FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1) Where is DHS WEDDINGS based? Do you travel worldwide?
We are based in BAREILLY – NOIDA , NEW DELHI (India), London (UK) and Monroe (USA), Toronto (Canada) and we travel all across the world to shoot weddings.
2) What is the typical team strength of the DHS WEDDINGS team that will be traveling to cover my wedding? Will a reduction in crew affect the cost?
We usually film with a crew of 2 cinematographers (candid style) and 2 photographers (candid and documentary style) along with a director, a production manager and an aerial drone operator. The crew works as one coherent team with different cameramen specializing in different lenses and styles including aerial, time-lapse and underwater filming.
For a larger scale wedding, we don’t recommend a reduction in the size of the crew as this is likely to affect the quality and grandeur of the film. This choreographed, multi-camera setup allows us to position ourselves strategically to capture ceremonies more naturally as they take place, without any hindrance.
3) Apart from the photography & videography costs, what are the other costs to be kept in mind?
The expenses for the travel, food and accommodation for the crew members are usually borne by the client unless decided otherwise or factored in as a package deal. In addition, the hard-drives for the final delivery are paid for by the clients too. Any additional days / hours of shooting (not mentioned in contract) are charged extra as per the rates in the contract. There are no other hidden costs.
4) What is a pre-wedding shoot and how do we go about it?
A pre-wedding shoot is a photo/video shoot of the couple done before the wedding that portrays the bond they share with each other. Since the wedding is a hectic time to be together, the couple get this day off with each other to shoot some “Relaxed, Together & Fun” images and videos and these can be used in the highlight film or as a separate two-minute pre-wedding film that can be shown during the sangeet or the wedding. A typical pre-wedding shoot lasts between 4-8 hours. The clothes / styling / makeup for this shoot is usually arranged by the client.
5) Is it possible just to get a pre-wedding shoot without opting for the complete wedding package?
We believe in start-to-end wedding coverage and hence refrain from undertaking stand-alone pre-wedding shoots. We shoot pre-weddings for clients whose weddings we have been commissioned to film. This serves as a great start to the final highlight film, and also strengthens the team’s bond with our clients before their wedding day.
6) What are the common deliverables that we can expect as part of the package?
In the standard package, we deliver three different versions of the wedding film and all the edited digital photographs that include both candid and documentary style. All films and photos are delivered on a hard drive.
The three versions of films include –
1) The Trailer (TR) – A 4-5 minute trailer or teaser film that can be released on social networking sites for the friends and family to see, reminisce and cherish.
2) The Highlight film (HL) – A 40-45 minute highlight film of the best moments of the wedding on select songs interspersed with the story as narrated by the couple and their loved ones.
3) Full wedding Films (FF) – The entire footage of the main events like the sangeet, wedding ceremony etc. in a film format edited minimally on ambient sounds blended with soft instrumental music.
7) What are the number of photographs that will be provided in the package? Also the total number of edited photographs and the format in which they would be provided?
It’s difficult to determine the total number of images we will be shooting over a typical two or three day wedding. Approximately 3000-4500 images are expected to be shot during a typical three-day wedding. All images are given to the client in high resolution JPEG format on a 1 / 2 TB hard drive (digital delivery) and all the images are color and exposure edited. The images are shot both in candid and traditional style.
8) I would like an exclusive, tailor-made track for my trailer. How do I go about it? Does it come at an additional cost?
We love music, and we love the process of creating music tracks which mirror your vibe as a couple. Your love could be carefree as a bird or deep as the ocean – what better way to tell your story than through a customized wedding track? All good things come at a cost – and so does your customized wedding track.
9) Can you make the trailer or a short film of the wedding so that we can show it at the Reception / Last day?
Yes we offer this service – These are referred to as “Same Day Edits” and they are a great way to showcase some of the best moments of the wedding instantly to everyone present. However, this is an expensive process (extra equipment and setups are required for an extra editor to produce this) and adds to the final cost of the package.
10) During the wedding, who do we communicate with regarding all our photo & video requirements?
The Wedding Director or the Director of Photography is usually the prime point of contact with the family. He/she is the sole person that co-ordinates with the couple and the event planner regarding all aspects of the events and conducts interviews etc. Also, from the couple’s side, we need to have a singular point of contact for all wedding shoot co-ordination. The bride’s / groom’s siblings or the best friends are the best people for the job.
11) Are there any specific requirements in terms of venue/stage lighting and other aspects of the setup for the best photo and video results? How can we ensure that the photography team has the best resources at hand to create magic?
Good lighting is a pre-requisite for great photos and videos. If a few simple things are taken care of at the planning stage, the job is half done. Go for natural lighting instead of tinted hues and ensure that the stage, mandap etc. are well lit especially in the night. The spatial design should be such that it allows the crew to cover the event from multiple angles for a good variety in footage – always advise your planner to keep in mind the space needed by photographers in case of over-crowded events. It’s a good idea to have some extra time at hand before each event for couple shots – it doesn’t take more than 10-15 minutes, but ensures that the couple has some stunning portraits before the hair, makeup and outfits make their way to the dance floor – to never come back the way they were!
12) What are audio bytes and why are these important for the quality of the film?
The primary charm of the wedding video is the footage and just so that the events are nicely interlinked, we film interviews with the close family (bride, groom, parents and siblings / best friends – usually 6 frames) so that there is an underlying story that keeps the viewer connected to the film. As the story unfolds, the viewer gets a sense of how the couple met and decided to spend their lives together. For this, we film about 15-20 mins of audio / video bytes with each of the six frames of people. This is because we ask specific questions to different people and place the story in a coherent format in the edit room.
13) Who decides the music and film name for the Highlight film?
Music and song selections are collectively done by the wedding director, the client and the edit team. A client coordinator is assigned for this under the guidance of the creative visualiser of the project. The film names are usually suggested either by the client or the film director and approved by both.
14) Is there anything that you require from our end to begin the edit of our films?
We need two basic documents from the couple for the commencement of the edit of the highlight film – first is the music selection (various sound tracks you want for various sections / events of the film) and second is the title credits (family names) for the opening and closing sections of the film. A delay in the completion of these documents will exponentially delay the delivery dates of the highlight film. As a thumb-rule, we expect to receive these two documents from the couple within 40-45 days after the wedding.
15) Why does it take 60-65 days for the delivery of our wedding film?
Film editing is a tedious and creative process and we work with some of the best editors in the industry who are perfectionists and believe in the highest quality of film editing. After seeing hours and hours of footage they select the best of the best shots for the film and naturally all this takes time. As a thumb-rule, each minute of final edit takes about one day to finalize once the final edit begins. Rest assured, once you see your final film, the wait will be well worth the time.
