This is the Transcript of the #WeddingMarket Chat on August 28th, 2013 with John Goolsby, Leigh Zeidner and Zane Hauck. The answers were made on Twitter so responses will appear different.
Wedding Videography Panelist:
John Goolsby
John Goolsby – Los Angeles, CA
http://godfatherfilms.com
Leigh Zeidner
Leigh Zeidner – Columbus, OH
Zane Hauck
Zane Hauck – Nashville
ZaneKarlStudios.com
Q1: How did you get involved with wedding videography?
Answer:
John Goolsby: I was in my first year of high school in 1973 and working in the library when the school bought TV equipment. Spent three years filming sporting events, plays and graduations. That was before camcorders were sold to the public.
Leigh Zeidner: Made a funny video for my Brother-in-law’s wedding and fell in love with editing wedding films for family then others.
Zach Hauck: I started editing random footage from guests at a wedding.
Q2: How did you obtain your first paid wedding job?
Answer:
John Goolsby: I spent a day visiting wedding related businesses and networking. A bakery referred me to one of their clients and I filmed their wedding for $50. First picked up a camera in 1973. First paid job 1986. 3000+ paid jobs since.
Leigh Zeidner: My first paid wedding came as a referral from a videographer friend who was mentoring me and knew I was looking for work.
Zach Hauck: I was filming parties and music videos. I built trust through event planners and clients.
Q3: How do you work with couples during the first visit?
Answer:
John Goolsby: I want to get their story and the reason why they want a wedding film. Allows me to custom design their film and often leads to additional shoots such as traveling out of state to film.
Leigh Zeidner: We go out for coffee or ice cream. We chat about what they’re looking forward to about marriage and I share my process.
Zach Hauck: I discuss what is important to them because every client has different needs.
Q4: How do you plan for the day of the wedding?
Answer:
John Goolsby: I wait until the week of the wedding to plan because clients are always updating their schedule until the last few days. My company does 300 jobs a year and frequently several on the same day. I will usually schedule our resources on Monday.
Leigh Zeidner: I send my couples seemingly random questions leading up to their wedding. Gives me insight into their personalities. I also get in touch with the planner, DJ and photographer to confirm timeline, positioning and audio help.
Zach Hauck: I make sure I have all the equipment and people scheduled at the appropriate times to capture everything needed.
Q5: What types of questions do you ask the couple before the wedding?
Answer:
John Goolsby: What is important to them? It could be a custom-made gown, an elder relative, or even the 7- foot tall cake.
Leigh Zeidner: My favorite is: What movie best describes your relationship and why? It’s a tough one to answer and very insightful! Feelings-type questions – What are you most looking forward to about marriage? What feelings do you want to remember?
Zach Hauck: I ask them for their taste in music. Yes, some clients choose to use our music department which provides live instruments/vocals customized to their video. Not only is the song composed custom but so are the lyrics
Q6: How do you deal with guest and professional photographers on the wedding day?
Answer:
John Goolsby: I always yield to wedding guests and photographers. Do not think I won’t get my shot because I will. a 5-foot monopod. I don’t want a guest to not feel free to move around and I don’t want the photographer to miss a single shot because of me. I tell photographer to do whatever they need. I will still get my shot.
Leigh Zeidner: I introduce myself and chat with the professional photographers so we can coordinate sharing time and space. Try to work around guest photographers unless it’s a key moment. Claim my space early or politely ask them to move. Cameras are so mobile these days that it’s easy to move if someone steps in front of you.
Zach Hauck: Many times quests get in the way of your shot and I politely ask them to move. I usually talk with the photographer before hand to plan around each others shots.
Q7 : What is your turnaround time for editing wedding videos?
Answer:
John Goolsby: We usually wait until the 2nd or 3rd wedding anniversary. JK They are custom products and we are high volume so it kind of depends on what we are working on each week. If we have everything at the time of the wedding, most clients will have a finished film in 6-8 weeks.
Leigh Zeidner: 2 weeks for their 3-5 minute trailer and 4 months for the final film.
Q8: How do you use social media weekly, during events and after?
Answer:
John Goolsby: We frequently post links to our films on Facebook and encourage our clients to tag their family and friends.
Leigh Zeidner: Day-to-day things via Twitter, upload trailers to Vimeo and FB once couple views. Facebook has been better about letting us tag people in posted videos. That’s helped, for sure.
Q9: How do you take your videography business to next level ?
Answer:
John Goolsby: I take my team to educational conferences.
Leigh Zeidner: Practice, practice, practice. Find as many opportunities outside the wedding as you can to shoot and edit.
Zane Hauck: I’ll use new and different equipment and try a different style in post production.
Q10: Where do you find inspiration for new video shooting styles?
Answer:
Leigh Zeidner: Movies and short films that are non-wedding related. Even animated films can give creative insight on different ways to tell a story…like this one: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xx5d23_paperman-full-animated-short-film-vo-hd_shortfilms …
Zane Hauck: I find my inspiration through movies. Not wedding movies, just movies. Recently the Great Gatsby was very inspiring.
Q11: What would you like everyone to take away from this #WeddingMarket Chat ?
Answer:
John Goolsby: Best things in life are not things They’re the memories of our life’s experiences. adventures celebrations & people we love. The wedding event is that one day in your life when all the most important people in your life are all at one place one time. The challenge is that all memories fade and most eventually disappear. We are Godfather Films and we sell time travel.
Leigh Zeidner: We’re all masters of our craft. Enjoy the personal projects and have fun with them. We do it b/c we love it.
Zane Hauck: Most of the creative process is done in post production . Most people don’t understand the amount of time spent in editing. People need to be educated in the amount of labor and overhead in producing wedding films.
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