{"id":57568,"date":"2019-05-20T12:00:46","date_gmt":"2019-05-20T16:00:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.adorama.com\/alc\/?p=57568"},"modified":"2019-05-20T10:31:17","modified_gmt":"2019-05-20T14:31:17","slug":"how-to-shoot-for-the-edit-as-a-wedding-filmmaker","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.adorama.com\/alc\/how-to-shoot-for-the-edit-as-a-wedding-filmmaker\/","title":{"rendered":"How to ‘Shoot for the Edit’ as a Wedding Filmmaker"},"content":{"rendered":"

As a new wedding filmmaker, it can feel mandatory to capture every single moment as you figure out your editing style. This means cake cutting, bouquet toss, family photos and the like. But, it also means a massive quantity of memory cards, not to mention an overwhelming amount of footage to sort through in post.<\/p>\n

Like many filmmakers, this is how I started shooting weddings. It was my safety net to ensure I didn\u2019t miss a beat. That said, it didn\u2019t last long. As I started to hone my wedding film style, I realized the frames I needed to capture and \u2014 equally important \u2014 those I didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

This “shoot for the edit” wedding filmmaking approach is about more than saving memory cards. It\u2019s about perfecting your craft, expanding your creativity, and delivering the best possible film to your clients. If shooting for the edit sounds right up your alley, here\u2019s how to implement the approach on your next big shoot. <\/p>\n

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Photo by Stephanie Vermillion<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

1. Study your editing style<\/strong><\/h4>\n

It took me at least three weddings to finally understand how I edit and which types of clips I use in my wedding films. The more I watched my videos \u2014 especially my favorites \u2014 the more I realized how drawn I am to all things natural. Whether it\u2019s candids of the couple gazing at each other giddily or nature at its finest (like a bee flying around a flower), I\u2019m most creatively inspired by clips with a natural look and feel, so I know I need to focus on capturing these moments on the big day.<\/p>\n

Beyond helping me decide what to shoot, this approach makes me realize what I don\u2019t<\/em> need. For example, unless I\u2019m hired for a full-length wedding film, I don\u2019t need to capture things like the bouquet toss or the family photos because, while these more staged and static shots work for some filmmakers, I almost never use them in my films and therefore can easily leave them out. (To guarantee happy clients, I ask them what shots they absolutely must have<\/em> ahead of time; if the cake cutting is monumental for them, I don\u2019t want to miss it!).<\/p>\n

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Photo by Stephanie Vermillion<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

2. Capture more creative shots<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Just because you\u2019re moving away from some shots doesn\u2019t mean you should turn off your camera and call it a day. When the bride and groom are preoccupied with family photos (something I hardly ever film), I typically head outside to get creative establishing shots like shooting the venue through windblown leaves or pulling out my drone to get the aerial vantage point. If I\u2019m hired to film a wedding, I want to spend the bulk of my day filming a wedding (i.e., not coasting once my must-have shots are captured!) so I can deliver the best possible video for my clients.<\/p>\n

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Photo by Stephanie Vermillion<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

3. Know your must-have frames<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Of course the first look and first kiss are essential, but as you learn your editing style, you\u2019ll start to understand your three or four “must-haves” on any wedding day. For me, I always have to get an establishing shot with enough uncluttered, lightly colored space to add the couple\u2019s name in the first 30 seconds. Here’s an example:<\/p>\n

Again, every filmmaker is different and the more time you spend analyzing what works and doesn\u2019t \u2014 and which shots you wish you had more of \u2014 the more you\u2019ll be able to shoot for the edit.<\/p>\n