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SD = Standard
Definition is still South African broadcast standards.
It seems as though we will be converting to HD in 2009, to meet International
Broadcasting Standards for the World Cup in 2010. SD’s format
is 4:3 and thus typical ‘square block’ TV that lots of
us have at home.
Must I have my wedding video
shot in HD (high definition)?
NO. HD DVD players and writers are not the household standard in
SA yet. If you have one weak link (thus if you don’t edit
the HD footage, encode and write the DVD with HD compatible products)
it will cause the HD to be compressed, and be downgraded to a lower
quality than if one were to shoot it with SD from the very start.
Thus you get the stripe effect that so many people with widescreen
TVs complain about.
What is 3CCD?
A CCD is a chip in a camera that analyzes color. If you have a 1
CCD camera, a single chip has to analyze RGB (Red, Green & Blue).
With a 3 CCD camera each one of the primary RGB colors get their
own analyzing CCD chip, thus the color mix is more vivid and accurate.
Lots of HD cameras don’t have 3 CCD chips because of the volume
of information it takes in, being HD and all. Note: Simply stating
that it’s a 3CCD Camera, does not mean it is professional
broadcast quality. To get that TV look, the CCD chip needs to be
at least 1/3 inch big. Aperture, Optical Zoom, White Balance etc
is also important. Tiny cameras are not yet broadcast quality, doesn’t
matter how hard sales people try and convince you that they are.
Is sound important?
Yes, even more important than the picture. If the DVD’s sound
is not clear and nicely mixed on your DVD, it will irritate you
to watch it without really knowing why! Thus if you go and look
at some of the videographers wedding DVDs, listen to it too –
ask for scenes of the speeches and ceremony. Make a mental note
of the sound levels, are they the same at all times – including
the volume of music being mixed in.
Can I make photos / stills from certain
shots on my DVD?
If you’re happy with 1.2 Mpixel grainy pictures, yes:-) Else
I suggest rather getting a professional photographer. Minimum Mpixels
required for quality printing is 5 Mpixels.
Why do Snapshots from my DVD make such bad quality
photos?
In South Africa we use PAL as Video format, thus there are 24 frames
/ stills per second (it’s actually double the amount, but
interlaced). This is what causes the video to look as though there
is fluent motion – thus the word “Motion Picture”.
Even if the video has crisp clarity, the single pictures making
it, are not high in resolution.
Do videos/DVDs replace photos?
No, they compliment them. Photos capture the moment – the
energy. DVDs set atmosphere and provide story telling and emotion.
What’s important when I’m choosing
a videographer?
A few things:
• Their personality should compliment yours – they work
on an intimate level with you;
• Flexibility and understanding to your filming needs;
• Do they understand the process that they’re busy with,
or is it merely a way to make some extra money?
• Their professionalism – ask for credentials, amount
of experience, and if applicable, awards received.
• A reference or two won’t hurt.
• DO view their work. With art (if the videographer does their
job well, the DVD should be art), your sole question should never
be: what does it cost? Sure, budget is important, but sometimes
if you can’t afford the true masterpiece, then paying someone
that fits in your budget, is as good as painting the portrait yourself
;-).
• Weddings, being a weekend industry, are open to the ‘hobbyist’.
Thus, ask your videographer if they do it as a full time occupation,
or a ‘hobby’ (hobby meaning on the side, besides their
9-5 week job). Someone practicing their skill / art on a daily basis,
often has a greater understanding, higher quality and shows more
care for their product.
What if I want the good old classic VHS Video?
We provide and recommend DVDs as a final product.
If a video is a must, we can deliver one for you.
What should I expect to pay for professional wedding
DVDs?
Nothing less than R4 000 for a very basic Wedding DVD. Usually prices
go up to about R10 000 for single camera shoots, depending how you
combine your package.
Is a double camera shoot better than a
single camera shoot?
No, the other way around. Unless you can afford to have a Technical
Director who can coordinate the 2 Cameras to make a nice final cut,
stick with one camera. It’s always important to have one mastermind
behind a video due to editing constrains. It’s also not good
to have one videographer, with two cameras. There is a tendency
to let the one camera just roll and focus on the preacher whilst
the other one is being used to film the couple. This can be disastrous
if the preacher moves out of camera frame. No, if a videographer
has formal training and lots of experience, they will be able to
film everything with one, single, camera. It’s also far less
obtrusive.
What is a reasonable time for delivery
of the wedding video (dvd)?
If your videographer has any requirements such as you having to
provide your choice of music for your DVD, they will only be able
to schedule your DVD for editing after receiving these items. Thereafter
a reasonable time would be 4-6weeks, depending on whether it’s
peak or off-peak season.
What do people mean by 'different styles'
of wedding video?
Generally you get staged and documentary style.
Documentary tells the story as it is – natural. Generally
the following words describe it: emotional, realistic, simplistic,
story telling, and if the videographer knows their skill, artistic.
Staged means the videographer will direct you in your doings. Thus
if they feel something will really look pretty on the DVD, they’ll
tell you to for instance wave or dance etc. If you like wild effects,
transitions, and an unnatural look, this is definitely for you.
How Mona Lisa Productions
answers the above do’s and don'ts?
• We use 3CCD SD Professional Broadcast Cameras.
• We use 2 Channels for recording sound – one for a
Sony Boom on board mike, and the other a Sennheiser lapel mike.
A lot of time is also spent on mixing sound levels of different
channels and tracks to perfection. Thus the sound is immaculate.
• We don’t do photography, but always love to refer
photographers whose work we trust.
• Our personality is friendly and easy going to allow free
creative thinking. Yet our work is made to perfection.
• We’re very flexible to your filming needs.
• The philosophy behind our productions is that we invest
in a couple’s future. When one is in a relationship, you often
see your partner visually, and feel yourself emotionally, and the
‘us’ is often difficult to mend because of this constrained
perspective. With a video you can see and emotionally feel the ‘us’
together, and it strengthens your relationship. You also see your
family and friends, and whaw, how cool will it be to see that 20
years from now.
• We’re full time videographers and editors. Most of
us have been to film school, or have years of experience. We love
what we do.
• We have references and some of our work on our website.
You’re welcome to contact us if you would like to see more.
• We provide and recommend DVDs as a final product. If a video
is a must, we can deliver one for you.
• Our prices generally range between R4 300 and R7 500, depending
on how you combine your package.
• We do single camera shoots.
• Our delivery period is about 4-6 weeks after receiving the
music from you.
• Our main style is documentary, storytelling, simplistic,
emotional and artistic. But on request we can do all those effects
for you with a press of a computer button.
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