The ABC's of Wedding Video
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Just when you thought selecting a video person couldn’t get any more complicated, well it has. DVD, with its amazing features, can be the greatest thing to happen to your wedding video, if it is done right. It can also be one of the most complicated to understand. Read this and learn what you need to look in aDVD...
More Is not Always Better...
Most videographers will provide a demo DVD's. This, after all, is one of the best ways for you to view a prospective studio’s work. But be sure to view a full length DVD. This is important when shopping for a DVD wedding video because unlike a simple VHS tape a DVD has no set time limit. A DVD’s length is determined by how much the images are compressed during production. Depending on the quality of the production equipment and how much the video is compressed, the visual quality of the end product can be affected. Therefore, that 20-minute demo might look great, but will your full-length version look as good? Do yourself the favor and ask to view a full length DVD.
In-house Versus Out-house...
It is more desirable to have the DVD completely done in house by the actual wedding studio as opposed to an outside agency. This gives better control of quality. When bELLE video create a DVD we use different compression levels for different parts of the video to optimize the visual quality. For instance, we compress the ceremony part smaller than the reception. Why you ask. The ceremony is comprised primarily of people standing or sitting, therefore it can be compressed more without any noticeable loss of picture quality. On the other hand, the reception contains video of an action filled room full of people dancing and lights flashing. If I compressed the reception at the same level as the ceremony, the ceremony would look fine, but the image quality of the reception would deteriorate. An outside company would be more inclined to have the entire video compressed at the same level.
Technology Speaking...
Mass duplicated DVDs, such as those you buy at Blockbuster, are created with a different process then the one your wedding video will be done in and may not be compatible with some players that are more than two years old. Fortunately, DVD players today cost little more than a good VCR. Also remember that the quality of your wedding DVD will only be as good as the equipment used to tape it. There is no magical cure for poor camera quality and shooting.
Know What You Want...
One of the benefits of a DVD video over a typical VHS is that you can have chapter points that allow the viewer to instantly go to various points of the video, similar to changing tracks on a music CD. You can go from your vows to the first dance in just seconds. This will eliminate the need to pay extra for a shortened version of your wedding video. It’s also another reason why you should view a full length DVD sample rather than a 10 minute demo DVD . This feature will allow you to get a good idea of the length and quality without having to sit through an entire three hour production. Since these chapter points must be programmed into the DVD during production, please don’t assume that your DVD will have them.... Be sure to ask about this ahead of time if you want this feature for your wedding DVD.
We hope this helps with your video, and as always let us know
Best Peter & bELLE team
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