Wedition
Why everything you have learnt so far is becoming old hat...and how to get out of that constant cycle

Why everything you have learnt so far is becoming old hat...and how to get out of that constant cycle

by Nathan Cannon

My name's Nathan, 2 years ago I was singing every few weeks at a wedding in the evening. I am now filming weddings every few weekends throughout the summer with the frequency of these weddings become ever more busy and hectic.

I have been running my own company, Shot by Cannon, for just over 2 years now, been in the wedding industry for over 5 and have been involved in the Media industry for the last 4. I would by no means say that I am experienced and have a bottomless pit of knowledge for all things about running your own video production company, however over these last few years I have learnt some very hard lessons very quickly - about what works and what doesn't to become a successful media professional.

In July 2015, I decided to make the very scary leap into the world of filming weddings. I had filmed lots of different live events, corporate training videos and various things before this however I had never filmed a wedding. I offered to film a friend's wedding for no charge at all. (Free tip...always do this when you are starting out in weddings for the first one or two as they will usually end up paying you anyway because of how good your work is!...whatever type of product you offer) By doing this, I was able to gain some valuable experience and footage to show other people what I can do when it comes down to the most important day in someone's life. Long story short, I loved it, the newlyweds loved it and the Weddings Shot by Cannon story was born. I offered a limited amount of wedding videos on Facebook to be filmed at an amazing price, which took me all over the country for the last year, which has been great!  (That's another one...always use Facebook to promote your business! How much is it? ... Oh yes, FREE!)

Anyway, that's a little about my background, back to the point and the big title that's up top.

I have realised that the wedding industry (especially with wedding videography) is evolving very quickly! What I learnt 4 years ago at college is now a skill that is out of date and needs to be completely changed. I never set out to become a wedding filmmaker when I left college however as things have changed and opportunities have arisen, it has slowly become something that is starting to turn into my career.

Videography and editing is a very creative skill and for those untrained can end up with poor results. To become successful and valuable, you need to have a very creative eye, just like a photographer or a graphic designer. To be able to fully use your creative mind to its full potential you need to also be technically skilled in whatever product you are supplying. For me, it’s knowing my editing program, Adobe Premier Pro, inside out and having complete confidence and knowledge in all the camera equipment to be able to use it to its full potential.

Sometimes, the technical process gets too difficult for the full creative potential to come out. This is the annoying part. When you have a super exciting new idea but you don't quite know how to execute it (Or execute it quickly enough before any competitors).  It can be common for  people to rely on the same old processes and get stuck in a rut – not a good place to be for those creative minds and more importantly boring for the clients as they will see the same thing time and again.

I have always been in fear of putting myself out there and trying new things, but recently have started to get out of this constant cycle by firstly spending my spare time just watching and researching Youtube videos on new techniques with editing and camera movements at a wedding. It has really helped me to get all the shots I NEED quicker than the fancy cinematic shots that I WANT after. I have also been trying some new things with my business. One of which you are reading right now! I have never blogged before however as I write this, it has made me want to start a weekly blog on my website www.shotbycannon.com

videographer, wedding videos, wedition suppliers

Of course I am a videographer and editor, so the tips that I have only really apply to fellow videographers however in the wedding industry, one thing I have learned is that genuine friendships with fellow suppliers is what makes a very successful company. Getting a good business relationship and friendship with other suppliers (whether they supply the same kind of service as you or not) is a great short and long-term asset to have! For one, you have friends that you get to work with when you are attending weddings. How awesome is that? Getting to work with people you just enjoy being around?! Also, how do you know that the florist you got talking to and networking with last week hasn't had a client come up to her and ask if she knows any lovely people that could also film their client's wedding?...I'm sure you have heard this before but it really is about who you know and not what you know. (Not that you shouldn't listen to my point earlier about learning your craft inside out! LOL)

To finish, and I haven't been paid for this, Liz Gatherer, the person who has let me write this lovely guest blog, is one of those names you need to keep your eye out for. Wedition, her new company is turning heads and is one of those ideas that is original and game changing in this industry.  I'll be sure to continue these blogs on my website (hopefully weekly!), so don't forget to LIKE my Facebook page 'Shot by Cannon' to keep updated!

videographer, wedding videos, wedition suppliers