While some brides still opt for a straight-ahead rendering of their nuptials and reception, many videographers are taking a more cinematic approach to capturing the action, incorporating everything from a personalized soundtrack and theme to adding in Super 8 film to achieve a retro effect.
“It’s an exciting time to be in video and television production in general,” said Janice Celeste, who along with her husband Michael owns Celeste Studios Film and Video Productions in New Jersey; the company shoots an average of twenty weddings a year. “The push to high def and digital television opens up all kinds of options.” Celeste specializes in cinematic wedding videos. “We don’t do boring documentation of the day,” she said. “Our goal is for the couple to look at their video often, to laugh, cry and be ecstatic when they see it.”
Both the style of the wedding video, and the way content is delivered, are changing rapidly, said Celeste. Here’s her take on the top six trends in wedding videos:
Live streaming video: Aunt Mabel can’t make the wedding? No problem. She’ll be able to log onto a website to see the action live on her computer from anywhere in the world.
Instant gratification: Thanks to Celeste’s mobile production truck, a video of the ceremony can be shown on a big screen at the reception. And a highlight video from the wedding is posted online by the time you get back from your honeymoon. Want to share with friends? Just download the video to your iPhone and take it with you wherever you go.
Multi-Media Presentations: Your love story, with soundtrack, sex appeal and sizzle, can be produced in advance and added into your wedding DVD. Photo montages and even 3-D effects are becoming the norm.
Hidden cameras: The church’s pesky rule barring shooting behind the altar is no longer a problem. Hidden micro cameras can be situated to record the ceremony from terrific angles.
Bollywood Bride: Celeste Studios shoots so many Hindi weddings, elaborate multi-day affairs with hundreds of guests, that they developed a DVD, Hindi Weddings: The Videographer’s Guide, which has become an industry standard. Colorful production, dance numbers and Bollywood color and effects are all the rage.
Seth Kaye Photography / www.sethkayephotography.com
