Steve Sherrick
Well-known member
Well, if that's the case, it's misguided. I try to be involved with at least one wedding a year either as primary shooter or second operator. I've worked on major Hollywood productions, high end commercials, etc. I've never bought the wedding cinematographer as a lower grade skill set. In fact, the reason I do them is because they challenge me the most. I know in narrative, you get a second take most of the time, same for commercials. Weddings, quite often you have one chance to get the shot - no excuses. You mess up, it can really cost you. So it keeps me on my toes, teaches me how to think under pressure, develop skills that can later translate to being better on other types of productions.
I have shot a RED One for a wedding in 95 degree heat, shoulder mounted some of the time. It was back a few years ago, and it was a way to test a shoulder rig I had at the time. It was Prince Edward Island and although it was for friend of a friend kind of thing, still a lot of pressure. It was challenging, I didn't get every shot I wanted to, and some of it was just plain awful filmmaking on my part. But I learned some things about the camera and about myself. I've shot other weddings where RED Cams were used as well. It can be done, but there's no doubt it can be more challenging than other cameras in certain situations. But like any camera, you develop techniques to work around camera limitations and you embrace the camera strengths so those money shots are just beautiful.
Steve, you have already received some good advice about the batteries and lenses. Power and media would be my number one areas of focus. Have enough to do a day and a half and you will be covered in case of battery failures, media failures, etc.
Where RED cameras excel when receiving proper light levels, I would put a lot of emphasis on lighting. Scope out existing lighting, see how it can work for you and how you can avoid lighting that will work against you. Sometimes you will have no choice and action will unfold where it is. For areas where you think something special will happen, I would consider some augmented lighting. Doesn't have to be some big lighting rig, but maybe there's a shot that would look amazing with some nice backlight and it will feed the sensor. If you can get some of that stuff happening, the RED will really shine. Obviously lenses come into play too, but you are already using the beautiful Leica R's so you have yourself covered there.
Audio is big too. You probably already have this covered, but it's an area that can always be improved. New technology like wireless transmitters with built in recorders can be very useful. It pays off in the end, but adds more complexity to shoots, especially if you have limited crew.
Also seems like you have stabilization under control. I'm not a huge fan of every shot needing a Ronin or drone, but sprinkling them in there works well. Brings energy, fluidity, etc.
Ultimately it comes down to how you want to shoot. If the REDs deliver the images you want, why fight it? Go for it, like you're doing. If it turns out they are hurting your films, then you sell them and move on. But something tells me you love the image you have seen from them and you will make them work for your productions.
So far, I haven't done a wedding yet this year. I feel out of sorts a bit having not done one in a while. I need to find someone getting married and lobby them to let me shoot it.
Best of luck and look forward to the films!
