$5000 thousand dollars will be good if you're doing low budget weddings, but if you want to be like the pros and get high end weddings you need more money. A good camera is about 3000k, then you need wireless mikes $600, a good tripod $150. Good editing system $3000. Oh, don't forget a good back-up camera and secondary camera. Weddings are better when their shot with two cameras at different angles. Email me off the forum, cervama@yahoo.com. let me know if you need help.

MAC

This is a great site to check out.
http://www.videouniversity.com/forums/gforum.cgi?forum=16

right now, the only thing I'm missing is a couple cameras, an ad in the phone book, and a laptop computer.

I've already put together about $12k in software, animations, music, etc to get me out on the right foot.

Do you have a demo wedding video? Clients will want to see that.

They did a panel discussion at WEVA that I went too - the outcome was that more leads were coming from the web then any other source (with the exception of one person who got most of their leads via referals) - so consider your web page to be more important than a phone book ad; besides, depending on when the cut-off date is, you may have missed the phone book until next year.

A number of videographers are doing a minumum of 3 camera shoots; some won't shoot less than 4 (and after doing a bare bones 2 camera wedding shoot, I now know why!).

--Scott

Those are usually the big time wedding videographers. I seen a reputable videographer that has this contract with a hall, and get's all the wedding there. Hook up with a dj, florist, limousine service, and catering service and give them a kickback of what you make. Belive me you will get referrals left and right. I get mine through the church I go to. Try that, you might get more weddings that you're a customed.

With all due respect, you need to plan to pay far more than $150 for a tripod. If you paid $3,000 for a camera, you better have an ample "platform" to put it on, if you want smooth, stable pans and tilts. If you want professional looking results, you'll need a fluid head, and you can't buy them for $150.

Most, not all, "professionals" pay as much or more for their tripod system than their cameras! The difference shows!!!

Jay

While it certainly is necessary to have a tripod with a good fluid head, I don't think it's a pre-req to spend 2 or 3 thousand on one. I've seen some excellent wedding footage shot with nothing more than a monopod (for example).

In all likelyhood, for a single person business doing a 2 cam shoot one of the cameras is probably going to be static anyway (what good does a $2K tripod do you in this situation?) and the other camera moble - in which case it might be wise to take a look at some of the stabilization setups available rather than spending thousands on a fluid head tripod that never gets moved.

This is where going to a WEVA convention (or somethiing similar) can really help out, as there are a lot of vendors all showing the different equipment - you get a chance to play with things and figure out which is best for the type of work you do and the amount you can afford to spend.

--Scott

wedding videographers- do you guys get dinner at the reception often? we don't... tight asses

If you want dinner, it needs to be written into your contract. Some videographers insist on it, others will settle for a "vendor" meal provided by the caterer and others just bring their own food.

Without someone to help me out, I won't have a demo either....

wedding videographers- do you guys get dinner at the reception often?

At least 99% of the time. It's something that is discussed and is also in the contract. Usually if we DON'T eat, it's because we are done before then.