Posted by Bill Farnsworth on 05/29/06 23:45

"Bob Ford" <imagesinmotion@sbcglobal.net> wrote
> On the rare occasions (and I mean RARE) that I have done a wedding
> video I use my Telex that has a hand held module with an SM58 head.
>
> I prepped the speaker before hand, told them to speak directly into
> the mic and look at the camera and keep it brief. It has always
> worked
> well for me but then again I don't shoot weddings.
>
> Would probably prefer to have needles stuck in my eye ;-^)
> Bob Ford
> Images In Motion
> www.imagesinmotion.com

Oh. I hear what you are saying Bob. Believe me. And I agree with you
110 percent. You gotta prep 'em.

I have only done two weddings in the last 30 years.
One was for an ex-wife. (I put the entire wedding to Spike Jones'
"Cocktails for Two"!)
The other was a real big deal. (I actually walked out of the Men's
Room while Bill Gates was walking in. (That happened a year or so
before the pie in the face bit and body guard era really got serious.)
And my hat is off to the folks that shoot wedding videos. I don't know
how they do it?

But I digress.
I have shot some "big affairs" and "Gala events" that didn't revolve
around someone getting hitched, but the atmosphere has gotta be the
same as a wedding reception.
The liquor flows. Brains firing on seven cylinders. The crowd is
having fun. The hams isn't just smoked. They're toked, soaked and
sometimes pickled. (That idiot who just fell in the pool carrying
wedding gifts was me!)
But, I digress again.

You are right. If it is a speech. Prep the presenters and give 'em a
wireless mic.
But I still say that if the guy is planning on wandering through the
reception, looking for "man on the street" testimonials from guests,
get the best shotgun you can afford, strap it to the camera, work
close.

(There has got to be a special spot in heaven for wedding shooters)

Bill F.
www.billfarnsworthvideo.com

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