1) Where is Mr. Phoenix Productions based? Do you travel worldwide?
We are based in Mumbai (India) , and we travel all across the world to shoot weddings. Some of our best weddings have been shot in locations like Jaipur, Bangalore , Udaipur , Karjat , Lonavala , Daman and many more locations
2) What is the typical team strength of MPP team that will be traveling to cover my wedding? Will a reduction in crew affect the cost?
We usually film with a crew of 2-3 cinematographers (candid style) and 2-3 photographers (candid and documentary style) along a production manager and an aerial drone operator. The crew works as one coherent team with different cameramen specializing in different lenses and styles including aerial, time-lapse and underwater filming.
For a larger scale wedding, we don't recommend a reduction in the size of the crew as this is likely to affect the quality and grandeur of the film. This choreographed, multi-camera setup allows us to position ourselves strategically to capture ceremonies more naturally as they take place, without any hindrance.
However, there are certain advantages to having a smaller team too! For more intimate weddings, a crew size of 4-5 people is enough. This allows for a greater, non-obtrusive individual control of filming for each crew member and this can lead to better, unobstructed views of the festivities especially when the party is on a smaller scale involving lesser people. This also creates a warmer bond between the crew and families as there are lesser people to co-ordinate with. There is an obvious reduction in cost too!
3) Can we also have additional photographers / videographers along with MPP?
Sorry, we absolutely do not recommend it. Apart from being uneconomical, it may obstruct and tamper with our work. The advantage of a single team is that we will get clean, unobstructed visual frames without local photographers jumping into our frames and ruining the film moments.
4) Apart from the photography & videography costs, what are the other costs to be kept in mind?
The expenses for the travel, food and accommodation for the crew members are usually borne by the client unless decided otherwise or factored in as a package deal. In addition, the hard-drives for the final delivery are paid for by the clients too. Any additional days / hours of shooting (not mentioned in contract) are charged extra as per the rates in the contract. There are no other hidden costs.
5) What are the common deliverables that we can expect as part of the package?
In the standard package, we deliver three different versions of the wedding film and all the edited digital photographs that include both candid and documentary style. All films and photos are delivered on a hard Drive
The Three versions of films include –
1) The Trailer (TR) - A 1-2 minute trailer or teaser film that can be released on social networking sites for the friends and family to see, reminisce and cherish.
2) The Highlight film (HL) - A 5-6 minute highlight film of the best moments of the wedding on select songs interspersed with the story as narrated by the couple and their loved ones.
3) Full wedding Films (FF) - The entire footage of the main events like the sangeet, wedding ceremony etc. in a film format edited minimally on ambient sounds blended with soft instrumental music.
6) What are the number of photographs that will be provided in the package? Also the total number of edited photographs and the format in which they would be provided?
It's difficult to determine the total number of images we will be shooting over a typical two or three day wedding. Approximately 3000-4500 images are expected to be shot during a typical three-day wedding. All images are given to the client in high resolution JPEG format on a 1 / 2 TB drive (digital delivery) and all the images are colour and exposure edited. The images are shot both in candid and traditional style.
8) Can you make the trailer or a short film of the wedding so that we can show it at the Reception / Last day?
Yes we offer this service - These are referred to as "Same Day Edits" and they are a great way to showcase some of the best moments of the wedding instantly to everyone present. However, adds to the final cost of the package.
9) Are there any specific requirements in terms of venue/stage lighting and other aspects of the setup for the best photo and video results? How can we ensure that the photography team has the best resources at hand to create magic?
Good lighting is a pre-requisite for great photos and videos. If a few simple things are taken care of at the planning stage, the job is half done. Go for natural lighting instead of tinted hues and ensure that the stage, mandap etc. are well lit especially in the night. The spatial design should be such that it allows the crew to cover the event from multiple angles for a good variety in footage - always advise your planner to keep in mind the space needed by photographers in case of over-crowded events. It’s a good idea to have some extra time at hand before each event for couple shots - it doesn’t take more than 10-15 minutes, but ensures that the couple has some stunning portraits before the hair, makeup and outfits make their way to the dance floor - to never come back the way they were!
10) How many people can I have in these bytes?
We usually film interviews in six different frames, each frame having a maximum of 5-6 people (in case of cousins and friends). Too many frames and bytes create an edit hotchpotch of sorts and we have faced these situations in the past. Also, it is likely to make the film byte-heavy and we don't want that. Not to mention that in the middle of the wedding celebrations, it would be impossible to film so many bytes without compromising the quality of the events' coverage. We want the film to look like a wedding film and not a documentary, byte-heavy film because that will take away the essence of the celebrations. Anywhere with silence in the background. Any time during the wedding. We cannot do any interviews / audio bytes after the wedding is over. A rare case exception is understood but usually we lock all interviews on the very first day of the wedding as it gets stressful during the later days.
11) Who decides the music for the Highlight film?
Music and song selections are collectively done by the client and the edit team. A client co-ordinator is assigned for this under the guidance of the creative visualiser of the project.