March 13, 2008

Credit goes to Jordan for a great Same Day Edit.

Tags: Bar Mitzvahs and Bat Mitzvahs - CinemaCake Client Testimonials - Same Day Edit | Permalink

December 25, 2007

Back in late 2004, I was interviewed for an EventDV article on “The Art of the Wedding-Day Edit”.  We had a lot of experience already producing Wedding Day Edits (also known as Same Day Edits) and I knew it would take off.  Here we are, three years later with new technology, more creative video producers, a real appreciation for this art form, and the Same Day Edit is all the rage.

Now entire lectures are held on the topic each year at conferences hosted by the largest videographer association in the world - the Wedding and Event Videographers Association (WEVA) - and a younger organization, The 4Ever Group.  With all of this new interest, I figured I would break it all down for our readers and demystify today’s Same Day Edit with several episodes over the coming weeks.  Of course, we should start with what a Same Day Edit (SDE) is.

An SDE can be something as simple as a montage of the moments of the day displayed at the cocktail hour or as complex as a mind-blowing short film including pre-produced segments shot and edited days, weeks, or even months before the event.  The possibilities are limited only by imagination and the budget.  But one thing is certain; a good Same Day Edit can bring real energy to the party.  Guests will laugh, cry, and be amazed.

Most videographers have always offered some sort of large screen projection at events.  But until the Same Day Edit became popular, what went on those screens was mostly limited to pre-produced segments or a live feed from on-site cameras.  But videographers have gotten more creative as technology allows them to work more efficiently. 

Editing systems are faster, smaller, and lighter, and the gear is easy to set up and tear down.  Cameras are now equipped with hard drives or solid state media (like the memory card in your point and shoot still camera), doing away with the time-consuming task of capturing taped footage into the computer in real time.  This all means that the bottlenecks that used to get in the way of actual editing time are virtually gone, allowing talented editors to create an emotional, high quality production in the time it takes to get from the ceremony to your first course at the reception.

For our first example in this series, let’s take a look at Maria and Ron’s Same Day Edit:
Maria and Ron
As a dancer her entire life, Maria convinced Ron to take dance lessons with her to prepare for their wedding.  In our first meeting, Maria explained that she not only wanted her first dance to be perfect, she wanted her friends and family to see how their lives (and the dance) all came together.  We came up with the plan to show their love story to the guests while Maria and Ron ducked out of the room to change into their dance attire.  Maria and Ron’s Same Day Edit was a customized hybrid of pre-production and day-of coverage that gave the perfect introduction to their first dance.  As the video faded to black, the lights on the dance floor brightened just enough to reveal Ron and Maria live.  It was magical.

Next time we’ll take a look behind the scenes of Same Day Edits.  Stay tuned.

For more information on Same Day Edits, visit SameDayEdit.com or call toll free 866-989-0158.

Tags: HD and Film productions - HD Weddings - Same Day Edit | Permalink

June 22, 2007

Nicole and Brian were so excited to hear we were shipping their DVDs that they asked if they could drive over to pick them up.  They wanted to see some of the video right away.  Knowing how fun they were, I decided to turn my little consumer palmcorder on them from the corner of the room.  Here’s their reaction.

Thanks for being such good sports and allowing me to share this Nicole!

Production Notes: Nicole and Brian ordered our 8 hour coverage, a Same Day Edit, and 16mm Wedding Film Vignettes.

Tags: CinemaCake Client Testimonials - HD Weddings - Same Day Edit - Wedding Highlights and Recaps | Permalink

November 15, 2006

What’s a same day edit?  Click here to learn more.

Here’s a wonderful voicemail we received from the mother of the bride after this past Saturday’s 10-Minute Same Day Edit at the Ballroom at the Ben in Philadelphia.

LISTEN TO THE VOICEMAIL

Kudos to Gary for editing the same day footage, to Kris for most of the pre-production, and to everyone on the crew for helping to make this a very special production for this family.

Cinematography: CinemaCake
Photography: Gerard Tomko Photography
Catering: Finley Catering/Ballroom at the Ben
Entertainment: The Heartbeats

Tags: CinemaCake Client Testimonials - HD Weddings - Same Day Edit | Permalink

July 29, 2006

After my last blog about our Same Day Edit at the Crystal Tea Room, several folks wanted to know what a Same Day Edit is.  Last year, EventDV magazine published a story about videographers who produce SDEs.  Although some technological change have been made in the last year, this behind the scenes look at SDEs is still pretty accurate.

The Art of the Wedding-Day Edit
By Eric Schumacher-Rasmussen - Posted Mar 9, 2005

Same-day edit productions make for unexpected treats at wedding receptions and can add to your bottom line. Here, three SDE pioneers talk about how it’s done.

There’s a common complaint among writers, journalists especially, that once we publish something, we rarely get feedback. It’s not that we’re so egotistical or insecure that we need a pat on the back for every word we write (though that certainly comes into play); it’s that most of the time we have no tangible proof that anyone’s even read the words we worked so hard to craft into a story. Even negative feedback is feedback; at least we know someone’s taken a look.

Videographers at least know that somebody’s going to see the fruits of their labors, even if the client is the only sure bet. But sometimes you have to wonder if even the subjects of the video witness what you’ve captured. Did the bride’s father see how beautifully you captured that kiss as he gave his daughter away? Does the best man know that his attempts at breakdancing during the photo shoot have been captured for posterity? Does the groom know that his fiancee’s eyes welled up when he surprised her with that song during the ceremony?

You certainly hope so, and the odds are on your side. But let’s face it, videographers and writers share a common bond: we create what we create because we want to share it with people and hope they get out of it at least a little of what we put into it. Nonetheless, we’re rarely around to see it when they do.

Enter the same-day edit. Chances are, even if you haven’t attempted one, you’ve been tempted by the tantalizing possibility of taking what you’ve shot, giving it a quick, clean edit, and displaying it to a crowd still caught up in the thrill of the moment, whether at a wedding or another event. You’ll get a round of applause at the end of the night, and—more importantly—your clients will get to relive a once-in-a-lifetime moment with the very people they shared it with in the first place.

Of course, the benefits of the same-day edit go beyond the emotional. Adding the service to your repertoire is another way to set yourself apart from the crowd and—lest we wax too idealistic—bring in additional revenue and clients. It’s also a good way to silence the NLE naysayers who say wedding videography was better in the pre-editing days when you popped out the tape at the end of the day and handed it over, however rough and raw the footage. With an SDE, you get the instant gratification, but with the editing touches we’ve come to expect—and a chance to do a more lavish edit later on.

“I’ve never gotten as many ‘How did you do thats?’ and ‘Could I have your cards?’ as when I do a same-day edit,” says Dave Williams of CinemaCake in Philadelphia. Here’s a look at the opportunities and challenges presented by the same-day edit, as well as some practical advice from experienced videographers on how to get the job done.  Read More. . .

Tags: HD Weddings - Same Day Edit | Permalink