We have all had those moments of prolonged bedtime scrolling through social platforms like Instagram and Facebook that we think will only be for a couple of minutes. Unfortunately, they end up being a black hole we get sucked into without even realizing it. Don’t get me wrong; I’m not saying that this is always a bad thing. In fact, this uncalled-for scrolling led me to the discovery of a short video on Instagram, titled, ‘Aizaz’s Rukhsati’. The premise of the video was that this was the first groom’s rukhsati to ever happen.
If you’ve watched the video, you’ll know exactly what I mean when I say it was an unconventional and comedic take on the typical wedding traditions. Which naturally, was a sweet sight for sore eyes.
This video intrigued me and I spent the entire night examining the feed of its creators – the uber-talented, out-of-the-box producers of wedding films and photography; The Videographers.
Being so intrigued by their work and their ability to capture such raw and uncensored emotions with picturesque perfection, a question arose in my mind: how do they manage to capture every wedding in such a unique way?
To cater my curiosity I managed to align an interview with the management team of The Videographers and visited their home office in Lahore. Having so many questions, I was skeptical of whether they would be willing to share details about the process that goes into creating such authentic and unconventional pieces of work. After all, why would a master magician give away all their secrets?
To my surprise, however, they were extremely welcoming and even excited to walk me through this process, which I’ve broken down into five major steps, in the words of the best themselves – starting from the first meeting with the client to a bond formed for a lifetime.
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Step 1: Meeting The Couple!
“When a couple visits us for the first time, our priority is to make them feel as comfortable as possible. Without establishing this trust, it’s not possible for both parties to start our journey together on a positive note. We believe in the idea of forming a friendship with our clients. It’s necessary to understand their feelings, their expectations, and their preferences. Often times, we have had clients in the past come to us and express their concerns about not feeling ‘hip’ or ‘cool’ enough to hire us for our services because they were intimidated by the unconventional wedding content posted on our social media pages. This is far from the truth, as we believe every client is extraordinary in his or her own way. We believe that despite the premise of shaadi being the same, with the same rasmay and the same dhoom-dhaam, every couple truly has a chemistry and individual essence that is characteristic only to them. The challenge to find out where that ‘special something’ lies hidden is up to us, and we do love a challenge!”
Step 2: Preparing For The Event
“Once the client is locked with us, we add their wedding dates to our event schedule. The teams are made, depending on the requirements of the couple and the expertise needed from our end. Our senior members lead teams and they are responsible for ensuring the equipment is aligned and the event is covered in all its glory. Briefs are discussed amongst the members of the team, and the event locations are examined. The key to nailing this step in the process is strong communication and a deep understanding of each member’s prowess.”
Step 3: SHOWDOWN!
“On the day of the actual event, our prime focus is to capture every emotion and every moment in a remarkable way. Our team operates by splitting in groups. These groups are then responsible for the coverage of certain parts of the wedding, for example; a section of the photo team will solely focus on ensuring every moment happening on stage is captured and there is no commotion. While our photography and videography teams run the show from the back end, our client managers take charge. From helping the bride and groom with wardrobe malfunctions to managing any mishaps or last minute hick-ups at the event. Then comes our social media team with the sole purpose of art direction. Their aim is to assist the team in capturing every tiny detail with TVG’s signature twist!”
Step 4: Behind The Scenes
“Once the wedding is over, we move on to data analysis. All in-house creatives take the lead on this one. They review the event footage and pictures, focusing on the key elements that showcase the true personalities of our clients. Everyone’s opinion is taken into consideration. We believe every individual member of our team has their own artistic eye and, as creators, one of our idiosyncrasies is that we love to have an unorthodox approach to things. After we have highlighted the key elements, and made a rough draft of what the content for our client will consist of, our editing team gets to work.”
Step 5: How The Magic Happens
“Our motto has always been to find the spark that sets every person apart. It’s true that while majority of the things in a wedding are the same – from the same flower decorations, the same chicken biryani, the same Punjabi songs to the same bright colors and festivities still, there is always something that makes every couple extraordinary. We’re not just talking about their appearance rather, the story of their union and the chemistry they share. Where people often say a wedding was full of mishaps; we see the potential of a hilarious and witty highlight to look back on and reminisce. Where people see an event as too simple and unimpressive; we register the intimacy and the love being celebrated with those most dear to the couple. It’s because of this positive outlook when it comes to our work, that we are able to do what we love and turn a few heads along the way, just for fun!”
We’re excited to see them continue to turn weddings into special stories full of warmth, love, and affection!
