Video Shopping Guide

Everything you need to know during your shopping period

Everyone deserves a Great Celebration Video!
This is a valuable guide containing all the facts, practical tips & pitfalls you should know as you shop for an event Videographer!

Shopping for a celebration video can be a challenge
The choices, the claims, the marketing, the overwhelming quantity of competitors, the wide pricing variations, the misinformation, clients' lack of expertise, all lead to confusion. Many clients admit to not knowing what questions to ask, what to look for and how to go about making the right decision. Some are too busy for shopping and rely excessively on advice from strangers & those with self interests. Many book video services that will not tell clients who will be behind the camera! Standards have fallen as many are happy with “YouTube” type quality and too many end up choosing by price not realizing the end product will always equal the price paid. Many Videographers become self-appointed professionals almost overnight…there is no governing body nor set standards, many use confusing misinformation to clinch assignments they cannot handle. Very few event videographers have the qualifications, commitment and technology required to do a proper job. This guide is intended to assist clients cut through much of this nonsense and end up with a good video whether they book here or not.

Start by deciding on a budget:
Make a few inquiries from friends who have had recent celebrations and find out what average prices are like. If higher-grade problem-free video is very important to you; plan to spend between $2,000. to $4,000. for a full feature type service. If you'll be satisfied with a more basic video with less features, lower grade older-tech equipment and simple editing, the price should be well under $1,000. If video is not an important part of your plans and you prefer a simple home-style video using a small hand held camera (as many are now using) and no professional editing work the price should be well under $500. Experience, skill/workmanship, time spent shooting and editing, time of year, equipment type and editing sophistication/features account for wide pricing variations. Comparing “apples with apples” is important; generally just about every event Videographer charges according to what he feels his product is worth. We know that many clients have been conditioned by low-end services to expect unrealistic low pricing from everyone in our trade, this type of thinking is false economy and will result in future disappointments.
Find out who’s who in the event video business, make contact & visit
Referrals from your closest friends are best; if they had recent events professionally recorded and were thrilled with whom they chose chances are you'll be happy with the same people. Advice from “family experts” may be technically outdated. Careful with advice from strangers; some advisers receive hefty payments for their referrals! Seek references, phone & interview those references. Visit about three qualifying services, visiting too many gets confusing and will lead to indecisiveness. Generally clients tend to choose the service they visit last because they cannot remember what the first was all about! Ignore those that sound flaky by phone & refuse to give pricing.

Subjects to discuss at the first meeting:
Try and meet with the person who will do the actual work. Some will tell you "it doesn't matter who the cameraman is, it's all in the editing anyway"…this is false. Proper camerawork is the most major factor in the production. You should discuss qualifications, a technical background is very beneficial. Describe your event, your requirements and especially your expectations. Avoid getting over-excited about the main sales pitch, look into all aspects of the production.

The digital recording format (standard) to be used at your event:
All recording standards using TAPE are now history and should not be used at your event. High Definition (aka HD, Hi-Def etc.) recorded on memory cards are now dominant, but low-end services use smaller hand-held type cameras that do not fully meet Hi-Def standards. Such cameras have small 1/3 inch & ½ inch CCD imagers, these are below the TV standard of three 2/3 inch imagers. This has a direct affect on image clarity and colour quality. Excessively large imagers (newer still cameras with limited video capabilities) have shallow focusing depth resulting in less overall sharpness.
Newer Hi-Def cameras are known as Sony XDCAM HD. This is now the most popular standard for recording Hi-Def and is the standard Josh uses to record all events. Sony’s XDCAM-HD cameras have recently evolved, there are now wide differences between old XDCAM-HD cameras compared with the latest much higher-end full-size solid state cameras. Models like the PDW-330/335/350/355 were not suitable for event video due to terrible light sensitivity and excessive power needs reducing battery life, the new PMW-350 is much more suitable and offers greatly improved images. Many smaller Hi-Def cameras record in the HDV standard, these are not true professional cameras, they are known as “prosumer” cameras, a notch above home type cameras. The type of camera makes a huge difference in final quality and separates the hobbyist from the pro. The best and most advanced are the full sized cameras using 3 larger 2/3” imagers for improved video quality and a multitude of safety related features.

True professional cameras:
unless a low price is the only requirement, the following widescreen 16:9 cameras should be the only ones used to record your event:
For Standard Definition recorded on older digital tape : Sony’s DSR 400, 450, 500 and 570.
For Hi-Definition or Standard recording on “tapeless” memory cards: Sony’s PDW-F700, F800, and PMW 350, 320 & 500.
Cameras to avoid:
The ones not listed above and any camera that resembles the size, shape and weight of a home type camera, such cameras do not belong at your event! Small light cameras are tough to keep steady as they are more affected by body movements; low-end videographers using such cameras cannot produce steady images without strange looking added brackets, stabilizers & various supports. Each camera has its own characteristics but it’s a well-known fact in the trade that the full size higher-end Sony cameras are overall best. Take a look at the camera to be used at your event, check the physical condition it’s in; is it being held together by duct tape or Velcro, does it look old, are there disorganized wires, adapters and strange antennas dangling from it? This will give you a good indication of whom you are dealing with! Many are now also using still-photo cameras with limited video features (known as HDSLR’s or DSLR’s), these cameras are risky due to jerky zooming, awkward focusing, out of control audio, short record times (20 min.) and sensors that over-heat causing unexpected shut downs. They also require various add-ons & stabilizers for even basic usage. They should only be used as secondary stationary cameras and never as primary cameras.

Techniques for improving awful sounding video audio:
Standard camera mounted microphones pick up mostly background noise. Microphones need to be close to the sound source for improved audio! Cordless microphones do a great job at eliminating noise. These must be used for wedding ceremonies, speeches, interviews and music recording. Other methods may reduce work & save money but will produce unacceptable audio quality. There are numerous cordless microphones available these days. They range from the $200. hobbyist type to the $5,000.+ professional type. Cordless microphones vary in performance; the low cost VHF type are older and suitable for home hobbyist use, they tend to be noisy, they drift off frequency, they're affected by other local transmissions (passing taxis, radio stations, cellular phones). Newer UHF types are designed to penetrate normal obstructions such as people & walls. Sony, Sennheiser & Lectrosonics are the best UHF microphone brands. Brands such as Samson & Azden are low-end and should be avoided.
For improved speech audio most Videographers hang a cordless microphone transmitter on the head table microphone stand, this looks messy and becomes ineffective if the speech microphone is removed from its stand. The proper method is to plug a cordless transmitter into the head table's microphone cord where it cannot be seen.
Most Videographers do not record band & DJ music in any special manner; they simply use the standard camera-mounted microphones to record all distant music. This is wrong because these low grade microphones also pickup lots of unwanted noise and echoes. As the camera changes position sound quality also keeps changing, generally such audio is so bad the lyrics may not be recognizable. The only acceptable method is by use of a cordless audio transmitter located near or plugged into the band/DJ's sound mixer, other audio channels should also be recording from camera microphones for a mix of limited room noise for a more live sound. The camera should be able to record 4 channels of audio instead of the usual two channels.

Guest interviews:
Many videographers will claim that in the interest of not bothering guests they do not hand an interview microphone to guests interested in speaking to the camera. This is wrong because without the interview microphone special guests will not be heard well since camera microphones pick up mostly background noise. Although some clients dislike interviews the majority still prefer to have a few; clients should have a choice. Expect a lower price if interviews are not offered at all.

How long should the Videographer stay at your event:
Lower cost videographers will tend to have a late start time and an early leaving time; the Videographer should be present at your function full time because important events also take place at unplanned times. Ask for a price adjustment if they only plan for stay for a limited time, request that they make you aware prior to their pack-up and leaving instead of sneaking out.

A quality back-up camera must be on hand:
Many event videographers do not bring backup cameras, those that do usually use small home type cameras as back-up. Keep in mind your costly function is an important historic family event that cannot be repeated, the video is a powerful keepsake of this event and risks should be reduced to a minimum. A back-up camera should always be kept within reach, not locked up in the Videographer's vehicle.

The cameraman should have an assistant, but the assistant should not be the main shooter:
Assistants are normally used for set-up, technical help and pack-up and they can become very valuable when events happen rapidly and the Videographer's attention is elsewhere. If you are planning a large fast-paced event, a video assistant is a necessity. Request that the assistant be properly attired. An assistant is worth about $100.- $150. per evening, those not using one should adjust pricing. Some Videographers will bring an assistant who ends up doing all the work while the key cameraman spends his time socializing and drumming up business! The cameraman and assistant must have a reliable radio communications system; this can solve problems before they occur.

How will the event be lit:
We would all love to work without any added lighting (and Josh is now able to do so) but some added lighting is still and always will be a requirement unless you expect your video to look like a homemade production. Some may tell you "we don't use lights, our cameras see in the dark", this is wishful thinking, cameras placed into an excessively light-sensitive-mode produce a very grainy colourless image. No video lighting also means dark eyes, shiny noses & foreheads and a strong grainy look especially on darker clothing. Low-end Videographers usually use only camera-mounted lights, these tend to over-expose faces and leave backgrounds looking too dark. Large & dim venues do need some form of added lighting but there are techniques available to make such lighting not noticeable; lighting DIMMERS and indirect ceiling-reflected lighting can greatly reduce glare.

Proper camera power supply is vital:
Most video disasters occur due to power loss; every Videographer's worst nightmare is to lose power at the wrong moment. Some still use electric extension cords in an attempt to save their batteries for portable use, long cords look messy (especially the usual tangled yellow & orange variety) and they tend to get unplugged often. Videographer's using small Ni-cad batteries have consistent problems with rapid discharge. Some have chosen larger types that reduce mobility due to weight while others have switched to heavy 10 lb. battery belts for longer battery life. The only hi-tech safe solution are the newer Lithium-Ion batteries, they are smaller, fairly light weight, very high capacity but pricey! A pro would need over $3,000. worth of batteries & chargers to do an event video safely. New higher-end cameras use much less battery power, this increases safety.

Minimizing video intrusions and disturbances at formal events:
Some Videographers' main sales pitch regards how they do not intrude, the simple truth is that video is somewhat of an intrusion at formal events no matter what promises are made! There are of course methods of minimizing all this…videographers should be dressed properly, wiring and equipment should be black & kept out of sight, minimum lighting should be used and directing kept to a minimum. Videographers should also get along with all the other services.

Tripods are tools of the trade, ladders are not:
A steady tripod is required for all speeches, special dances and views requiring extra height. A shoulder-mounted camera should cover most other events. The standard tripod used by most in this market (value $400.) is inadequate partly due to its inability to raise & lower without awful camera shakes. The newer pneumatic (air pressurized) tripods (value $6,000.-$15,000.) are 100% smooth. Lazy Videographers are usually stuck on a tripod throughout the event, recording everything from one boring viewpoint. Those who do not use tripods at all should be avoided. Ladders look very messy at formal functions and they are hazardous. The quality of the tripod head (the top portion where the camera is mounted) is more important than the tripod itself, most videographers use low end heads which create rough camera moves. Proper heads for our type of work range from $3,000. to $6,000., way beyond the budgets of low-end Videographers.

An unedited video copy should be available soon after the event:
Most Videographers will refuse to sell an unedited copy mostly because they do not want their goof-ups seen. Others feel clients’ editing input will increase their workload. Clients should be able to acquire a copy of the unedited media at reasonable cost and have a hand in the editing process.

Digital special effects:
Everyone claims to use special effects but there’s a huge variety out there, basic effects are available free on the internet whereas the most complex are costly. View special effects & determine if they are basic or unique & hi-tech enough for your needs.

Who does the editing work, is it subcontracted to outsiders:

The best editor is the person who originally recorded the event! Many video services save on editing costs and equipment by simply sending videos out to assembly-line editing services, this is fine if price is your only concern and you understand the shortcomings involved. Make sure you'll be permitted some editing input. Ask if minor changes are permitted after editing. Editing can become “drudge work” which often leads to “editor’s burnout” therefore many video services tend to subcontract editing or replace their editors often. Very few “key cameramen” in our trade are “hands on” editors, they do not do their own editing; it’s mostly done by students who have very little interest since the hourly pay is low. Some well known services use low cost junior editors to do all the rough cuts leaving the few final clean ups for an experienced editor, this may be cost efficient but lacks quality workmanship. I still do all the editing work personally. Computerized type editing (aka Non-Linear) is the most precise, pizazz-filled method available but editing software varies widely; home type editing software is worth about $100. whereas true professional editing software can cost $20,000. & up. The most elaborate & costly editing software & hardware is made by AVID (just about every program you see on TV is edited on an Avid system), many lower-end video services use much lower cost systems by APPLE and ADOBE.

How fast will an event video be edited:
Quality oriented services may take one to two months; newcomers with no clientele to service daily may take only a week. The finished product will normally be available sooner if you supply the required materials and decision at an early stage.

What to look for in a sample video(s)...

Ask to be shown sample videos, it's important to see samples of the work done by the cameraman/editor who will be doing the video recording & editing for your event because every cameraman/editor does things differently. It is misleading to view sample videos shot & edited by those not involved with your event's video. A short sample will be less boring and more eventful, but a wiser choice is to view segments of an actual full-length client's video. This will give you a better feel of how yours will look.

-Look for…flow in the editing work, lots of dissolves, no rough cuts,
-Steadiness in the camera work especially during portable on-shoulder use.
-Check the tripod work, during speeches many tend to pan the camera very roughly. Is the cameraman listening to the speech and aiming at the right people or does he aim only at the person speaking at the podium?
-Check for rapid zooms that end up with out-of-focus scenes.
-Is there a reasonable amount of thought used by the cameraman when shooting or does the camerawork look home made?
-Too many angled views is a distinct sign of an amateur. Is recording done from different viewpoints or is the cameraman stuck on a tripod shooting from one boring angle? Does he appear to be climbing up a ladder at times for extra height or is camera raising & lowering smooth? -Check for realistic colours; are there many red faces? How's the clarity, sharp enough? Are backgrounds all black or can you see detail, is there ghosting? Is the image far too grainy?
-Listen carefully to the sound making sure it is not distorted and does not keep changing volume level; can you understand the music's lyrics? Does the sound quality keep changing as the camera changes position and are songs chopped up as the camera starts & stops recording? Can you hear more applause & room noise as compared with music from the band/DJ?
-Check the lighting, evenly lit scenes have more detail than those lit brightly in the foreground and all black in the background. Look for shadows, do eyes appear too dark? Are faces burnt & over-exposed? Does the scene momentarily darken each time the Photographer uses his flash? Are there many vertical glare-like smears as the camera is aimed at lights? Does the image dim excessively as a white object (a bride) enters the scene?
-Are tasteful special effects being used or are they corny, are they hi-tech enough for you? Are there transition special effects and especially eye pleasing dissolves? Are there too many effects? Are there segments that don't connect properly?
Is there a Flashback (recap) at the ending, this can make a large pricing difference. If there is one, how long is it? Two to five minutes is normal. Are there sufficient segments or does it contain only a few slow motion scenes that drag on thereby stretch the flashback length?
-Take a general look around the viewing area. Does it look like the sales person is in a full service video business? Are there editing computers & related equipment present and does it look as if the demo was actually produced on the premises? Can the person operate the machinery and explain their purpose or does he only know how to make a sale? If the only equipment present is a disc player and a TV, you may be dealing with a salesman rather than a Videographer.

After viewing samples, clear up these common concerns…

Disc data
will it be archived so additional DVD or Blu-ray discs will be available in the near future.

Extra disc copies
are they priced reasonably, they should cost $15. to $25. per DVD, or $25. to $50. per Blu-ray disc depending on length.

Is there a contract…What's included & what's extra…Get it all in writing...
a contract is a must. Read before you sign. “What the large print giveth the small print taketh away”. Look for flexibility, check for excessive legal jargon, over-protecting from all angles leaves you with less protection. Check the cancellation and date-change policy. Can you have a day or two to think it over?

Who will do the camera work
and who will do the editing work. It’s smart to have the cameraman edit his own work.

Will the Videographer be insured
liability insurance is a must. Many part time and low priced cameramen do not carry any insurance, in case of venue damage or guest injury you may be held responsible.

Is there any pricing flexibility?
if the answer is no don’t lay on heavy pressure for a lower price, keep in mind this is a service that depends on good workmanship, services that drop pricing very easily always cut at the end, the video will always match the price you've paid no matter how honest the videographer appears to be!

Clear up rumours
every professional in the marketplace has some kind of a rumour buzzing around him. Some rumours may be remotely true but most rumours are simply scare tactics manufactured by stiff competitors and a few party planners with self-interests. If a specific rumour bothers you, discuss your concerns and always listen to both sides.

How will botched segments be handled
every professional has to deal with an imperfection occasionally. Non-pros will tend to have countless goofs. Find out how such problems will be handled, will a discount be available, will some re-shooting be possible and will cooperation be any problem? Will an editing change result in a huge charge? If something goes wrong don’t expect much in the way of compensation, in a competitive market no Videographer has compensation built into their budget. Choose people who are known for doing the job right the first time because with a live event there really is no second chance.

Used Tapes
some still use tape to record video, in order to stretch profits most video services will be re-using their tapes 4 to 5 times! This is of course risky since all tapes are super thin and very frail.

The “flavour of the month” is rarely the one to choose...
often shoppers lean towards whichever video service happens to be popular during their shopping period. Popularity is cyclical and everyone in the trade has experienced frenzied booking periods followed by lengthy downturns. Just a reminder…the current "hot shot" needs just as much scrutinizing as all other competitors do. It is common knowledge in the trade that the most popular Videographers become popular either because they are cheap or because they pay kickbacks to those who heavily promote them! Overly popular services tend to overbook leading to loss of control resulting in hurried and shoddy workmanship.

Cash deals can be risky
be very careful and suspect services that insist on cash-only payments, they tend to disappear! Some will claim they'll save you taxes if you pay by cash. If they are audited and caught cheating your name and address will surely come up.

Last minute surprises are common
a phone confirmation one-week before the celebration is a must, making sure the people you've chosen will show up.

Booking video through a photographer is risky
even more risky through a DJ or an “all in one” type service! Never purchase Photography and Video from one source; one of the two will surely be compromised. Some caterers are now promoting package deals where all services are included, they of course choose only low-end services in order to keep pricing attractive.

Booking at bridal & Bar/Bat Mitzvah shows
enjoy the free shows but leave your chequebook and credit cards at home. These free shows are costly for exhibitors and often a good percentage of video exhibitors are the lower-end new-to-the-business types who really need sales.

The “team approach” is more of a “risky approach”
Some will tell you that they take the “team approach” towards video shooting & editing, presumably more people will be involved in your production. This may sound great on the surface since you’ll be sold on the idea that each step of the production will be handled by experts at each phase. Not quite as good as it sounds…such higher volume video production companies always hire the least experienced low cost part-timers to handle all the repetitive work while only one or two are left to do the important work. “Teams” tend to change rapidly as employees leave due to low pay. It is much more desirable to have the original cameraman edit his own work rather than leave editing to a “team”.

Visit an event
If you're the adventurous type and need to see exactly how your Videographer does his work, ask for his schedule and visit an event he's recording. Also observe the cleanliness of the Videographer's work & equipment.

The pricing games will never cease
There are no deals out there for quality workmanship; there are only deals for shoddy workmanship. Don’t get fooled by falling into the usual pricing trap, in this trade you’ll only get what you pay for, no matter whom you book with. Nobody gives anything away for free. Everyone prices according to what they feel their production is really worth! If you want to see reliability returning to the event video trade you should give your business to the most experienced and reliable professionals in your community, these are the people that should be kept in business. Choosing the lowest cost competitors, especially those from other ethnic communities or novice newcomers, will keep the wrong people in the trade, driving out those who should stay!

Rented video equipment is unpredictable
In order to stay competitive, part timers, novices and lower cost cameramen who do not own professional equipment will tend to rent equipment. Rented equipment is generally known to be beaten-up and abused equipment rarely suitable for work that must be done right the first time because normally there is no second chance.

Relying solely on demo video handouts is misleading
Short sample videos rarely tell the whole story; it’s wiser to view full-length versions while having the cameraman present to clear up questions and concerns. It is also beneficial to view a video shot at your planned venue.

Not all DVD & Blu-ray blank discs are equal
Low-end videographers are using off-brand blank discs that can be purchased in bulk for under 15 cents each! Such discs are known to lose their recorded data within a few months! Often the quality differences are quite noticeable. Careful with those who “throw in” multiple free full featured discs when booking; take a closer look at the content instead. Click here to jump to our DVD info page. Newer Hi-Definition discs are named Blu-ray.

The High Definition Video evolution
High Definition Video has become very popular; 95% of our clients now book HI-Def. Many in our trade will be promoting Hi-Def but they will be using the wrong “home type” small hand held cameras (HDV etc.) for very responsible work. This is not the route to take. Sony’s latest XDCAM HD High Definition solid state type equipment is the only format to consider although it is more costly. Not all Hi-Def is the same, there are variations, please check our “High Definition info” section for more details.

Styles vary, but traditional remains strong
Clients often make special requests; many want their production to be a bit more personalized and slightly different from their friends' "conventional" videos. Style adjustments are possible and often work well unless the style requested is a complete opposite of the Videographer's normal style. If you are looking for a technically goofy rock video style production (sometimes known as "Journalistic or documentary style") certainly avoid Videographers who specialize in traditional styles and vice versa.
- "Journalistic" style is often promoted by low budget Videographers who lack experience and the funds to produce technically correct work often botching the most meaningful portions of the production.
- "Cinematic" style is an "overdone" version of "traditional"...requiring more cameramen, more equipment, much more intrusion, disturbances and staging of events to suit the director. Such a production is very time-wasteful and will affect the performance of other hired services. This risks becoming an "event for the video" instead of a "video for the event". Often the completion delays will last for many months requiring multiple edit changes & further shooting. This style also raises cost to new very high levels.

Our style leans towards traditional including the best of most other styles, the editing is modern featuring a good variety of higher-tech effects & techniques. Stay with TRADITIONAL and make some adjustments to suit.

After the visit…expect nagging phone calls but avoid falling for the pressure
Final advice…"Choose the person before choosing the company."

Interesting article about wedding videography... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wedding_video

This guide has been circulated since 1990, updated frequently, last update: Fall 2011. We welcome comments.