As a new wedding filmmaker, it can feel mandatory to capture every single moment as you figure out your editing style. This means cake cutting, bouquet toss, family photos and the like. But, it also means a massive quantity of memory cards, not to mention an overwhelming amount of footage to sort through in post.
Like many filmmakers, this is how I started shooting weddings. It was my safety net to ensure I didn’t miss a beat. That said, it didn’t last long. As I started to hone my wedding film style, I realized the frames I needed to capture and — equally important — those I didn’t.
This “shoot for the edit” wedding filmmaking approach is about more than saving memory cards. It’s about perfecting your craft, expanding your creativity, and delivering the best possible film to your clients. If shooting for the edit sounds right up your alley, here’s how to implement the approach on your next big shoot.
1. Study your editing style
It took me at least three weddings to finally understand how I edit and which types of clips I use in my wedding films. The more I watched my videos — especially my favorites — the more I realized how drawn I am to all things natural. Whether it’s candids of the couple gazing at each other giddily or nature at its finest (like a bee flying around a flower), I’m most creatively inspired by clips with a natural look and feel, so I know I need to focus on capturing these moments on the big day.
Beyond helping me decide what to shoot, this approach makes me realize what I don’t need. For example, unless I’m hired for a full-length wedding film, I don’t need to capture things like the bouquet toss or the family photos because, while these more staged and static shots work for some filmmakers, I almost never use them in my films and therefore can easily leave them out. (To guarantee happy clients, I ask them what shots they absolutely must have ahead of time; if the cake cutting is monumental for them, I don’t want to miss it!).
2. Capture more creative shots
Just because you’re moving away from some shots doesn’t mean you should turn off your camera and call it a day. When the bride and groom are preoccupied with family photos (something I hardly ever film), I typically head outside to get creative establishing shots like shooting the venue through windblown leaves or pulling out my drone to get the aerial vantage point. If I’m hired to film a wedding, I want to spend the bulk of my day filming a wedding (i.e., not coasting once my must-have shots are captured!) so I can deliver the best possible video for my clients.
3. Know your must-have frames
Of course the first look and first kiss are essential, but as you learn your editing style, you’ll start to understand your three or four “must-haves” on any wedding day. For me, I always have to get an establishing shot with enough uncluttered, lightly colored space to add the couple’s name in the first 30 seconds. Here’s an example:
Again, every filmmaker is different and the more time you spend analyzing what works and doesn’t — and which shots you wish you had more of — the more you’ll be able to shoot for the edit.
Kelly and Chris | Wedding Highlight Film | Brecknock Hall, The North Fork from Stephanie Vermillion Studio on Vimeo.
4. Don’t forget audio
Speaking of natural, the more films I’ve edited the more I’ve realized how absolutely essential audio is to my natural editing style. That’s why I have my Tascam DR-10L plus my on-camera microphones handy at all times.
From giggles while the bridesmaids are getting ready, to the tearful toasts before dinner, I constantly have the audio edit in mind while capturing a wedding. That’s why I mic up the groom before the first look or ceremony; nothing beats the candid reactions when he first sees his bride or, in one of my favorite films, when the brides squeals “we’re married!” as they’re about to leave the altar.
As you prepare to shoot for the edit during your upcoming weddings, follow our guide for filming spring and summer weddings so you can deliver a captivating, creative video to your clients.
Photo by Photos by Lanty on Unsplash
