With Shoot It Your Way, we tend to find that after a small tipple or two, guests are only too keen to capture the fun and antics of a wedding. Ensuring the key moments are recorded however should be entrusted to specific guests. We recommend asking 2 or 3 to make sure all the main parts of your special day are captured.
We tend to find that to ensure the most comprehensive coverage and dynamic footage is to utilise two cameras – one mounted on a tripod for stability and another handheld for flexibility. This approach allows for the seamless capture of both intimate moments and wide-angle shots, enhancing the overall storytelling of the event. With this approach it is possible to ask one guest to take charge of both cameras, but ideally having a guest on each camera with a third as backup often works best.
When employing two cameras to film a wedding, it's a good idea to have a plan to maximize efficiency and creativity. If possible, involve your entrusted guess in the planning process. There’s really not much to it but knowing what is expected in advance is a huge help. Here's how we suggest using a dual-camera setup:
Positioning the Cameras:
Place one camera on a sturdy tripod at a strategic vantage point, such as at the back of the venue or near the altar. This camera will serve as a reliable anchor for capturing stable, wide-angle shots of the ceremony and key moments like vows and exchanges of rings. Meanwhile, the handheld camera operator can move around to capture candid reactions, emotions, and close-up shots from different angles.
Assign Roles and Responsibilities:
Designate specific roles for each camera operator to ensure smooth coordination and coverage. The tripod-mounted camera operator should focus on maintaining steady shots and capturing the overarching narrative of the wedding ceremony. The handheld camera operator, on the other hand, can roam around to capture spontaneous moments, reactions from guests, and details such as the bride's entrance or the exchange of vows.
Embrace Creativity and Flexibility:
While the tripod-mounted camera provides stability and consistency, the handheld camera offers flexibility and spontaneity. Encourage the handheld operator to experiment with angles, framing, and movements to add visual interest and depth to the footage. Don't be afraid to explore creative techniques such as panning, tilting, and zooming to capture the atmosphere and emotion of the wedding day
By leveraging the combined strengths of a tripod-mounted camera and a handheld camera, you can capture the essence and emotion of a wedding day from multiple perspectives. This then gives our editors all the footage they require to produce a memorable and cinematic portrayal of this special occasion.
A Word of Warning
Make sure that someone is in charge of the tripod mounted camera. Don't let the camera just record until it runs out of battery. It's important that the shot is completed by stopping the recording.
