Frequently Asked Questions

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 "Can we pick the music in our wedding film?"

So wedding videos legally have to have licensed music. Luckily, MusicBed is a licensing service that has a ton of super talented artists. Feel free to browse their site and pick out the song(s) yourself, or just fill out the New Client Questionnaire to give me an idea of what direction to go in. I credit a lot of the emotional weight of my films to the music I choose, and how I use it. I'm SUPER picky about the songs I work with, and they don't even need to be "emotional" songs in order to carry that emotional weight. I never go super dramatic or sappy, unless a couple requests it. Wedding days are fun & lively, so I choose music to match. Sometimes I'll find one song that can cover the whole day, other times I start with one and end with another. I try to use new songs in all my films, but if something from any of my videos really speaks to you, I have no problem reusing songs! My music licensing site MusicBed has instrumental versions of all of their songs, so I work those in during voice overs so that the vows/toasts aren't clashing with song vocals. I use the toasts and vows in a way that helps tell your story, while matching what you see on screen to the content of the toasts whenever possible.

 "What is your approach on the big day?"

My shooting style is very laid back and never in your face, I'm just there to capture the moments. I often take a more lighthearted, bubbly & happy approach to my films, but I also enjoy creating dramatic emotional moments and some couples request that the first half of their trailer be more emotional, and the second half be more lighthearted. It's totally up to you! Regardless, I always make sure the video reflects the feeling of the day. I always try to include the funniest moments, as well as any fun or cute moments that the bride and groom weren't present for. If something happened that made everyone laugh, chances are it'll be in the video. One of the best parts of having a wedding film is being able to watch moments that you missed. During portrait sessions I try to capture the vibe, and not just people smiling for the photographer. Oftentimes the best moments for video occur in between the photographer's shots.

 "Have you shot at our venue before?"

Honestly... it doesn't really matter if your wedding is the photographer or videographer's first time shooting at that venue. If they have before, then they are already familiar with the grounds which is obviously a good thing! At the same time, if it's my first time at a venue I'm always really excited and inspired to shoot somewhere new. Every good photo/video team understands good light, and will find it at your venue to get you amazing shots, whether we have been to your venue before or not. Also depending on the season, weather, and other factors, we may need to go to plan B or even C sometimes! An experienced photographer or videographer will know what to do.

 "We're concerned about the photographer & videographer working well together."

Humble brag: I have had countless photographers tell me how easy I am to work with. I have heard horror stories about videographers who get in the way and are borderline obnoxious. I refuse to be one of those videographers. On top of that, photographers do a ton of work leading up to your wedding day. From the timeline to the shot list, they're basically your photographer AND your coordinator. So instead of stepping on their toes, I work alongside photographers and even help them out when I can. All of your vendors are a team, and it's especially important that photo and video work well together. After all, we're the only vendors who are with you all day! So I prioritize us all having fun together while capturing great shots. The best footage is when the couple and their friends and family are having fun!

 "What sets you apart from all of the other options out there?"

It doesn't take much to edit a very basic cookie cutter wedding video. There are plenty of those out there. It takes countless hours and a meticulous attention to detail to create something unique for each client, which I strive to do every time. I may follow the same formula each time I'm in post-production, but I get my inspiration from my couples. All the choices I make in my edits are very intentional, every shot has its place. There are companies I follow that do amazing work. Cinematic Hollywood type stuff that I'm super jealous of and couldn't do if I tried! But at the same time I don't think wedding videos should be like that. You should feel like you're there, like you’re reliving your day and not watching a Hollywood movie. Full disclosure: I often cry at least once during the creation of every film. It's always a good indicator that I'm on the right track lol. I know there are a lot of videographers out there. The best thing you can do is choose the one whose work speaks to you. You'll know it when you see it! And even if it isn’t me, I’m glad you chose to get a wedding video. It’s the number 1 thing couples regret not having!

 "Do you offer raw footage?"

I can certainly send you the raw files if you wish, but everything worth seeing will be in your full wedding film. Raw video files aren't color graded or stabilized, and they're also large. You would need a pretty fast computer to even watch them with smooth playback. Photographers edit and deliver all of your photos, and I do the same with your video footage. I work for companies that don’t deliver a full film, and their clients are often left wanting. Then the company charges the client for raw footage and it’s never what people expect. That being said, if you still want your raw files just Amazon me a thumb drive and I’ll ship it to you!

 "Why do you cost more as a solo shooter than other companies that have 2 videographers?"

A lot of companies don't offer a full wedding film, nor do they let you choose who will shoot or edit your wedding. When you invest in a videographer you should consider their experience, vision, and style. I have worked for a few of the bigger names in the past, and even still do in order to fill vacant dates on my calendar. They basically just assign whoever is available to shoot your wedding. Sometimes that same person edits it, sometimes they don't. And depending on the company, they'll hire unqualified people without even vetting them. Because of this they are able to offer lower prices. Big studios treat video like an add-on… kind of like a glorified photo booth. So it's a lower investment on your part, but you're risking a lower return on that investment. When you book with me (or anyone else who operates the same way) you know that it will be me knocking on your door on the big day, and the films you see on my site that led you to booking were all shot and edited by me... so your film will also have the same style. Big companies just show their best work shot and edited by their best people. therefore their portfolios aren’t indicative of what you will receive.

 "Why do city weddings require a 2nd videographer?"

Weddings in the city have a lot more moving parts. They often require that I go to the venue to drop off gear for the reception prior to arriving at the hotel to shoot details & getting ready footage. Between the extra time, locations, parking, ubers, etc... it is much more manageable with two videographers.

 "Why don't you have Wedding Wire, The Knot, or Zola awards on your website?"

I used to subscribe to Wedding Wire and TheKnot. Unfortunately they engage in predatory and misleading business practices. Fake leads, scam calls, things of that nature. Check out @vendortablepod if you want to learn more, not only are they covering this subject brilliantly, but that account and podcast is a fantastic resource for all things wedding! Some episodes may be a bit inside baseball, but there is a lot of great info for couples too.

 "Why don't your films have slow motion?"

So there are a couple reasons. The first being that I want it to feel like you are reliving your day when you watch your film. Now that cameras have super slow motion in 4K, lots of companies just film at high framerates all day. You have probably noticed by now in the planning process that at least half of the videos you have watched are almost entirely in slow motion. I can't help but feeling that decades from now, children and grandchildren are going to be watching their parents' or grandparents' wedding films from "the 20s" and wondering why the hell the whole thing is in slow mo lol. I feel that a film is much more grounded in reality if it isn't entirely in slow motion. That's not to say that I don't slow down some clips here or there, but it's more like 80% speed. Just enough for dramatic effect, while still grounded in reality.

 "We are nervous about multiple cameras pointing at us all day"

My approach is very hands off. Many couples have this concern, and they always tell me afterwards that it was like I wasn't even there.

 "Do you have a drone?"

Yes! If you want drone footage then I usually arrive to your venue extra early to fly for a bit as long as they allow it (weather permitting).

 "What if we want our video to be private & not shared on social media?"

No worries! I won't post anything you don't want me to.

 "How do you deliver the film?"

I use Mediazilla. You'll get a free account that hosts a digital copy of your video collection. Think of it like an online "DVD style" menu where you can watch all the videos, as well as download and share them with friends and family. Mediazilla has an app for many streaming devices so you can log into your account just like Netflix, Max, etc. Even if I win the lottery and close my business, your account will still be active. However I do still recommend downloading the individual files and saving them to a hard drive & a cloud service to be extra super safe.