Q) Do you use widescreen High Definition cameras?
A) We can shoot in any format you like. Our current packages are priced for shooting in regular digital video. When proper cameras and editing software in the HDV format appear on the market later in the year, we’ll offer all packages in High Definition as an added option.

Q) Why should I pay for a professional wedding video, since my uncle can bring a camcorder and give me a VHS copy of his footage as a gift for free?
A) For many reasons. He’ll likely miss half the important moments since he is first and foremost a guest. We obsessively make sure to cover everything that you consider significant to include in the video. Unlike an amateur with a 1 chip camcorder, we bring a 3 chip for sharp bright colors and low-light visibility, a tripod for a professionally steady image, battery-operated light, wireless mikes, wide angle lenses, and other professional filmmaking tools. After the wedding, we spend more than 40 hours putting the video through a complete editing session with advanced special effects. And the DVDs we give you are in perfect digital quality with a pristinely mixed soundtrack featuring music and clear live audio. You will watch our video all the time and be proud to send labeled DVD copies to friends and family as a unique gift. We find that couples who trust their relatives to capture this once-in-a-lifetime event usually regret doing so. They only watch the video once before putting it in a drawer for 10 years. Nobody else gets to enjoy the wedding. Remember your future children and friends will be eager to see what they missed; and many times important family members or friends are unable to attend the wedding. Your video can recreate the experience much better than a series of posed group pictures in your wedding photo album.

Q) Why should we choose Amazing Pro Video to videotape our day?
A) There are many good wedding videographers in Southern California. We feel we are offering a very valuable, high quality product you will treasure for the rest of your life (and pass on to your children) at a price that is both affordable and more-than-fair considering the amount of time we put into every wedding video we produce. You can find others who charge less than us if you spend time searching the internet. But we doubt they will put as much time or expertise in the editing process. We make over 2000 creative decisions when editing a typical wedding video. Most video companies will charge you extra money if you want to make changes to their edit. We include your right to make changes in the contract for no additional charge.

Q) If we hire you, which package would you recommend?
A) If you are looking for a basic, affordable, yet elegant, wedding video covering just the ceremony and reception, then Package 1 is recommended. We can do our work unobtrusively. If you are going to have a long wedding day and you want coverage of everything, you can simply add more camera time to a Package 1 booking or upgrade to Package 2. Actually, the ideal purchasers of Package 2 are couples looking for all day coverage, 3 ceremony cameras, 2 reception cameras, slightly more obtrusive video production (in that we prepare and direct bridal party members occasionally—especially during posing sessions), a more sophisticated audio soundtrack, noticeably creative cinematography, elaborate special effects editing, thematic video that tells an important story, high-end production techniques, extra copies, and a lot of pre-production preparation. Package 2 looks more like a movie than a traditional wedding video.

Q) Who will tape and edit our wedding video?
A) Marc and Lori direct the Package 2 weddings and all add-on shoots. Mitch, Scott, and Phillip specialize in Package 1 weddings. Since Marc is the owner, he or Lori will tape a Package 1 wedding if nobody books a Package 2 for the same date. You can meet with your videographer way before the wedding day to go over the important details of the event once the schedule is set. Package 2 requires several meetings. We try to assign the most appropriate videographer for your particular needs, based on availability, style, skills, and location. Usually the person who videotaped the wedding will edit the footage since they know the people and the shots better than a different editor who wasn’t at the event. But, once a video is edited, Marc Friedlander reviews the master version. He will then instruct the editor to make any necessary changes (if any) before the client sees the first version. Marc oversees every wedding we book and edits most of them himself.

Q) How long after the wedding date do we get our final DVD copies?
A) Couples who marry in the winter and spring months usually get to see the first edited version to review for changes within 3 months of the wedding. If your wedding takes place in the busy season (June-October), it may take up to 6 months to finish the first edit for review. A well-edited video takes time. If you must have the video before Christmas, we can guarantee this for an additional fee. After you review the first edit and decide what changes you want, we can usually deliver all your DVD copies within the next 2 weeks.

Q) What are your “Exciting Add-Ons” all about?
A) We offer valuable a la carte options you can add to either Package 1 or 2. Most are based around the idea of producing video in advance to project onto a big screen during the reception. It can be incorporated for brief screenings just before the meal is served or throughout the entire reception presented by a VJ (Video Disc Jockey) who supplies a full DJ sound system and a variety of video footage to show during the night. We can videotape pre-wedding day events such as dress fittings, airport arrivals, showers, clergy meetings, rehearsal dinner, etc. We can produce creative productions in the cinematic format of Love Story Videos, Bridal Elegance Videos, advanced 3-D Photograph Montages, Memorial Tributes, Introductions, humorous Vignettes, and MTV-style music videos.

New technology allows us to offer several thrilling surprises for your guests and video viewers. Big Screen Walk-Throughs create magical Grande Entrances, Chroma Key Effects recreate Hollywood-style mattes which composite more than one image together onscreen. And the most unexpected surprise of all, the Mad Dash-- whereby we produce a creative Love Story montage with blank sequences throughout the video. After we videotape wedding day preparations and the ceremony itself, we swiftly edit some of the best moments of the wedding day preparations and ceremony into the blank parts of the pre-produced Love Story Video. By preparing and scheduling enough time before the actual screening, we can still manage to show this work of art during the reception, though many images in this edited project were shot only a couple of hours before the screening. A Mad Dash allows us to show parts of your wedding day video to your guests during the actual wedding!

Some couples are even bringing videographers to their honeymoon to shoot photos and video. Your friends and family can see all the fun you had in paradise. Or you can simply shoot your own footage that we can edit later.

Q) I’d love to be able to book your Package 2- The Masterpiece and throw in some add-ons, but how can I do it without exceeding my video budget?
A) The best answer is to raise your budget! There is great value in hiring a truly artistic filmmaker/videographer with 20+ years of wedding experience. Unfortunately, most wedding magazines and websites underestimate the value of a high-end professional wedding video. The amount they tend to recommend to budget towards video is based on the rates of the 1990’s, just before the advent of 3 chip digital camcorders, computer non-linear editing, creative production techniques, multiple camera angles, and DVDs. Now we really can deliver a final product that rivals the quality of major motion pictures….especially with the upcoming addition of High Definition cameras and DVDs. We guarantee that our Package 2 video will amaze and impress your friends and family. It’s bound to become one of your treasured family heirlooms. If you simply cannot afford Package 2, Package 1 is a perfect back-up, since you still get a beautiful video that evokes simple elegance. You can always upgrade Package 1 with overtime, extra camera coverage, and other add-ons.

If you simply must have Package 2 with add-ons, we’ll be glad to offer very affordable finance payments to make it easier for you to choose our most prestigious package. You may even consider adding our wedding video production charges to your Gift Registry list. Patrons who donate to your wedding video fund become credited Executive Producers of the production.

Q) Can we provide input on the style, length, and other video elements?
A) Absolutely. These days a wedding video can be a long (1-3 hours) traditional documentary of all the day’s activities or a shorter (less than 1 hour) artsy masterpiece filled with fancy musical montages highlighting just the important moments of the day. Every production is adapted to fit the length and style(s) the bride and groom request. Videos can be funny, romantic, religious, soft and sweet, unobtrusive, photojournalistic, musical, emotional, cinematic, and/or thematic.

The best way to ensure you receive a great wedding video is to clearly communicate to us exactly what you are looking for once you choose from our options. Videography is one wedding service that is very customizable.

Q) Do you do specialty weddings?
A) The most fulfilling aspect of this business is facing the challenge of capturing a completely unique event each week. Southern California is a melting pot of many ethnic and religious communities. In over 20 years of videography we’ve had the chance to shoot weddings in almost every local community: Jewish, Catholic, Spanish language, Asian, Muslim, Hindu, Jehova Witness, Russian, African, Greek Orthodox, Persian, Lutheran, Chaldean, Sikh, and many others. We’ve shot weddings at every imaginable location: beaches, churches, hotels, parks, yachts, military bases, flower gardens, country clubs, museums, historical sites, presidential library grounds, and more. Weddings often feature a theme, which can be creatively incorporated into the video. We can videotape you while horesback riding on the beach for ultra-romantic images.

Q) Do you do guest interviews at the reception?
A) Most couples tell us to interview all the important guests. Some don’t want any interviews. If you allot enough time during the reception, we can tape all your guests. Most clients prefer guests simply make comments into a wireless mike when it is passed to them, but we can elicit more interesting responses and stories by asking appropriate questions to certain selected guests. And we don't charge extra to conduct interviews. We actually enjoy meeting your guests. We can even bring some of L.A.’s best shmoozers and quick-witted comedians who specialize in conducting humorous guest interviews.

Q) I’m a very detailed bride and the groom has technical requests. We know what we like. Can you customize a package to fit our preferences? And can you accommodate a couple who gives you detailed specifics in advance and who wants to make all the final decisions regarding the video?
A) Yes! We love working with a well-organized bride who knows what she wants. If she can clearly communicate her desires in advance, we’ll know exactly what steps we need to take to make her happy. It’s actually easier for us to do a great job when we know what the couple is looking for.

Q) Will you work well with our photographer?
A) We realize your photographer has a harder job than us, since he’s only capturing brief moments. So, we try hard to stay out of his way. We like to make contact with him in advance to discuss the event.