Photos and videos have long been regarded as one of the highlights of almost every event. For many of us, this is mainly because such tools help immortalize our most cherished life moments. Today, we see how many wedding ceremonies, birthday parties, and even conferences cap off their events with a video presentation.
To meet this growing demand, modern technology continues to give rise to game-changing innovations in the multimedia field. This fact has also driven the discovery of another concept—the same-day edit video.
What is a same-day edit video?
A same-day edit video, also known as SDE video, is a short cinematic video produced by video editors on the same day of an event to recap and relive its recent moments. It presents footage of what had transpired earlier in the day from unique vantage points, thus allowing the audience to capture the big picture of the event.
The SDE video concept is no longer new to us. We often see this being played at a wedding reception or even during a business conference. Video editors seem to do them masterfully and with ease. However, SDE video creation is not as easy as it seems. In fact, it takes hours or even days of preparation just to perfect a 3-5 minute video. What’s more challenging is, since you only have one time frame to get it done, it’s either you make it or break it. So, the question now is, how do we pull it off?
Produce like a pro with these gears
To create an SDE video effortlessly, it helps to have experiences and/or knowledge on video production. But it’s alright too if you’re a beginner! Just heed these tips to shoot and edit awe-inspiring SDE videos.
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Define the vision
Most people like to tell their stories differently. Therefore, it is crucial to ask your clients first about the look and feel they want to establish throughout the video. You can ask them their purpose for the video, the emotions they want to evoke, and if there is any specific moment they want you to underscore. You can also provide them pegs to streamline the vision alignment phase.
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Align with the timeline
Before the big day, you definitely want to create a scheme that will guide you throughout your video production process. The first step is to know the event flow and timing. Taking note of these details allows you to estimate and divide your time for collecting, sorting, and editing the clips. This way, rendering your final output won’t be grueling. When the event day comes, be sure to follow your timetable and calculate how much time you have left to ensure you have enough time for your next course of action.
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Examine your environment
Checking the weather and familiarizing yourself with the event venue, especially if the event you will cover will be done outdoors, give you an advantage as you come up with video angles. Make sure to tune in to the weather forecast and consider other approaches in case of rainy or bleak weather. It is best to also conduct an ocular visit to the location to identify the right vistas, landscapes, and backgrounds you should project
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Craft your shot list
Your shot list will map out your angles for a particular scene. This likewise serves as your checklist and compass when shooting video clips on the actual event day.
A shot list typically includes the clips you want to take and their corresponding location, shot type, length, camera angle, camera movement, and a brief description. For a wedding, some key scenes to capture include the groom and bride’s preparations; their arrival to the venue; the wedding ceremony, which includes the act of exchanging rings, saying “I do”, and the most-awaited kiss; and the wedding reception highlights. Don’t forget to also conceptualize your B-roll footage. This includes atmospheric, establishing, transitional, and other supplemental shots.
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Pre-select your elements
You’ll surely need elements to add flavor and life to your video. This is why you must prepare them ahead of time so when the big day comes, you can just drag and drop them into your ongoing video project. You can start pre-selecting music with various moods and tempos that suit your SDE video’s theme (would it be upbeat? cinematic? dramatic?). You must also begin preparing the necessary images, logos, bumpers, titles, and transitions you will use.
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Ready your technology
Don’t forget to include everything you need in your bag. Check the condition of your devices (laptops and cameras), fully charge your batteries, free up space on your memory card, prepare your hard drives, and bring lights and extensions. To avoid confusion on the day itself, you can also label your equipment to easily access them.
Make sure your software applications, including your video editing app, are also running smoothly to avoid unwanted and time-consuming mishaps on the big day.
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Label your shots
Take only the shots you need and make sure to name them as soon as you can to avoid confusion when you are already in the editing process. You’ll thank yourself for doing that in advance. You can use topics and descriptors such as “Wide”, “Extreme Close-up or XC”, “Zoom In/Out”, “Pan R/L”, among others.
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Make progress in every moment
In order to manage your SDE video process seamlessly, remember that you have to make progress each time you can. If you have some downtime, you can start sorting, organizing, or weaving together your clips. This will help you avoid cramming in the process.
Final words
After all, your goal is to give your clients the best narrative of their special day through your visual piece. To fulfill this, you have to employ the right set of strategies, prepare your gears, and stay prompt and present at all times. Way to go, editor!
About the author
Chatty is a freelance writer from Manila. She finds joy in inspiring and educating others through writing. That’s why aside from her job as a language evaluator for local and international students, she spends her leisure time writing about various topics such as lifestyle, technology, and business.
