| What's the state of the wedding
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| | Video Toaster, Canopus Edius and others.
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| videography industry today? To find out,
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| | Some videographers opt for real-time DV
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| we talked with working wedding
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| | acceleration cards such as the RT.X100
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| videographers, found industry statistics
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| | from Matrox or the DVStorm2 from Canopus
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| and fleshed out what is undoubtedly a
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| | . One constant is obvious throughout the
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| flourishing business in a growing market.
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| | equipment decision arena -- people are
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| Although some might wonder if amateurs
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| | staunchly devoted to the choices they've
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| are moving in on the pros because of
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| | made. Winters said, "They're loyal, from
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| lower-cost gear and easier-to-use
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| | fierce arguments about the superiority of
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| software, our consensus of wedding
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| | an operating system or capture card to
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| shooters and editors say that isn't so.
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| | the inferiority of the competing product.
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| We also took a look at the tools wedding
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| | My personal opinion is less partisan. To
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| videographers are using, and found out
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| | me an editing system is a tool and
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| how the best wedding videographers are
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| | nothing more -- whatever works and makes
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| using the Web to open up new avenues of
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| | me money is what I will use -- and in
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| business for their bustling
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| | this case I have chosen Premiere Pro 1.5
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| enterprises.To get an idea of the size of
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| | and a Matrox RT.X100 capture card. I have
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| the wedding videography market, first
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| | both the real time card from Matrox and
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| let's take a look at statistics that
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| | plain generic FireWire cards."Another
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| reveal the enormous amount of money spent
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| | popular technique of today's wedding
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| on weddings in the United States.
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| | videography is multicamera production. At
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| According to the American Wedding Study
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| | its most rudimentary level, a
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| by Conde Nast's Bridal Infobank, in the
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| | videographer will operate one camcorder
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| last ten years spending on an average
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| | while a second unmanned camcorder is set
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| wedding has exploded by 50%, to an
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| | up on a tripod, taping the event from a
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| average of $22,360 per wedding this year,
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| | different angle. For the reception, most
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| up from $15,208 in 1994. And, according
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| | of the time a single camcorder does all
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| to Richard Markel, President of the
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| | the shooting, with the other used as a
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| Association for Wedding Professionals
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| | backup. At its most sophisticated, a
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| International, of the $65 billion spent
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| | multicamera setup works in much the same
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| on weddings each year, "6% of the budget
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| | way a network remote production would be
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| would be for video." Markel added, "But
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| | configured, with multiple cameras
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| using the 6% of the estimated $65 billion
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| | attached to a switcher located in a
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| spent will equate out to $390 million."
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| | separate room outside the venue. A
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| This signals a wide-open market for
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| | director is in constant contact with each
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| wedding videography professionals. Markel
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| | of the three, four or more camera
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| continued, "We just had a show here in
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| | operators via headsets, coordinating
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| Sacramento and several of our
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| | their shots while switching live between
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| videographers booked business with an
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| | cameras while rolling tape in each camera
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| average ticket price of
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| | for isolated footage that can be added in
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| $2,500."AdvertisementLooking at those
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| | post.Advanced technology also makes the
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| stats, wedding videography appears to be
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| | final product delivered to clients much
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| a growth industry. Let's do the math for
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| | better, where a high quality DVD is now
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| a moment. Consider an experienced
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| | commonly handed to the client when all
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| videographer , charging $2500 for an
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| | the shooting and editing is done.
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| average wedding, shooting one wedding per
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| | Formerly an extra-cost option for wedding
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| week. In a year, that person has earned
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| | video clients, DVDs have been working
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| $130,000. But that would be a very
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| | their way into the mainstream
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| hard-working videographer -- most of the
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| | particularly over the past few years.
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| videographers we talked to said they
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| | Said Malandruccolo, "When I first started
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| spent up to 40 hours editing each wedding
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| | offering DVDs about three years ago, they
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| video, meaning a weekly shoot would
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| | were expensive. I had it as an add-on.
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| constitute nearly-constant travail with
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| | Not everyone took it because not everyone
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| hardly any time off.One great success
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| | had a DVD player. It's amazing how
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| story would be that of high-end
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| | quickly that has changed, because now a
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| videographer Kris Malandruccolo, whose
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| | lot of couples aren't even interested in
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| company Elegant Videos by Kris has been
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| | a VHS copy except for Grandma." It's not
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| operating in the Chicago area for the
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| | surprising that DVDs have taken over as
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| past 16 years. Her business can command
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| | far as deliverables are concerned. With
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| as much as $5000 for a wedding video
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| | home DVD player prices now dipping below
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| package, and regularly signs contracts
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| | $50, and many computers including DVD
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| for $3000 weddings. But the mother of
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| | burners and players as standard
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| three doesn't want to work all the time,
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| | equipment, DVDs have become a ubiquitous
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| so she limits herself. "Someone else
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| | delivery medium for videographers of all
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| could shoot four or five per month. But
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| | kinds. Perhaps the greatest benefit of
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| I average two or three weddings a month,"
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| | this is the fact that finally clients can
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| she told Digital Media Net.According to
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| | see the true quality of the video,
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| Luisa Winters, an award-winning
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| | virtually the same as the quality of the
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| videographer and editor who has her own
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| | camcorder on which it was shot. That
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| wedding videography business,
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| | represents quite a quality difference
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| Unforgettable Events, most wedding
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| | from the VHS tapes that were the norm
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| videographers charge under $2000 for
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| | just a few short years ago. "So many
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| their services -- with higher-end wedding
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| | times, I was shooting with a 3-chip
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| video companies charging as much as
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| | camcorder , and I would have this
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| $15,000-$20,000. "I do not consider
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| | beautiful miniDV master, but then the
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| anyone a true professional unless they
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| | couple's walking out the door with VHS
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| are able to make enough money to support
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| | and I'm putting the master tape in a box
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| themselves with this business," Winters
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| | in my studio. All that quality would go
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| told Digital Media Net. "Anything else is
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| | to waste," said Malandruccolo.Every
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| a side business. Supporting a family
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| | wedding videographer is intensely
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| means different things depending on what
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| | concerned with marketing, and high
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| part of the country you are located. If
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| | technology has been a boon to all
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| you are in a less expensive location,
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| | involved. The biggest plus is the Web,
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| then less income will suffice -- and you
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| | with its ability to bring a tremendous
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| are still professional," Winters added.At
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| | volume of information to anyone with a
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| prices of $2000-$5000 and up, it seems
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| | computer. By far the most important
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| like amateurs would be interested in
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| | innovation for wedding videography
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| shooting their own wedding videos, or
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| | marketing is streaming video. Some
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| getting a friend or relative to take the
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| | reported to us that clients will not
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| controls of the family camcorder . But
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| | consider a videographer unless they can
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| Internet message boards for wedding
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| | see a streaming video demo of the
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| videographers are rife with stories of
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| | shooter's work on the Web. Where in years
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| first-time videographers shooting an
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| | past a client would need to personally
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| entire wedding ceremony with the
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| | visit numerous videographers to see
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| camcorder on pause, only to find they
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| | examples of their work, now a bride-to-be
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| began rolling after all was said and
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| | can visit twenty Web sites in an evening,
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| done, ending up with lots of artistic
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| | picking a videographer whose style and
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| shots of the floor and nothing else.
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| | pricing matches her taste and budget.
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| According to videographer /editor Luisa
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| | Streaming video is also important after
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| Winters, "The amateurs are taking a bite
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| | the wedding is shot as well. According to
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| out of the wedding videographer business,
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| | Richard Markel, President of the
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| but that is true only for the lower-end
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| | Association for Wedding Professionals
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| videographers." She thinks the lower-end
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| | International, streaming video lets
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| shooters make things better for the
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| | clients show their wedding to the world.
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| higher end, increasing the quality gap
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| | "The ability to email or add streaming
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| between the two. "More-educated brides
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| | video to a Web site is awesome -- now
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| will expect to pay a lot more for a video
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| | viewers that could not attend the wedding
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| that looks professional than they were
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| | from around the world -- friends and
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| willing to pay before the advent of such
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| | family -- can view the wedding wherever
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| inexpensive equipment. The difference
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| | they are," Markel said.The Web has become
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| between an amateur wedding video and a
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| | so important on wedding marketing, that
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| professional one is huge, and people are
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| | some videographers report a full 50% of
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| willing to pay Top Dollar for the
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| | their business is attracted via the Web.
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| latter." Sometimes quality considerations
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| | Clients can see the demo videos, get a
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| can be quite basic, such as, can you hear
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| | price quote, and negotiate the entire
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| what the bride and groom are saying? "You
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| | shoot without ever seeing the
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| really have to worry about the audio part
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| | videographer . "A lot of brides
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| of it, you know. There's a lot involved,"
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| | complement my Web site," said
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| said Kris Malandruccolo, who in addition
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| | Malandruccolo, because they get the
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| to being a successful wedding
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| | instant gratification of seeing samples
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| videographer is president of the Illinois
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| | immediately. "The majority have broadband
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| Videographers Association.Is the playing
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| | connections so they can see the sample
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| field being leveled by the profusion of
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| | videos of past projects. I've booked
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| low-cost, high quality equipment?
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| | brides without even meeting with them,
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| According to Winters, "The quality of
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| | just from them finding my Web site,
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| image and editing capabilities has become
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| | clicking on the streaming video, calling
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| less important to the fact that now you
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| | me, talking price, and they'll say, 'All
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| have to be a better storyteller, you have
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| | right. Send me a contract.' I feel if
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| to be a better artist... after all, we
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| | you're a videographer , if you want to
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| all have access to pen and paper, but we
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| | get more business, you need to offer
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| cannot all write the great American
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| | streaming video."However, the Web isn't
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| novel, right? Shakespeare and Mozart only
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| | the only way to drum up business. As it
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| had pen and paper to work with, and yet
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| | has always been, another important tool
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| they gave us masterpieces that transcend
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| | is referrals, that age-old kind of
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| time. Not all is determined by
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| | word-of-mouth advertising where happy
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| equipment."Then there's the editing,
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| | customers report their positive (or
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| which is a process many newlyweds aren't
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| | negative) wedding video results to others
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| equipped to handle. "As you know, anyone
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| | looking for the same service.
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| in the business who edits knows it's a
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| | Videographers such as Luisa Winters of
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| time-consuming process," said
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| | Unforgettable Events see the Web as more
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| Malandruccolo. "I take tons of family
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| | of a reinforcement tool for referrals
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| videos but none of my personal stuff is
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| | than an end-all. "The Web is great, but
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| edited, because there's no time. So if I
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| | it is just a means of reinforcing what
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| wasn't getting paid, then I would not be
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| | they have heard already through the
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| editing, because it's so time-consuming,
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| | referral, or if they are just surfing the
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| especially if you don't do it all the
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| | net," she said. According to Winters, "By
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| time. I think a lot of people, especially
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| | far, most clientele comes to us resulting
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| if they have the money, just want to say
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| | from referrals from brides and other
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| 'do it for me.'" Malandruccolo added that
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| | vendors -- in fact, we do not advertise
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| it's not just the time element that is a
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| | at all." Surprisingly, she sees other
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| barrier to entry, but it's the
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| | wedding vendors as her allies, even if
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| professionalism required to create a
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| | they are competing wedding videographers.
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| polished production. "The end result is
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| | "Many times my referrals come from other
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| that you have a better quality video.
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| | videographers that just cannot do the job
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| Like I emphasize to my clients, this is a
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| | for whatever reason -- mostly because
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| family heirloom. You only get one shot to
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| | they are already busy. Referrals,
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| do it right, and you can't do it over, so
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| | referrals, referrals -- that's the way to
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| being that this is a family heirloom, if
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| | go!"Attending a bridal show is another
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| you look at it that way, then they're
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| | way for videographers to get the word out
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| willing to invest the money into it. And
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| | about their services. Brides-to-be attend
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| I've never had a client say that they're
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| | these shows to see new trends and pick up
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| sorry that they spent the money on video.
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| | ideas, and the number of videographers
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| Clients just don't say that," added
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| | showing their wares at such events has
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| Malandruccolo.Wedding videography has
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| | increased over the years. According to
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| changed significantly over the past 20
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| | Markel, "I have had videographers in my
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| years, where digital video shooting and
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| | consumer bridal show over the last 15
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| editing has brought highly sophisticated
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| | years, however it was only one or two at
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| techniques to a type of video production
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| | most per show. But that's changing fast
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| that was once quite basic. In those days
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| | -- last week at our show we had 11."
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| it was typical to spend about $1000 on a
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| | There are also exhibitions that are held
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| video that was a simple, point-and-shoot
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| | specifically for wedding videographers,
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| production, with all the editing taking
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| | the biggest being the annual event held
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| place in the camera . But now, with the
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| | by WEVA, the Wedding and Event
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| power of digital technology,
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| | Videographers Association.Another
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| videographers are taking advantage of
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| | powerful way to attract attention to a
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| 3-chip DV camcorders and sophisticated
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| | videography business is by advertising in
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| editing setups, resulting in
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| | bridal publications. That's why Illinois
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| extraordinary productions, many of which
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| | Videographers Association president Kris
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| are true works of art.For the shooting
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| | Malandruccolo says it's a big advantage
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| tasks, most wedding videographers use DV
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| | to be a part of an organization where
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| camcorders in the league of the Sony
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| | videographers can band together. "We took
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| PD150 or VX 2000, Canon XL1 and GL2, or
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| | out a co-op ad in Chicago Wedding Pages
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| Panasonic 3-chip camcorders such as the
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| | magazine and Wedding Guide Chicago, and
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| AG-DVX100. Said Winters, "Most wedding
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| | in order to be on that co-op ad, you have
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| videographers will use DV for acquisition
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| | to be a member of IVA. So we're able to
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| (3-CCD), which is logical, because the
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| | advertise in magazines for less cost,
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| cost is low, the quality is high, and
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| | because we're all going in on the ads."
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| above all, the weight of the camcorder is
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| | But even though Luisa Winters thinks ads
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| so low now, that videographers are able
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| | are important, she adds that there's more
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| to be more creative with the smaller
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| | to it than that. "He or she who markets
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| units than they were able to be, say,
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| | best, wins," asserted Winters. "And
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| five or six years ago, when the cameras
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| | notice that marketing is not only placing
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| where huge. No longer do you have to have
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| | ads, it is building those relationships
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| a big professional-looking camcorder to
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| | in the wedding business which will lead
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| get good money videotaping weddings. In
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| | to referrals -- that is the marketing
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| fact, many clients prefer the smaller
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| | that counts the most."All the wedding
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| units over the bigger ones, because they
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| | videographers interviewed were certain
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| are less obtrusive."Another staple of
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| | that amateurs are not overrunning their
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| wedding coverage are wireless
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| | businesses in any significant way,
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| microphones, usually attached to the
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| | although there were numerous examples of
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| groom and strategically placed elsewhere,
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| | "newbies" who made valiant attempts but
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| assuring that the most important words
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| | found out -- often too late -- that
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| many people will ever speak will be
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| | pro-level videography isn't as easy as it
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| clearly heard on the final product.The
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| | looks. Even though equipment prices and
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| biggest technological leap has been in
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| | easy-to-use editing software has brought
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| editing, where even unsophisticated
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| | video-making into the mainstream, talent
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| computers can create presentations that
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| | and experience, as well as hard work and
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| would have been possible only in a
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| | shrewd marketing are still scarce
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| multi-million dollar edit suite 20 years
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| | qualities that make professional wedding
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| ago. Apple Final Cut Pro is the most
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| | videographers a valuable resource to the
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| popular Mac application for editing, with
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| | multi-billion dollar wedding industry.For
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| Adobe Premiere Pro 1.5 leading the pack
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| | more information on wedding videography
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| on the Windows side. Other wedding
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| | in Tampa and Orlando, check out or call
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| videographers use Sony Vegas, Pinnacle
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| | 813-623-3126.
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| Liquid Edition , Avid Xpress , NewTek
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