So you want to be a kick-ass storyteller?

One of the most important aspects of impressive, high-quality wedding/elopement videography (and photography, for that matter) is the ability to TELL A STORY. Storytelling for videography is SO IMPORTANT.

Okay, photographers don’t come for me but… sometimes, when taking photos, it’s easier to get away with not telling a story. You can get away with snapping moments in time and slapping them together as a storyboard. With video – you simply must tell a story and paint a full picture of the day and/or the couple’s love story. If you slap together a bunch of video clips, the film will feel more like a compilation of photo-GIFs than a full story.

So here’s some advice on how to level-up the storytelling in your videography:

Excellent visual storytelling in wedding and elopement filmmaking is achieved by blending all the following elements together:

• Shot design & framing
• Camera movement & staging (subject movement) 
• Audio & music
• Editing (shot relationships, flow, tempo, and pacing) – more into editing later!

So, what is a story?

• A beginning – middle – end. Even in a loosely tied structure. 
• Building up to a “climax” and settling down for a conclusion. (For example… Building up to a first look > ceremony > FIRST KISS > then Celebration!) 
• A wrapped-up ending. Make it feel purposeful. Don’t just end it out of the blue!

If you’re wondering how to start dreaming up the story, begin with the subject, and figure out the core 5Ws of the story before you shoot.

The 5 Ws (& the How)

• WHO is this video about? Who is it for?
• WHAT is happening? What matters? 
• WHERE is it happening? Set the scene. 
• WHEN is the story being told? What time perspective? 
• HOW do you plan to showcase the WHO & WHERE? 
• WHY are you making this video? WHY does your client need it? 

Emphasis on Emotion

In my process, I always, always put emphasis on emotion.

• What is the ultimate goal of creating films for your clients? – capturing an engagement/ elopement/ wedding – YES. But go beyond that.
• Create films with one main goal in mind: MAKE THE VIEWER FEEL SOMETHING.

Editing

In videography, a lot of the “storytelling” comes into play in the editing room. It is, however, VERY helpful to keep the idea of “story” in mind when shooting so that you can capture the footage you need to tell the story you want. That’s why you want to keep all the previously-mentioned goodies in mind when you’re creating!

Storytelling Tools in Editing:

• Shot sequencing
• Timing & pacing
• Music & sound effects
• Audio (primary audio like vows versus secondary audio like laughter and chatter).
• Color-grading
• Shot relationships
• Eye Match
• Flow & Emotion
• Storytelling Tools in Editing:

Walter Murch’s Rule of 6:

Walter Murch is a renowned editor in the film Industry. He wrote a whole book about his method to decision-making in the editing process, which can be summarized with this “order of importance” in making a decision to “cut:”

• Emotion
• Story
• Rhythm
• Eye Trace
• 2nd Plane of Screen
• 3D Space

Read more on this at: https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/walter-murch-rule-of-six/

Above all, keep your client front-of-mind!

Thank you so much for reading some of my tips for kick-ass storytelling.

Want to learn more? Book a mentorship here: www.lilliproductions.com/education