Laura Randall of Edit 1 Media

Coffee Talk with Laura Randall of Edit 1 Media

WC: How did you get started in wedding videography?

LR: When our second son (out of three!) was 2-1/2 he was diagnosed with an extremely rare form of kidney cancer for the second time in his short little life. We were told his odds were not good and were given the option to take him home to die. We chose to fight the cancer and we bought the best video camera we could afford at the time because I wanted to capture every moment of his life. I knew that photographs would also be important, but if I lost him, I wanted to be able to hear his laugh, watch him toddle around the room, and say "I love you Mommy." Our older son is 6 years older so I had some "mommy experience" under my belt and knew that no matter how hard you tried to remember those things, time does fade even some of the best memories. So that was very important to capture those things.

We were dealing with extremely high doses of chemotherapy and radiation so we pretty much lived at Children's Hospital for over a year. When that happens, you wind up getting very close to the other families and their children because not even your best friends can understand how hard this journey is. Unfortunately many of the other kids who "live" at the hospital are also very ill and many of them did not survive. It was truly the most heartbreaking experiences of my life! One little boy was the same age as our son and went to daily radiation at the UW with us every morning. He was an only child and his mom was a young single mother who didn't own a video camera. After about six months, she got the news that he was terminal. When they went to DisneyWorld for his Make-A-Wish trip, we let her use our video camera. When they came home we started editing our first video for his memorial which turned out to be only a few short weeks after they got home. His mother watched that video every night before she went to bed and said that it was the best thing we could have given her aside from bringing her son back. That had such a huge impact on us.

While our son was in treatment, I also started up a nonprofit group for families who have children with cancer. Of course we videotaped all of our activities and all the brave kids. At the end of the year we held an auction and showed a video of some of the activities. There wasn't a dry eye in the house and we raised over $60,000 to provide help and education for those families! At the end of the night people came up to us and asked us to film commercials, weddings, promo videos, etc. I was overwhelmed! So that was really the birth of Edit 1 Media.

Thankfully it's been over eight years since we decided to fight that nasty cancer, and our son is a vibrant healthy teenager now! He truly is our miracle child and we are thankful every day for our children (well, most days!! LOL!!)

These experiences that we had as young parents really had a huge impact on our lives and our work. I think each video we create has some of that passion. We truly understand that you never know what will happen in life and that amazing moments like a wedding, where all of your friends and family are in one room together, are fleeting precious times. We love to capture those memories for people!

WC: How would you describe your videographic style? Are you discreet and photojournalistic or are you hands-on and interactive with the subjects?

LR: We are very unobtrusive but have the experience necessary to still capture an amazing amount of footage and lots of emotional moments throughout the day. We are never "in your face" although we do get lots of close-up shots of people by discreetly zooming in on someone when they are busy interacting with others. That way we capture their "true" self, which is really important. During the formal photography session we recognize that the photographer usually has a rhythm and we don't want to interrupt his or her workflow. So we work alongside the photographer capturing candid moments between shots which makes for some amazing video.

WC: Do you videotape in black-and-white, in color, or both?

LR: Everything is taped in color, but black-and-white, sepia tones, and other special effects, etc. can be added later during the editing process. However, we don't like to "over-do" special effects and instead like to let the story tell itself. We never use crazy "star" or "heart" transitions or other cheesy effects.

WC: Some brides opt to have a relative or friend videotape their wedding. What difficulties might they encounter if they choose this route?

LR: This is another thing that is close to my heart. When Chris and I got married ten years ago, we had a friend of the family shoot our wedding. It was horrible! It was so shaky, and the guy did commentary throughout... even during the processional!! Can you imagine... "Here comes the bride's mother; that's Susan... and she's worked for me for over 10 years... blah, blah, blah". You can't hear our vows, he came right up to us during the ring exchange... I mean RIGHT up there! The only shots of my grandfather (and this was the last time I ever saw him) are unfortunately of his pants and shoes. And then the battery ran out about 3 minutes into the reception. I have watched it once and I cried... not out of joy but out of frustration that I didn't know enough to hire a pro!

Hopefully my experience is on the extreme end of what can happen, but I'm afraid that we get a lot of calls from other brides who have had friends videotape and ask if we can make it better. Generally an amateur doesn't know what shots to get or how to anticipate certain parts of the day, not to mention they probably don't have the same level of equipment that a pro will have.

Another thing to take into consideration is that your relative or friend will not be able to enjoy your wedding day as much since they will be worrying about filming the wedding. And what happens if the video comes out really horrible? What will that do to your relationship with that person?

Many people underestimate the amount of skill and knowledge that goes into filming a wedding. You probably wouldn't hire an amateur to take your photos, so why do that with your video? Your wedding day only happens once, so why risk it?

WC: What are some common misconceptions couples may have regarding videographers?

LR: That a videographer is an obnoxious nuisance that shines a bright headlamp in your face and forces guests to "say something to the bride and groom!" Growing up in Hawaii I remember weddings like that soooo vividly. And if that's what today's bride's think a videographer does, of course I can see why they would be turned off!

Today's equipment is much more sensitive in low-light situations and on-camera lights are much smaller with soft boxes and dimmers so the videographer only needs to use as little light as necessary. Edit 1 Media NEVER uses additional lighting during a ceremony since we feel it is a sacred time, but if the situation calls for some soft lighting during the reception, we will use it sparingly. The last thing we want is guests squinting and telling us to go away... that doesn't make for a very nice video!

Another misconception is that they can have a friend (or even a pro) shoot the wedding and then they can edit it themselves. Unless you've ever sorted through and edited hours and hours of footage before, it's probably never going to actually get done. We put in anywhere from 40 to 60 and sometimes even 80 hours of editing into each wedding video we create. And that is after doing hundreds of weddings over the past eight years, so we have an idea of what will be done with the footage. There are also major differences in amateur editing software versus professional editing software which ultimately impacts the overall quality of the final video.

Another misconception is that they might watch their wedding video once or twice and then never again, so it's a waste of money. Well to be honest, that may be true if they have a friend film it or a very low-budget videographer. But I'm proud to say that some of our very first clients are STILL watching their wedding videos. Occasionally we get phone calls from clients requesting new copies of their DVD because they've watched it so much that it's all scratched up! We truly pride ourselves on creating videos that are like a piece of art that you will watch over and over again.

And lastly I've heard brides say they don't want a video because they are hiring a photographer, so why would they need a video? There are so many amazing photographers in Seattle and I've seen some images that just make me say WOW! There is absolutely no replacement for a good photographer, but there is also no replacement for a good videographer! Your wedding video is the only way you can truly relive key moments of your wedding day. It's the only way you can see movement and hear your vows.

WC: What advice would you give to a couple interviewing videographers for their wedding?

LR: Definitely be sure to watch an entire wedding all the way through. Be aware of the quality of the audio, not just the video. As you are watching the video, communicate with the videographer about what music you like, what effects you like or dislike, etc. Feel free to ask lots of questions... you don't have to watch a video in silence!

Does the video move you emotionally? If you tear up watching the video and you don't even know the people, this is a good sign! Imagine how your own video will turn out!

If you don't like the editing style, does the videographer have something different that suits your tastes better? If they are experienced they should be able to pull a variety of work off the shelf.

Find out how long the videographer has been in business, if this is their full time job, and get references from both clients AND vendors who have worked with the company. Be sure to also check the Better Business Bureau's website for any unresolved complaints. A dark thing within the digital imaging world is how easy it is for someone to buy a camera and some cheap editing software then call themselves a videographer or photographer. People who are NOT videographers don't understand the amount of work that goes into editing a video while also running a successful business. So when they see the rates that the better companies charge, they think it's a gold mine. They keep their day job and the videography is extra income. They start off charging very low rates that still sound like 'good money' to them and book a ton of weddings promising quick turnaround times. Within one to two years many of these companies are out of business because they didn't realize the magnitude of work that goes into a video and finally realize they are losing money. It's very sad because too many brides lose out on getting a great video of their day or worse yet, wind up never getting their video at all! So buyer beware... as with many things in life, you get what you pay for!

WC: I'm sure your videos have captured many special events. What was one of your favorites?

LR: Filming a wedding in Tuscany, Italy. It's so beautiful there and the light is amazing! We love to travel and our mantra is "Have cameras, will travel!".

But for a really unique event I'd have to say a surprise 10th Anniversary/Wedding we did for an NFL player and his wife. They were dirt poor when they got married at the age of 18 and had a very small wedding. He was lucky enough to have a great NFL career so for their 10th anniversary he decided to throw her a big surprise wedding. The wedding of her dreams. She arrived to the church thinking she was doing a bible study and we were there to capture the moment she walked through the doors and saw her 10-year old wedding dress on a mannequin in the church lobby. She didn't see her husband until she walked down the aisle in her dress with their daughter holding one hand and their son holding the other. It was very emotional and I still tear up thinking about it! There were so many other surprises for her that day... it was just an awesome day!

Another one that comes to mind is the wedding of a girl who went through chemotherapy with our son. She was only 19 when she got married, but she is mature beyond her years. She was 14 and our son was 2-1/2 when they went through chemotheraphy at Children's Hospital. Her last dose of chemo almost killed her and she was on life support for several weeks. Somehow she beat the odds and survived but she had to learn how to walk again. I started bawling watching her walk down the aisle and being so grateful that those horrible days were behind us. Oh, and our son was her ring bearer... and yes, I cried as he walked down the aisle too!

Read other interviews at the Club Cafe.