Side Project Films is all about making radical films about people in love. Ben of Side Project Films loves pushing the boundaries of what a wedding film can be, injecting them with as much fun, love, nostalgia and good vibes as possible. Have a look at Ben’s top tips on how to achieve the wedding film of your dreams.
The wedding industry isn’t the same as it was 18 months ago. Grounded flights and guest restrictions mean lovers haven’t been able to say “I do” with family and friends there to cheer them on.
In light of this, never has it been more important for lovers to capture their special day on film whether you plan to send loved ones a video to watch post-wedding day or hope to livestream the ceremony for guests overseas. That’s where Ben from Side Project Films comes in.
Together Journal has worked closely with the talented videographer for several years. In recent months, Ben has been behind our dreamy fashion editorials. You can find some of his incredible work on our Reels, our Issue 23 Flora shoot standing out as one of our all-time favourites.
With wedding season underway, Together Journal sought advice from Ben on two of our readers’ most asked questions.
How to find the best photo + video team for your wedding?
Choosing the right people to capture your day can be a daunting task especially if you want both photo and video. Some people do both, but you’ll often be working with two separate companies, so, how do you pick a team that are going to work well on the day?
Pick the thing that you value the most, whether it’s photo or video. From there you can get their advice on who they think would be a good fit. This is important for on the day dynamics but also important for making sure visual styles are similar, so your video and photos match.
Your camera team will also be the vendors you spend the most time with on your wedding day so having a team that works seamlessly together makes all the difference.
How can I have a beautiful wedding film on a budget?
A question you should ask yourself when thinking about the budget for your wedding film is, do I want audio from my day in my wedding film?
Creating a film that weaves in audio from the day takes a lot more time to create on the day in terms of extra equipment and in the post-production process.
If you’re not too fussed about having audio in your film, this is a fantastic option that’ll still mean you get a beautiful cinematic film on a budget.
How can I livestream my wedding day?
I’ve got three live-streaming options for you. The first one is super simple, it’s just a phone and Facebook Live. The biggest tip here is to purchase a tripod, as you don’t want a guest holding the phone as it will prove too shaky for those watching from home. Put the tripod next to someone in the front row who is in charge of the live-stream and that way, people at home will have a front row at the ceremony. It will be a nice, stable stream and it’s a good, easy option.
Option two is entry-level professional live-streaming. This is when you have one camera at the back with a nice big zoom lens and a wireless microphone. That way, you have a nice close-up image with good audio. It’s a nice, simple one-camera live-stream and it’s a good option for couples who want that little bit better production quality for guests overseas.
The third option is the all-bells-and-whistles livestream with multiple cameras. This is where you have multiple cameras and videographers with cameras covering your ceremony, all hooked up via an HDMI cable or wireless HDMI – which all feed into a central control board so the person manning it can switch between cameras and manage audio.
It’s effectively a professional live broadcast which gets sent out to friends and family overseas. It’s as good an experience as you can get for loved ones who couldn’t make the wedding day.
How can I achieve the wedding film of my dreams?
I’ve tried to distill this advice down to be as simple as possible: be what you want your wedding film to be. If you want a super romantic film, then be romantic on your day. Be touchy, be feely, hug your guests and schedule some time for you and your partner to have some alone time together. Maybe write a beautiful speech, cry and feel all of the emotions that come.
If you authentically live that, then your wedding film will be authentically romantic. On the other hand, if you want an energetic, kick-ass wedding film then you better bring the party. Drop some jokes into your speech, join in on the lawn games, challenge grandma to a drinking contest… Basically, my point is to be authentically you and be authentically what you want your wedding to look and feel like.
That way, when we are creating these memories for you the mood is already there – and we just get to enhance it.
What is your number one piece of advice for couples in this current climate when considering film and video when planning a wedding
Video is more important now than ever. With reduced guest numbers and travel restrictions, being able to share your special day with your loved ones is a huge deal.
Ask your videographer about things like live-streaming or shorter edits that can be ready soon after the wedding so that the guests who couldn’t make it still feel part of the wedding buzz.
How are you handling COVID affected couples within your own business?
I’m working with all my couples to transfer their dates if and when they need to. This is shit for everyone, so we all need to come together and help each other out.
I’ve also invested into live-streaming as a way to give my couples more options when deciding whether to postpone or not.
Thoughts on the future and how your business and sector may change or evolve?
As I said in the previous question, I think video is becoming more and more important in times like this. There is something about the immediacy of a video that makes you feel like you were there.
I can already see more photographers picking up video as a way to diversify their business and I think that’s so great for couples to have access to more options to capture their day on film.
For further information, please visit Side Project Films online or follow @sideprojectsfilms on Instagram.
