Your wedding video is only as good as the cameras used to capture the moment. We use two videographers and two Panasonic 3-chip CCD Professional cameras on every job, equipped with optical image stabilization compensation for the absolute best video you can get. Beware of videographer companies who offer two cameras but only one videographer or who use single-chip cameras, as the quality of captured video and audio will not be the same!

DON'T BE FOOLED BY OTHER VIDEOGRAPHER'S

GIANT BULKY CAMERAS, THEY'VE HAD FOR YEARS

Camera technology has recently vastly improved and the new smaller professional cameras that we use have better resolution and significantly improved light sensitivity, so that even in low-light situations our cameras capture outstanding video not even possible with the larger cameras!

All work is done as unobtrusively as possible using a combination of wide-angle lenses and close-up zoom lenses on multiple, professional grade, Panasonic DV cameras, mounted on professional-quality tripods, along with a wireless microphone system. We use both hands-free lapel mics with a range of over 500 feet of crystal-clear audio. Of course, our cameras are also equipped with wired microphones and lighting so we are sure to "catch" everything. There is NEVER anyone shoving a mic into your face or asking improptu questions.

Our philosophy is to "capture the excitement and joy" of your wedding and reception as natural as possible, as it unfolds during the day or evening. Any interviews with the bridal party or parents of the bride or groom, at your request, are done either ahead of time, later, or separately away from the main events of the day. Our staff is always dressed professionally in keeping with the attire of your invited guests. Usually, this is in formal business attire with dress pants, a suit jacket, tuxedo shoes, and white shirt, and tie. We are good at "blending in", so that you and your guests will hardly realize that we are even there!

Does the client pay for parking? YES. Parking for a downtown wedding will be added to your bill.

Does the client provide the 2 AVIDUS videograhers full meal service?

If we are covering the reception, then you will need to provide full-service meals and table space for our 2 videographers. We do not want to leave our expensive equipment unattended, because someone (children, guests who have been drinking, etc.) may get hurt knocking into a tripod with very hot lights on it, not to mention something expensive could be broken. Each camera setup is about $10,000. So during the reception, please make arrangements for us to eat the same and complete meal as your other guests, in the same room as your guests, and at the same time for the safety of our equipment and your guests. The easiest and best thing for you to do in order to avoid a problem, the day of the event, is to add our two videographers' names on your regular guest list. If your catering establishment merely sends us down the hall for a vender entree, we will pack up our gear and leave with no services provided and no refund for payments made.

If we have to leave the premises to get a meal, we will miss out on valuable footage you will need for your video DVD. Another reason is that unlike your DJ or Band, we are on our feet from since before you wedding ceremony and we are standing throughout your entire ceremony. Unline most photographers, we are hauling huge battery packs, large video cameras, tripods, and lighting equipment. If you do not provide a table and chairs for us in the main dining room we do not even have a place to sit a cup of coffee or glass of water all night long.

AVIDUS PRODUCTIONS, LLC. is a Limited Liability Corporation.

Who provides video camera work and editing service? Both of these services are provided by our entire staff. We use three simultaneous networked editing stations. We use our own WWP DESIGN custom built non-linear editing digital workstations. Our entire staff is cross trained in editing all elements of your wedding day's events.

Who shoots the weddings? The weddings are normally shot by AVIDUS PRODUCTIONS videographer staff. In an extreme emergency, we have a network of other videographers in the area with whom we can acquire services. We now have two crews so that more dates are available.

Is your service guaranteed? Yes, and our services are all spelled out in our contract, with the exact terms and conditions listed in advance. Although we can not absolutely guarantee that every shot will be useable in the final video, due to the fact that this is documentary style video-making, sometimes lighting, or sound issues, camera or tape malfunctions can occur that make a particular shot un-useable. That's why we prefer using two cameras to minimize this possibility. Videographers who use only one camera run the risk of missing a key moment due to tape glitch, mechanical malfunction, unavoidable obstructions, usually caused by audio interference, or careless guests or photographers crossing in front of the camera, etc. We find that using two manned cameras is by far the best way to guarantee that the final edited wedding video will be as good as it can possibly be.

What if we miss something? We try our best to capture everything as it occurs without distracting any of your guests. That being said, if you know for sure that you absolutely want a particular item on tape -- let us know before-hand. (For example: "Get the centerpieces on the head table!") This is something we usually do, but just in case, let us know! Complaining after the fact that we failed to get something won't make that item magically appear on tape. So, if it's truly important to you, be clear up front.

"Make sure to get the flower girl walking down the aisle!" Sometimes it is difficult to videotape small children, or even the bride walking down the aisle for a couple of reasons. Even though we always try to get the best angle, we have to abide by the rules and restrictions of the facility. Therefore, it is not always possible to get the exact kind of coverage from our desired perspective. We try our best, but we can't tell people to move, nor effectively shoot through people's bodies, heads, etc. for example if a photographer stands in front of our video cameras, or when your guests are standing.

If officials at the church tell us not to go directly up front or move into the aisle during the ceremony, then we have to honor that. Using two manned cameras helps because we get the activity from two angles. What one camera might not get because it is blocked, the other camera may capture. But if we can't be right up front and have the bride walk right to the camera, please realize it's not because we didn't want to do this, but because the facility or others present didn't allow this. That being said, it is our policy to stay out of the way of your photographer, and our approach is to be unobtrusive. We are always professional in working with others at your event.

What if it's too dark? Our cameras work well in very low-light. We have lights for our cameras, but seldom use them unless requested for use in extremely low light situations. The newer professional cameras we use can videotape in 1 lux, which is unheard of even in cameras just a couple of years old. If the other videographer you are considering use cameras with lights, then they probably have old cameras with outdated electronics. Besides, using camera lights, spoils the magical atmosphere and mood of the event!

What if the sound at the ceremony is low? In order to help out in a situation like that we use two wireless mikes, with one on the Groom and one on the Minister. Having a microphone on the minister, is essential! Sometimes the minister resists wearing our mic, but you need to tell him or her that it will make a HUGE DIFFERENCE in the sound quality and everyone who watches the DVD or online Demo will be able to hear their words clearly. Let them know that God wants them to wear the video lapel mic, so they can be blessed. Alternatively, we could ideally run a line from the Church's sound system directly into the camera. This, however, would need the approval and cooperation of the facility, and would have to be arranged ahead of time.

What's the final product going to look like?

The final video production will begin with an introductory video sequence which includes closup video of your invitations. This is part of a video summary of your wedding ceremony. This is set to music song of your choice, usually about 5-6 minutes in length. (Classical music is very popular like Mozart's Canon in D by Pachebel, or a more modern song, like Can I have this dance") After the opening song and video sequence, the edited live action of your wedding video begins and continues through the conclusion of your day's events that have been contracted.

How long have you been videographing weddings? Rick Williams has been taping ceremonies, receptions, dance recitals, and anniversaries for 4 years. He has produced over 24 Television shows entitled "I Wanna Dance", over two years, broadcast weekly by COX Communications state-wide in Rhode Island. We have been twice nominated and selected as a finalist for the PEG Awards for capturing outstanding video in the public domain and mastering digital editing.

Is travel included in the package? If it's 50 miles or less from Bristol, RI, which is the case with most RI and SE MA weddings, we do not charge extra for travel. Anything over 50 miles is $1.00 a mile each way for the milage that is over. If it's overnight, hotel cost is required as well as airfare ...if it's beyond a reasonable driving distance. (Even with travel expenses, our prices are less than most videographers.)

Do you provide a backup camera? We always bring and use two cameras on each job.

Do you have a wireless microphone? And how many mikes do we need? Yes, we use one of the best wireless mike systems in the business and we use a second wireless mike as well. These are wireless lapel mics that are very tiny and clip on the groom and on the officiant, hardly noticable. As an additonal service, if you are having an outdoor wedding or at a banquet facilty that doesn't provide a PA system, we can supply a PA system, which includeds a mixer with a handheld and wireless mike system. For additional fee, we can also provide a PA system at the ceremony and the audio from the wireless microphones go to a Public Address, so that everyone there can actually hear the wedding vows!

Do you preview a site before-hand? Sometimes yes, but it depends on the situation. We usually contact the church or banquet hall, ask questions, and if we are still unclear about any details at all, then we go to the location. We also arrive at the church one hour before the ceremony to set up our equipment and find out about any restrictions that they might have.

How much control do we have in the editing process? You get to choose the songs, you provide the photos on CD to create the montages from. If you have a particular request for something out of the ordinary we try to satisfy that. But most weddings follow a natural flow of events. If you saw the finished version and were disappointed with it because we made a drastically obvious mistake, then we would re-edit it free of charge. Examples of such mistakes would be misspelling of names, dates, unintentional flash frames, the camera going out of focus for extended period of time, or tape glitches. Because we use two cameras, this is seldom a problem. Things we will not re-edit for free, for example, are: editing out a specific dance, or person, or recropping all of the photos.

Can we see a sample? Demos of many current jobs are available on our internet site. These are streaming video files that have been specially made for internet playback. They are intended only to show the style of our videography work. The quality of the video for these files have been significantly reduced so they will load in a reasonable amount of time over your high-speed internet connection. The final DVD production from AVIDUS PRODUCTIONS will be brighter, sharper, and in ultra-high resolution!

Do you also provide an unedited version? No. Our services are contracted for a final edited DVD production of your wedding event. This will be approximately 1 to 2 hours of final edited footage, depending on the legnth of your event, the number of video service hours for which we are contracted, and the raw footage we receive.

How long will the final tape be? Completed Packages usually come in about 60 to 120 minutes in length, depending on the package you choose and the footage we shoot.

What kind of setup do you need? Having the freedom to move about the church is ideal, but not always possible. Having a place to set up two tripods and having a completely unobstructed view at the reception hall, with adequate lighting, is ideal; again not always the case. We need to be able to park our utilty van close to each location, or be able to drive up and unload nearby and then park at least 1 hour before each event location.

How soon after the wedding will we get the video? Our turn around time is generally no longer than two to three months after the wedding, sometimes less, depending on how soon you can get your invitation, photos, and song selections to us. Keep in mind that we spend 60 to 65 hours, at least, editing each wedding, and that's after we get all of the footage into our powerful editing computers. This has to be inputed in real time as taped. It is a lengthy process, but worth the wait. It can take up to 28 weeks for the final work to be complete depending on the complexity and jobs ahead of you in editing. We edit the weddings in the order that they were shot and materials received. This is based on who gets their photos, song selections, and the wedding invitations into us first.

In the meantime, for clients that we feel have treated us professionally, we will feature their video music introuductory summary as a free wedding gift for you, your loved ones, and friends to enjoy while you are waiting for the full DVD production to be finished. We try to get the demo online in about 1 month.

What are your payment and contingency policies? We take a $300 deposit up front to secure the date and lock in the current pricing structure. Then, we send a contract for you to look over and sign. You can pay the balance by cash or check, or online credit card payment through Paypal. The remaining balance is invoiced, and is due no later two months before the date of the event. On our website, there is a balance due button you can click which allows you to put the entire remaining balance easily on your credit card. For last minute weddings, in less than 2 months notice, simply pay the entire amount either by check or using our balance payment Paypal link online. All services are charged a 7% sales tax and/or shipping and handling fee.

Do you charge extra for more VHS or DVD copies? Additional VHS copies are $30.00 each plus 8%. They come with a full color label and plastic cover box. DVDs are also $30.00 each plus 8% for each additional copy and they come with a professional wedding case with the photo of the bride and groom printed right on the DVD and case covers. DVDs have 8 menu chapters. You must contact us within 72 hours of receiving your wedding video to notify us of your requests for additional copies. After that time any extra copies might not be possible.

Can you provide still photography? Yes. We offer a high resolution digital photo service. We take 100 digital photos on professional SLR equipment, upload them to the Internet, where you can view them and order prints very affordably. Check our photo page for details.

Can you scan our pictures for us? There is no charge for the photos we scan for the engagement or honeymoon music cds. They are already included in the prices quoted.

Do you provide additional lighting if necessary? Yes we can. We have two on-camera lights to choose from, depending upon the situation. We generally use camera lights for special events during the reception only. We also use Panasonic cameras with unbelieveable low light (one lux) capabilities which usually is adequate enough to deal with most situations.

At the ceremony, please walk the aisle slowly for the processional and for the recessional. REMIND your bridal party to walk SLOWLY, leaving enough space between each person to get the best video coverage.

At the reception, if you want to appear on camera, do not dance only on the middle of the dance floor, behind numerous people. Get in front of the camera. This is your big chance to be the star of the show!

What if I'm having trouble playing my DVD? At AVIDUS VIDEO, we create your Wedding Video and/or Slideshow DVD with a high quality DVD-R format. We check each copy on two different DVD players to make sure that it's working properly. Our DVDs are compatible with most DVD players manufactured. However, not all manufacturers adhere to certain formatting standards. Check the compatibility of your DVD Player before placing your order. AVIDUS PRODUCTIONS, LLC. will not issue refunds due to equipment incompatibility. If you have an old DVD player, you may need to purchase a newer one. To find continually updated information regarding DVD Players and compatibility, check our website on our Video to DVD transfer service link.

Shipping: After Avidus Productions, LLC. receives your photos, video tapes or CDs, we guarantee that they will be handled properly. Your materials will be returned to you in the same condition we received them, (barring acts of God, war or any other tragedy). However, we are not responsible for your materials once they leave or before they arrive to our facilities. Therefore, we recommend that you ship them either UPS or FED EX with an ability to track them and insure them if necessary.

Return Policy: At AVIDUS VIDEO, we want you to be happy with the final product that we have created for you. We will work closely to your specifications of your Wedding video or Slide show to achieve this. If however, your DVD is found to be defective after you receive it, we will gladly replace it with another copy, when you return the defective copy. However, you must notify us within 72 hours of receiving your videos and DVD to alert us of any problems. Any changes, re-edits, or recreations of your DVD after that time will require additional fees.

General Guidelines: AVIDUS VIDEO will take paramount concern to produce a finished result of good quality. However, we will not be responsible for circumstances beyond our control, including but not limited to a facility or area power failure, equipment malfunction, defective tape stock, severe weather conditions, extreme low lighting situations, inferior sound systems, audio or human interference, etc. Your satisfaction is AVIDUS VIDEO'S primary goal. That being said, you, the client(s), acknowledge that the finished product is a creative work, and as such, reasonable artistic license/discretion will be used in the taping and editing of the resulting video. Changes to the finished product, unless cause by a clearly obvious mistake, will result in additional re-editing charges at the rate of $50 per hour.