Hard to believe how technology has changed. I started videotaping weddings 30 years ago with camcorders as a solo videographer. Now it’s possible to do it with phones. Camcorders to dslrs to mirrorless cameras. Finally I retired from weddings. The days became too long because brides wanted to film putting on makeup and doing their hair and stay until reception ended. I was using several cameras, tripods/stands, lights, audio recorders, microphones, and a drone. Besides phones - now we have the Pocket 3, Insta 360 Go 3, and action cameras that do 4K video and can be color graded. I’m in my late 60’s - it has been exciting to watch the new technology and editing software.
If someone had told you 30yrs ago that eventually people would be recording weddings with their phones, what would you have said? lol “I’m not crazy! In the future, all video production will be done with telephones!”
yaa filming with a phone or tiny casual cam will not make you charge 3000 Dollar for the wedding work. It all will end up in becoming very cheap and wedding filmer will have trouble to live from this work. Or the couples use own phones and just put in a AI edit software.
Yes, filming horizontal with vertical in mind has become the harsh reality. I say harsh reality because I will always prefer the horizontal, but clients are beginning to expect vertical footage in addition to the horizontal. Now, as a LUMIX user, we already have OPEN GATE. And I think that's what most of us will start filming in.
If I were to get married again or have anything filmed, I don't need vertical video. I'll just turn my phone to the side like I've been doing since the first iPhone. Vertical seems more appropriate for 5 second clips of say, a dog in a cute sweater.
But you’re forgetting the nostalgia points. People still love film still love super 8. Fads come and go, but people will always want to look like they are in a movie. If you do it well, there will be no reason to change. Because the classic look has and will always be the best.
I just can't fathom calling myself a professional videographer and showing up to film a wedding with a cell phone, regardless of how far cell phones have come. A cell phone is designed to do many things, one of them is taking pictures and recording video. A video camera on the other hand has a much more focused design: record high quality video footage. Maybe if you are just getting into wedding filmmaking and want to give it a try before investing in a lot of gear?
The trend that makes the most sense to me is a five minute horizontal video of the wedding highlights and several vertical reels. I am the happiest married man in the world and I have no desire to sit and watch my wedding video that was 35 minutes back in the day. My kids wouldn't sit and watch anything over 5 minutes today even if it was a video of their parents getting married. Same goes for birthday parties, Christmas morning, ETC. Film some things and make a three minute memory that you can show in the future in bite sized pieces.
Shorter wedding videos(trailers and highlights) seem to be getting more popular as the main deliverable. more often than not I'm being sent precendents from clients where all footage is thrown in the editing blender and it spits out a scattergun mess. As a filmmaker trying to structure a narrative across a wedding day in a longer form video, this is quite deflating and feels shallow. But it's what they want to show off on the 'gram, so I'll give it to them.
Hey Matt.... I had to smile watching your video. I've been in the wedding industry for 18 years. I don't shoot weddings anymore only for special friends. Funny story to share with you. Last fall I've been doing wedding photography and had some challenging moments in wooden barn where it is impossible to lit it well... well, I ditched my Sony camera as my smartphone did my better job in that situation so there you have it...
Very good points. I’d add that more and more we will see ppl delivering the material captured asap, no more taking 30 days or so to see the wedding, they want to see it right away. Cause everybody is already posting video with their phones during the wedding, the videographers and photographers might as well do the same but keep the quality they were hired to have.
Never done a wedding vertical. Unless it's specifically for IG, I'm rarely shooting vertical. And if the couple does want vertical stuff (never had a couple ask for it) then I would gladly do it. If anything it's only a matter of time before cameras can record both at the same time. "I doubt Ai will..." famous last words haha
You have some good points there but these have nothing to do with the title... The FUTURE OF Wedding FIlms. For me if you want to analyze the "future" it's all about the different style on shooting weddings, differences on editing, probably new things about wedding films etc. And definitely not an iPhone or a guide to shoot vertical videos. Probably Tik-tok or Insta need vertical footage but after all wedding videos is a memory thing from the wedding day and not a commercial who nobody will remember one day after.
Great video Matt I believe the future of wedding videos will also consist of shorter videos due to the lack of attention span thanks to the increase in popularity of reels shorts and tic toc
I love the part, "she's happy and her couples are happy, an that is most important". If we hold on to that phrase, whatever the future brings, we will be fine.
Booked a wedding for next year where the couple wants social media footage as well as a normal recap video. My daugter is going to help me and get paid!!
We literally started filming with cell phones and then moved to actual video cameras. Now it is so weird to consider going back however it is not surprising.
What is really scary is couples wanting me to film with several iPhones and simply give them the footage and pay me 30% of what I would charge for a fully edited and artistic film. Or worse their friends use iPhone and fire me.
Hello, Matt, I am writing to you from Trabzon, Turkey. I am a friend of yours who studied cinema at the university, uses the same equipment as you, and has been doing wedding photography and video work in my city for 8 years. I had déjà vu while going through your videos and tips catalogue. Knowing that there are people on the other side of the world who do the same work as us and experience the same problems and are excited about the same things makes you feel like you are not alone. Thank you so much for all your educational and beautiful content. Note: I also bought an iPhone 15 Pro Max and I think wedding film business will gradually shift towards mobile devices. I use the Sony A7IV + 35mm G Master lens for video work, and I never give up the Mark IV for photography work. I own 2 Canon Mark IVs. For your editing work, you have the simplest model of Mac Studio with 32 RAM and I have been using only Davinci for 3 years.
Matt! As a wedding filmmaker also named Matt, I appreciate all your insight! Big fan of the channel! Thank you for all that you do. My thoughts: I understand the ease of uploading footage to social media with an iPhone, but for me, the lack of diversity in types of lenses and data the camera can take in shows. Plus, a shot nitpick, you’re behind the wedding couple in Hora 😉 Second thought, I agree we have to keep vertical in mind, but now we have wedding filmmakers just filming with a 35mm all day long, and we have no diversity in lenses, and every video is a carbon copy. Sculpting with time, the esteemed wedding filmmakers, film their weddings like a movie, which should be the goal. Meaning: treat your weddings like a film set: get primary shots where the couple addresses your camera after photographer gets their shots and get epic ones, you either have multiple prime lenses ready or you hire a second or third shooter so you have more diversity in lenses/angles, you storyboard your shots beforehand but leave room for spontaneity, and for your edit you find the emotional through line throughout the wedding day like a screenplay. The last point is where I see most wedding films suffer. You have to present the couple’s story visually but also by using the best spoken highlights (speeches, vows, letters, first looks, rehearsal dinner speeches, etc.) that compliment your visuals, push the story along by introducing them and summing up the essence of their love and their loved ones. I swear, most wedding videos I see, the 4-10 min range, are cut like music video montages. I find myself losing interest or getting dizzy after the first minute. This style works for teasers but for longer format videos, the lack of an emotional through line shows. So, in my opinion, wedding filmmaking is becoming more like cinema since that quality equipment and knowledge is becoming more democratized to access. I think wedding filmmaking will become more throughly storyboarded and shots will be more epic, but the iPhone will be used alongside for socials. Long story short, I think you’re always right on the money, but I think the cinematic quality to stand out is more the answer rather than dumbing down the quality.
I use DJI pocket 3 for wide establish shot now. Because I do not want to overuse gimbal and bring less gear. But for wide shot I still find the need of smooth gimbal shot. So I put pocket 3 in my jacket. And whenever I need a wide shot whether it is for establish shot or following people walking, I can quickly take out my pocket 3 to film it.
People seriously want their videos vertical???? I'm even more surprised people want their weddings on TikTok. When I think of wedding videos I think of couples rewatching their wedding on their tv with their kids and grandma showing them what mom and dads wedding was like back in the day while also having a beautifully shot video. Enshitification is real y'all.
The only problem with that is Boca and depth of field. Filming everything with the intention of crop in will probably affect video quality. Unless you really know what you're doing and what you're going for.
The Vertical part of the video hit deep man, I hate it but it's the truth that seems to be the way things are going. Open gate will be a huge saver for that.
Recently I outsourced my editing work too and it has given me more time to focus on my business and clients. I agree that outsourcing editing work is way to go.
Regarding vertical video, can we expect cinema screens to jump on that bandwagon?? Hopefully it's a fad. Like someone here said, we have a left eye and a right eye, not top and bottom. If you remember 4:3 tv, 16:9 was fantastic when it arrived, so much more screen space to work with. I think vertical is a backward step.
Full AI edits trained on your own work will be a massive leap on the productivity front...though equally disruptive too in other ways. The iPhone and vertical video points are definitely worth taking note of. It's rare I deliver any gig (wedding or otherwise) where vertical edits aren't a part of it now. Smartphones still have a ways to go quality-wise, but for use in quick shots, cutaway angles or just social media, it easily gets the job done.
The problem I see with filming with phone, unless there is already a solution, is lenses with zoom. I know a phone can zoom in but the quality reduces fast and i’m just there a few other things that phones cannot compete with actual cameras with a proper lens.
I recently was shooting a wedding (photo) and the videographer had a “content creator” with him and the dude literally just followed the videographer around with a iPhone and got footage and airdropped it to the couple by the end of the night.
Filming all vertical reminds me of people who shot 1X1 for box TVs because that was what was in at the time. Reality is vertical could very well be a passing fad and you are dating your work by shooting in it (if your not also shooting horizontal)
I offer the couple their trailer and 2x reels of their day. Just vertical crops of standard 16:9 footage. Easy repurposing and means I can still rig easily
Per the Vertical note, I think we will see an increase in cameras that can shoot Open Gate or some form of squareish aspect ratio. Maybe 4:3 makes a come back? But anyhow, I worked on a project that was entirely shot in open gate and it made things so much more flexible for horizontal and vertical edits. You still have to worry about ensuring shots are composed in a way that allows for good framing in both formats, but having that extra vertical resolution helps a ton.
As for horizontal vs vertical, because our eyes are set horizontally, our human field of view will always be that way... in Landscape mode. I think vertical will be more common, but as humans we will still hold onto seeing things in the same dimensions as our eyes. That said, I think features like Open Gate where video can be cropped and cut for multiple formats will be more of a critical feature.
Sav aka a girl and her phone vids is better than a lot of videographers I know and its cause her storytelling is awesome! Secondly, what you shoot on doesn't matter on the sense of creativity. If it inspires you to create use it. BUT overall love Sav getting the ray of sunshine in this video she deserves.
I deliver both widescreen and vertical to my clients for teasers. And always vertical to the vendors. Only way to have people watch anything on social.
AI in 10 years, use your phone to take a photo of the wedding couple together. Type in the venue name, dress designer, theme, pull the photos of their friends and family from their social accounts, and AI will create the whole video from that first sunrise in the morning to the getting ready, the ceremony, and the reception, without actually having anyone attending, eating, drinking, dancing, or us even filming.
It's still funny to me that people get all suspicious and perplexed when you bring a big rigged out camera system to a place, when nearly the exact same footage can be captured on a small mirrorless camera or an iphone and no one bats an eye.
I think cameras like the Nikon Z8 are the way of the future. They shoot great stills, have a wide selection of lenses, and will shoot in 8k which easily allows for high quality vertical footage. Having one camera that does it all will be very helpful for on-the-go wedding photographers/videographers, especially for wedding clients that only want to hire one camera person. As good as iPhone video is, the small form factor is the limiting issue as it doesn't say "professional." Using a rig may alleviate much of this.
A lot of little nuggets to think about. But honestly, and this might sound bad, I don’t find this daunting or alarming in any way. We already know quality isn’t the most important thing when it comes to weddings. That fact is firsthand on display every single day if you go onto Instagram or TikTok or see the type of work people are posting. If mediocre work is already praised and something that a large part of the wedding industry offers and has a large audience for, I really don’t think something like AI or different video formats is going to change much. People are still filming in 1080 HD and making bank and getting better wedding leads than I am. Technology can only improve things at a baseline level. The people running the operation will always be the one to make or break the product. I think having a healthy mentality and mindset will mean that we utilize helpful advancements in technology for the betterment of our productions and business functions. We can all be good stewards of the technology advancements we are blessed with
The wedding market is tanking..... I cant imagine, showing up to a professional wedding with the iPhone X expecting a couple to be thrilled with that. with that being said let's go back 15 years when you had to the 24-70 lens w. full frame camera in order to be taken seriously and if you should put up with the fuji XT1 and they laughed at you so I think you're right I think camera manufacturers are going to be- out very soon within the next five years-
Perhaps Open gate or maybe square recording formats will be available in future cameras to give the filmmaker options for vertical or horizontal delivery.
interesting, but I don't see a switch to this anytime soon. Maybe I'm wrong. What I see is the rise of content creators being hired to make reels, updating stories unreal time, etc with the phone though
I started with a Panasonic video camera attached to a vhs recorder. Years later this was replaced by the one piece Omnivision VHS camcorder. Later better quality format called S-VHS. Then mini DV.
Thumbnail should be called get ready for a massive price drop if you’re a videographer filming with your phone… no way people will give you 4 to 5k for a wedding if you show up with your phone all day
Not sure what happened with my previous comment but Matt, I am curious your thoughts on photography and videography merging into just "imagery", which will be provided by the videography team by pulling stills from the thousands of frames they capture at 4K 60p or 4K 120p?
I've kind of experimented with something this using Lumix 6k video feature. if your shutter speed is high enough it works, but if your video setting are 'cinematic' at 2x frame rate for video likely your shutter will be too low for photo. Of course you can up the shutter speed but video quality may be 'non cinematic', whatever that means :) In theory it works well in the right settings.
Cellphones are good and decent yes but the major downside are that they overheat extremly fast when shot in 4k and the battery life is like zero when you constantly filming. its hard for a day of shooting with the phone because you have to recharge. there is so many downsides with the phone Yes for short footage but No for longer day of shooting
Some interesting points there Matt thank you. AI could never replace the emotional connection a videographer makes between the couple that then translates into their film. The heart and soul of a human cannot be truly imitated. But I agree that AI is going to radically change many people's workflows. I think the vertical video point is interesting, but I still think people will 100% always want a cinematic landscape film. As you say, the solution I guess is to have a wider shot that can later be manipulated. Keep fighting the good fight!
Not necessarily. Cinematic video will soon be phased out just like it came. However, I agree that the horizontal landscape will stay. Videographers will film horizontal in 8k, 12k, 16k, keeping the vertical composition in place also. Then the video could easily be cropped. But let's remember that phones will not necessarily stay in their current shape. So, the vertical composition will eventually be phased out when foldable phones become popular.
I doubt videographers are going to solely film weddings with just a phone. However, I do think that mainstream videographers will cease to exist, because it will be easier to replace them with some sort of a.i. It won't be next year but something considered in this decade maybe next. This would either make it harder to gain clients, or it could make it easier. It's too far out to really put that into perspective.
Hello, without a doubt there is no way to ignore the video captured with an iPhone. From this 15th pro onwards, a direction was given to video recorded with a cell phone. I can't wait to record with an iPhone, I've been recording weddings for over 10 years, I've been through different formats and cameras, but this one is really going to be an incredible novelty! both in our capture with super reduced equipment (weight and size) and in quality. I was just worried when you said that videos recorded on a cell phone watched on TV lose a lot of quality and that they only look good on their own cell phones. 😉🙌🎞📱
Have to slightly disagree with some of your suggestions. Yes, iPhone will be a new tool for weddings and also vertical video, but I have already seen quality edited iPhone footage shot with all the gear, so my argument is what is the difference with what we are doing now? What camera you use is irrelevant to the client,, also content creators are now getting pretty expensive, so the reason to choose them is diminishing. I think we are going to see a mix, a mix of vertical and horizontal footage. This has already started with 3 horizontal clips playing in a vertical format. You could have 3 shooters of the same moment and display this all in real time vertically 😮. There will be many more options, but I still do believe horizontal and traditional cameras will still be around, there will just be more creative options for us creators.
I’ve filmed a few weddings with the open gate feature and for vertical posts, that worked great. The bad thing is that the Lumix cameras don’t have a slow mo option in open gate (unless I’ve missed it). It also became a bit annoying in post having to scale each clip back to the widescreen format.
I think the iPhone 15 is pretty overhyped. You’ve always had options for image quality, Act of Valor was shot on the canon 5d mk ii. Cell phone videos, pro res or not, will not compare to the image quality of a mirrorless camera. If im going to have massive file sizes with prores, I’m definitely not using a phone to get it. There will always be a “budget” version of everyone, including wedding videographers. Which is what a phone shooter is. Auto pod isn’t that amazing either honestly. The majority of the editing a podcast in a non sound treated room comes to adjust volume on the clips which ai isn’t doing yet, but hopefully soon
At the end of the day..for photographers/videographers..these are all just tools for us "creative artist" to use to capture the "moment's".. people should not be "upset" at others for using "non-conventional" tools. this is not new, there have been "photographers" who just uses their phones as well for a long time.. all that matters for the "client's" is what you deliver as the final result.."Clients" don't base their "hiring" process just because you have for example a $10K plus "setup/all camera gear" or you don't... your work...should speak for itself..and people will appreciate it no matter what you "use"..
The only reason people would hire a videographer with an iPhone is if the iPhone videographer is charging significantly cheaper rates. I have the latest iPhone Pro Max and admittingly it's good and acceptable, but light years away from a full-frame camera with a professional grade lens / proper filters
What kind of computer set up should i have to be able to edit 4k videos? I can't render 4k very easily my computer gets hot and i've had my software crash numerous times while trying to do it cause i can shoot in 4k but i have a hard time rendering and it's slower working through adobe. but i do downrez my footage and it'll be slower than if it was 1080p footage downrezzed.
Apple MacBook or desktop with M1, M2, or M3 chip. Windows devices with a sufficient cpu and gpu are also fine. If you are shooting h.265 (hvec), make sure you are using a computer that has gpu drivers that can decode it. Otherwise, just shoot in h.264 if possible
Those who shoot vertical video should be brought before the International Criminal Court. 😂 I’ll never ever do it, but each to their own. We have our tools and we have our formats. Do what works for you. I personally don’t like vertical whatsoever.
Bride and Groom are the cheapest edits, sadly I tried it and it the experience was not great. Specially color grading and how many revisions it took to get it right.
insta360 and pocket 3 are awesome tools to have on hand when in need of something in particular. I believe above all, people are going to buy into the artist (budget pending) more than the tools. That said, tech is getting smaller/more attainable for sure! why not film on a phone if you and the client like it?? Not for me but who cares lol
I disagree. Couples don’t want vertical videos. They want videos they can share online, which isn’t the same. Our eyes see the world in landscape… vertical won’t ever be the only way we consume content
I agree that AI is a brilliant tool that fits comfortably in your tool chest. When you get down to the true essence of wedding films, you want that real genuine emotion. I think AI will be something that can fix issues with an artists video, but I don't think it will be used to eliminate the artist from creating it. Just thinking about it sounds unappealing. I've been a photographer for a very long time. I'm also capable of creating photo manipulations that are fun and creative. My clients never really demanded that much. They just wanted raw emotion mixed with good lighting and a fun experience. I quickly learned that my ability to do photo manipulation was a helpful tool for making photos better but not making them entirely. I think we will find a lot of people that gravitate towards artists that vow not to use AI to enhance or alter their stories. The artist will promise a genuine experience. I think those that are hinest in those promises will thrive for many years.
You will ve disappointed soon thinking that way. AI will change everything you say and wish it will not. You are a fool if you keep believing that way.
DJI has got you get a osmo pocket 3, very discrete and vertical filming and better quality than iPhone, no need for gimbal.Iphone with gimbal is not discreet rather use Canon R5
I use my iPhone for an extra angle for the ceremony and speeches and my phone saved my ass recently when my Sony A7IV overheated. iPhones can be very good they are STILL awful in low light and the footage is unusable mush.
Hard to believe how technology has changed. I started videotaping weddings 30 years ago with camcorders as a solo videographer. Now it’s possible to do it with phones. Camcorders to dslrs to mirrorless cameras. Finally I retired from weddings. The days became too long because brides wanted to film putting on makeup and doing their hair and stay until reception ended. I was using several cameras, tripods/stands, lights, audio recorders, microphones, and a drone. Besides phones - now we have the Pocket 3, Insta 360 Go 3, and action cameras that do 4K video and can be color graded. I’m in my late 60’s - it has been exciting to watch the new technology and editing software.
If someone had told you 30yrs ago that eventually people would be recording weddings with their phones, what would you have said? lol
“I’m not crazy! In the future, all video production will be done with telephones!”
👍
yaa filming with a phone or tiny casual cam will not make you charge 3000 Dollar for the wedding work. It all will end up in becoming very cheap and wedding filmer will have trouble to live from this work. Or the couples use own phones and just put in a AI edit software.
@@alexanderkappler4363yeah not as easy as you’re making it sound buddy 😂
I think the future will....nevermind
JP!!! Love your films brotha!!
Yes, filming horizontal with vertical in mind has become the harsh reality. I say harsh reality because I will always prefer the horizontal, but clients are beginning to expect vertical footage in addition to the horizontal. Now, as a LUMIX user, we already have OPEN GATE. And I think that's what most of us will start filming in.
BRUV, Lumix is great because they give you that secondary outline just for vertical footage. No one else does. :)
If I were to get married again or have anything filmed, I don't need vertical video. I'll just turn my phone to the side like I've been doing since the first iPhone. Vertical seems more appropriate for 5 second clips of say, a dog in a cute sweater.
YES. Film Horizontal, but with the vertical in mind! :)
But you’re forgetting the nostalgia points. People still love film still love super 8. Fads come and go, but people will always want to look like they are in a movie. If you do it well, there will be no reason to change. Because the classic look has and will always be the best.
I just can't fathom calling myself a professional videographer and showing up to film a wedding with a cell phone, regardless of how far cell phones have come. A cell phone is designed to do many things, one of them is taking pictures and recording video. A video camera on the other hand has a much more focused design: record high quality video footage. Maybe if you are just getting into wedding filmmaking and want to give it a try before investing in a lot of gear?
The trend that makes the most sense to me is a five minute horizontal video of the wedding highlights and several vertical reels. I am the happiest married man in the world and I have no desire to sit and watch my wedding video that was 35 minutes back in the day. My kids wouldn't sit and watch anything over 5 minutes today even if it was a video of their parents getting married. Same goes for birthday parties, Christmas morning, ETC. Film some things and make a three minute memory that you can show in the future in bite sized pieces.
Shorter wedding videos(trailers and highlights) seem to be getting more popular as the main deliverable. more often than not I'm being sent precendents from clients where all footage is thrown in the editing blender and it spits out a scattergun mess. As a filmmaker trying to structure a narrative across a wedding day in a longer form video, this is quite deflating and feels shallow.
But it's what they want to show off on the 'gram, so I'll give it to them.
Hey Matt.... I had to smile watching your video. I've been in the wedding industry for 18 years. I don't shoot weddings anymore only for special friends. Funny story to share with you. Last fall I've been doing wedding photography and had some challenging moments in wooden barn where it is impossible to lit it well... well, I ditched my Sony camera as my smartphone did my better job in that situation so there you have it...
Very good points. I’d add that more and more we will see ppl delivering the material captured asap, no more taking 30 days or so to see the wedding, they want to see it right away. Cause everybody is already posting video with their phones during the wedding, the videographers and photographers might as well do the same but keep the quality they were hired to have.
Never done a wedding vertical. Unless it's specifically for IG, I'm rarely shooting vertical. And if the couple does want vertical stuff (never had a couple ask for it) then I would gladly do it.
If anything it's only a matter of time before cameras can record both at the same time.
"I doubt Ai will..." famous last words haha
You have some good points there but these have nothing to do with the title... The FUTURE OF Wedding FIlms. For me if you want to analyze the "future" it's all about the different style on shooting weddings, differences on editing, probably new things about wedding films etc. And definitely not an iPhone or a guide to shoot vertical videos. Probably Tik-tok or Insta need vertical footage but after all wedding videos is a memory thing from the wedding day and not a commercial who nobody will remember one day after.
Great video Matt I believe the future of wedding videos will also consist of shorter videos due to the lack of attention span thanks to the increase in popularity of reels shorts and tic toc
I think it would be cool to have a program organize, combine, and edit all the guests phone footage into a bts wedding film
I love the part, "she's happy and her couples are happy, an that is most important". If we hold on to that phrase, whatever the future brings, we will be fine.
Booked a wedding for next year where the couple wants social media footage as well as a normal recap video. My daugter is going to help me and get paid!!
We literally started filming with cell phones and then moved to actual video cameras. Now it is so weird to consider going back however it is not surprising.
What is really scary is couples wanting me to film with several iPhones and simply give them the footage and pay me 30% of what I would charge for a fully edited and artistic film. Or worse their friends use iPhone and fire me.
Hello, Matt, I am writing to you from Trabzon, Turkey. I am a friend of yours who studied cinema at the university, uses the same equipment as you, and has been doing wedding photography and video work in my city for 8 years. I had déjà vu while going through your videos and tips catalogue. Knowing that there are people on the other side of the world who do the same work as us and experience the same problems and are excited about the same things makes you feel like you are not alone. Thank you so much for all your educational and beautiful content. Note: I also bought an iPhone 15 Pro Max and I think wedding film business will gradually shift towards mobile devices.
I use the Sony A7IV + 35mm G Master lens for video work, and I never give up the Mark IV for photography work. I own 2 Canon Mark IVs. For your editing work, you have the simplest model of Mac Studio with 32 RAM and I have been using only Davinci for 3 years.
7:10 *Rigging up a Frankenstein to get vertical and horizontal*
GH7 with internal OpenGate “Allow me to introduce myself”
I can’t wait till when we’d start watching films vertically at the cinema, lol
They could play 2 at the same time next to each other!
Matt! As a wedding filmmaker also named Matt, I appreciate all your insight! Big fan of the channel! Thank you for all that you do. My thoughts: I understand the ease of uploading footage to social media with an iPhone, but for me, the lack of diversity in types of lenses and data the camera can take in shows. Plus, a shot nitpick, you’re behind the wedding couple in Hora 😉 Second thought, I agree we have to keep vertical in mind, but now we have wedding filmmakers just filming with a 35mm all day long, and we have no diversity in lenses, and every video is a carbon copy. Sculpting with time, the esteemed wedding filmmakers, film their weddings like a movie, which should be the goal. Meaning: treat your weddings like a film set: get primary shots where the couple addresses your camera after photographer gets their shots and get epic ones, you either have multiple prime lenses ready or you hire a second or third shooter so you have more diversity in lenses/angles, you storyboard your shots beforehand but leave room for spontaneity, and for your edit you find the emotional through line throughout the wedding day like a screenplay. The last point is where I see most wedding films suffer. You have to present the couple’s story visually but also by using the best spoken highlights (speeches, vows, letters, first looks, rehearsal dinner speeches, etc.) that compliment your visuals, push the story along by introducing them and summing up the essence of their love and their loved ones. I swear, most wedding videos I see, the 4-10 min range, are cut like music video montages. I find myself losing interest or getting dizzy after the first minute. This style works for teasers but for longer format videos, the lack of an emotional through line shows. So, in my opinion, wedding filmmaking is becoming more like cinema since that quality equipment and knowledge is becoming more democratized to access. I think wedding filmmaking will become more throughly storyboarded and shots will be more epic, but the iPhone will be used alongside for socials. Long story short, I think you’re always right on the money, but I think the cinematic quality to stand out is more the answer rather than dumbing down the quality.
I use DJI pocket 3 for wide establish shot now. Because I do not want to overuse gimbal and bring less gear. But for wide shot I still find the need of smooth gimbal shot. So I put pocket 3 in my jacket. And whenever I need a wide shot whether it is for establish shot or following people walking, I can quickly take out my pocket 3 to film it.
People seriously want their videos vertical???? I'm even more surprised people want their weddings on TikTok. When I think of wedding videos I think of couples rewatching their wedding on their tv with their kids and grandma showing them what mom and dads wedding was like back in the day while also having a beautifully shot video. Enshitification is real y'all.
The only problem with that is Boca and depth of field. Filming everything with the intention of crop in will probably affect video quality. Unless you really know what you're doing and what you're going for.
The Vertical part of the video hit deep man, I hate it but it's the truth that seems to be the way things are going. Open gate will be a huge saver for that.
Recently I outsourced my editing work too and it has given me more time to focus on my business and clients. I agree that outsourcing editing work is way to go.
Regarding vertical video, can we expect cinema screens to jump on that bandwagon?? Hopefully it's a fad. Like someone here said, we have a left eye and a right eye, not top and bottom. If you remember 4:3 tv, 16:9 was fantastic when it arrived, so much more screen space to work with. I think vertical is a backward step.
Full AI edits trained on your own work will be a massive leap on the productivity front...though equally disruptive too in other ways. The iPhone and vertical video points are definitely worth taking note of. It's rare I deliver any gig (wedding or otherwise) where vertical edits aren't a part of it now. Smartphones still have a ways to go quality-wise, but for use in quick shots, cutaway angles or just social media, it easily gets the job done.
The problem I see with filming with phone, unless there is already a solution, is lenses with zoom. I know a phone can zoom in but the quality reduces fast and i’m just there a few other things that phones cannot compete with actual cameras with a proper lens.
I recently was shooting a wedding (photo) and the videographer had a “content creator” with him and the dude literally just followed the videographer around with a iPhone and got footage and airdropped it to the couple by the end of the night.
This is becoming more and more common!
Filming all vertical reminds me of people who shot 1X1 for box TVs because that was what was in at the time. Reality is vertical could very well be a passing fad and you are dating your work by shooting in it (if your not also shooting horizontal)
I offer the couple their trailer and 2x reels of their day. Just vertical crops of standard 16:9 footage. Easy repurposing and means I can still rig easily
Per the Vertical note, I think we will see an increase in cameras that can shoot Open Gate or some form of squareish aspect ratio. Maybe 4:3 makes a come back? But anyhow, I worked on a project that was entirely shot in open gate and it made things so much more flexible for horizontal and vertical edits. You still have to worry about ensuring shots are composed in a way that allows for good framing in both formats, but having that extra vertical resolution helps a ton.
Open gate would be so helpful!
I’ve shot 2 weddings on my iPhone.
As for horizontal vs vertical, because our eyes are set horizontally, our human field of view will always be that way... in Landscape mode. I think vertical will be more common, but as humans we will still hold onto seeing things in the same dimensions as our eyes. That said, I think features like Open Gate where video can be cropped and cut for multiple formats will be more of a critical feature.
Sav aka a girl and her phone vids is better than a lot of videographers I know and its cause her storytelling is awesome! Secondly, what you shoot on doesn't matter on the sense of creativity. If it inspires you to create use it. BUT overall love Sav getting the ray of sunshine in this video she deserves.
I deliver both widescreen and vertical to my clients for teasers. And always vertical to the vendors. Only way to have people watch anything on social.
all valid points, thanks for the heads up
As much as I don't want to agree with any of this. I can't agree more. Get with it or get out! Great video as usual Matt.
Fantastic video. You are an excellent communicator. Terrific points that I completely agree with.
Great intel here Matt! Has anyone every told you, that you are the Bob Ross of Wedding Video? 😀
They've called me the Zach Galifianakis before 😂
I can't stand vertical. I really dislike the fact that tiktok and Instagram reels have pushed this to be so prevalent.
AI in 10 years, use your phone to take a photo of the wedding couple together. Type in the venue name, dress designer, theme, pull the photos of their friends and family from their social accounts, and AI will create the whole video from that first sunrise in the morning to the getting ready, the ceremony, and the reception, without actually having anyone attending, eating, drinking, dancing, or us even filming.
I wish all cameras had vertical frame guides.
It's still funny to me that people get all suspicious and perplexed when you bring a big rigged out camera system to a place, when nearly the exact same footage can be captured on a small mirrorless camera or an iphone and no one bats an eye.
I think cameras like the Nikon Z8 are the way of the future. They shoot great stills, have a wide selection of lenses, and will shoot in 8k which easily allows for high quality vertical footage. Having one camera that does it all will be very helpful for on-the-go wedding photographers/videographers, especially for wedding clients that only want to hire one camera person. As good as iPhone video is, the small form factor is the limiting issue as it doesn't say "professional." Using a rig may alleviate much of this.
Dang your right!! I love mixing my phone footage with Sony FX6 footage.
We're gonna be seeing a lot of Osmo Pocket 3s at weddings in the next year or two. Even easier to get great image quality than with a phone.
A lot of little nuggets to think about. But honestly, and this might sound bad, I don’t find this daunting or alarming in any way. We already know quality isn’t the most important thing when it comes to weddings. That fact is firsthand on display every single day if you go onto Instagram or TikTok or see the type of work people are posting. If mediocre work is already praised and something that a large part of the wedding industry offers and has a large audience for, I really don’t think something like AI or different video formats is going to change much. People are still filming in 1080 HD and making bank and getting better wedding leads than I am. Technology can only improve things at a baseline level. The people running the operation will always be the one to make or break the product. I think having a healthy mentality and mindset will mean that we utilize helpful advancements in technology for the betterment of our productions and business functions. We can all be good stewards of the technology advancements we are blessed with
The wedding market is tanking..... I cant imagine, showing up to a professional wedding with the iPhone X expecting a couple to be thrilled with that. with that being said let's go back 15 years when you had to the 24-70 lens w. full frame camera in order to be taken seriously and if you should put up with the fuji XT1 and they laughed at you so I think you're right I think camera manufacturers are going to be- out very soon within the next five years-
Bride & Groom is great!
Perhaps Open gate or maybe square recording formats will be available in future cameras to give the filmmaker options for vertical or horizontal delivery.
Came here to say exactly this!! I’m kind of hoping open gate catches on.
Open Gate Already exists for LUMIX users.
Lumix cameras do this actually!
@@hugocalvovisuals oh nice! I’ll have to check that out.
@@hugocalvovisuals painfully aware, Canon guy here lol
interesting, but I don't see a switch to this anytime soon. Maybe I'm wrong. What I see is the rise of content creators being hired to make reels, updating stories unreal time, etc with the phone though
What do you think about emersive audio for wedding films?
I think it’s cool but most people are watching on their phones 😭
I started with a Panasonic video camera attached to a vhs recorder. Years later this was replaced by the one piece Omnivision VHS camcorder. Later better quality format called S-VHS. Then mini DV.
Thumbnail should be called get ready for a massive price drop if you’re a videographer filming with your phone… no way people will give you 4 to 5k for a wedding if you show up with your phone all day
You covered just about everything. Thank you for this.
What external momitoring device could have vertical guidesc for video?
Great predictions! ..Is that a lawnmower in the background?
So many requests to film in portrait, bring on the new era!
Not sure what happened with my previous comment but Matt, I am curious your thoughts on photography and videography merging into just "imagery", which will be provided by the videography team by pulling stills from the thousands of frames they capture at 4K 60p or 4K 120p?
I've kind of experimented with something this using Lumix 6k video feature. if your shutter speed is high enough it works, but if your video setting are 'cinematic' at 2x frame rate for video likely your shutter will be too low for photo. Of course you can up the shutter speed but video quality may be 'non cinematic', whatever that means :) In theory it works well in the right settings.
Cellphones are good and decent yes but the major downside are that they overheat extremly fast when shot in 4k and the battery life is like zero when you constantly filming. its hard for a day of shooting with the phone because you have to recharge. there is so many downsides with the phone
Yes for short footage but No for longer day of shooting
I filmed all day with an iPhone 🤷♂️
Some interesting points there Matt thank you. AI could never replace the emotional connection a videographer makes between the couple that then translates into their film. The heart and soul of a human cannot be truly imitated. But I agree that AI is going to radically change many people's workflows. I think the vertical video point is interesting, but I still think people will 100% always want a cinematic landscape film. As you say, the solution I guess is to have a wider shot that can later be manipulated. Keep fighting the good fight!
Not necessarily. Cinematic video will soon be phased out just like it came. However, I agree that the horizontal landscape will stay. Videographers will film horizontal in 8k, 12k, 16k, keeping the vertical composition in place also. Then the video could easily be cropped.
But let's remember that phones will not necessarily stay in their current shape. So, the vertical composition will eventually be phased out when foldable phones become popular.
I'm not convinced
Great points made.
I doubt videographers are going to solely film weddings with just a phone. However, I do think that mainstream videographers will cease to exist, because it will be easier to replace them with some sort of a.i. It won't be next year but something considered in this decade maybe next. This would either make it harder to gain clients, or it could make it easier. It's too far out to really put that into perspective.
Hello, without a doubt there is no way to ignore the video captured with an iPhone. From this 15th pro onwards, a direction was given to video recorded with a cell phone. I can't wait to record with an iPhone, I've been recording weddings for over 10 years, I've been through different formats and cameras, but this one is really going to be an incredible novelty! both in our capture with super reduced equipment (weight and size) and in quality. I was just worried when you said that videos recorded on a cell phone watched on TV lose a lot of quality and that they only look good on their own cell phones. 😉🙌🎞📱
Squidward: FUUUUTTTTTUUURRREEE!
Can we use those Adobe Gen Fill features for video yet somewhere?
I've been using them on after effects. Works great
I called cell phones being used professionally five years ago. I seen it coming.
3 of the 4 big videography companies shut down here "due to lack of business"
The future is Bride tracking FPV drones 🤣
Oh boy, here comes the gatekeepers with their pitchforks!
The comments are full of opinions 😂
Have to slightly disagree with some of your suggestions. Yes, iPhone will be a new tool for weddings and also vertical video, but I have already seen quality edited iPhone footage shot with all the gear, so my argument is what is the difference with what we are doing now? What camera you use is irrelevant to the client,, also content creators are now getting pretty expensive, so the reason to choose them is diminishing. I think we are going to see a mix, a mix of vertical and horizontal footage. This has already started with 3 horizontal clips playing in a vertical format. You could have 3 shooters of the same moment and display this all in real time vertically 😮. There will be many more options, but I still do believe horizontal and traditional cameras will still be around, there will just be more creative options for us creators.
Great video Matt! As always 👍 ⭐️ What’s that background noise from 5min mark though? 😄
Neighbors lawn mower, sorry about that
Thanks for reminding me to mow my lawn 😁
I’ve filmed a few weddings with the open gate feature and for vertical posts, that worked great. The bad thing is that the Lumix cameras don’t have a slow mo option in open gate (unless I’ve missed it). It also became a bit annoying in post having to scale each clip back to the widescreen format.
Order a whole stock video wedding, and edit every invitee’s face onto a stock body.
you are a lazy genius
I think the iPhone 15 is pretty overhyped. You’ve always had options for image quality, Act of Valor was shot on the canon 5d mk ii. Cell phone videos, pro res or not, will not compare to the image quality of a mirrorless camera. If im going to have massive file sizes with prores, I’m definitely not using a phone to get it. There will always be a “budget” version of everyone, including wedding videographers. Which is what a phone shooter is. Auto pod isn’t that amazing either honestly. The majority of the editing a podcast in a non sound treated room comes to adjust volume on the clips which ai isn’t doing yet, but hopefully soon
At the end of the day..for photographers/videographers..these are all just tools for us "creative artist" to use to capture the "moment's"..
people should not be "upset" at others for using "non-conventional" tools. this is not new, there have been "photographers" who just uses their phones as well for a long time..
all that matters for the "client's" is what you deliver as the final result.."Clients" don't base their "hiring" process just because you have for example a $10K plus "setup/all camera gear" or you don't...
your work...should speak for itself..and people will appreciate it no matter what you "use"..
It's not about the equipment, but the result.
He’s got a point. It’s coming.
What is that adobe video AI software called? That one is pretty cool.
The only reason people would hire a videographer with an iPhone is if the iPhone videographer is charging significantly cheaper rates. I have the latest iPhone Pro Max and admittingly it's good and acceptable, but light years away from a full-frame camera with a professional grade lens / proper filters
What kind of computer set up should i have to be able to edit 4k videos? I can't render 4k very easily my computer gets hot and i've had my software crash numerous times while trying to do it cause i can shoot in 4k but i have a hard time rendering and it's slower working through adobe. but i do downrez my footage and it'll be slower than if it was 1080p footage downrezzed.
Apple MacBook or desktop with M1, M2, or M3 chip. Windows devices with a sufficient cpu and gpu are also fine. If you are shooting h.265 (hvec), make sure you are using a computer that has gpu drivers that can decode it. Otherwise, just shoot in h.264 if possible
Just got a DJI Pocket 3 for vertical video.
DJI pocket 3 for wedding films can be a game changer.
Those who shoot vertical video should be brought before the International Criminal Court. 😂 I’ll never ever do it, but each to their own. We have our tools and we have our formats. Do what works for you. I personally don’t like vertical whatsoever.
Bride and Groom are the cheapest edits, sadly I tried it and it the experience was not great. Specially color grading and how many revisions it took to get it right.
Open Gate is the next capability that needs to be implemented in professional cameras!
insta360 and pocket 3 are awesome tools to have on hand when in need of something in particular. I believe above all, people are going to buy into the artist (budget pending) more than the tools. That said, tech is getting smaller/more attainable for sure! why not film on a phone if you and the client like it?? Not for me but who cares lol
ChatGPT: give me a beard as rad as Matt’s......
I disagree. Couples don’t want vertical videos. They want videos they can share online, which isn’t the same.
Our eyes see the world in landscape… vertical won’t ever be the only way we consume content
Yep, that's the simple secret I use since one or two years. As I work for YT and Insta content. Bam.
Ha, I’m totally using my iPhone 15 pro max as a b cam at a wedding.
Not connected question... Do you by any chance live by an airport? or is your neighbor mowing their lawn? ahahahahah
The second one haha
I agree that AI is a brilliant tool that fits comfortably in your tool chest. When you get down to the true essence of wedding films, you want that real genuine emotion. I think AI will be something that can fix issues with an artists video, but I don't think it will be used to eliminate the artist from creating it. Just thinking about it sounds unappealing.
I've been a photographer for a very long time. I'm also capable of creating photo manipulations that are fun and creative. My clients never really demanded that much. They just wanted raw emotion mixed with good lighting and a fun experience. I quickly learned that my ability to do photo manipulation was a helpful tool for making photos better but not making them entirely.
I think we will find a lot of people that gravitate towards artists that vow not to use AI to enhance or alter their stories. The artist will promise a genuine experience. I think those that are hinest in those promises will thrive for many years.
You will ve disappointed soon thinking that way. AI will change everything you say and wish it will not. You are a fool if you keep believing that way.
@@TelevisionCrews believing what? That people want real and honest moments during their milestones?
DJI has got you get a osmo pocket 3, very discrete and vertical filming and better quality than iPhone, no need for gimbal.Iphone with gimbal is not discreet rather use Canon R5
You should try Indian based editors you will be able to get $800 pack under $400 with an effective turn around time of 3 days
I use my iPhone for an extra angle for the ceremony and speeches and my phone saved my ass recently when my Sony A7IV overheated. iPhones can be very good they are STILL awful in low light and the footage is unusable mush.