Tamarack Wedding Videos FAQ's

F.A.Q.
frequently asked questions

Q: How long after our wedding until we receive our video?
A: Professionally produced wedding videos have many components and involve many creative decisions. We carefully choose just the right shots from all of the many hours of raw video tape from your wedding. We search for the right music and create your custom made graphics. We combine still photos & family movies into the video and adjust the colors if needed. Then we have to "Author" the DVD. That means we encode the edited footage through a "Gizmo" and then create the custom made DVD menu , add the scene chapter markers and finally burn a DVD (or BluRay). All along the way we are mindful that your wedding video is a historical document as well as a piece of art that you, your friends & family and future generations will be happy to view for years to come. This processes usually between 4 to 16 weeks, but this time may vary.

Q: What type of cameras do you use?
A: We use professional High Definition Digital Video Tape Canon and Sony cameras. We use video tape instead of the highly compressed electronic formats because we believe that tape, with it's lower compression rate offers superior image quality.

Q: What type of editing equipment do you use?
A: We re totally into Adobe CS4. We own the complete Master Suite Collection of their super creative software. With over a dozen different programs from CS4 that cross link to each other there is little that this editing system cannot handle. From Capturing raw video, special video & audio effects, animation, photoshopping, all the way to DVD & BluRay dics authoring & duplication. The only thing this system doesn't do is brew coffee for the editor.

Q: Will we notice you during the ceremony?
A: We do our best to be "invisible". We use "stealthy" cameras & professional sub-miniature wireless & super directional long distance "shotgun" microphones. We work with the ceremony officiates to determine what we can film & where we can place the cameras. We try not to use supplemental lighting. Most of the time your guests will not know that we are filming. That being said... filming a once in a lifetime live event presents us with the challenge of being invisible and making sure that we do not miss a shot. As a rule we will always try to be there for "that" shot of a lifetime first and being invisible secondly.

Q: How can we reserve a date or set up a meeting?
A: To book your date, just contact us, sign a contract give us 25% of the package fee and you're all set. To meet with us just contact us and a meet will be set up.
Reserving a booking date is on a first come first serve basis. There are just so many dates available for any month and we encourage you to book us sooner rather than later. To reserve the date or set up a meeting please email or call with our contact information. *See "payment terms" below for more information.

Q: How long will you continue to videotape?
A: Our basic ceremony coverage lasts up to two hours. Firstly we must arrive and set up our cameras & mics. That could take up to an hour but generally less. Since most ceremonies take less than one hour we generally will set up, film some of the pre-ceremony, cover the ceremony and then break down, pack up and leave. For the reception we will try to get there before you do (so plan on taking your time between the ceremony departure & reception arrival... get creative as we will need at least 3/4 hour from our reception venue arrival time just to unload & set up). We will film the reception from your arrival (if you took the long route) for the duration of the contracted time usually 3 hours. If your reception planning has the cake cutting, first dance or another event that you want on tape either plan it towards the beginning or book us for more coverage hours. Keep in mind that we cannot & would not tape every minute of the contracted event. We will tape every event that we know about that we access to barring any unforeseen circumstance that keeps us from filming (ie: union/venue management issues, electrical failure, "acts of god", transportation accidents etc)

Q: Payment terms
A: Upon signing of the contract we receive from the client 25% of the estimated package fee (This is the retainer & is non-refundable). Both the retainer & a signed contract constitute a booking. Ninety days before your wedding we get another 50% of the package fee (confirmation fee) and upon delivery of the initial DVD/BluRay the final 25% of the estimated package price plus any additional fees not covered in the initial agreement that was approved by client before TWV accruing the additional costs (ie: additional travel expenses, extra labor, additional DVD's etc)

* client edit approval means approving spelling errors, excising particular inappropriate shots due to but not limited to (wardrobe malfunctions, excess inebriation, inappropriate language etc). Although we will listen to & try to work with the client on creative decisions the creative control of the video remains in the control of TWV not the client.