How to Find the Right Storyteller

How to Find the Right Storyteller BY RUSSELL FOWLER, Stellar Films Photography by White Wolf Studios    Lights… camera… action!      Unless Francis Ford Coppola, Penny Marshall, or Rob Reiner is a relative, you will want to hire a seasoned professional to film your wedding event. It takes as much skill to create a high quality wedding video as it does to make a full-length motion picture. A motion picture’s success is determined by the skill of the storyteller, and the same goes for your wedding video. Whether you hire a cinematographer using film, or a videographer using digital video tape, you must choose your “storyteller” carefully, just as a producer would choose a director.  With so many talented production companies out there, how do you choose the best one for you?  There are really only two guidelines:  View a lot of wedding videos and ask a lot of questions.       First, familiarize yourself with how the different types of media will look. Super-8 and 16mm films, with their old-time nostalgic look and feel, have made a comeback due to their unique warmth and depth. Digital video can achieve many different looks including replicating film but is mostly recognized for its flawless crystal clear appearance. High Definition digital video takes you even deeper into the world of perfection.      Once you decide on a media format, it’s time to start asking prospective videographers for their demos.  After selecting your favorite styles, you can finally begin asking your questions: does the videographer share the same vision for your video; what equipment will be used; what will the lighting be like; how about special effects; how long will the end product be; and what music does he or she have in mind. Ask the various videographers to respond to all of your questions and give you their best quote. Then, just follow your instincts.      Your extraordinary day has begun and the videographer you’ve so carefully selected rolls the film, capturing the smiles, laughter and tears of you, your family and guests. In a few months after your wedding, you and your spouse can re-experience all the joys of your wedding day just as it truly was. Your wedding day video is a wrap!

 

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