Vendor Feature: Snowshoe Productions
Considering hiring a videographer for your special day? We’ve got the inside scoop from expert videographer, Tim Baias of Snowshoe Productions. Get to know all of the videography basics and Snowshoe’s unique approach to storytelling. Leave it to these pros to capture all of those candid, emotional moments from your wedding day! Also, take a peek at some of Snowshoe Productions’ work from our recent fall weddings.
What types of events does Snowshoe Productions capture? What don’t we do? Primarily we cover weddings, but we often shoot corporate events, mitzvahs and charitable outreaches. We are artists at our core, so we also love to produce works such as creative commercials for small businesses and local restaurants. We are even working on a short film, and it’s a whole lot of fun.
What are some of your favorite moments to film from a wedding or special event? Hands down, our favorite moments are candid ones. Something magical happens when people forget that the cameras are rolling and just act natural. The laughing, the tears of joy, and the huge smiles on everyone’s face - it’s these authentic moments that we love most about our job. The happiness is infectious!
How do you capture the couples’ personalities in your films? Easily, by getting to know them a little bit! We like to have a meeting with all of our couples pre-wedding; even if it’s short, we can get a sense of your personality. But the biggest way we learn about you is by simply being at your wedding! Certainly your wedding is going to express your unique personality and style. It’s hard not to learn a thing or two about the happy couple when we are with them and their closest friends and family for the whole day. From that point, it’s just natural for us to reflect these things in your wedding day film.
Talk tech with us. What makes your equipment special? Gear alone isn’t going to create an amazing video, but it is a necessary tool. All the gear we use was carefully selected to give our videos a “cinematic” look and to allow us to shoot in any lighting situation. Our equipment gives us the ability to create videos that have the look and feel of an independent film instead of “your local news” feel. This is primarily achieved through movement, custom coloring and blurred backgrounds. The cameras we use are actually identical to what your photographer will be using; however, we use devices that will stabilize our cameras so that we can capture smooth cinematic movements instead of a shaky home video look. For you, gear heads, we use Glidecams, jibs, sliders, fluid-head tripods and DSLRs.
Finally, let’s talk about the most uncertain aspect of any video: live audio. Audio equipment is far more likely to fail than video equipment because of interference and shorts in wires. Let me set your mind at ease. We use a primary wireless lapel microphone, a backup wireless microphone and a backup hardwired microphone. Whereas many videographers use only one microphone, we use three to ensure that we record all the important moments of your big day. Our philosophy is that audio is just as important as video in the final product.
What sets Snowshoe apart from other videography services? We’re known for having a cinematic and artistic approach to filming and storytelling. Our lead videographer has a Master’s degree in Fine Art/ Photography, and that background as a photographer has definitely influenced the way we approach video both in composing shots and editing the story. We are artists, not a wedding video factory and, as a result, no two films are alike. Our process is not simply slapping video clips down over music, but rather the music and video must work hand-in-hand and we spend a lot of time creating the right “flow.”
To put it simply, we refuse to cut corners. We go way beyond simply documenting an event and strive to create a beautiful and emotional representation of your day.
Tell us more about your packages. What types of work can you provide? You’ll find a clear breakdown of our packages on our website; however, no two weddings are alike. We’re very open to creating custom videos and packages that will fit your unique wedding. Our packages are very customizable and could include a number of add-ons, such as a full ceremony recording or live stream. We primarily shoot with the intent of creating a 6-10 minute wedding film as our final product, but, of course, not all of the great shots can fit into the video, which is why we have the extended footage add-on, and this is where you will find your vows, speeches, first dance and all of those special moments that might have been cut from the video.
Do you have any tips or tricks for couples to feel comfortable in front of the camera? We believe in not getting in the way of your event but capturing your day as it naturally unfolds. Be yourself; don’t try to be an actor! Most people become unaware of the camera after 10 minutes or so, but there are others who just can’t seem to shake their self-awareness. Focus on your friends, family, and, most importantly, on each other. Being focused on one another instead of the camera will produce your best videos and photos. Most importantly, don’t pose for us. Posing for video as if it were a photo is very awkward. We usually have 10 hours of footage (or more!) to edit down to 10 minutes. We’ll definitely have more than enough footage to work with if you simply decide to have fun and be yourselves.
