Articles
Miscellaneous
Wedding Films
Wedding films – Essential or Inconsequential?.
Since you found out what marriage was, you’ve
probably been planning your wedding day; whether consciously,
subconsciously or actively. In all likelihood it will be the day
that you have always dreamed of from start to finish, and for
one special day your imagination will become reality. Although
every bride and every day is different, one thing remains the
same – whether it lasts two hours or twenty, those wonderful
moments will stay with you for the rest of your life. Or will
they??
Although your day will be magical, it will also be packed with
action - and all of it centered around you. Photos, speeches,
meeting guests, the first dance, the ceremony, meeting guests,
more photos and more meeting guests will combine to create a blur
of action so that soon after your well deserved honeymoon, all
will seem a distant and patchy memory. What were your guests doing
before you arrived at the church? What happened while you were
outside with the photographer? What was the atmosphere like for
those who weren’t on the dance floor? Rightly, you want
to know the answers to these questions, and the intention of this
article is to show you how to get them.
Without question, a modern, professional and imaginatively produced
wedding film is the perfect way of capturing all of the most magical
moments in one document, to be opened and viewed again and again
whenever you wish. You will never again collect together the same
selection of relatives, friends and colleagues in the same room,
and that alone is worth recording in a documentary that captures
sound and movement, atmosphere and ambience, laughter and life.
As television and cinema illustrate perfectly, when moving images
are creatively set to a backdrop of evocative music and live sound;
atmosphere, emotions and memories can be re-created to rival any
other presentation, even your day itself. You will truly be able
to relive, relaugh and relove your day again and again, not only
as if you were there again, but as if you were everywhere again.
A good wedding film will reveal and capture more than even you
captured on the day, it will weave a kaleidoscope of memories
and sound together to create a timeless memory you can share with
friends, relatives, children and grand children.
By now you may be remembering a wedding film you have seen before.
Was it too long? Did it lack imagination? Did it have a ropey
soundtrack? Were there effects that made you cringe? Was it more
Horribly Tragic than Hollywood Magic? Quite possibly you have
answered yes to some or all of these questions, but you may also
be unaware that you watched a film made by an ‘Uncle John’.
Ask yourself a simple question – will Aunty Mary be making
the wedding dress? And why not?
Professionally produced wedding films are a breed apart nowadays,
and at the very least you should seek out a truly representative
example so you can be well informed about what they can offer
and what you might be missing. As with every other wedding day
service the secret is to find the right film maker for you. There
are many to choose from and there are a wide range of styles,
attitudes, prices and, if we are honest, qualities. The good news
is, though, that there is someone (in fact, many people) who will
make the perfect film for you – your ideal documentary to
compliment your individual tastes. You want fast paced, snappy
editing with a dance soundtrack? Done. Romantic slow motion with
romantic music? Sold.
Interviews with guests and innovative filming? It’s yours.
The wealth of companies who are dedicated to creating your dream
film are as diverse and inspired as any professional industry.
You are spoiled for choice.
You want someone who will create a magical memory for you, so
ask and expect them to prove themselves. Many companies can be
found on the internet or by advertising and promotional literature.
Try wedding fairs. Ask friends for their recommendations. Most
importantly of all ask companies to supply you with samples of
their previous work. All reputable companies will be more than
happy to forward you a free sample (on VHS or DVD) of their work
to be judged against others. You also need to consider –
do you like them? They will spend more time around you than anyone
else on the day, so trust your instincts. Are they a qualified
member of a professional organisation such as the Institute of
Videography? This at least gives you peace of mind that others
in the profession value their work and that it conforms to an
industry standard for quality of sound and picture. Do they willingly
spend time to answer your questions? You want them to care as
much about your film as you do, and even if you don’t fully
understand the technicalities in some of their answers, you will
get a feel for whether they know what they are talking about.
When you look at their promotional film in the comfort of your
own home, compare it to your own standards. Does it look like
a television programme, or a home made video by one of your family?
Does it create an emotional reaction in you? If the answer is
yes and you are watching a film about people you don’t know,
imagine what it will be like when the entire cast are recognisable
as people you know and love….
Once you have examined all of the options, you will of course
need to consider price. As you do, think on this. No matter what
you are spending on any other aspect of your day (with the exception
of photos), everything will disappear at the close of your wedding.
Your wedding film is the only way to ensure that the years, months,
and weeks of effort and work that will go into this one day in
your lives will be captured forever. Although prices, deals and
packages vary considerably, you only get what you pay for, and
although your professionally finished and created film is unlikely
to come cheap, it will become priceless just minutes after you
have watched it for the first time.
By choosing to commission a wedding film, you will literally be
making an historic decision –the capture of your history
and the birth of your married lives together. Wedding films have
grown over the years and now they offer an exceptional opportunity
to suspend the magic of your day in time in a style that suits
you and your partner perfectly. They are unequalled in their scope,
and uncompromising in their emotional value. Years from now you
will not be wondering why you decided to have a wedding film made;
you will be looking forward to the christening of your children,
or your next birthday party, so that you can invite the company
back to create another piece of gold dust for your film archives……
Are you like the couple who supplied this quote to our UK wedding
film company?
‘Before our wedding we were leaning more to
photos than to film, but since we have seen your documentary we
now know that the film is king!! We are so, so glad that we had
a film made…’
Jeremy
Wicked Days Productions
Article kindly provided by those lovely people at Wicked Days
Productions
(Click
here to e-mail Jeremy at Wicked Days)
(Click here to
visit Wicked Days Productions)