CHOOSING A SAN DIEGO WEDDING VIDEOGRAPHER

If you're planning a wedding one thing you've probably already learned - San Diego has no shortage of wedding videographers. You'll find over 200 local San Diego videographers advertised on the TheKnot.com alone. One would think that would create an extremely competitive market of quality videographers offering beautiful wedding films, but if you've been doing your research, you've learned this isn't the case. While there are many exceptional filmmakers in this industry, there are many wedding videographers that are in the business of "quantity" over "quality" and more often than not, their end profit outweighs making an exceptional wedding film. Unfortunately, the result is compromised quality and a film that falls short of capturing the essence and emotions of the day. Thus the reason for writing this blog - to give you some tips to keep in mind when choosing a videographer and to give you an understanding of why I shoot wedding films and and what to lookout for when choosing a videographer to capture your big day.

Film, to me, has always been something more than just pictures on a screen. I've always had a borderline obsession with movies and the art of documentary-style filmmaking. This love and respect of filmmaking ultimately led me to working in the wedding film industry. Telling a couple's story through a wedding film is my passion. Over the years I've developed an approach to my filmmaking in which I take the role of the quiet observer. As I'm capturing all of the important moments of this very special day, I'm observing and getting a "feel" for who the couple is, making mental notes and looking for every opportunity to capture their "essence" through my lens and style of editing. I have a very particular approach to filming and editing that is unique to my films and because of this, I do not enlist the assistance of others - every aspect of my films is 100% my own work and artistry. In order to manage my time well and to ensure I deliver a quality film to each and every couple whose wedding I have the privilege of filming, I made the decision long ago to film no more than thirty weddings in any given year, even if it means having to turn away business. For me, the satisfaction I get from making quality films and enjoying the work I do far outweighs making a greater profit.

Now for some advice when choosing a wedding videographer. Probably one of the most important tips I can give you is to be aware of the wedding videographers that outsource your wedding video to independent videographers and editors. I see this happen quite often and it usually results in a subpar wedding film. Buyer beware - the wedding film you see on a website might not be the wedding film quality or style you end up with. Every filmmaker has their own style of filming and editing. For example, lets say a videographer shows up to shoot a wedding and is working with a second videographer with whom they don't have a familiar working relationship. Chances are your wedding film will have two very different styles of wedding shots. Not only will there be a difference in film style but a difference in the technical attributes (i.e. color, frame rate, shutter speed, exposure, etc.) Secondly, editing quality and style is just as important as quality filming. Why is it so important that a videographer be a part of the editing process? Its simple - if the videographer knows that they are responsible for the editing then they are far more likely to invest themselves and put in the extra effort to ensure they get the best shots on the wedding day. When looking for a wedding videographer, I recommend you hire someone who films AND edits the film him/herself. If it's determined that you can't do without a second shooter, I highly recommend hiring an experienced duo who have a lot of experience working together and know each other's style. My favorite local San Diego wedding videographer team is Vanessa and Brett of dismoiouifilms.com. If I am contacted by a couple whose event is far too large for me to cover alone, I am happy to refer them to this duo. They are an example of a videographer team who work synonymously with each other and deliver exceptional films in the San Diego area.

One of my favorite parts of the wedding film process is the emotional response the couple has when they see their finished film. Knowing that I can provide them with a film they will cherish the rest of their lives is so rewarding for me. With that said, I invite you to watch any of my wedding films and see for yourself the quality of film that I produce. Feel free to reach out for my 2019 availability and schedule a time to chat. I look forward to talking with you!

All of my highlight wedding films, feature wedding films and raw footage reels are available to view at

http://www.ryangreenfilms.com/wedding-films