing is all-important, especially when it comes to aspects like natural lighting. But you'd be surprised how often brides are kept late at the hairdresser, which throws the entire rest of the day out. It is so important to do a trial run beforehand, so the couple know exactly how long everything takes. This helps everyone to feel more relaxed. Don't forget, because a video is completely natural, it shows everything the way it is. If you are stressed, it is going to show.'