Ever wonder what I do??

Ever wonder what it is I do as a wedding videographer? I know people may think it is really easy, but it is a lot of work, work I really have a great passion for. It all starts about a month before the wedding is scheduled, I send out a short questionnaire to the bride and groom. This gives me a chance to get to know them a bit better, who they are and how their video should reflect them. I start thinking about how I want the shoot to go, how I want the video to look and what kind of shots I need to make it look that way. I make a list of all the shots I want, what I will need equipment wise to get that shot. I also make a list of everything I will need that day, equipment, any food or drink I need for myself and the person working with me, if I need someone with me. I start checking the weather for the day to see if I need any special weather gear or not. 

The week of the wedding, I try to contact the bride to go over any last minute changes I need to be aware of, what time is the rehearsal, and do they need anything from me. I start going over my equipment making sure everything is working correctly. I calculate how many video tapes I will need, charge all my batteries and that everything on my list is ready to go.

The day of the wedding is usually a long day. I try to get to the venue about 2 1/2 hours before the bride gets there, this gives me a chance to set up my equipment in an out of the way area, go over my shot list with my assistant if I have one with me. I get some establishing shots of the venue, prep of the location, meet with the location coordinator about any restrictions they might have in place. Once the bride arrives, things really kicks into high gear. I start going down my shot list to start getting the 22 must have shots, keeping an eye out for both the special moment shots and B-roll shots. I then get the groom, go over a few things with him, mic either him or the officiant up, then go and get the equipment set for the wedding ceremony itself. 

After the ceremony is done, I continue to stay with the bride and groom while they are doing the family photos. This is when some of the most emotional and romantic shots come from. Then its time to head to the reception, still keeping an eye open for anything and everything that goes on. I get a short break during dinner as no one wants to see their friends and family eating on their video. I am there at the reception until the bride and groom leave for the night. 

When the reception ends, my work is just starting. Now I have to download the video onto my computer, go through all the video to look for any problems that my be present and fix it. Start to put the clips together in a way that tells the story of the day, add the music, sync the audio to the video, do the titles, go over the video any where from 30 to 50 times looking for anything and everything. It all has to look and feel just right. Once the video is done, then I have to put it on a DVD, create the menus, put any motion to those menus, add any music and/or photos, go over the DVD 15 to 30 more times, make any additional changes to give it just the right feel so that the bride and groom can relive that emotional day. Then I do all the authoring of the DVD, etch the label and then deliver the finished DVD to the bride.

When all that is done, it starts all over again for the next wedding. So the next time you wonder what I do and why it may be a long time between blog posting, now you know.

My Dad

Several weeks ago I made mention of my dad and a few friends have asked me to blog some information about my dad.  I was not sure I really wanted to do this, it is hard to go back over time and try to remember things that happened in the past and get them right, but I think it is good for me to go over those things again.

My dad's name was Cary D. (Danny) Samples.  He was a hard working man.  He always put his family first in everything he did.  I grew up in east central Indiana in a small town.  One of my earliest memories of my dad is of him putting up a swing set in a back yard.  I remember watching him put it up and how I could not wait to swing on that thing.  He had a white Ford Galaxy that he loved so much.  In fact, he kept that car until the rust ate through the floor board  of that old car. He was a Ford man forever.  

My dad worked in a die casting factory making parts for cars, things like the grills, outside mirror brackets and things like that, before it all went plastic.  He worked as much as he could, days, nights, weekends, you name it and he worked it.  Like I said, he always put his family first. He always made sure his kids had all the things we wanted, whatever it was.  I remember one night he went out of his way for me.  I used to stay up late and wait for him to come home, that may be why I still enjoy staying up late.  Anyway, I would stay up late every Friday night and wait for him.  Most everyone of those nights he would order a pizza and bring it home. Mainly because he wanted dinner, but I enjoyed it because it was time I got to spend with him.  Well, I called and ordered the pizza before he got home and he had to go back out and get the pizza.  He didn't really have the money for the pizza that night, but he went for it anyway.  

He taught me how to ride a bike but, he didn't teach me how to stop the bike when I was done.  So, I just rode my bike into a tree.  It worked, it hurt, but it worked.  Well, one day I was on my bike riding around the street in front of my house.  My dad had a rule that we were not to ride over the hill out of sight of our house.  I decided to see what was on the other side of the hill one day.  When I did I knew I did something very wrong and knew that I was going to be in big trouble when I got home.  Sure enough, as I toped the hill, there he was in the front yard waiting for me.  I started crying (I was maybe 3 or 4 at the time) before I ever got home.  He didn't punish me when I got home, he said I had punished myself enough.  I learned a great lesson that day, dad was always right.  

He also taught me to drive, he taught me to work hard and to put my family first.  He taught me to value my friends, to be a good friend to others.  He helped me through many a broken heart, took me and my then girlfriend on my first date.  He taught me to keep pushing myself and to never settle for what I was.  He stood by my side when I struggled, he stood proud when I succeeded. He knew when it was time to let go, and when to reel me in.  But, most of all, he taught me to make decisions for my self.  He never told me what to do, he told me the good and bad of what ever decision I was facing.  The choice was mine.  When I signed up for the Army, I was trying to choose a career choice, I wanted to have him there with me to tell me what I should choose, but I heard him in my head telling me that I had to make the decision my self. I did and I could tell it hurt him to know that his son was stepping out on his own.  But, I think he was very proud as well.

I remember the last time I talked to him.  I had moved to Maryland and was living with my mom at the time.  I wanted to spread my wings a bit and grow.  My last face to face time I had with him was a very, and I do me VERY, heated argument.  I can't remember what it was about, but I know that I said some things I wish I wouldn't have said.  Anyway, I called him on a Thursday afternoon and asked him to do a favor for me.  He said he would the next day and get back to me.  His last words to me were "I love you son".  My last words to him were "yea, me too."  The next day I got a phone call from my dad's wife.  He was gone.  I could not believe it. The one person who guided me for my entire life was gone.  

I know he is still with me, he is still watching over me.  I really wish he could have meet Leeann and gotten to meet Katie. He would have loved her I have no doubt.  But, I know that he is up there looking down on me.  I just hope that he is standing proud, not standing beside me.