Wedding Photography and Videography Forum

how much raw footage?

I got married on July 26th and hired a videographer who was willing to just give me the raw footage so I could edit myself later/choose an editing package after seeing what he shot - this way we could actually afford to have a videographer (I was also intending to set up a camera somewhere else, but I never got to it). We payed him for 4.5 hours, but once we got the DVD it turned out he had only shot just over an hour of footage.  When I complained he said that it's normal for it to be that short, as he didn't want to shoot redundant things and that I should have given him more instruction the day of if I wanted more things videoed.

does only 1 hour and 17 minutes of footage seem reasonable to you for being hired for 4.5 hours?
did you get raw footage from your videographer and how long was it compared to how long he/she was there?
any idea what I should do now?

thanks for your help!

Re: how much raw footage?

  • I need more info before I can give an opinion. :)
    If the vidoeg (aka videographer) was hired for 4.5 hours, what 4.5 of the day was it?
    Is it getting ready and the ceremony? 
    How long was the reception?
    Did it include reception coverage?
    How long was cocktail hour?

    How affordable are we talking?
    Most importantly, what did your contract say?

    Sorry you are disappointed. Did he offer any solutions?
    :kiss: ~xoxo~ :kiss:

  • Did he get footage of the stuff you wanted (ceremony, toasts, dancing, whatever)? I'd think the substance and quality of the footage is more important than the actually quantity.
  • amberhlynnamberhlynn member
    First Comment First Anniversary
    edited September 2014
    he was 90 an hour for just the raw footage, then 500 or so for editing (which I didn't get).  It was for an hour before the ceremony as we were having a potluck/BBQ before hand, the ceremony was pretty short (but he still managed to miss videoing anyone but me walking down the isle) and he did capture the dancing dance and cake cutting but otherwise filmed little of the rest of the reception, rather then filming us dancing latter he backed away until all you could see was the tent and stopped right in the middle of "don't stop the music" 

    I agree that if it was all really good footage and hour would be fine, but it's not - there's like 5 minutes just of my dad grilling and another 5 of a plane fling over head.  So if I was to edit it down it would only be like 20 minutes. 

    the contract says he would  "begin capturing footage immediately ... and continue to capture footage throughout the day, until otherwise directed" which I assumed would mean he would film most of the time.  
    he didn't offer any solutions, just  explained by saying more footage would have been redundant and that I should have directed him more - that he was "on-call" for the whole time I just didn't call him...
  • I would ask for a partial refund. I would give specific examples of obvious footage missing.
    At the very least he should have captured the entire ceremony including the processional. I think that alone warrant a partial refund. 

    To suggest you should have flagged him down throughout the reception to film is ridiculous. Unless he is guests doing you a favor he should have been a professional and capturing the day as it unfolded. I would not expect there to be a ton of footage of the reception, other than the first dance, father/daughter and mother/son dances, cake cutting, garter, bouquet and toasts. But I would be very upset withe the missing processional footage.

    Lurkers, be sure to get specifics in your contract and make sure you see 2 or 3 examples of their work before signing a videog :)
    :kiss: ~xoxo~ :kiss:

  • That's crazy that he was expecting you to direct him. You're the bride, not a producer/director! That's why you paid him. Agreed with photokitty to ask for a refund.
  • yep definitely should have given him more specifics in the contract, or at least should have asked more questions!  just watching examples might not be enough as his examples were pretty good, even better then some of the more expensive people in the area.  So lurker's might also want to ask for references, or a recent example of what you're asking him/her for - like in my case it would be some raw footage not just the standard edited ones he shows off.

    Thanks for the advice you too! I'm going to watch it again this weekend to come up with specific problems before asking for a partial refund.  Hopefully it will go alright! 
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