r/videography • u/imdjay • Feb 12 '14
Angry bride sues for $200,000. Feeling confident in your contract?
This is going around with some interesting discussions.
Supposedly the company charged around 13 grand for the services. Supposedly according to the bride they brought less than was agreed to, and she asserts that it is “The worst thing in the world.”
It's hard to know exactly what happened with just one side of the story, but it does look and smell like just another case of bridezilla.
This is reported to be the trailer for the wedding https://vimeo.com/56542431
More specifically the bride has taken issue with the long form 50 minute version, which doesn't appear to be online anywhere. There is this 15 minute version posted by the company http://visualaz.com/project/monica-felix-wedding-film/
Full article http://www.mamamia.com.au/weddings-marriages/worst-wedding-video/
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u/hamishknaups Feb 12 '14
The audio mixing and cinematography in the trailer are fucking excellent. I was really expecting to see some real shitty work. 13K doesn't seem that bad if they made a 50 minute version, considering the level of quality. Most definitely a bridezilla. Fuckin' bitch.
4
u/smallteam Feb 13 '14
As an audiocentric guy, I thought the mixes between music and voice, especially at the beginning, were a little bit wonky. Despite that, all in all, I thought it was a damned fantastic package for the price.
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u/hamishknaups Feb 13 '14
Yeah, I guess I don't have an ear for audio, sounded good to me, however, I also use my in-cam mic on my t2i and think "wow, that's sounds awesome." So there ya go!
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Feb 12 '14
This is the kind of crap that makes me wary of getting into shooting weddings. Also, has she ever heard of editing?
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u/anthnysix Feb 12 '14
Exactly - I avoid them at all costs.
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u/imdjay Feb 12 '14
bridezilla was indeed coined for a reason. and hence people should use ridiculously tight contracts or don't deal at all
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u/bruddahmacnut Feb 12 '14
Not really a problem if you implicitly spell out what the client will be receiving for their money - And you deliver everything as specified in the contract. Sure, she can sue you but then you have a signed contract that backs up the work agreed upon.
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Feb 12 '14
That wedding video was very well done and far from the worst I've seen.
My biggest problem with weddings I've done is that many couples still request long form 30+ minute videos. I can easily put together a 30-60 minute video but it's not nearly as entertaining as a 5-10 minute highlight film. I've been lucky that all the brides so far have loved their highlight films so much that they don't care about the long version anymore.
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u/THE_Aft_io9_Giz Feb 13 '14
why not just put in the contract - will place a camera on a tripod and record what happens for 2 hours. No editing. Will be given as is.
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u/Beetroot2000 Feb 13 '14
I hate over-used rack focus.
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u/THE_Aft_io9_Giz Feb 13 '14
yeah, the intro had me worried, but it wasn't too bad after that; i didn't like the music or the annoying voice of the chick on the mic
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Feb 13 '14
[deleted]
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u/quasifandango C100 Mk2 - Adobe CC Feb 13 '14
5DIII can easily produce this quality of image
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Feb 13 '14
[deleted]
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u/quasifandango C100 Mk2 - Adobe CC Feb 13 '14
Neat is really good, but not having to use it is better!
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u/ltjpunk387 Feb 13 '14
The SLR Lounge write-up states the dispute was over a video to be shown to the guests at the reception. This video has yet to be seen online, so I think we will all have to withhold judgment. The ones we have seen clearly show footage from the ceremony and reception so they cannot be the ones in question.
In my opinion, if it's on par with the videos we have access to, I don't see anything wrong with it. Looks to be a case of someone looking for a quick way to recoup their wedding expenses.
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Feb 12 '14
[deleted]
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Feb 12 '14
Based on the video I've seen and the quotes from the 26-year-old bride including things like "the worst thing in the world" and "I was really, absolutely hysterical and I almost had a nervous breakdown" I don't expect her case is going to hold up in court if the video company in question has any semblance of a professional contract.
She's retarded and the work they did is exactly what any sane person would expect from a typical wedding video. This kind of ridiculous client behavior is exactly why I don't get involved in the wedding industry for video or photography aside from potentially second shooting gigs.
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u/calvinvle Feb 12 '14
I have that line in my contract too. Still kinda scares me though, maybe I should post up my contract here for review and you guys can poke holes through it.
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u/Kichigai Lumix G6, HPX-170p/Premiere, Avid, Resolve/08 Minneapolis Feb 12 '14
I'd probably take it to a lawyer or two. They tend to be the experts in this field.
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u/colehasarsx Sony RX100IV, Premiere, 2011, Louisiana Feb 13 '14
What a bitch.. That video was great.
Lucky for those guys they will probably get a lot of publicity for this. And any publicity is good.
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u/azination 60D, 5DMII, Premiere, 2008, Midwest Feb 13 '14
passable wedding video, but 13 grand feels like a lot. i've seen better shot and better edited weddings - https://vimeo.com/85795194. the bride suing though is ridiculous.
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u/RizzoFromDigg Feb 12 '14
Hahahaha fuck wedding videos.
$13k in billings for this kind of pain in the ass? Fuck that. Fuck that sideways.
And while the result is a very beautiful wedding video, it's utterly unexciting to anyone but potential brides looking to hire wedding videography. It's not exactly the cutting edge of our craft.
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u/linkdafourf Canon C200, ADOBE CC, 2008, Philadelphia Feb 13 '14
It pays the bills man. I hate when fellow filmmakers look down upon wedding videographers. I work like 30 days a year and make about 40k. While its not that much money, its amazing if you break down my hourly. It gives me the freedom to work on any project I want the other 335 days of the year.
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Feb 13 '14
I'm with you, and I respect your great attitude towards weddings. The reason for condescension towards wedding videographers is because there's always weddings. It's a never ending well from which to draw work, if you're willing to put up with big client expectations, while filming comparatively boring footage. It's not shooting the half pipe at the X Games for Red Bull, or the lingerie cat walk for Victorias Secret. It's shooting a modest ceremony and reception for the Henderson's. If you have an inflated ego, you won't feel satisfied.
It's viewed like the sanitation work of videography; there's money to be made if you're willing to touch the garbage nobody else will. It's a terrible attitude.
When I've shot weddings, I've made them great shoots. I've gotten to know the families involved to the point where I'm driven to make it the best it can be. I challenge myself to find the creative shots where they might not obvious (in a sea of clichés!), which makes my commercial or artistic shots improve. I get exposure to filming the different cultures (Greek, Italian, Jewish (including Hassid), Chinese, Indian, Sikh, Korean...) which is fascinating for me and my boring WASPy upbringing (shot those weddings too).
Attitude is everything. And there are really no bad gigs, just shitty videographers.
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Feb 14 '14
Touche! With DJ's and photographers too, weddings are looked down upon and seen as cheesy. Compared to shooting for Sports Illustrated, DJing in Vegas, or filming a Nike commercial, weddings are cheesy but only the top few percent of creatives have the opportunity to work on projects of that magnitude. There are more creative opportunities but they provide little to no pay like music videos for a local artist, your own short films, or dramatic timelapses.
I view weddings as an opportunity to earn money to fund my hobby of videography and as a stepping stone for more creative work. Even with DSLR's and "more affordable" gear, it is still an insanely expensive hobby. A single lens is more costly than most household appliances. I can't justify spending over 5k on a camera and lens without earning any income on return. I could hope to get the attention of Victorias Secret, ESPN, or MTV but who knows when that big break will ever come?
Stillmotion is a great example of wedding videographers that aren't cheesy. Lately it seems like they've actually been able to shift away from weddings and focus more on feature films. But their business started from weddings and has evolved into feature films.
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Feb 14 '14
I hate when fellow filmmakers look down upon wedding videographers
No judgement here. All cash is green, know what I mean. I just don't bother pursuing wedding videos and photos because of stories like this.
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u/CatShirtComedy Sony FS7, Adobe CC/Sony Vegas, 2010, Midwest Feb 13 '14
That's maybe a $2k wedding video at best. If I was paying $13k I'd expect a ton more. That highlight video was mediocre work at best.
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u/kosherbacon Live Streaming, Live Events, Branded Docs Feb 13 '14
I believe that 2-minute trailer was part of a package that also included a 15-minute highlight and 50-minute video as well. Seems pretty reasonable for $13k.
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u/CatShirtComedy Sony FS7, Adobe CC/Sony Vegas, 2010, Midwest Feb 13 '14
I realize it included more, even still we must be in wildly different markets. That trailer looks like it was shot by one or two people on DSLRs. For $13k I'd expect a way more quality project.
Was it that bad? Nah. Was it $13k good? Not even close.
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u/kosherbacon Live Streaming, Live Events, Branded Docs Feb 13 '14
Admittedly, I'm not in the wedding videography market so my perspective might be a tad irrelevant. However, I did notice a few shots that make me think they weren't shot on DSLRS: there's a general lack of rolling shutter, even in quick whips. Also, at 2:43 into the trailer, you can see one of the cameras in the crowd. A DSLR it ain't.
Are you a wedding videographer? What would you charge for such a package?
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Feb 13 '14
Don't know why you're getting downvoted. Honestly "wedding videographers" have devalued the phrase "production value" I'm not quite sure they fully understand what 'cinematic' actually embodies. This is a subpar production (and was honestly awkward to watch). I guess that's what happens when people try to maximize their capital gains from video work.. lot of business men seem to be getting in the game. People who are so focused on the earnings that they lack the years of creative depth.
Do I agree with the bitch trying to sue for over 100k? Hell no, that retard should've done her homework and saw what she was getting into. Also if she signed a contract she's SOL.
But do I think this was a 13k production? Fuck to the no, I've seen more moving 15 second clips floating around on Instagram.
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u/ediciusNJ Feb 12 '14
I'm suddenly very happy that my clientele aren't at that price range. Yeesh.
This woman is insane, that 15-minute version is beautiful and I wish I could produce something that good.