Malay Wedding Videography (Part 2)

What happen in the Bride's room

As soon as I have completed setting up the audio cable for the Akad Nikah ceremony which normally done at the living hall area, I will walk towards the bride's room with my camcorder on hand. Usually, the room is closed. I would give a gentle knock on the door and informing the people inside the room that I, the videoman, would like to enter the room. It is a polite to knock on the door first before entering the room. Normally, the bride is well ready with the best Malay baju on her which she has selected to wear earlier. There were instances when the bride was not yet ready and I have to wait outside for a couple of minutes.

Once inside the bride's room, you will notice the gubahan or the gifts usually neatly place on the couple bed. The bedroom set is nicely decorated with the bride's preferred colour and cloth material. Some use cloth such as satin, lace and soothing colours to beautify their bedroom set. After giving gesture of my presence in the room, I will then start to film the decorated couple bed with the gifts being laid in an orderly fashion. Ninety-nine percent while I was filming on that time, the 'Mak Andam' or the make-up artist will be busy doing the bride's hairdo or applying makeups on her face. Without interrupting both of them, I will record quietly as I would want the video clip to be as natural as possible.

Beside recording the room and bed décor on tape, I will do a brief interview with the bride when I sense it to be at the right time. The questions I would normally ask is that how she feel at the time before the solemnization, as to how she met her future hubby etc. When I feel that all the necessary video footage is on tape, I will leave the room and wait for the arrival of the groom at the living hall.

Malay Wedding Videography (Part 1)

Introduction and the Nikah Ceremony

Nearly 8 months of absence from blogging, something spur me to write to my blog, probably due to perhaps my hands are now free from my day works or my freelancing works but also due to the fact that some individuals come to me recently wanting to learn the Malay wedding videography. Surprisingly, one comes from my own client who got married in 2004.

In many years doing the Malay wedding videography, my opinion is this. It is not as easy task as what to some as just point and shoot style video. If that were to happen, I guess, a seven year old kid would be able to take videography as his first nature. And I believe if a videographer were to do a big mistake during his pre production ( Akad Nikah) for the wedding video on one occasion, then he should roll up his video business as the words of months can spread like wild fire. Even though you don't need a degree or diploma scroll, one need some time to master the craft. And of course, it is the Malay wedding videography.

I believe as a wedding videographer, you need a lot of passions and love. Sometimes, I would rather call myself the 'love videographer' than a wedding videographer. You ask me why? It is because the wedding videos that I am recording are not only unique by its own but involving two people who are in love which ends up with tying the knots. Thus, the camera movements should interpret the motions of love. It should be done in a gentle manners as the camera moves. And why passions? It is because you must passionately record your video steadily as far as possible using either a tripod or a monopod.
And that passion of course involve your love for your video works. And that is my formula over the years as to why my customers are happy with my works.

Referring to the Akad Nikah event, what are the biggest mistakes a videographer can do. If you ask me, this is what I see. One of the biggest mistake during the Akad Nikah is by having not to capture the audio of the event. As you should know, the Akad Nikah is another name for the solemnization ceremony. It is the single most important sub event of the wedding where two people is about to be confirm as husband and wife. So it is important for videographers alike to check the audio cable and audio connector again and again so that to ensure the audio coming in to their camcorders. Always check the audio meter on the camcorders readings and also always wear a quality headphone.

It is my practice to lay the audio cable first to the designated spot where would be the Akad Nikah event take place, at least half an hour to one hour before the event takes place. I will put my Audio Technica AT897 to the microphone stand for stability and use a fresh battery for the boom microphone. Then I will tap a few time to ensure audio is receive to my Panasonic AG 102 camcorder. After a few testings and I am confident that it is working, then I will proceeds to my other duties.

There were numerous occasion when guests or the immediate family members thought that the boom microphone that I connected it to my camcorder will have the amplified sound to the surrounding. This is not so. It is meant for my camcorder. Not one but on two occasions, I have to shout to the person who acted harshly to my boom microphone to stop what he was doing because he was thinking that there was no sound generated during the event was taking place. So, it is best to consult the videographer first before doing anything as not only can cause harm to the expensive equipment but can cause the audio recording from working.

The Ijab Kabul is part of the solemnization ceremony or Akad nikah in Malay. On this part, the video stability and the audio quality is of upmost importance.

From the first day I started doing the wedding video, I have use the XLR audio cable and connectors to my camcorder. This will produce a better audio quality and more natural audio sound compared to videographers who are using the internal microphone which are attached to their videocams. I have noticed quite a numbers of videographers who are practising using the internal microphones for their video projects and especially the crucial Akad Nikah ceremony. I feel that it is either the videographers are not aware of the quality the sound that is produced or just simply for his convenient sake! I pitied the wedding couple who especially might have paid the video persons thousand of dollars for the video and yet the videoman just using the internal microphone. If this were to happen, I feel that the couple is like being robbed on the broad daylight.

Someone asked me the other day as how long the Nikah would takes? This depends on some factors. One must remember that there are some sub events takes place during the Nikah ceremony. They are the followings :-

1)The exchange of gifts conducted by the bride or groom representative
2)The Doas by either the bride or groom representative.
3)The Kadi's administration and Doas
4)The Bride' signature done by the Kadi and the Bride
5)The actual Ijab Kabul between the Kadi and the Groom
6)The Taklik Nikah
7)The ending Doa

All this would takes about 30 minutues to as fast as 15 minutes depending as how elaborate the two family members would like it to be. It is also my practice to record the whole event footage and only to edit the wanted clips as what my clients wishes.

How I become a Wedding Videographer

The decision to be a wedding videographer was not by chance. And definitely not by pure coincidence and not also by presumably of what maybe having a natural talent that I may have.

What I can recall back then, it all started when one fine day, I was told by my boss that there was no annual bonus payout for me although my work performance was good on their record. Naturally, I was very frustrated. I told myself that if my employer don't pay for my bonus, then why should I complained. It was just a waste of time.

Then, an idea zoomed into me. Something inside my system told me that if they(the employer) don't have the bonus for me, then I should make 'the bonus' for myself. And that thought was more than 10 years ago. I felt at that time and am till today that idea may come quite easily. However, it was a difficult decision as to what can I do to make some money especially on weekends. It took me awhile. After much thought, I decided to take videos on other people's weddings.

Here are some of the obstacles that I encountered along the way.

No 1 Problem.
I was the sort of person who hate to go for wedding functions since teenager until my late twenties. Even my wife knows it very well.

Solution : I have to change my mindset.

No 2 Problem.

Since I seldom attended wedding functions, I was not aware to some of the Malay wedding customs like what to do after the 'Akad Nikah', 'Berinai' etc from the view angle of a video person. To be frank, I have forgotten until today who was my cameraman when the day I married in 1994! I simply cannot recall.

Solution : I have to ask around, especially to my wife and friends. Also, I have to attend to weddings invitations from then on. I always take the opportunity to observe what the cameraman or video man doing when on the scene.

No 3 Problem.

This is the biggest problem of all. The question is how do I take video for weddings.
How about the camera handling, techniques, style, video editing, secret of the trade in wedding videos etc.

Solution : Read good books from the National Library about videography to begin with. Also, I took courses from some freelance video men themselves. Some charged as high as $1000 which I did attended for a day course. ( But I was cheated actually). But I did take some courses that are mostly practical skills taught the seniors themselves.
Then, the next thing I do, was to practice and keep practicing faithfully with the video camera.

Above are the 3 biggest point that I remembered so far. I will add on soon.

As the saying goes, NO PAIN NO GAIN.