Are You Making These Styled Shoot Mistakes With Video
LEARNWITHAC is an educational platform founded by Anesha Collins of LEARNWITHAC that educates and equips Creatives & Entrepreneurs with the knowledge they need to be successful at video-marketing, content-creation, and blogging. Styled shoots have become more and more popular within the wedding industry, and with current wedding industry trends it doesn't look like they are going away any time soon. Some people love doing them and can't get enough of them while others don't want to do them at all. There was even a time when I didn't care for them, but it was mainly because a lot of wedding photographers (yes - I am a wedding photographer) were promoting and showcasing styled shoots "as real weddings" -- creating a false expectation for couples on their wedding day. I finally participated in my first styled shoot this past year and it was a great experience. As time passed, I grew to understand the marketing and advertising purpose behind them. They are also great for collaboration with other creatives, networking purposes, and portfolio building. Working with phenomenal creatives on my first styled shoot taught me a lot, and encouraged me to put more of my vision into my wedding videography without apologizing for it. While my experience with my first styled shoot was amazing, one of the most common mistakes I hear post-styled shoots for videographers is failure to feature their work or lack of credit towards the videographer when being published.
Before you continue reading, this is not being written to bash photographers (who normally submit styled shoots), but to simply educate. I encourage anyone reading this to "eat the meat and spit out the bones". What does that mean? It means to use what resonates with you as you read this to enhance what you're already doing when it comes to styled-shoot submissions and video. Also note that it has been taken into consideration that some platforms that feature styled shoots don't showcase video -- this isn't your fault and shouldn't be held against you. So what can you do to make Videographers that participate in styled-shoots more comfortable? Here are some tips. 1. Discuss Publication Platform Submission (in Advance): Most platforms have submission guidelines on their websites or via their Submission Guideline packet. Some publication platforms will also ask who the videographer was and some additional contact information for the videographer. Take note of this and be sure to get exactly what the publication needs to credit the videographer properly. 2. Discuss Publication Submission Deadline: Don't submit the Styled Shoot without the video file and crediting information of the videographer. If the site you are submitting to accepts or asks about video participation from your shoot, chances are that they showcase video -- so it's best NOT to submit the styled shoot until you have the final video file or link to submit this at the same time. This is one major way to avoid not crediting the videographer for the hard work they've done.
3. Credit on Social: Don't forget to credit the videographer as well. You may be showcasing photography from the styled shoot on Facebook or Instagram, but that doesn't mean you can't showcase the video. In fact, it will bring more attention to your styled shoot when you showcase a video along with it. Here's an example of how to credit participants of a styled-shoot on Facebook when posting a video.
Tip: The best way to credit all participants is to generate a list of everyone that participated. Everyone should use this same list and hyperlink participants accordingly. If you're posting on Instagram, tag participants accordingly as well.
"If they made a mistake charge it to their head and not their heart."
*Still-Shot from Shipwrecked Styled Shoot | Videography by : Unashamed Imaging
I'm honestly not sure who originally came up with this quote, but it's one of my favorites. It has helped not to get so angry when certain things happen; even if intentional. I use it as a mantra of some sort to keep me from going Incredible Hulk on someone for doing something malicious. Why am I saying this? Because while not being credited or featured in a publication for a styled shoot that you participated in isn't the end of the world, it still matters because time was spent and that's something one can't get back. It does hurt when you see everyone else featured and you're not there; especially when it's video and you've spent hours editing. I can speak on this because I am a wedding photographer and a cinematographer. I also shot a wedding before where everyone on the wedding team was credited and hyperlinked except for me. To date I will never know if this was done intentionally or not, but it taught more than enough in that moment about crediting and time. Here are some common mistakes or disheartening drawbacks that videographers deal with when it comes to styled-shoots. While I can't speak for every publication platform, I can share some solutions that videographers, photographers, or whomever submits the styled shoot can take to help showcase and credit videographers that participate in styled-shoots.: Solution #1. (Videographers) Leverage the Published Piece: Post the video you created on your platforms, credit the other vendors involved, and hyperlink your audience to view the publication that didn't feature your video. Yes, do it! I know you're not listed, but do it anyway. Solution #2. (Videographers) Repurpose Your Leverage Post: Repost the video a month later. Remember, people who saw the original post may not see the new post. New eyes hit your content everyday, so show your work. Keep pushing it so that people can see your video. Solution #3. (Videographers) Reach Out to the Photographer: Styled-shoots are suppose to be mutually beneficial. Contact the photographer or the person that submitted the video and ask if they can update the vendor credits and have the video added as you were not featured. If the video can not be featured, at the very least ask to have your company listed and linked.
*Still-Shot from Shipwrecked Styled Shoot | Videography by : Unashamed Imaging Solution #4. (Videographers) Blog It: Blog the styled shoot on your website, add elements of #1 on this list to that blog piece and then push your blog post in between repurposing the original post you made about being published. Solution #5. (Videographers) Keep It Simple: Create a version of the video for the other members of the styled-shoot team that they can post on their social media channels. If they are blogging about it then link them to your original video via Vimeo or Youtube. Kindly share how they can embed this video into their blog post that they've written for the styled shoot. Solution #6. (Videographers) Sharing is Caring: Have the members of the styled shoot share your Facebook post featuring the video on their respective Facebook pages (personal or business). This will bring viewers back to your content-- your video.
Solution #7. Reach Out to the Publication: It is always best to have the person that submitted the styled shoot reach out to the Publication about not crediting the videographer first. Be prepared with the video link or file (whichever they'll need), and any information needed to credit the videographer. Explain to the publication that this person was a valid participant. At the very least, if the publication doesn't showcase video, simply ask them to link the videographer's website as a hyperlink in the Vendor Team listing. "...I took the time to do that."
*Still-Shot from Shipwrecked Styled Shoot | Videography by : Unashamed Imaging Solution #8. Create a Ghost Page or Hyperlink:
Videographers can also create a hidden page on their site that will still show up when the link is selected via a hidden page on their website or use a hyperlink via BIT.LY that will redirect people the blog post; see Solution #4. Using a hyperlink back to a blog post will bring traffic back to the videographer's website where people can see the video as well. For those that are submitting, use this hyperlink for the videographer in the Styled-Shoot team credit submission. Solution #9. Don't Submit Previews: More often the not, videographers tend to send previews of video projects they're working (when collaborating) to those that need to see the preview of the video. Typically a link generate for previewing is shared for previewing purposes only. If this private link is sent for you to view the preview, don't send this link to the publication for official submission. There may be elements of the video that are not finalized such as removal of tagged music or and any final cosmetic updates that don't require feedback, but are a part of the videographers editing style. The best solution for this is to wait until the videographer sends you the link to the final version or informs you that the link shared for the video is allowed to be used for submission. Some videographers may also require all participants to sign an agreement for the usage of their video content once the styled shoot is done and their final video has been released-- ask about this before proceeding forward with the styled shoot. Solution #10. Reuse of Content & Intellectual Property: Be sure to speak with the lead videographer of the shoot when it comes to use of the video content created from the styled shoot. While most participants agree that by participating the content created is primarily for the styled shoot and publication, however when it comes to videography there are two factors that need to be respected and they pertain to copyright and intellectual property. To keep from complicating this, I'll hone in on one aspect of video to explain further. The music featured in the video does not belong to the videographer unless copyright was paid for and/or the videographer created the music track themselves. With that being said, most of the music featured in videos is licensed. This is why Facebook removes videos posted that have copyrighted music because it violates copyright infringement. It is very important to be sure that you follow the guidelines given by the participating videographer as this is their specialty and they know what to do. Concerning reuse of the video content, it's best to ask the videographer how and where participants of the styled shoot may reuse the content. This is also something you want to address before the shoot transpires; during the planning phase when the team is being put together or at the very least before the video is released. This solution applies to the entire team involved as participants may want to use the content captured to market or for advertisement. Be sure to discuss this with the Lead Organizer and the Lead Videographer to avoid using content that should primarily remain on a publications platform, but to also avoid false expectations by any parties involved concerning the use of repurposes content created by the videographer from the styled shoot. "We're all in this TOGETHER."
As I've already shared, there was a time when I didn't care for styled shoots at all, but now that I have participated in a few, I completely understand why videographers are upset about not being credited or featured when the shoot gets published. Time spent is irreversible and that's really what it comes down to. Videographers are looking at the time spent editing, finding music, creating overlays, and color-grading -- only to not be featured and/or credited when published. In all honesty, video actually has more reach and can benefit the entire team that participated in the shoot as a whole. While you can't control a platform you're submitting to, you can do your part to be sure that you are also crediting and linking the videographer that participated in the styled-shoot. For more educational topics from LearnWithAC, sign-up for my email list to receive blog posts straight to your inbox!
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Last Updated: April 27, 2018
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