Beware of wedding video pitfalls! While we are proud of our audio abilities, there are things you as the client can do be sure nothing gets in the way of a great video production for your wedding. Below are eight tips to keep in mind.
CEREMONY TIPS:
1. Ask your officiant if they mind wearing a microphone for the cameras. In other words, they will not be audible to your guests, only to our audio recorder and cameras.
Good Answer: “Sure. What ever he needs. It’ll make me sound great on your video.”
Not Good: “Nah. The alter is for cleansed souls only. I do not want anyone approaching me, I’m already wearing a mic for the sound system. I don’t want to wear two mics. I have a loud voice anyway and won’t need a mic.”
If the answer is the latter, no matter how loud the officiant’s voice is, it will sound like they are talking in a far away tunnel on your video!
2. Brides. Even though your husband to be is wearing a mic, it’s not necessarily a time to watch your mouth and to be extra quiet. On the contrary, both of your should let the endearments and esoteric comments fly. This is your chance to have them immortalized on your wedding video. Not to worry, if anything mentioned is too insipid or embarrassing, the editors will most likely leave it on the cutting room floor.
3. Many reader’s think they have to move the podium mic closer to their mouths to be heard. Not true. Let you reader’s know that the podium mics are cardiod microphones and they use electric technology to actually shoot out 5-10 inches past the head to pick up sound. There is no need to move the podium mic right next to your mouth or lean down as if to eat it. By staying about 12 inches from the mic head, they’ll be heard fine and they’ll aviod the “popping” consonants that can ruin audio.
4. Make sure your organist and/or musicians know that they will be recorded with a microphones during the ceremony. The last thing you need is to have your musicians protesting that there are microphones near them. Unusual but it happens. It is always best to clear it with them ahead of time.
THE RECEPTION:
1. Tell the band that you’re going to need a good audio feed from your sound system to the videographer’s audio engineer. All sound systems can do this and most bands will be helpful since it only makes them sound better on the video.
Good Answer: “Sure we can do it. What ever he/she needs and if he/she wants, we’ll give him/her a separate auxiliary out so he can have total control of his mix.”
Not Good: “I dunno. I can’t have anyone plug in into my sound-system. Can’t he just place a mic near my speakers?”
2. Toasts. Now here is the reverse of the podium mic issue. The DJ or band’s mics are usually dynamic mics and they depend on vibration to produce sound so they will need to be placed almost on the lips of the person giving a speech. Watch how close the DJ holds the mic to his mouth. When giving a toast, with a band mic, it’s time to “eat the mic.” Tell your toasters that if they use BOTH their hands to talk and the mic wanders away from their mouth, the sound mixer is forced to push up the gain on the mic and that can result in the noisy background so common in toast footage.
3. Some wedding videographers like, dvideography.com use voiceovers from relatives and/or good friends, that know you well, to help tell the story of your wedding day. The people who are already making speeches need not do the VO. Make sure you have at four people, pre-picked, that most likely won’t make a speech so we can have a good variety of audio to choose from. Make sure to tell your VO candidates that they have indeed been chosen and, during the reception, they will be taken to another room to record and that we will only need them for 5 minutes. That way they are not taken by surprise.
4. So…Uncle Seymour or Grandma Fanny wants to stand up and surprise you with an announcement or speech during dinner? That’s great! Make sure you remember that if you’re eating dinner that your vendor’s are probably eating too. Before they start “eating the mic”, make sure that the photographer and videographer’s are there ready to shoot. Nothing’s worse than an important moment lost to spontaneity.