FAQ

How would you describe your style?
We love making fun, fresh videos that capture the essence of your personalities and your big day. We document your wedding day, creatively and unobtrusively, and naturally as it unfolds. We love using creative techniques with framing, lens selection, and the natural environment to make your video unique and dynamic. Our goal is to make each and every video genuinely heartfelt, so you feel the same emotions watching it as you did living it–laughter, tears of joy, and taking your breath away are our mission.

Who will be on-site shooting my wedding?
10th Letter Media is made up of a great team of talented videographers. We are highly trained professionals, passionate about capturing your moments. The number of crew at your event depends on the size of your wedding and the package you order. For our partial-day packages, you can expect 1-2 crew on-site running 2-3 cameras throughout the day. For our full-day packages, we have 2-4 crew on-site, running 2-4 cameras throughout the day. Some couples like to meet their videographers in person before the wedding, and we’d be delighted to meet you too! Just drop us a line and we can setup a pre-wedding consultation with the crew covering your event.

What kind of cameras and equipment do you use for shooting?
We use the Canon 5d and 7d. Both are top-of-the-line high-definition cameras with excellent picture quality. You may also see us use complementary equipment such as a steadi-cam or slider which allows us to capture your moments with ease and fluidity, while giving us fun, creative shot options during the editing process. Our most recent and exciting addition is a quad copter with a camera mount, allowing us to get perfect aerial shots of your venue and event.

Will you get clear audio during my ceremony?
We use wireless microphones on the officiant and the groom to pick up audio during the ceremony. We can also tap in to a sound system if your DJ or venue will be providing one. During the reception, if we’re not linked to the DJ’s sound board, we like to place a wireless mic on anyone providing a speech or toast so that we can get as clear audio as possible.

We’re having a night-time or indoor reception. Will it be too dark for a video?
Yes, night-time and indoor receptions are usually quite dark for video. But we bring along our trusty light kit which is setup inconspicuously to provide the best quality for video.

Do I need multiple cameras at my wedding?
Additional cameras provide a variety of different angles, guests’ perspectives and reactions, creative shot options, and most importantly lots of editing options for when your final product is being put together. Most of our packages come with a minimum of two cameras. We oftentimes setup a third stationary camera during the ceremony. We may add additional cameras if you have a large guest list, a big venue, or a detailed reception program. Let us know what package you are considering and we can tell you how many cameras come standard.

Your packages include up to a certain number of hours of shooting. When will you begin shooting, and when will you end?
The hourly estimates provided in our package descriptions are a guideline for the maximum amount of time we anticipate spending on-site. It does not indicate how many hours of footage we will obtain. The time is continual, and travel time between locations is included in this hourly estimate. We use your timeline to help us plan our actual time on-site, which may or may not reach the maximum estimate. For full-day packages, we usually arrive to catch the last 45 minutes to an hour of bridal prep and we conclude after your formal reception program, about 20 minutes or so into open dancing. After we review your timeline, we can provide you with our anticipated start and end times, and we can make suggestions on how to best utilize the hours on-site that are included in your video package.

What is a same-day edit?
A same-day edit (SDE) is a highlight video that is edited on-site and prepared for showing at your reception. Our SDEs run  about 4 to 7 minutes, typically the length of one song. There’s a certain magic to watching the beautiful moments of the day on-screen and sharing them with guests while the newlyweds have a chance to take a breath and relive what transpired just hours before.

Do you need anything from us for a same-day edit, and do you provide  equipment for showing the SDE at the reception?
We ask for a table or desk in a quiet room or area with an outlet, and a minimum of 3 hours of editing time before the SDE is to be shown. Usually couples will schedule the showing during the reception dinner, towards the very end of the program. We provide equipment, setup, and breakdown for the SDE. Our equipment is top of the line–a full HD projector and 100” cinema screen so every last guest will get a great view!

Do we have to provide a meal for you?
It’s definitely not required, but we sure do appreciate a meal!

Who chooses the music for the video?
If you are very passionate about a particular song, we would be more than happy to use it. Music plays a big part of the final video, and certain songs may not work well with the edit, so we are more than happy to review any songs you may be thinking about, or provide suggestions. We love finding the perfect song to match your personalities and the images we captured of your celebration, and oftentimes the couple will let us select the music for their video. We are unable to publicly post or share videos using unlicensed music, so we ask you to be mindful of this when selecting your songs. Sites like The Music Bed and Song Freedom provide a wide array of songs perfect for weddings and events.

What is the final product? How long will my video be?
The final product that you receive depends on what package you order. Most packages include a full-length version of your ceremony, as it happened with the actual audio captured. You may also receive a highlight of your wedding day (usually 4-6 minutes in run time), or a main feature (an extended highlight, usually with a minimum run time of 10 minutes). In addition to a full-length ceremony, we also offer a full reception program with some packages. The full-length ceremony and reception program are provided as separate menu items on the DVD’s main menu. We offer high-definition upgrades such as Blu-Ray and USB delivery as well.

Do you travel and what are your fees?
We love to travel! Our travel fees vary depending on location. Though our company had its origins on Oahu, we are currently located on Kauai, though we continue to serve all islands. We do not charge travel fees for Kauai or Oahu events, but for all other islands, our travel fee is estimated at $350-600 per videographer, depending on whether an overnight stay is required. We also travel to the mainland, and can provide a travel quote based on your destination. Our fees usually include the cost of flight, lodging, transportation, and minor incidentals. If your wedding is not located on the islands of Oahu or Kauai, we’d be happy to provide you with a quotation for travel based on your specific coverage needs.

What is a couple video?
Couple videos, also known as engagement videos, are about 3-5 minutes of you, the couple, interacting in a fun environment of your choice, or doing a fun activity. It’s a great way to show something exciting at your reception because it is totally customizable and showcases your personalities! Couple videos are edited to the length of one song, requests accepted!

What do you need from us prior to our wedding day? Do you require a pre-wedding meeting?
We request a detailed timeline and our completed questionnaire at least one week prior to the big day. The questionnaire helps us to get a better idea of what your event will include. It also gives you an opportunity to let us know of any specific requests–a special song you’d like used in the final video or a certain shot that you want to make sure we get, perhaps. We have designed our questionnaire so that all of our questions about your big day are answered, so we don’t require an in-person meeting prior to the wedding. However, we do welcome pre-wedding consultations—if you’d like to meet your videographers in advance or go over any details about your big day, we’d be happy to sit down with you!

Do you work well with photographers?
As you probably know, there are lots of great photographers to choose from. And we’ve had the pleasure to work with many of them. We have never had any problems with the photographers we have worked with. We don’t try to compete with your photographer, but instead, work together with them so that we both get the images we need to deliver the best product possible. Contact us for a list of our favorites! We’d be happy to recommend someone that fits your style!

How long will it take for us to get our video?
We take pride in making your video unique and flawless. Our post-production process involves multiple steps in reviewing the footage, selecting shots, piecing it all together, and finally proofing the video and preparing your discs. As a result, our average turnaround time is 4 to 6 months. This is variable, depending on our production schedule. If you need your video sooner than our estimated turnaround time, contact us for our rush fee options.

What is your booking process?
When you are ready to book, simply complete our booking request to initiate the process. Here you will provide all of the info we need to prepare your paperwork. We’ll email you an agreement and invoice for your review. The completed agreement and a 50% deposit is required to secure our services for your date. The remaining balance is due 30 days prior to your event.

Do you offer discounts?
Our videographers are a small team of talented professionals and we feel our prices are fair for the services we provide. We spend many hours training, planning, shooting, and editing each film, and because of this, we are very limited in the discounts we offer. From time to time, we may run a special or promotion so check our blog for these kinds of announcements.

Do you accept credit cards?
We accept credit card payments via PayPal. Just send your payment to addy@10thlettermedia.com. If you are unfamiliar with PayPal, we’d be happy to send you a PayPal invoice which will walk you through the process. We charge a 3% transaction fee for all credit card payments.

Where can I see samples of your work?
Check out our gallery for lots of samples of our work, or stop by our blog for the latest!