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Don’t Do THIS to Your Wedding Party or Coordinator!

April 24, 2012 By Leave a Comment

I get asked all the time about how to coordinate the cameras and filming for a WeddingMix event. Scratch that. That’s NOT the question I get asked. That’s the question that SHOULD be asked. People ask me if asking their friends to film their wedding video is putting them to work. Easy answer. No. Most of your friends have their cameras and iPhones out anyway.

Image by Rose Schaller Photo

BUT here’s what you DON’T want to do

Your box of cameras arrives from Storymix a few days before the wedding. The night before the wedding, you surprise your wedding party with the fact that they need to “get video of your wedding”. Or, the morning of the wedding, you “instruct” your wedding coordinator that you ordered this great wedding video service and she needs to “make sure the guests get video”.

That is what’s called being a bit of a bridezilla. It’s not fair to spring this on them. Getting candid video of your wedding is fun, but does require literally just a few minutes of planning.

WeddingMix is NOT the same as disposable cameras

Leaving a disposable camera on the table is leaving it to chance that someone will pick it up and take photos. And hopefully that someone will not be (a) 10 years old or (b) so drunk they can’t stand up.

As I said, getting wedding video clips needs a few minutes of planning. Literally… a few minutes.

Just a Minute of Planning

We ship the cameras with big postcards full of  tips on getting good video, who to ask to hold the cameras, questions to ask wedding guests…  You want to give your friends a minute to look these over and get excited about all the cool moments they can get on video. You also want to make sure they know which moments you’d like to get on video.

We make this pretty easy with the iPhone app – there’s a shot list built right in. And, I got a great tip from one of our fabulous bride guest bloggers – Kelsey. Her mom bought a 5 camera package as a gift for her. She asked a few different people a few days ahead of time to capture different aspects of the wedding. Her mom wrote little note cards with what they were hoping to capture and tied them to the individual cameras.

While you don’t have to tie note cards to cameras, simply asking a few trustworthy friends and family members (or at least asking your wedding coordinator to do so) a few days ahead of time, will save you having to think about it on your wedding day. And it will certainly let them have fun planning the moments they will capture… like the flash mob dance, or the pre-wedding golf trip, or the post-wedding after party craziness, or the “impromptu” re-enactment of the cop pulling you over during the road trip from spring break, or the… you get the picture. So what cool moments do you hope your friends will capture?

 

See how we can help you capture and enjoy your big day for a lifetime. Learn more about DIY affordable wedding video at our website or feel free to give us a call at 800-831-1649.

Ariane

Filed Under: Shooting Video, Tutorial Tuesdays Tagged With: , ,

How to Lose 10 Pounds Instantly When Filming Yourself with an iPhone

March 20, 2012 By 2 Comments

It’s true. The WeddingMix app by Storymix Media can help you instantly lose ten pounds! Most people don’t do themselves any favors when they film themselves on an iPhone, Flip, or laptop. Why? They are setting the camera at an angle that shows every detail of every chin!

Watch this video tutorial (filmed using the WeddingMix app of course) to see how to lose 10 lbs. You’ll also learn how to use the front-facing camera on the iPhone. Feel free to download our app and try out the demo project for free. Next week we’ll learn how to embed video to your blog using the app.

 

See how we can help you capture and enjoy your big day for a lifetime. Learn more about DIY affordable wedding video at our website or feel free to give us a call at 800-831-1649.

Ariane

Filed Under: Shooting Video, Tutorial Tuesdays Tagged With: , ,

The Myth of the Shaky Video From a Flip Camera or iPhone

February 21, 2012 By Leave a Comment

One of the questions I’m frequently asked is “isn’t the video shot by your friends on an iPhone or Flip shaky?” Check out today’s Tuesday Tutorial (short) video to see why that simply isn’t true – well unless you really do have the wedding jitters. :)

Don’t miss my flub about 2/3 of the way through. Feel free to make fun of me in the comments below.

 

See how we can help you capture and enjoy your big day for a lifetime. Learn more about DIY affordable wedding video at our website or feel free to give us a call at 800-831-1649.

Ariane

Filed Under: Shooting Video, Tutorial Tuesdays Tagged With: , , ,

How to Hold a Camera or iPhone for a DIY Wedding Video

February 14, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Ok, I know this sounds like a “duh” moment, but the question really does come up a lot. Hopefully everyone knows not to put their fingers over the lens, so I won’t talk about that. But I see people send in sideways video sometimes, so I thought it might help to talk about how to hold the camera.

Think about it this way, when you watch tv, are the videos taller than they are wide? No. When you watch TV do they have black bars along the side of the video? No. So why do people sometimes hold the camera or iPhone that way when shooting wedding video? I think it’s because brides and grooms are taller than they are wide. Duh, again.

No worries, we can fix it on your feature length wedding video, but it does take a little longer to get back to you, and doesn’t look quite as good. Here’s a little video tutorial I created to show you the right way to hold a camera for your DIY wedding video.

 

See how we can help you capture and enjoy your big day for a lifetime. Learn more about DIY affordable wedding video at our website or feel free to give us a call at 800-831-1649.

Ariane

Filed Under: DIY, Tutorial Tuesdays Tagged With: , ,

How to Create a DIY Wedding Video using an iPhone and Cameras

February 7, 2012 By Leave a Comment

You spent the past year designing every detail of your gorgeous wedding… and you want to remember all the details on your 10th anniversary. So you decided to take the plunge and do a DIY wedding video. Storymix just made it whole lot easier – with our WeddingMix iPhone app.

Sure, anyone can take video on an iPhone, but if you want to create an edited wedding video, that’s another story. First of all, you get to have the joyful adventure of hunting down all the clips from your friends. They put them on Facebook, but how do you actually get them on your computer? Let’s say they email them to you (after you remind them for 6 months). Now the clips are too small for you to edit and have it look good. That’s why Storymix is offering our app.

You, your friends, family… everyone can begin shooting video as soon as you place your order. You can even set up a shot list in the app, so they know what scenes are most important to you. All the clips can be uploaded right to your WeddingMix project AND to Facebook.

flip camera iPhone wedding video

Ok, now here’s where it gets cool. You can ALSO get the HD cameras for the wedding (the app is free with any camera package). Why would you want cameras if you already have the app? Because it’s much easier to take long clips on a camera. So, if you want your entire first dance, ceremony, toasts, etc. the cameras definitely come in handy. In fact, you can even take a camera on your honeymoon.

After the wedding, everyone uploads their clips and you send back the cameras in our prepaid mailer. All the clips, get added to your storyboard online. Then you get to direct your movie. We do the editing, but you get to be the director. You can tell us which scenes are most important, what titles you’d like, etc. Then Storymix takes care of the hard stuff- the actual editing.

As you’ll see in the video below, now you can begin filming your wedding story as soon as you say “Yes, I’ll marry you.” As soon as you order any of our WeddingMix packages, you can download the app and begin taking video clips to include in your final wedding video. In fact, your fiance can even include the proposal!

 

Storymix makes it really simple to get the wedding video you want, told through the eyes of those who love you the most. Download the WeddingMix wedding video iPhone app today to try it out for free.

 

See how we can help you capture and enjoy your big day for a lifetime. Learn more about DIY affordable wedding video at our website or feel free to give us a call at 800-831-1649.

Ariane

Filed Under: DIY, Tutorial Tuesdays Tagged With: ,

Why to DIY Your Wedding Video

January 31, 2012 By Leave a Comment

In this kickoff of Tutorial Tuesdays, I wanted to give you an overview of HOW to DIY your wedding video. What?! Why in the world would you want to DIY a video????? So, before beginning with the HOW, I thought we should begin with the WHY.

When you think about wedding video, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Is it cheesy? Is it soooooo long that you’ll never watch it? Or perhaps you have that vision of gorgeous wedding films… like those produced by Hardeman films.

Whatever your vision of the product, there’s something else you may want to consider. How are you going to remember your wedding 10 years from now? The photos are awesome. But, there are some memories that just come to mind better in video. Like your dad’s toast. Or how about your sorority sisters doing a reenactment of spring break while you’re posing for pictures?

When you DIY your wedding video, you also get to include whatever you want in the final video. Why not include the bridal shower and honeymoon? How about your own Say Yes to the Dress?

As for the cheesy factor, that’s where your own creativity comes into play. If you don’t want a two hour video, don’t direct it that way.

And if you want a wedding cinema film, by all means, you should get a pro videographer. A pro video is really a different type of video than what you can get with a DIY service like Storymix Media. If you want to hear your vows clearly, or get that cinematic style where you are in focus and everything else is fuzzy, you’ll need the expertise of a gifted pro. There’s really no reason not to do both, though.

But, you know what, don’t believe me. Believe Laura, our awesome bride from Queens, NY, “Having the chance to re-live our favorite moments over and over again means more to us than you can ever imagine. Every time I watch it, I can’t help but smile!” She loved the concept of DIY wedding video so much, that she decided to work with us after her wedding. You can find her here on the blog. :)

 

See how we can help you capture and enjoy your big day for a lifetime. Learn more about DIY affordable wedding video at our website or feel free to give us a call at 800-831-1649.

Ariane

Filed Under: DIY, Tutorial Tuesdays Tagged With: ,

We Love Love

June 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Want to know who is behind the scenes at Storymix Weddings? The co-founders are two people very much in love. We love love. We loved our wedding. And we want to give everyone the opportunity to remember all the cool behind the scenes fun from their own wedding.

Our wedding was a DIY extravaganza. From the dress to the cake. Lots of DIY love. That’s us.

belle isle detroit

Image by Michael Kareha

I know I’m biased, but I just think my husband is a looker. And I’m particularly blessed, because he just gets better looking with age. Gotta love it!

Our wedding was pretty big. Over 200 friends and family. Lots of inebriated antics went on that night while the bar band Killer Flamingoes played on. We have some awesome photos of that evening – none of which are appropriate to show on the blog. :)

But I sure wish we had video of my piggyback ride around the dance floor. Or my husbands old boss jamming with the band. Or one of the groomsmen playing kissy face with one of the bridesmaids, when they had just met that morning. Let’s just say our wedding was the best party I’ve ever attended. And I sure wish I had a video of it. Imagine a camera in the hands of your best friends. What crazy, fun moments would they be able to capture?

So, My Flip Wedding is our gift to you. A DIY wedding video. It’s our way of saying – enjoy the memories.

 

See how we can help you capture and enjoy your big day for a lifetime. Learn more about DIY affordable wedding video at our website or feel free to give us a call at 800-831-1649.

Ariane

Filed Under: DIY, Real Wedding Videos, Wedding Video Tagged With: , , , ,

DIY Wedding Video Tips & Tricks – Why Wedding Video?

May 24, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Here is the first video in what will be an expanding list of tips and tricks to get the best video from your wedding.  Send anyone who will be shooting footage from any device – camcorder, point and shoot, phone, Flip, or pocket video – over to the tips and tricks section for quick lessons.

Today’s video focuses on why having a video from your wedding  is so important.  Less than 30% of all weddings hire a professional.  There are a lot of reasons why couples choose not to have a video.  In this video you’ll learn why it is a mistake that you’ll never be able to fix.  So if your fiance needs some convincing as to the importance of a wedding video, be sure to send them the link to this blog post.

Let us know what topics regarding DIY video that you’d like to learn more about and we’ll be sure to create a new video.

Filed Under: Custom Video Editing, Real Wedding Videos, Tutorial Tuesdays, Wedding Video Tagged With: ,

Because I Cry… Wouldn’t You?

May 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment

People ask me all the time “Why would you ever want to edit someone else’s wedding video? And shot on a Flip? Come on!” My answer? “Because I Cry”.

I cry every time I edit a wedding video. I know. I’m such a girl. I can’t help it. I thought it would be just the first one a few years ago. Then it happened again on the next one. And the next.

I really love watching you all get married. All of you. I love seeing you hold hands as you exchange vows. I love hearing your husbands pledge to love you forever. I love seeing your friends give you blessings. And making you laugh. I love seeing little kids running around the reception with straws stuck up their noses. Oh wait, that was my wedding. And it made me laugh. I love seeing your first dances. And those dances at the end of the night when you really let loose. It’s all memorable… the sentimental vows and the drunken escapades. It’s all part of your wedding.

And it brings back memories of my own wedding. It was a DIY extravaganza. And we loved every minute of creating our own memories. We had a choreographed first dance, similar to our So You Think You Can Dance couple, Mark and Amy.

And so I cry. I cry from joy… and a touch of sadness. You see, I don’t have a video of my own first dance. I really don’t want anyone else to ever say that.

 

See how we can help you capture and enjoy your big day for a lifetime. Learn more about DIY affordable wedding video at our website or feel free to give us a call at 800-831-1649.

Ariane

Filed Under: Custom Video Editing Tagged With: ,

DIY Wedding Video Tip | Don’t Leave Out the Best Part – Give Me Some Handles!

May 12, 2011 By Leave a Comment
You know we love DIY Wedding Video.  It’s the main feature of our company.  We also know that not everyone who picks up a video camera understands how to get the best possible footage.  So we are always looking to provide tips and tricks so you end up with the best possible wedding video.  Today we’re going to talk about adding handles to the video scenes that are shot.

Handles?  What the heck are you talking about?

Handles are that little bit of video at the beginning and end of each scene that our software program uses to create transitions.  If you don’t include  a second or two before or after the main part you want to show, you’ll end up with an abrupt change or cut out part of the scene – yikes!  Our Apple Pro Certified editors can work magic with your DIY video, but we can’t defy the laws of physics (yet!).
So what can you do?

• First, tell your video shooters to look at this post and others on this blog for quick and easy tips.
• Two, explain what a handle is and ask them to hit the start/stop button with enough time before and after what they are trying to record.
• Three, if you’re really ambitious, have them look at this post for a detailed explanation of handles with videos that shows what a difference they make.
• Four, relax, even if all the videos your guests take aren’t perfect, that is part of the charm with DIY wedding video.  It focuses on the personal, intimate, and spontaneous moments of your big day and not everything will be according to script.
Here are a couple of easy tips to use that will automatically cause your video scenes to include handles:
• If you’re asking a question of someone, tell them to smile before and after they speak.
• Pan into and out of the focal point (but don’t overdo it!).
• Start recording before important moments are about to happen – the vows, first dance, toasts, etc.

Happy shooting!
Filed Under: DIY, Shooting Video, Tutorial Tuesdays, Wedding Video Tagged With: , , ,
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