Videotaping your wedding: Some Technical Questions and Answers
by Alyssa Pallett - Ancaster Video Productions

Many bridal couples and their families have questions and concerns about how the wedding will be taped. Below are some of the questions videographers are most often asked, together with information that will hopefully be helpful to you when considering video services for your wedding.

Will the video equipment be distracting during the ceremony?
Because portable video equipment is compact and silent, the most important consideration here is whether or not the videographer has the skill to avoid intruding on the ceremony. You have spent a long time planning the mood for your ceremony - why would you want it ruined by a videographer moving all over the place?

Most people are concerned about the use of the flood lamps during the wedding service, and most videographers will agree that use of such lighting is not appropriate during the ceremony. A good videographer will use low-light professional cameras which can produce images in all but the most dimly-lit interiors without video lamps.

We want to be sure that our vows can be heard on the tape. Will this be possible if the camera is placed away from the altar?
If the ceremony were to be recorded using the camera's built-in microphone, your vows would most likely be inaudible. These microphones lose clarity at distances beyond 7-10 feet. A professional videographer will most often utilize two professional-quality wireless microphones, generally worn by the officiate and the groom to provide you with excellent clarity.

We are being married in an evening ceremony and the church lights aren't very bright. How will the video look?
Although video cameras produce their best images when there is ample light, professional low-light cameras do remarkably well in most churches and synagogues. However, you can expect that the colours on your tape will not be as vivid as those you see on broadcast TV; there is also some loss of picture sharpness.

How important is it for the videographer to attend the rehearsal?
Unless a videographer has taped a ceremony at your wedding site before, it should be very important for them to attend the rehearsal. This enables your videographer to avoid such unpleasant surprises as having an attendant block their view of the couple during the vows. Attending your rehearsal eliminates most of the unexpected - and since weddings are live, a videographer has the incredible responsibility of getting it right...there's no second take!

You offer an edited video. Why would we need editing, since we want to see all the scenes that were recorded?
As videographers use the term, editing does not mean the removal of usable scenes from the tape. Rather, editing a wedding videotape involves the following:

• The addition of titles, music, still photos, etc.
• The elimination of "glitches" which would detract from the tape. For example, videographers must sometimes leave the tape running while rushing to capture a spontaneous scene at the reception; this footage is edited out.
• Editing can be used creatively to give a tape better pacing. For example, a lengthy scene of guests dancing can be "broken up" and made more interesting by editing in interviews with guests every few minutes.

A well-edited tape looks far more polished and thus will be more enjoyable to watch; unedited tapes always have an amateurish quality.

Will the video images fade over time?
Because both video and audio information are recorded magnetically, a videotape will last indefintely with no loss of quality if it is properly stored. Your greatest benefit is the large introduction of DVDs into the videography market. With a DVD, you will not have to worry about loss of quality, and you're wedding video will fit right in with your library of Hollywood movies!

Alyssa Pallett - Ancaster Video Productions