It's a reception (unsure what that really means but...uugh).
The guy knows it's 1-cam and wanting you to make it look as if there were more.
So what's the problem? Just do it, everything's gonna take place in post-work.
I suggest you film a lot more than you're planning to to pull it off. Charge him a bit more for post.

I've known many who can made a 1-cam shoot look as if it might be more.
As for making it interesting...that's not all in your hands (it's a reception).

If you have two or more cameras, for heavens sake use both. If the guy is too cheap to pay for your post production time to do a true two-cam edit, he is also probably going to be the type to complain if you have to include your mistakes. What I am saying is that you need the second camera to protect yourself so that if something really bad happens (camera failure or monumental screw-up during critical part of the event) you have something more than a non-sequential cover shot to put over the bad spot.

Thus, I would use the second camera only if necessary, and only to cover your mistakes, not to provide a pleasant two-camera (or more) edit.

I used to shoot one camera all the time before I could afford two, but I'd never do it again.

Get a bunch of wide establishing shots - what is going on here?
Get a bunch of close-ups - set them up if you have to... hand putting on ring, waiter setting table, pulling the garter off - these can be done as you think of them.
Get LOTS of cutaways - these are shots that are insertable anywhere in the video - people laughing, dancing, talking, eating - these shots will save your butt.

Now forget about being a "reportage" cinematographer - you can't be everywhere at once. Instead think like a video artist - what will LOOK GOOD? You can collage the whole mess together in post. Essentially, don't ever turn the camera off, except to rest, eat, and change rolls. Shoot plenty of stuff, and you'll make the best video of your career.

v

jrazz, I would stick to one camera, because he will assume that you will be perform "all" demanded tasks that you may advertise on your website for the one camera price. You need to bone-up on the practices that will perform at this reception and what is not permitted.
Usually close-up of the women are a no-no. "pulling the garter off " is not likely to happen, but check with husband-to-be for permitted "shots". Always check out the layout in advance for the best angle, less stress that figuring it out on a run and gun shoot. I would plan a limited tripod shot,(umanned), ie people entering the rooming, permitting you to shoot some digital stills to be used to created the multi camera angle "look". Probably focus edit on enrichment of colors, less fancy scene cuts. Check on music for background that is acceptable.

good luck!

I just finished a project.

Play time? 4 mins. Yes I've got interviews. Yes I've got graphics. But WHAT the people say is being explained by masses of cutaways.

I shot 5 days of stuff, so I was able to choose only the BEST of the BEST. Client loves it.

I enjoy doing B roll. In some ways it is the actual B roll that becomes the A roll - if i can say it that way!

Adding to Vic's comments, look for colourways that clash or even harmonize. Look for reflections and options for creating even the smallest nod to shallow depth of field.

Follow movement of people and objects. If a car moves from right to left, vid a person walking right to left. Get notice boards, announcements, invites, old photos. Can you do pre- and post-event video?

Think of your video camera AS a stills camera and let motion happening in front of the lens provide you with the transitions.

At the end of the day, if you PACK your video with B roll it will appear to be multicam!

Your going to be real busy, you won't have time to eat or pee-pee, and if you don't have gorilla arms you will be in the hospital with cramped up muscles for about 2 days. It's kind of like boot camp where they make you hold the rifle (piece) extended out from your body as long as they think you can. You have to film everybody at every table, all the food, all ceremonies complete, all the arriving guests and never shut the camera off. Best of luck.
PS: You won't have time to shoot in manual or pass around a mic.
JJK

Guys,

Thanks for all the advice. I need to read over it again and ingest it. I don't even know why I still offer a 1 cam package. I ought to just do away with that. With that said though, I think you all gave some pretty good ideas and I will attempt to incorporate them.

John, it really does make it easier to have atleast 2 cams. I was thinking about just bringing another one to set up static somewhere. On the other hand, I kind of would like the challenge, but I don't know if this is the guy to do it with as he seems less than pleasable.

Thanks again,

j razz

I had attended a wedding as a guest not long ago where they supplied small baskets on each table with disposal Kodak cameras asking people to use them up and return them to the basket. This created a huge supply of fun stills -- too many for an album, but (being an animator) I thought they would work well as a film. I think you could do something very unusual and fun to watch by intercutting whole sequences of these snapshots with video footage of people taking the pictures. This will set the tone of the document as something jerky in an amusing way and something people will love to playback over and over again. No one gets to be accidently left out either.

apit34356 is right about the bride. Don't take this as an insult but the bride is not
the center of attention like she is in christian/judao weddings.

When taping women as a group it is better that a female videographer does the
work. The shots should be of family only but discuss this ahead of time.

I like the still shot idea. As for the bride not being the center of attention, I have only had communication with the husband. They are already married, but as he explained it, only the immediate family is welcomed to the ceremony- no photos, no video. The reception is the big deal for them. When I spoke to him, he further gave me the "must have" shots when I gave him some ideas of what normally falls under that category. He stated that he mainly just wanted the cake-cutting, the bouquet toss and the dance floor. He did say that he wanted me to follow them if I hear them talking about something that is not real personal (I will have him mic'd).

An aside:
He also wants to retain the rights, but does not want to pay for them. I told him that he can buy the rights, but if he does not wish to purchase them, I have the right to use the footage however I see fit in the future. He acted suprised when I told him this. To him, this is a very private matter. Granted, I don't forsee myself making a mockery of his reception, but I could use parts of it for a demo real, etc. Instead of him buying the rights, he opted for a lower package of mine that only includes filming- no editing and I give him the tapes before I leave the event for him to hold on to until he wants them edited either by me or someone else of his choosing. If I edit, he pays the remainder of the price of the coordinating package. He has a year until this offer is void.

I am not really looking for advice on the above aside, just thought I would mention it for anyone else who read this thread. The moral: pick your customers wisely. I got a phone call two weeks ago about this. Several phone calls into this he would say things like, I see that you do good work and I expect nothing less on my video or variants thereof and want more for less. Last week the rights issue came up. I thought about telling him to forget it, but I didn't think he could find anyone on such short notice, so I still agreed to film for him even though I didn't feel good about it.


As an update, he called me today and stated that there has been an emergency and the event would have to be cancelled. I think if he calls back, I will just gladly give him back his deposit (which contractually I don't have to) and decline.

j razz

J . .Move on . . move on . . .

All of my wedding videos tend to be 1 cam shoots, as the cost for 2 most clients wont pay (having said that you can get 2 cam shoots for £500 out here)
But with some clever planning you can be creative with one camera put you do need the planning, better with two, but you pays your money you take your choice.