If you’re curious about how to become a wedding videographer, you can start with three steps. Of course, there are many processes to undergo for this profession, but reading about these three steps should give you a quick idea.
We also recommend browsing our blog for other wedding-related professions. For example, you might have a knack for public speaking, so why not read how to MC a wedding?
How Do You Become A Wedding Videographer?
Step 1. Plan your brand
If you want to be a wedding videographer, the first consideration is to plan your branding. First, prepare an idea of how you want to present yourself to your clients.
Some examples are deciding on your logo and even marketing ideas so you’ll have an identity unique to you in the wedding videography industry. You can also think about why you want to become a wedding videographer to create better branding.
When creating your brand, you must be honest because it will show through your work. In addition, authenticity is always a positive trait to have as your clients will see your passion for wedding videography, which will make you more enticing against the competition.
Step 2. Study different equipment types
Wedding videography is more than just taking videos of the couple during their wedding day and compiling them. You also need to be knowledgeable about the different types of equipment as they will help produce your vision and execute your style as a videographer.
If you don’t have the right gear or are not knowledgeable about them, your work may end up underwhelming, and clients wouldn’t trust you for their special day. To get started as a wedding videographer, you will need a dependable camera, stabilizers like gimbals, and mics, to name a few.
Since you’re just starting, you don’t need to get the most expensive gear. Instead, some newbies opt for a DSLR camera until they get used to wedding videography and develop their own style.
Step 3. Choose a style
With the different wedding videographers available in the market, you need a style that will make you stand out. This is not limited to how you brand yourself but the work you put out.
Make sure that there is a theme with your work that anyone can detect and determine that is unique to you. Then, as a beginner, you can focus on a specific editing style or even color palette on your works.
There’s no need to pressure yourself if it takes you a while to discover your style. Instead, understand that it takes experience in any profession to learn your groove.
Do You Need A Degree To Be A Wedding Videographer?
There is no required specific college degree to become a wedding videographer. Most wedding videographers are passionate about this craft that they study different equipment and styles to be good in such a profession.
But since wedding videographers are usually self-employed, you need to be more credible to attract clients easily. Even though there is no college degree for this specific profession, there are training, courses, or even seminars regarding videography.
You can also take a business course to run your videography business well. Finally, if you know some professional wedding videographers, consider being an intern or assistant for them to gain experience in the field.
What Do Wedding Videographers Do?
The wedding videographer is responsible for filming the ceremony and different moments on the couple’s wedding day. Therefore, it’s important to meet and discuss with the couple their expectations as the film you’ll do captures their special day.
You might be present from the wedding to the reception, similar to the wedding photographer. This is why it would be best to talk with the on-site staff regarding your gear and equipment, especially bulky ones that can be obtrusive if the placements aren’t planned beforehand.
After capturing various moments of the event, the wedding videographer will also be the one who’ll edit the video. Nowadays, it’s even common to offer a same-day edit so that the guests can see the video at the reception.
How Much Do Wedding Videographers Make?
The median annual salary for the year 2021 for videographers is about $45,000. However, remember that many factors can affect the expected earnings of a wedding videographer.
For example, if the couple has specific requests, there might be additional fees so the pay will be higher. On the other hand, you might also be an employer under someone, especially as a beginner, so the pay will not be solely yours.
How Much Does It Cost To Have A Videographer At Your Wedding?
Allocate anywhere from a thousand dollars to thrice that amount if you’re hiring a videographer at your wedding. Of course, the expenses will depend on your expected coverage and other requests, and some videographers even get paid per hour.
Are Wedding Videographers Worth It?
It’s worth it to have a wedding videographer because the film can feel more special than photos as you see the movements in real-time. And if you’re worried about the budget, why not do some other wedding positions like learning how to DJ your own wedding?
Conclusion
And that’s it! We just talked about how to become a wedding videographer and found out that you won’t need a specific degree.
Of course, you can take courses and intern to gain experience. However, you can begin by building a brand, studying gear, and creating a style.