Why should you get a wedding video?
I’ve never understood people who say “Just remember your wedding”. Every time you remember an event it changes slightly in your mind, how accurate is that memory going to be when you’re 80? I also wonder if those people have never felt nostalgic about an old photo or video.

I admit that the wedding video probably shouldn’t be the highest priority, however, I do believe that every wedding should have something captured on film – even if that means getting a film student to do a free one, that’s how I started. Please don’t ask your guests to film as it’s best to let them enjoy the day.

A good wedding video gets better every time you watch it. It’s a document of the friends and family around you. Even with the 4k film cameras in everyone’s pockets these days most people don’t have a video of their parent’s talking, let alone them telling you they love you or telling a cheesy joke.

Where are you based?
I live in Upper Riccarton, Christchurch but I’m always keen to travel! If your wedding is between 1 – 2 hours outside of Christchurch I charge $1/km. If it’s further than that I charge $100 / day of travel + $100 / night of accommodation + flights if applicable. I usually lose a little bit of money doing it this way, but I enjoy it. It’s one of my goals to travel more.

Do you have a drone?
Yes! I have a Mavic 2 pro. Drone footage is dependent on time and weather. If you are really keen on drone footage I can hire a second shooter to make sure the basics get covered and there is plenty of time for drone shots. Otherwise, I usually try to get a drone shot of the ceremony set up and reception hall.

What does coverage mean in your price list?
Coverage indicates the amount of time I will be filmed for on the day. For instance, for a Diamond package, I would usually be there from 11 am to 9 pm which is 10 hours of coverage. I like to meet 2 – 3 weeks out from the wedding – either on Zoom or over coffee – and I like to work out my schedule then.

Do you do photography?
Not for weddings, however, I got my sister into the wedding business a few years back and she’s now an insanely successful photographer. We work together all the time, she’s amazing:
https://www.sallyannephotography.co.nz/

I have been known to take the odd photo for other jobs but I’m not sure how anybody can do photos and video at the same time – especially for a wedding where things only happen once.

How long are your turnaround times?
I like to take my time and craft as impactful a story as I possibly can, therefore my turnaround times are usually between 2 – 3 months. This is because I often shoot more than one wedding per week so my editing schedule stacks up during the height of the summer.

If there is a reason that you need an edit finished quicker than this please let me know and I can do my best to have the wedding delivered as soon as possible.

Why are your prices so expensive?
Most of my prices come down to the editing as that’s what takes me the majority of the time. I believe that most people don’t really understand the difficulties of working with video. I try my best to follow Oscar-winning editor Walter Murch’s Rule of Six. These rules tell you how to prioritise a decision in the following order:
1. Emotion
2. Story
3. Rhythm
4. Eye Trace
5. 2D plane of screen
6. 3D space

Juggling these 6 considerations is difficult and often I’ll scrap the entire edit to start over multiple times to get it right. It can be really frustrating sometimes but it’s also super fun and I love it. You can read more about Walter Murch’s rules here:
https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/walter-murch-rule-of-six/

If my prices are out of your budget then please let me know as I have many good film students that I used to teach at Yoobee Colleges who would be grateful for the extra experience.

But my cousin Billy is keen to film for $1000, can you be more competitive with your prices?
Sorry, I’m sure Billy will be great but maybe double-check they have enough batteries and SD cards for the entire day. My camera only runs for just over 1 ½ hours/battery so I carry 6 of them and a charger just in case. I usually shoot between 300 GB and 600 GB of footage between 3 – 5 cameras, 2 – 3 lapel mics and a drone. Another good thing to think about is that reception halls are often very dark so make sure they have a camera that is good in low light.

How long have you been filming weddings?
I shot my first wedding in November 2015 for free after my sister saw a Facebook post and volunteered me. Ever since then, I loved it. I’ve now shot over 100 and finally went full-time at the beginning of 2023.

I’d love to get a video but I’m nervous in front of the camera, do you have any tips?
Yes! First of all, it’s normal to not like the way you look on camera, we’re so used to seeing ourselves each day in the mirror where our reflection is horizontally flipped. This means that the image we see in photos and videos looks slightly off. With practice, however, you can overcome this.

In terms of being in front of the camera, the best advice I can give is to look deep into your partner’s eyes and focus on their reactions. This will help you stay in the moment and create the most natural-looking images. They say when you lock eyes with someone for 30 seconds your brain releases oxytocin – the love drug. This is the perfect way to spend your wedding day, high on love.

What do I do with my hands?
The best option is to always be touching your partner – not like that. Put them around their waist, stroke their arm, play with their hair; a little bit of movement is always good. Otherwise in a pocket or with the palm of your hand pressed lightly on your thigh or relaxed finger curl. Please don’t make fists.