Frequently Asked Questions

Although at Alvich we do specialize in a few different departments, we guarantee each service to be treated separately, with as much concentration and involvement as it requires. We have a team of highly skilled professionals, each one dealing with different aspects of our program who are willing to put in quality time and effort to make your special event unforgettable.

Who will edit my video?

At www.Alvich.com every video is treated as if it were going to be our demo. Because we put this much importance on every video we produce, we put a great deal of time and effort into every single wedding. We want our camera men to be in touch with the completed project. Because of this, more often than not, the one who shoots your wedding will be the one who edits it. Every video we produce is critiqued by at least two editors before it is completed. At that time if it doesn't pass certain criteria, it goes back to the editing bay to be revamped.

Is everything on one tape?

Your completed edited video will be on one tape or DVD. Your unedited (the raw footage) footage (if ordered) will be on a separate tape.

Do you use digital equipment?

We only use 100% digital equipment. What does this really mean? It means that when we film your wedding we use digital cameras. When we edit your footage we use digital editing decks to transfer the digital footage to our digital non-linear editing bays. A non-linear editing bay allows us to color correct, trim, add length (slow motion) and manipulate clips all the way down to a single frame of video. FYI, there are 29.97 frames of video per second.

Will I look that good?

Of course you will. The brides of Alvich are all beautiful. We are asked all the time if we hire models to do our demos. We have never hired anyone. What we do is know what to look for and then shoot it. We find the perfect angles to film a bride at. Once we know what angles she really looks good at we capitalize on them. The end result is a video that really showcases the bride & groom.

Can I choose my own music? Will you help me choose music?

We encourage you to use any music you like. We could choose the music for you, but in all reality, after we finish editing your video, we most likely won't see it again. You, on the other hand will see the video hundreds of times over the coming years. We are happy to give you suggestions, but want the final decisions to be with you.

How are your videographers dressed?

Every wedding is different. We want to blend in with the crowd and not stand out like a sore thumb. We will dress in any way you wish. If requested at formal events we wear Tuxedo's. At casual weddings we will wear dress slacks and a nice shirt. The normal attire is dress slacks, dress shirt & tie.

If it gets dark, will the video look good?

We bring on camera lighting so that if the lights are low or the sun goes down we can still maintain a perfect image.

Do you work well with photographers?

Photographers have been shooting weddings since the 1800Åfs. For so many years they were the only game in town. In the late 1970Åfs wedding videography came into play. Through the years, some photographers have felt that videographers were imposing on them. For so long they had the bride & groom all to themselves, but with the development of video the options have expanded for brides. Photographers have never been a problem for us. The reason is simple, we just stay out of the way and let them do what they want to do. They feel that we are very courteous and they then extend that same courtesy to us and let us to get what we need to get. If we have never worked with a photographer before, it usually only takes a couple of minutes visiting together and we have a great working relationship with them.

Will we be able to hear our vows during the ceremony?

With most of the packages we connect a wireless microphone up to the groom. The microphone picks up everything he says, the bride says and the clergyman says. That sound is transmitted directly to a second camera that is focused directly on the bride and groom. It gives you uninterrupted audio of the complete ceremony.

What are the advantages of a multiple camera shoot?

First and foremost it allows us to be in more than one place at a time. A single camera shoot is great and is very cost effective, but it just doesn't give you the coverage of two or more cameras. Imagine the emotion it brings when we can have one camera focused directly on the Groom. We witness tears streaming down his cheek as he watches his Bride being escorted down the aisle by her father. At the same time we have a second camera actually film the reaction of the Bride as she first sees her husbands emotional outpouring. In addition, it allows us to employ the use of wireless microphones.

How long will the edited video be?

It depends on how many events we cover for you? Average videos last between 30 & 120 minutes in length. To give you a better idea, a 40 photo montage normally runs about 6 1/2 minutes in length

Who will shoot my video?

If you have a specific request for a videographer we will do everything possible to honor that request. Over the years a family may have had one of our videographers film several weddings for their family and friends. The family may request to have that same videographer film the next wedding. If the requested videographer is not already requested for a different wedding on the same day we will accommodate your request.

Do all your videographers shoot as good as each other?

At Alvich it is really interesting how closely each videographer's work is to the next. We want every video to be a unique production by itself but want the camera and editing work to follow certain guidelines making sure that we keep the quality at the highest level. The way we do this is simple. We start by only hiring people persons. In the wedding industry having someone who can get along with anyone is a must. You need to be able to get along with and relate with your clients to be able to make the client feel comfortable enough to relax. When a Bride relaxes around us we are able to catch her naturally so that the video never looks staged or posed and turns out great. All of our camera men start out as editors. By editing, they first learn exactly what we are looking for. They see the unedited footage day in and day out. We critique every videographers work several times over during the editing process and it is amazing how much you learn while sitting in the editing bay. After they have mastered the editing process they are then trained on our camera techniques. It takes a good amount of time just to know how to operate the cameras in different lighting conditions. Following that, they practice shooting weddings accompanied by one of our highly trained videographers on at least 30 weddings before we actually let them film one by them self. Their first shoots are on luncheons or receptions and not ceremony's. FYI, luncheons & receptions are not time sensitive. There is nothing really urgent or pressing taking place. At a ceremony everything happens so quickly and there are no second takes. You only have one opportunity to get the shot of the bride walking down the aisle. You can't stop the bride and ask her to give her father another hug just as he hands her away to the groom. There is no second opportunity to get a close up of the groom sliding the wedding band on to the finger of the bride. You can't interrupt the ceremony and ask the bride if she can kiss her husband for the first time again. You need to be able to know what is going to happen, when it is going to happen and be in the right place at the right time to ensure that you get the shots that you need. In short, there is no room for mistakes. Because of this we just don't let anyone shoot. They have to have their stuff together. We don't sublet work out to other companies!

What if your camera breaks or malfunctions?

Accidents happen all the time. We plan in advance for possible problems and take the necessary steps to be ready to remedy the situation. We always have at least one back up camera ready to go on every shoot.

Can you shoot at locations with no electrical power?

There are many times that we shoot in locations that are so remote that there are not even restroom facilities. We bring enough battery power to shoot all day even if we are only scheduled to shoot a few hours.

What if I am not pleased with the finished product?

I am not sure as it has never happened. We have a 100 % satisfaction guarantee so I can only imagine that we would do everything possible to make your video exactly the way you want it.

Who will be on my finished video?

Our main focus is the bride & groom while paying special attention to all the family members, bridesmaids, groomsmen, grandmas, grandpas, flower girls and anyone in the wedding party. We make sure we film anyone who is wearing a tuxedo, bridesmaid dress a corsage or boutonniere. We also have you provide us with an Assistant Producer. This will be someone who is familiar with both sides of the family. They will be able to point out who is and is not important.

Will you do interviews with the guests?

There is nothing more intimidating than having a microphone set in your hand, a spotlight directed at you and (grabbing the attention of everyone within 50 feet) larger than life camera focusing on every move while being asked to come up with some great words of wisdom for the bride & groom. We don't want to make your guests feel uncomfortable. Rather than go around to those who may or may not want to be interviewed, we will (if requested) make an announcement and set a camera up in a corner of the room. We invite those who wish to give some words of advice to the bride & groom to come at their convenience and do so. No one is put on the spot and everyone feels comfortable.

What time will you arrive to my Ceremony?

Every wedding is different. It depends on what time you request for us to be there. For example. If your Ceremony time begins at 3:00pm you may want to have us begin shooting at 2:00pm. If we begin shooting at 2:00pm we would arrive by 1:45pm and get our equipment ready so that by 2:00pm we are ready to go. We would get all the shots of the bride getting ready (once she has her slip or gown on) and all the shots of the groom and groomsmen getting ready (once they have their boxers or trousers on). If you are not having us film the getting ready shots we would arrive approximately 15-30 minutes prior to the Ceremony starting time. If we have not shot at a location before we would arrive 30-60 minutes prior to ensure we can evaluate all the different lighting conditions.