The Video Process

on Oct 15 in Wedding, wedding video

A lot of people want to know what goes into producing a professional video.  Just like with making movies - as i did for the first few years out of film school - or producing corporate video - like my other company Capture Video does - a wedding video has three phases.

Pre-Production:

I meet with and talk to each bride and groom before their wedding day (assuming they want to meet!).  During the meeting we discuss what is important to the couple and what is not.  A wedding is a very special day, but there are often sensitive issues involved.  I like to find out, ahead of time, what the key moments and who the key people are that I or my associates need to focus on.

Production:

Like the photographers, we have to get the shot.  Framing, lighting, and remaining unobtrusive are key concerns.  In addition to getting the best shot we can get, we have the added elements of movement and sound to deal with.  I arrive an hour before the ceremony to set up both cameras and plant microphones as needed, before going out to capture establishing shots of the venue, flowers and the guests and bridal party arriving.

Sound: During the ceremony, we are sometimes forced to stay in a balcony far away from the the whispered, “I do.”  Sometimes a family friend is singing the “Ave Maria.”  We set up two - four professional wireless microphones during the ceremony, hidden close to the action, so you can hear her voice as she says “until death do us part.”  At the reception, we capture the toasts, blessings, and impromptu karaoke moments that would otherwise be lost in time.

This bride and groom were anxiously awaiting their video after they got their photos and could not figure out - “What was so funny?”  You want to be able to remember and hear the answer to that question whenever you share your photos with family in years to come.

Movement: Capturing big dance moves and sweeping shots of the beautiful venues and landscapes is always important, but so is being ready to catch small moments like a tear rolling down a cheek, or a hand shaking while trying to place a ring on a finger.  These movements tell a story, and the way we, the videographers, move to capture that story, sets the stage for the final product.

Post Production:

Post is where we spend the most time.  It is hard for people to understand, but video editing takes a long time.  Our typical wedding video takes between 4 and 6 times as many hours to edit as it took to shoot.  So, for example, a 6 hour wedding package can take anywhere from 24 - 36 hours for us to edit.  Part of that time is just the process - going through all the footage and picking out the best shots -  and part of that time is due to me being a perfectionist.  I do not personally edit all the videos that leave my studio, but I supervise every one.  Once the music is selected, the shots are chosen, the montages pieced together, the ever changing light and color leveled and corrected, and the audio mixed, I watch the entire video and tweak little things here and there to make sure it tells the story I know the bride and groom wanted to tell.

Only then do we master it onto DVD and send it off -  to get responses like this one, from Matilda and Richard:

“We did watch the DVD and we love it!  When my parents watched it my mom cried from start to finish.”

And then the video process is complete!

2010 Earth Day Wedding Contest

on Oct 01 in Wedding

Last year, I was one of the vendors who donated my services to the inaugural Green Wedding Giveaway.  You can view this short video from last year’s FREE Earth Day Wedding.

Jessica Pi Productions Photo Session Video from Jessica Piscitelli on Vimeo.

The 2nd Annual Washington DC Green Wedding Consortium’s Earth Day Giveaway is now accepting applications.  The wedding giveaway is comprised of the following eco-friendly prizes:

• Design Consulting Package from Elegance & Simplicity Wedding & Event Designers, Inc. worth $7,500
• Floral Design & Décor Package from Elegance & Simplicity Wedding & Event Designers, Inc. worth $2,500
• Event/Venue Space Rental of the Stephen Decatur House Museum worth $6,500
• Event cuisine by Occasions Caterers worth $5,000 (Couple MUST pay labor fees, associated taxes, delivery, rental fees for serving pieces and alcohol)
• Music services by Disc Jockeys On Call worth $2,500
• Lighting, fabric draping, furniture rentals From Ampa Events worth $9,000
• Bridal Styling by Polished Image & Style worth $1,000
• Linen Rentals from Table Manners worth up to $1,000
• Photography services from Ralph Alswang Photography worth $5,000
• Photography services from Andrea Jacobson of The Observatory worth $5,000
• Videography services from Jessica Pi Productions worth $3,500
• Wedding Cake from Cakes by Design worth $650
• Make-up Artistry from Carola Myers worth $250
• On-site hair services by Elegant Hair by Giselle worth $250
• Officiating Services from Jim Burch worth $350

Once you have read all of the rules, regulations and guidelines (and are in agreement with ALL of them), please click on the application survey link here.

Official Rules, Regulations and Guidelines can be downloaded here.

All applications must be submitted online by October 20th, 2009 by Washington, DC Metropolitan area residents only.  Ten Finalists will be chosen for in-person interviews.  The winning couple will be announced on December 9, 2009 at the DCGWC Holiday Party!

Apply today!

The Washington DC Green Wedding Consortium consists of the leading green wedding professionals from the Washington DC metropolitan area.

Baltimore Wedding Firsts

on Sep 14 in Baltimore Wedding, Wedding

I had a few firsts at the wedding I completed recently.  This was my first Baltimore wedding, and it was great.  The ceremony and reception were at the Walters Art Gallery.  The venue was beautiful.  It was like having a wedding in a Roman Sculpture Garden.

This was also my first time getting to work with Lisa Nelson, of Elegant Event Design.  She was such a joy to work with and she did an amazing job of both planning the wedding, and designing the whole event.

I asked Lisa about her experience designing this event for the couple, and she had this to say:

“It was a lot of work - a lot.  But it was really refreshing to be able to see everything come together, from the monogram, programs, menus, favors, linens, food, look and feel.

Most importantly, there was a feeling of love in the air.  Everyone loved everyone else so much - and it made it that much more intimate and special.”

I have to agree with Lisa.  It was a beautiful day.

Lisa recently interviewed me for her blog.  You can read my answers to her well phrased questions here.

This was my first time meeting and working with Randy Woods, of Wicked Willow.  They did an amazing job with the floral arrangements for the ceremony and the reception.  The flower design really made the event, and it all looked great as you can see in the amazing photo.

The photo is compliments of Rachel Smith, who was also a great person to work with, and a first time for me as well.  She was easy to work with and seemed to be everywhere the day of the event - a good thing in the case of your photographer.  You can see more of her work on her website.  Click here to learn more about Rachel Smith.

DC Green Wedding Meeting

on Sep 09 in Wedding

Today the DC Green Wedding Consortium met to discuss our plans for the next year.  Katie Martin, of Elegance & Simplicity, started the meeting off by telling the group about compost methods used by Occasions Caterers, one of our newer members.  We went on to discuss the Earth Day wedding for 2010 and what members have committed to offering their services in order to raise awareness of Green wedding practices.

So far we know that Ralph Alswang and Andrea Jacobson will be photographing the Earth Day wedding.  Jessica Pi Productions will once again be providing wedding video services for the event.  You can see last year’s Green Wedding video here.  Debbie Delardi, of Cakes By Design, will be providing some more delicious cake to the lucky couple.  With Carola Myers doing makeup, and Elegant Hair by Giselle doing hair, the bride will look beautiful.  Ampa Events will lend some decorative and practical touches to the already swanky Decatur House.  Aaron Couch, of Disc Jockeys on Call will be keeping the party going with his deejay services.  And, of course, Elegance & Simplicity will be providing the floral arrangements.

We wrapped up the meeting by getting to know one another a little better.  Present at the meeting but not previously mentioned were Stephanie Ward, of Punk Rock Bride; Nicole Wolf, of Sota Dzine; Michelle Slaughter of Herpresign; Jim Burch; Ashlee Van Veen of Documentary Associates; and Ann Cooper of Table Manners.

European Style Floral Design

on Sep 03 in Wedding, Wedding Flowers

A good friend of mine, and a great florist, Christi Lopez, was recently awarded a scholarship to attend a European Style Floral Design class taught by world-renowned floral designer, Els Hazenberg.

You can read more about her experience, and view some photos from the class at: The Bliss Blog

Click here to find out more about Christi and her shop, Bergeron’s Flowers & Events.

Corporate Has Its Charm

on Aug 28 in Corporate Video, Wedding

When I am not shooting weddings, I run a corporate video company called Capture Video, Inc. We create training videos, to help companies deliver a consistent message to all their employees, and marketing videos, to show at gala events, sales presentations, in trade shows or for use on the web.

Here’s a Sample from Capture Video

So, what does that have to do with weddings?  In other words, why should you care?

My dual businesses help me to be more dynamic in both fields.  Corporate video production is so often about following a script – having everything written out in advance.  But when I get on location, I often see opportunities to get the shot that wasn’t in the script or on the shotlist.  I have learned from live events to be fast and accurate, and to think, creatively, on my feet.

My corporate experience, on the other hand, has taught me to think on the spot about the end result.  Knowing, in advance, how I want to tell the story, ensures that I am getting the shots I need to put together a wonderful wedding video that will make sense and play like a well scripted movie – even though we all know live events are not run by a script!

For Fourth of July weekend, when most people were roasting hot dogs and drinking beer, I was working.  Not that I am complaining.  I had a great time.  I was hired by the Town of Leesburg to videotape their 4^th of July Celebrations for a promo video.  I have my friend Bob Merhaut to thank for that job.

Bob is a photographer who, like me, wears two hats.  He does amazing commercial work.  This photo of the Wine Kitchen is just one example.  I have seen his work used in some great marketing pieces, and a lot of people I know have him to thank for their corporate headshots.

Bob has a flip side to him too.  It really no surprise to  see that his wedding work has that same flare of creativity to it as his commercial work.  The man’s got talent.  And he is a really sweet guy.  He brings a lot of joy to his work - and who doesn’t want a happy photographer on their wedding day?

I have known Bob for many years and have been happy to work with him and recommend him – for both wedding and corporate work.

Click here to see more of his work.

Flowers at a Garden

on Aug 13 in Wedding, Wedding Flowers

I just completed a great wedding video for Cristina and Ben, who got married this summer at Meadowlark Gardens, in Vienna.  As usual, the Atrium was a great venue for a wedding and fortunately we had the perfect weather for an outdoor ceremony.

Cristina and Ben were great to work with.  You can view the video we did for them below.

A Wedding at Meadowlark Gardens from Jessica Piscitelli on Vimeo.

Cristina and Ben had this to say after receiving their DVDs:

“From our first meeting, we felt very comfortable with Jessica. We did not meet with any other videographers because we knew she would do an outstanding job. Throughout the planning process she was very flexible and easy to work with, quick to respond to e-mails, and on the day of our wedding, was very unobtrusive, fun, and professional. Once we viewed our DVD for the first time, I cried at least three times! She captured every single moment that I remembered and cherished from that day and did it with seamless transitions, perfect matching to the music, and such class! We are very happy with her work and would recommend her to anyone considering a videographer for any special occasion.”

Gail Dobberfuhl, of Blooms in Reston, was kind enough to refer me for wedding videography.  I have worked a lot of weddings in which Blooms provided the flowers, and I always fall in love with the bouquets!  Gail has been listed as one of the area’s best florists by Washingtonian Magazine for the past several years, and you can really tell why when you’ve seen her flower arrangements.  Reston Floral Designs now owns Blooms and their new name is Blooms Reston Floral Design.  You can check out their website at BloomsReston.com

In addition to working with a beautiful bride and groom, getting to capture a great venue with great décor, I had the added pleasure of working with a fun, real, and natural photographer who I always have a great time working with.  You can see more of her work here: marthafitzsimon.com

Or contact Martha FitzSimon Photography - Real. Natural. Fun.  - at 703.273.0077

Lastly, I got to meet a new planner, well, new to me.  Lisa Borchert, from Detail By Detail was the wedding planner that day.  It’s always great to meet new people and the wedding couldn’t have been nicer, so you know she had something to do with that.

Northern Virginia’s Finest Wedding Professionals

on Jul 22 in Wedding

Photo by Alexander Morozov.

I am lucky enough - and I guess well liked enough? - to be a member of a few prestigious wedding groups.  One of them, the Bliss Collection, otherwise known as Northern Virginia’s Finest Wedding Professionals, recently rebranded with a new website and new look.  Check it out at: www.theblisscollection.com.

I worked on the rebrand and redesign as part of the web committee and was happy to work with Andrew Fisher, of Eiffelfish, once again.  Andrew also designed the Jessicapi website, and I was so happy with the work he did, that I recommended him to Bliss when it was time for our facelift.  If you know of anyone looking for a new logo or website, I would recommend checking out Eiffelfish.com.

I am happy to be a member of the Bliss Collection.  I would recommend any and all of the vendors in the group.  If you are looking for a great cake person, photographer, jeweler, deejay, or most anything else wedding related, Bliss is a great place to start.  As always, please feel free to ask me for recommendations when we meet.  I am happy to tell you exactly why the people I refer are the people you will love to work with!

Photo by David Madison.

A Double Booked Saturday

on Jul 01 in Wedding

This past Saturday, Jessica Pi Productions had a few shoots to handle.  I was off at Meadowlark Gardens myself.  More on that later.  We had a corporate shoot - which you can learn more about on my corporate website Capture Video, Inc. And we had another wedding at the Decatur House.

Alexander Morozov, one of my associates whom I have known and been working with for 4 or so years now, made me a little jealous.  While I had a great day myself, he got to work with Katie Martin, of Elegance & Simplicity, and Jennifer Domenick, of Love Life Images.  These are two of my favorite women in the industry.  Whenever Katie Martin plans a wedding, you know it’s going to be beautiful and everything is going to run like clock work.  And Jennifer’s photos are always great, but she’s just also a pleasure to work with.

To top it all off, the reception was at the Decatur House.  It’s such a great venue and I haven’t been there in weeks!

Alexander had a great time, and he really captured a beautiful wedding.  Now I just have to edit all that footage together - not from the two weddings of course!  Just the 6 hours of footage that Alexander got of a beautiful ceremony and a great cast, setting, and behind the scenes geniuses.

Photo Session Video

on Jun 07 in Wedding

I recently finished editing David and Dana’s wedding video.  One of the questions I most often get is what do you (the videographer) do during the photo session?  Here’s an example:

As Dana and David worked with two wonderful photographers - Tom Van Veen and Jennifer Domenick - we had a lot more material to work with.

Jennifer Domenick, of Love Life Images, and I waited for Dana and David to arrive in their pedi-cab.  Jennifer got some great pictures of the bride and groom in the pedi-cab as well as some awesome pictures in the Decatur House.

You can read more about Jennifer’s coverage of this wedding on her blog.

We had some time, before cocktail hour, to go for a walk in the park and get some shots with the White House in the background.  Tom Van Veen, of Documentary Associates, and I walked around and got some candid images of the bride and groom, as well as this picture that Tom took before they walked back into the Decatur House to start their reception.  You can see some additional photos on the Documentary Associate’s blog.

I don’t direct the action during a photo session.  I let the photographers take on that job.  But I do capture it.  There are a lot of moments of movement, even during a photo session, that are fun to capture and see again in the future.

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