What is Raw Wedding Footage?
The Short Answer
Raw footage is a digital file folder of hundreds of separate video clip files that comes as unprocessed data straight from the video camera. It is all the footage taken on your wedding day that you can download from our cloud to an external hard drive.
The Long Answer
If you’re not intimately familiar with video production, you might assume that raw footage is a bunch of clips that look pretty much like the final video product, just without the assembly and finishing touches. If this is what you’re expecting, you might be confused when instead, you receive a long, disorganized list of files that you probably can’t even open. The shots will likely be out of order, and if you do manage to watch one of the videos, it won’t have the look or feel of the final product. Fortunately, this is all by design. Raw footage isn’t intended to look like the final video. So, what is it intended to look like? Raw footage (sometimes called “source footage”) is the crude, unprocessed camera output that a videographer captures while shooting. It’s delivered as an extensive list of files that you may not be able to open without professional software. If you can open the files, you’ll find footage that hasn’t been color-corrected, audio-enhanced, or trimmed to eliminate unusable footage. The gist? It’s not going to look good. Don’t panic if you hate the way the raw footage looks. The key to raw footage is that it’s meant to be edited. Raw footage is not supposed to stay raw—it starts in that format to preserve the quality and detail for the editors, allowing them to have the most creative freedom in putting the final video together. Because it retains all of the details, true colors, lighting, and high-quality images that the camera produces, raw footage can be almost completely transformed in post-production according to the needs of the final product. Below are some additional details to be aware of when working with raw footage.
The Size:
Files containing raw footage are large. They take tons of storage space, but we make it super easy to download through our cloud. Is all you need is an external hard drive that you can purchase through us. We make it as simple as possible!
The Color:
The color on raw footage typically looks flat or dull. Again, this is by design. The color of raw footage actually is flat—that is, it was shot in a video type called “flat” that doesn’t include a lot of the color information in a finished video file. The footage will look lifeless, but only so that the editors have the most control over the end result.
The final product won’t look like the raw footage, because the editor will color grade the footage and make other technical changes to bring the colors to life.
The Sound:
With raw footage, the audio that will be used in the final video might be recorded separately. Often, the camera that is used to film will not capture the final audio for your footage. Instead, a separate audio device will be used to maintain the highest quality level.
While the camera will still technically be capturing audio, it’s likely going to be located too far from the audio source for the sound to be as clear as you want. Recording audio separately solves this problem.
What does this mean for your raw footage? It means that the final audio for your video may be located in a separate file altogether. The editors will synchronize the audio with the footage during post-production, but if you’re viewing the raw footage, that won’t be the case.
The Story:
Files containing raw footage are often not stored in sequential order, especially if there were multiple cameras involved. If there were two or more cameras, it’s likely that all of the footage for one camera will come first, followed by all the footage for the second camera, and so on. This concept throws off the sequence of the storyline if you’re not used to interpreting raw footage.
Additionally, not every shot you see in the raw footage will make it into the final edit. Editors are storytellers. They weave together the perfect narrative from the shots that they have available, and they leave out any shots that don’t add value to that narrative. Trust that your editors will make the right choices from the footage that’s available to them.
Finally, not all shots will even be usable in the first place. Think shots where someone coughs, or the talent trips, or a line is misread. These tiny mistakes happen during filming, but those shots shouldn’t be used in the final video. Since the raw footage contains all the footage, those shots will be included anyway, so it’s up to the editor to find them and ignore them when putting together the final product.
How Do We Handle Raw Footage at NuView Weddings?
At NuView Weddings, we offer all of our clients the opportunity to keep their raw footage.
There are a couple of common reasons clients will make this choice. One reason is that they want us to handle the production process through the filming stage, and then they have their own editor who will transform the raw footage themselves.
A second reason is that they want to save their footage to potentially repurpose in the future. Because filming high-quality footage can be an investment, some companies prefer to keep all the available assets for future use.
Finally, some clients will request their raw footage before the edit, so that they can review what was captured and provide input about what should be included.
Because raw video provides value for our clients in scenarios like these, we’re happy to offer it. When clients want their raw footage, we typically send it to them directly.
Clients sometimes wonder why there is a cost associated with receiving their raw footage, and the answer lies in the steps that have to be taken to preserve the footage.
If we’re sending the files to the client, this typically requires mailing a physical hard drive. We take on the cost of the hard drive itself, the shipping, and the time and resources that it takes to transfer those files onto the hard drive.
Without charging clients for the added value of providing their raw footage, these costs would be too significant, and we wouldn’t be able to offer it as an option.
Do I Need Raw Footage or Not?
It’s up to you and your fiance to decide if you want all the footage we shoot on your wedding day. We recommend that you add this service onto whichever package you choose.
(Source: LemonLight)
Benefits of Raw Footage
Including raw footage as part of a wedding videography package provides you with unedited, unprocessed, and uncut video clips captured during the wedding day.
Here are several reasons why couples might consider opting for raw footage:
Complete Documentation:
Raw footage includes every moment that was recorded, providing a comprehensive and unfiltered documentation of the entire wedding day. This can encompass everything from hair and makeup to the end of your reception.
Unedited Moments:
Raw footage captures moments that may not make it into the final edited wedding film. These could be unscripted, candid interactions, bloopers, or behind-the-scenes moments that the couple might find endearing or entertaining.
Personal Archives:
Raw footage serves as a personal archive of the entire wedding day. Couples can revisit these clips years later, providing a nostalgic and unfiltered look back at their special day.
Family and Friends:
Couples may want to share the raw footage with family and friends who may be interested in seeing extended or unedited versions of certain events, speeches, or interactions.
Backup and Redundancy:
Raw footage serves as a backup in case of any issues with the edited wedding film. It ensures that the couple has access to all the recorded material in its original form.
Revisiting Missed Moments:
Sometimes, during the whirlwind of the wedding day, couples might miss certain moments. Raw footage allows them to revisit these moments and see aspects of the day they may not have been aware of initially.
Preserving Memories:
Raw footage captures the raw emotions and unscripted reactions of the couple, the wedding party, and the guests. It adds an authentic and unfiltered dimension to the recorded memories.
Extended Version or Documentary Edit:
Couples may choose to use the raw footage to create an extended version or a documentary-style edit of their wedding, offering a more in-depth look at the day's events.
Complete Ceremony and Speeches:
For couples who want to preserve the entire ceremony or speeches without edits, raw footage provides uninterrupted recordings of these important moments.