Frequently Asked Questions

 

 

 

PRIOR TO BOOKING + BOOKING QUESTIONS

 

Before booking, be sure that you take a scroll through my galleries, take a moment to roam through my Instagram profile, and confirm that you enjoy the style of my work. Although the pricing for cinematography and photography is an important aspect to focus on, be sure it isn’t the only one.

 

WHERE ARE YOU BASED OUT OF?

I am based out of Kefalonia but film all over Greece including: Athens, Thessaloniki, Zante, Crete, Santorini and Mykonos. I am always available for weddings all over europe, especially Northern countries like England, Danmark, Sweden, Finland and Norway.

HOW MANY WEDDINGS HAVE YOU FILMED?

I ’ve been creating films for over 20 years and filmed a little over 350 weddings. So A WHOLE LOT of weddings!

WHEN’S THE BEST TIME TO BOOK?

I usually get about 80+ requests per year and only book 15-20. So I always recommend reaching out as soon as you’re thinking about booking.

HOW AND WHEN DO I PAY?

To securely book your wedding day, a retainer is due (30% of your collection total, including travel). The balance (remaining 70%) is due your wedding date. Weddings are not booked until the retainer is received. To avoid another couple booking your wedding date, keep me posted and pay your balance as soon as you get the chance. Payments can be made with a bank transfer, PayPal, or cash.

WHAT IF WE HAVE TO CANCEL?

For those of us who can only work one wedding per day, for a small period of 4-5 months, the non-refundable retainer is paid in exchange for us saving that date for our client and that reservation fee is actually for “liquidated damages”.  We turn away all other business because the date is reserved for you and you alone! That is why in case of cancellation the retainer is nonrefundable.

WHAT IF WE HAVE TO CHANGE THE DATE?

If something comes up and your wedding date changes, I will be happy to reschedule, as long as I am not already booked on the date you are trying to change to. If I am available on the new date, there is no extra fee to secure the new date. Because I only capture about 10 to 15 weddings per year, finding a free day is an easy task. If I am unfortunately not available on the new date, the deposit is then forfeited.

WHY ARE YOUR CINEMATIC FEATURE WEDDING FILMS NO MORE THAN 15 MINUTES LONG WHEN YOU WILL BE AT OUR WEDDING FOR 8 HOURS?

My main goal as wedding cinematographer is to make you a wedding film that everyone can watch and find engaging and entertaining. The days of the long form wedding videography that last 2-3 hours are over. Very, very few people want to sit down and watch something that drags out for that long. Young stylish new couples want their wedding film to share similarities and conventions that are commonly seen in movies. I primarily shoot for my ‘cinematic storytelling wedding film’ but you have the option to purchase the full edited ceremony and reception video if you want it.

DO YOU SETUP DISTRACTING LIGHTING ?

No way! I love the look of shooting with natural lighting. I don’t use an extra lighting during the day. In the night and only if it is highly needed, I use very discreet lighting fixtures.  As you can tell it looks great!

CAN I CHOOSE THE MUSIC FOR MY WEDDING FILM?

Unfortunately not. Due to copyright licensing I do not allow my clients to choose the music for the video. You are hiring me to create a creative narrative film that represents your wedding day after all. My choice in music plays an integral role in your film; it allows me to set a particular mood and pace of your film. If you remember any movie you have watched recently, the soundtrack rarely dictates the narrative, but rather is there to support it. From a logistics perspective, I license all of my music properly, whilst other companies that say you can have whatever songs you wish, they are probably not following the law.

QUESTIONS AFTER BOOKING

 

CAN WE MEET BEFOREHAND TO DISCUSS DETAILS?

I absolutely love to meet my couples before their big day. The best way is when the circumstances allow us to meet in person but we know this isn’t always possible. So I usually recommend a phone or Skype call. I want to make sure that any questions you are curios about will be answered , that you are fully confident in my ability to make your wedding film as special as it can be and more importantly, so I can find out a little bit about yourselves. I don’t want to be a stranger to you, I want to assure you are as comfortable as can be around me, after all I will be a part of your special day!

 

HOW AND WHEN DO I GET MY WEDDING VIDEO?

All my films are unique and take different amounts of time to produce. I will only deliver a wedding video when I am 100% happy with it, usually between 4 to 5 months and no more than 6 months after the full payment received. Sometimes It’s a lot quicker, but it just depends on where in the year your wedding lands and the amount of backlog I have. You are able to download the files on a mobile device, iPad, or on your desktop. Please keep in mind that digital files are easy to lost. Multiple backups, in different  equipment is the way to preserve them for the years to come.

 

QUESTIONS IN PREPARATION OF THE WEDDING DAY

 

MY FAMILY MEMBER OR FRIEND IS A PHOTOGRAPHER, OR OWNS A CAMERA, CAN THEY TAKE PICTURES TOO?

To ensure the quality of my work, unfortunately they can’t. Family members, friends, and guests should remain seated and enjoy your ceremony rather than walking around trying to take pictures with me. If any family members, friends, or other guests interfere with my duties as your cinematographer, some footage may be missed. It is my job to capture your day, it is their job to enjoy and celebrate it with you (not bombard with the cellphones). Yes, this is a happy time and I understand that everyone wants to capture the moment for themselves, just keep in mind that I am not responsible for any footage missed due to any interference thereof.

WHAT IF WE ARE RUNNING LATE?

If the bride and groom, or any other participating members, are late, coverage will be extended within reason without any additional charge. If extra coverage needs to be added the day of the wedding, I happily offer additional hours as long as my schedule permits the additional time the day of.

DO WE NEED A TIMELINE OR SCHEDULE OF EVENTS?

Yes, yes and yes! This is a very important aspect for not only your wedding’s flow and especialy your peace of mind, it comes in super handy for me as your cinematographer and for your other vendors and guests as well. Keep in mind that your timeline should include things you want captured.

WHAT TIME DO YOU (THE CINEMATOGRAPHER) ARRIVE?

I arrive 30 minutes prior to the scheduled arrival time to scout through your venue, view all the decor (if already set up), and roam through the venue to ensure I know where everything will be taking place. Coverage starts when scheduled (which we will discuss together depending on your schedule of events).

WHAT IF IT RAINS?

We continue to capture your day, but with umbrellas. We’ll aim for sheltered areas, under trees, or simply with our umbrellas.

 

 

A FEW THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND THE DAY OF THE WEDDING
• Stick to the timeline as best as possible. If friends try to flag you down after the ceremony, kindly inform them that you will be free for selfies during the reception.
• You will want some time alone. Therefore, during the bride + groom portion of the cocktail hour, I will solely take the bride and groom away for our video session. No family or friends are permitted to join at this time.
• If your family and friends are making any portion of the videography difficult for you — don’t stress. Let it be, I will handle it. This is your day, stand straight, smile big, and squeeze the love of your life tightly. Let me handle these small issues, and be sure to stay as happy as possible. 🙂

 

 

 

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