How to Film Weddings and Events in a Creative Way?

Filming events can be tough. 

You’re filming ongoing action, with lots of moving parts. 

Unlike a commercial shoot, any moments you missed out on capturing cannot be replicated again. The people you are filming are not paid actors, they move organically in their own way, so you have to work around them. You have to tell a story while letting the action unfold without directing its flow.

This is why being able to plan in advance, having the right equipment, flexibility and being able to react and move quickly are essential for a successful wedding or event videographer.

In this article, I’ll go over some of the reasons why using a cable camera kit like Wiral LITE can help you capture event shots in new creative ways, as well as empower your freedom and flexibility in filming.

 First, check out this video to get an idea on why you should consider adding Wiral LITE to your event gear toolbox.

Need more info?

Keep reading and I’ll cover the ways in which Wiral LITE empowers you to film wedding videos and events in a creative and unique way. We’ll go over what shots you may want to achieve, what your biggest challenges may be and how to overcome them.

Filming solo? Make cable camera your second camera unit

What makes event filming ever more difficult? Filming solo. Given that you can’t be at several places at the same time, filming solo usually requires more planning and can involve setting up a camera on a tripod for shots from a different angle or B-roll. 

 Wedding videographers recommend using multiple cameras when filming this type of event, and it’s clear why - there’s more variety in shots, making the final film more engaging. Using more than one point of view also gives you more security knowing you’re getting across the atmosphere in a more complete way. 

But what if you could go beyond putting your second camera on a tripod? 

What if you could get great sweeping motion shots with a device that lets you quickly go from to wide, establishing shots that help you show off the venue and capture the general atmosphere to super close to the action so you can film intimate moments and emotion on people’s faces?

 Using a drone is tricky. It requires not only training, licenses and permits, but it also demands your full focus and attention while you use it. So your idea about using two cameras to film a scene goes out the window.

 But a cable camera does the trick.

It moves on a predictable trajectory, making it easier to plan a shot and predict the result. Once set up, all you need to do is attach your favorite camera and control the movement along the line, making it super convenient as a secondary camera unit.

More gear, but more versatility

“Okay, why should I add a cable camera to my gear,” you ask? “I’ve got enough gear as it is.” 

We hear you. 

As an event videographer, you need to be able to move and be flexible in order to get better shots. Wiral LITE is designed to address this need. 

Most other cable camera kits require longer setup time, and offer far less variety in the type of shots you can get. With Wiral LITE, you can capture not only timelapses, but also quick moving action. You can film on an angle of up to 30 degrees. You can get as fast or slow as you want (within reason, of course).

 Not only that, but since Wiral LITE is super light and portable - the whole kit fits easily into a backpack, with room to spare. The setup is so simple you can easily change locations multiple times over the course of a shoot and not miss out on any important shots. Alternatively, you can set up your camera to move automatically on Wiral LITE and film the overall atmosphere or from a specific angle.

Keep reading to find out how.

Unlock even more freedom with automatic motion filming

Okay, we’ve established that using Wiral LITE as your second camera unit can come in super handy on a solo shoot. 

But it gets better.

Another way in which Wiral LITE can help you make the most of your event videography shoots is automatic (ping pong) motion setting. This way, you can set up Wiral LITE with the remote, or using the Wiral LITE app to move back and forth between the two ends of the line, at a pace you set.

 This way you can stay focused on creating great shots with the primary camera, secure in knowing that your secondary camera is capturing the scene automatically from Wiral LITE.

You can read more about the ping pong motion setting on Wiral LITE here.

Capture the atmosphere in a creative way with a cable camera

So we’ve covered the more practical reasons why using a cable camera is a great way to improve your wedding and event videography.

 But what about the creative process?

What kind of shots can you achieve with Wiral LITE that you may not with other gear?

As previously mentioned, the motion timelapses you can film with Wiral LITE provide your shots with an added dynamic element that cannot be replicated with a tripod or a slider. You can move from day to night, from one location to another, or from afar to extremely close to the subject all with the click of a button.

Smooth tacking/dolly movement of the cable cam lets you create beautiful processional shots following people: a bride walking down the aisle to greet the groom, a model walking down the runway, capturing the overall atmosphere at receptions and parties, moving from indoors to outdoors or vice versa, etc. The possibilities are truly endless with the right gear.

Got questions? 

Need filming tips or camera recommendations? 

Sound off in the comments below, we’d love to help!