It is really possible to foresee a return – or a new interest – to wedding memories, video or still, as a high-priority, high-ticket item in wedding budgets?

OK, so everybody in personal event videography would love to learn any way they can to gain new skill, a new outlook or find new equipment that do-it-yourselfers can’t match AND that these elements really help to create a new market. We all want the public to want what we do and be willing to pay for it at legitimate rates.

We all know how wedding photography and videography have morphed into a low-pay, often do-it-yourself proposition, thanks to camera advances. Amateurs, friends of the couple and occasional practitioners definitely rule most markets. Price points generally don’t repay the pro for cost of equipment, much less return on investment or a living wage – especially when postproduction is considered as billable time. When clients hammer the budgets, it’s no fun for anyone. There’s no way quality and service won’t suffer.

Of course the economy doesn’t help, nor do the currently fluid attitudes of “why marry at all?” and of “as long as there’s love”. Continuing high divorce rates and general lack of commitment to the state of marriage discourage significant spending on preserving the event for posterity. How many years has it been since wedding dress designer Vera Wang admitted to having guests photograph her own nuptials, only to discover later they didn’t capture any images at all? You could say not much has changed.

WEVA (Wedding and Event Videographers Association) and RED are indeed looking to change the market, or at least provide solutions for the few high end commissions that will always survive.

The first-ever RED + WEVA “Wedding Stills and Motion” 2-day training on RED cameras and workflow will be held at RED Studios in Los Angeles, CA on December 6 & 7 (WEVA members save $200 on registration).
Actually there are two workshops, the first one called “REDucation” Dec. 3-5 followed by the 2-day extension course specific to weddings.
(workshops not connected to ProVideoCoalition, ProPhotoCoalition or Createasphere)
The Wedding Stills and Motion course will be led by Tonaci Tran, who has worked on and supported over 25 “Shot on RED” feature films around the world since 2008. During the past year, Tonaci has been directing fashion films and producing RED EPIC package weddings.

Included curriculum elements:

• Mock wedding – filming ceremony and reception
• Posed still photography
• Post lab with Adobe tools
• Post Production techniques for on set grading and file preparation
• Avid, FCP and Premiere Pro Editing for RED projects
• REDCINE-X PRO, Lustre and Scratch
• Production of short scripted drama on day one
• Post lab for editing finished pieces
• Screening in 4K theater

The workshops are a little pricey, but by no means out of line for in-depth instruction by real working experts. We have always been willing to pay for inspired teachers. Then there are the concerns of the rentals costs; if you’ve got a high-ticket commission, one camera won’t cut it. Plus operators, accessories, support and software for the conversion to ProRez. All before you even start to edit.

It’s the practicality and art-worthiness of it all that give me pause.

Before I judge, I want to know more. Like what really is the state of wedding video and still budgets overall? Who actually is hiring, rather than going the do-it-yourself route? Where are the high end clients who like the art of what we do and allocate budget accordingly?

Is the RED Epic a viable tool (cost, time in grade to learn to operate and quality/value of the output) in comparison to the Alexa or the Sony F65? What about the old stand by Sony EX3 for this purpose and investment level?

Karl would add another big question: “Where are the clients who not only appreciate the art but who also understand and are bought into committing their own necessary time and attention to create a really meaningful film? Karl simply does not want to work for uninvolved clients, because his philosophy is that a great event film is a collaborative effort.

More Info Here

(workshops not connected to ProVideoCoalition, ProPhotoCoalition or Createasphere)