Chicago Wedding Videography tips and Frequently Asked Questions from Sureshot Productions.
Will you lower your price? We often offer various specials and discount packages in addition to our regular affordable rates that are very reasonable. Sure you might be able to find someone who says they can do it for cheaper but, are how long have they been in business? How many weddings have they shot? And will they be around six months to a year from now? We do the absolute best job that we can at the most reasonable prices. At a very consistent level of quality. However, we find that by charging less it means that in some way we would have to cut corners and we're not willing to do that because the quality would ultimately suffer.
Who shoots the weddings? The weddings are shot by myself and a second videographer. When we get double booked on a particular day, I'll go out with a second videographer and we also have an additional two man crews that will go out as well. Or we have a third option of one videographer who shoots with two cameras during the ceremony. All the videographers we work with are trained exactly to my specifications so that they shoot the same way I would in any given situation.
How can we offer our services at these rates and still provide a quality product? We use the same video state of the art digital video equipment as companies that charge up to two to three times the price for what we do. We use Canon XH A1 HD Cameras, Canon GL2, Sony Pd 170, Panasonic DVX 100A, 3CCD cameras, Azden & Samson Wireless Mike Systems, an Apple MAC Adobe Premiere Pro editing systems as well as a Matrox RTX.100 EXTREME non-linear editing workstation. But since we're still a relatively new company, we are competitively priced to attract new customers.
Is your service guaranteed? Yes, and it says as such in our contract, with exact terms and conditions spelled out. We also provide you with a sample video to watch, if you like it, we assure you that your wedding video will be every bit as good or better. Although we can not absolutely guarantee that every shot will be useable in the final video, due to the fact that this is documentary style video-making, sometimes lighting or sound issues, camera or tape malfunctions occur that make a particular shot un-useable, that's why we prefer using two cameras to minimize this possibility. Because by using only one camera you run the risk of missing a key moment due to tape glitch, mechanical malfunction, unavoidable obstructions usually caused by audio interference or careless guests or photographers crossing in front of the camera, etc. We find that this is by far the best way to guarantee that the final edited wedding video will be as good as it can possibly be.
What if we miss something? We try our best to capture everything as it occurs with out distracting any of your guests. That being said, if you know for sure that you absolutely want a particular item on tape -- let us know before hand. (For example: Get the centerpieces on the head table or make sure to get footage of my grandparents getting seated.) These are both something we usually try do, but just in case, let us know! Complaining after the fact that we failed to get something wouldn't make that item magically appear on tape. So if it's truly important to you be clear up front.
"Make sure to get the flower girl walking down the aisle!" Sometimes it is difficult to videotape small children, the bride, or even the parents and grandparents walking down the aisle for a variety of reasons. Even though we always try to get these shots from the best angle possible, we have to stictly abide by the rules and restrictions of the facility. Therefore it is not always possible to get the exact kind of coverage from our desired perspective. We try our best, but we can't tell people to move, nor effectively shoot through people's bodies, heads, etc. when they are standing and we can not go beyond the rules and regulations of the church. If they tell us not to go directly up front or move into the aisle during the ceremony than we have to honor that. Using two cameras helps because we get the activity from two angles but if we can't be right up front and have the bride walk right to the camera then realize it's not because we didn't want to do that, the facility didn't allow this.
What if it's too dark? I always warn couples ahead of time that dimming the lights during the reception is up to you and at your own risk. However if I know it's extremely dark, I tell the DJ or Banquet hall to turn up the lights a little and if they tell me that this is the way the Bride wants it -- then don't complain that it's too dark on the tape. Yes, we use lights, and our cameras work well in low-light but extremely dim or no lighting is not ideal for video and will result in an inferior picture quality.
What if the sound at the reception is too low? If you happen to know in advance that the church's PA is not of the highest quality, then let us know beforehand and pay an extra $50 to add a second wireless mike. Because if the sound is too "boomy" or low to your ears during the ceremony chances are that it will sound that way on the recording as well. One way to help out in a situation like that is to use two wireless mikes with one on the Groom and one on the Minister. Or ideally run a line from the Church's sound system directly into the camera. This however would need the approval and cooperation of the facility and would have to be arranged ahead of time.
What's the final product going to look like? A lot of people are spoiled by watching all this reality TV that's out there and they think that their wedding is going to look just as good...with great lighting, perfect audio and multiple camera angles. And to tell you the truth, it can, if you go with our Super Deluxe Package. But if you are like most people, price is a concern you might want to stick to our Basic Package or Deluxe Package, this last package comes with just about everything that most people need in a wedding video package. However, I must point out that going with the lowest priced packages that we offer and expecting it to compare with a company that charges anywhere from $2500 to $3500 or more, is not realistic. The amount of editing time that comes standard in a Special or Basic package is about 10 hours. However, if you know in advance that you're needs are a little more particular than I would suggest going with a Deluxe or Super Deluxe package where we can spend 15 hours editing or you can also add Personalized Editing feature that will allow you the opportunity to view the rough cut, make suggestions and then we will do our best to accomodate your suggestions.
If your still unclear or uncertain about what to expect your wedding video to look like, request a completed wedding video sample to view. And again realize that this is a documentary situation, where we can't control ever aspect of the production and obviously we can not re-shoot the events. And since every event is different there's always going to be one or two things that aren't going to be perfect. However, we try our best to capture the events as they happen and minimize whatever imperfections occur. Many times we can also minimize such occurances in the editing process. Most people are aware of these conditions and quite pleased with the results. However if you know that you are extra critical of your wedding video for whatever reason ask questions about whatever concern you might have and we will tell you what problems might occur to help anticipate and plan for the best possible coverage.
How long have you been videographing weddings? I've worked for several different companies over the past few years videotaping and editing weddings. I have been working for myself, full-time, solely as a corporate and wedding videographer for the past 8 years. And our company has shot over 600 weddings during that time. I have five or six videographers who shoot on a regular basis that I personally train to shoot as I would in any given situation.
Is travel included in the package? If it's 50 miles or less, (which is the case with most chicago weddings, in the Chicagoland area and surrounding suburbs,) I do not charge extra for travel. Anything over 50 miles is .50 cents a mile. If it's overnight, hotel cost is required as well as airfare if it's beyond a reasonable driving distance. (Even with travel expenses, our prices are less than most videographers.)
Do you provide a backup camera? Yes we do.
Do you have a wireless microphone? And how many mikes do we need? Yes, we use a Samson wireless mike system and an Azden as second backup wireless mike on hand as well. However if you think that the sound sytem at the church or banquet hall is somewhat inadequate, it is a good idea to mike the groom as well as the minister. To obtain the best possible audio. If you are having an outdoor wedding or at a banquet facilty that doesn't proved a PA system we can supply a small PA system, mixer with a handheld and wireless mike system for an additional charge. Also since wireless mikes can be effected by various frequencies in the area, it is strongly recommended to speak your vows into a wired microphone or one that is hooked up to the churches PA, if that is a concern of yours, that way you'll guarantee that your vows will be heard.
Do you preview a site beforehand? Sometimes yes but it depends on the situation. We usually contact the church or banquet hall ask questions, if we are still unclear about any details at all then we go to the location. We also arrive at the church one hour before the ceremony to set up our equipment and find out about any restrictions that they might have.
How much control do we have in the editing process? You get to choose the songs, you provide the photos on CD to create the montages from. If you have a particular request for something out of the ordinary we try to satisfy that. But most weddings follow a natural flow of events. If you saw the finished version and were disappointed with it because we made an obvious mistake then we would re-edit it free of charge.
If you want more control over the editing process then -- I suggest taking adantage of our Personalized Editing options where you can see a rough cut and make suggestions based on that.
Can we see a sample? I have wedding video clips loaded on the site. I can send you a free sample on DVD for serious inquiries only.
Do you also provide an unedited version? We do for $125 on DVD.
How long will the final video be? A Basic or Deluxe Package and above comes in usually at abbout 120 minutes in length to maintain optimal compression settings.
What kind of setup do you need? Having the freedom to move about the church is ideal but not always possible. Having a place to set up a tripod and having a completely unobstructed view at the reception hall with adequate lighting is ideal, again not always the case. We supply small on-camera lights that enable us to videotape in low light situations without being obtrusive however, in order to have high quality video we need adequate lighting, so keep this in mind when performing toasts, dancing or any other key event of the day. If in doubt asks us or make sure you have a DJ that provides additional lighting, it usually looks great on video when they do.
How soon after the wedding will we get the video? Our turn around time is generally between three to six months after the wedding, sometimes less, depending on how soon you can get your photos and song selections to us. Keep in mind that we spend 10 to 15 hours editing each wedding and that we have to edit the weddings in the order that they were shot and based on who gets their photos and song selections into us first.
What are your payment and contingency policies? We take a 50% deposit up front to secure the date. Send a contract for you to look over and sign. You can pay by cash or check, or online through Paypal. The remaining balance is due two weeks prior to the day of the actual wedding.
Do you charge extra for more DVD copies? 2, 3 or 4 DVDs comes with your package depending on which one you choose, it's $20.00 for each additional copy, comes with menu chapters and full color insert. You must contact us within 72 hours of receiving your wedding video to notify us of your requests for additional copies or if you have any problems playing your DVD. After that time any extra copies might not be possible. However, we do not guarantee that our DVD-R dvds will play on every DVD player on the market. We do our best to insure that the DVDs are properly encoded and burned at the highest quality however, not all DVD player manufacturers adhere to the same guidelines when creating the lastest model DVD players, therefore it's impossible for us to guarantee that our DVDs will play on every player. We urge each customer to request a sample DVD, and play it thoroughly on their player before purchasing a wedding video or DVD transfer from us. For more imformation about DVD compatibility click here.
Can you scan our pictures for us? Sure, but it's very time consuming. Therefore we charge $.50 per image.
Do you provide additional lighting if necessary? Yes we do, we have two on-camera lights to choose from depending upon the situation. We also use a Canon GL2 camera with low light capabilities which usually is adequate enough to deal with most situations. However we strongly advise against dimming the lights during the dancing or toasts at the reception because what you may think is romantic at the time will look dark on video even if we use lighting!
Do you provide Projection Screenings during the Reception or Rehearsal Dinner? Yes, we do. We charge $60 for the creation of the Slide Show I, transferred to DVD, $120 for a Slide Show II, transferred DVD or VHS tape. The cost for portable screen, projection system, laptop, small portable sound system $275.
Do we pay for parking or meals? If parking is more than $25 for a downtown wedding we will add that to your bill. I never tell the couples that we have to get fed but it certainly is appreciated. And if meals are not provided at least let us know so that we can make other arrangements. However, if it's a long day keep in mind that we might have to take a break in between the ceremony and reception. And if assigned sitting and meals are not provided then we might miss something because we are off getting something to eat or we do not hear the DJ's cues from outside the banquet hall.
What if I'm having trouble playing my DVD? We create your Wedding Video and Slideshow DVD with a high quality DVD-R format using only name brand media. And we check each copy sometimes on several different DVD players to make sure that it is working properly. Our DVDs are compatible with 95% of most DVD players manufactured, however, not all manufacturers adhere to certain formatting standards. Check the compatibility of your DVD Player before placing your order. If you're at all concerned about compatibility issues request one of our sample DVDs from an actual wedding and play it from start to finish on your DVD player. We also recommend using a newer model DVD player with progressive scan. It doesn't have to be a top of the line model either just something fairly new to get the best results. Like the Toshiba SD-7K60. It retails for around $45.
Sureshot Productions will not issue refunds due to equipment incompatibility. To find continually updated information regarding DVD Players and compatibility check here:http://www.videohelp.com/dvdplayers.php.
Shipping:
After Sureshot Productions receives your photos, video tapes or CDs, we guarantee that they will be handled properly. And your materials will be returned to you in the same condition we received them as, (barring acts of God, War or any other tragedy.) However, we are not responsible for your materials once they leave or before they arrive to our facilities. Therefore we recommend that you ship them either UPS or FED EX with an ability to track then and insure them if necessary.
Return Policy:
At Sureshot Productions we want you to be happy with the final product that we have created for you. We will work closely to your specifications of your Wedding video or Slide show to achieve this. If however, your DVD is found to be defective after you receive it, we will gladly replace it with another copy. However you must notify us within 72 hours of receiving your videos and DVD to alert us of any problems. Any changes, re-edits, or recreations of your DVD after that time will require additional fees.
General Guidelines:
Sureshot Productions will take paramount concern to produce a finished result of good quality. However we will not be responsible for circumstances beyond our control, including but not limited to – power failure, equipment malfunction, and defective tape stock, severe weather conditions, extreme low lighting situations, inferior sound systems, audio or human interference, etc. Your satisfaction is Sureshot Productions’ primary goal. That said, you, the client(s), acknowledge that the finished product is a creative work, and as such, reasonable artistic license/discretion will be used in the filming and editing of the resulting video. Changes to the finished product unless cause by a clearly obvious mistake will result in additional re-editing charges at the rate of $50 per. hour.
