I hope you’ve been shopping around for a videographer so you can see the differences between others and what I can do for you when you review my sample. I’m a great people shooter, but a lousy salesperson, so there will be no high pressure sales pitches from me—only high quality work with a personal creative touch.

I custom tailor each finished video for each bride. Because every bride, wedding and reception is unique with their own personality, although similar in the way events unfold (usually), I never know exactly what or how the day’s events will evolve or the constraints placed upon me by the cleric during your ceremony or how people interact during the reception. Therefore I do not try to use a cookie-cutter type approach to shooting or editing. A wedding is not like a movie where re-shoot after re-shoot can take place to get the scene recorded perfectly. I have to work with what is presented to me. This is why I feel a cookie-cutter approach can not work, although many videographers force it to fit that way so they can have a style a bride can expect to see that is just like the bride-next-door.

To ensure quality, forget about equipment, forget about sales pitches, forget about price, they are all secondary to the individual shooting and editing your wedding. The individual you hire to shoot your wedding must have a creative-eye to capture the big and small events taking place and the willingness to go the extra mile for you. They must be able to anticipate the love and joyful emotions of the bride, groom and guests. Then with the raw footage, a finished tape is assemble just for you. There are only a handful of videographers in the country able to do this. How may I serve you?

For a price you can afford, I’ve designed one comprehensive plan so as to not to confuse you which will give you the best and most complete video coverage of your wedding day. Unlike other videographers who offer packages with or without services you may or may not want and only spend 2–6 hours with you, my overall package will give you a complete and fully edited personalized tape of your wedding day from beginning to end. If you’d like to, you can even further custom design it with add ons that you want.

My plan consists of:
* Up to 12 hours of coverage* or until midnight, i.e., if your wedding starts at 1, I start setting up at 12 (I need at least an hour setup time and to capture activities). *This does not mean 12 hours of continuous shooting/recording, but rather I’m with you for up to that many hours. Average shooting/recording time is about 2.5 hours.
* Coverage includes church, any special stops and reception.
* Custom editing for your wedding video. With CD’s furnished by you, I tastefully place music overlays while retaining natural ambiance sounds wherever possible or needed; i.e., slideshow. I include various types of transitions between clips, include titles and some special effects just for you.
* A finished tape is about 90 to 120 minutes or DVD length of approximately 75 to 90 minutes.
* Either: 3 VHS tapes or 3 DVD’s; must know before editing starts, requires different editing techniques.
* Nonlinear Real Time digital editing for best creative techniques (individualized editing usually takes 30 to 40+ hours).
* 4 to 7 minute introduction slide show (stills taken from video); Plus 16 “growing-up” pictures [3x4–8x10].
* Easy with special effects.
* Groom is wired with a UHF wireless mic (where allowed) during wedding services.
* No hidden costs.
* Catching behind the scenes activity with many candid shots.
* Catching the unexpected.
* Discreet and unobtrusive style.
* Professionally dressed.
* Dealing with only one person for shooting and editing for best results.
* All for only $1,850.00.

If you’d like, you may add one or more of the following add ons to further customize your video.

1. Bride’s home: (1 hour; depending on ceremony start time and distance to church) $225.00
2. Reminiscence “growing-up” pictures (up to 30 [3x4–8x10]) $275.00.
3. Honeymoon pictures (up to 30 [sizes: 3x4–8x10]) $275.00
4. Additional pictures: each $3.00
5. Special requests bid separately $ ?
6. Love story tape: (1 day shooting with pre planning meeting and editing) $800.00 to $1,200.00+
7. Additional shooting time per half hour $75.00
8. Out-of-town ceremonies to be determine: $ ? for time, travel, lodging, food and rentals calculated from Chicago
9. Reediting time (within 48 hours of tape delivery): per hour $75.00 (2 hour minimum)
a) Extensive reediting and after 48 hours to be bid individually $ ?
10. Area video: scenes added to beginning of video leading into slide show; I spend 4 hours shooting B/G at various favorite places for $475.00 to $600+; (makes a great mini love story)
11. Rehearsal and Rehearsal dinner $475.00.
12. “Chicago Loop” weddings / receptions additional fee $250.00 plus parking.
13. Special edited short “music video” tape (approx. 8 to 15 minutes with music overlay 1 to 4+ songs of your choice) of wedding and reception $650.00.
14. Honeymoon tape; accompaniment daily fee (10 hours or less daily): $750 plus travel, food, lodging and related expenses; edited tape $850 to $1,200+.
15. Second camera: ceremony only Unmanned: $800.00; Manned: $1,200.00; Reception manned: $1,200.00; Ceremony and reception all day: $2,000.00.
16. Ceremony & Reception at same location, Deduct: ($100.00).
17. Holidays: +$750.
18. First Dance vignette — You provide me with 6 pictures of the B/G together and I’ll blend them in during the first dance. I can also record stories or special thoughts on video from each about the other to create a compelling insight. An exciting alternative to just seeing the B/G dance for the entire song. 6 pictures: + $125; Special thoughts: 1 each B/G up to 30 seconds + $275
19. Father/Daughter dance vignette — Same as #18. A great and memorable experience. 6 pictures: + $125; Special thoughts: 1 each F/D up to 30 seconds + $275
20. Mother/Groom dance vignette — Same as #18. A tender and loving memory. 6 pictures: + $125; Special thoughts: 1 each M/G up to 30 seconds + $275
21. DVD’s instead of VHS tapes (requires special additional editing time) only $250 for 3 copies; about 75 to 90 minutes or less. Shorter than tape.
22. Additional VHS tapes or DVD’s: each $40.00
23. Prices subject to change without notice.
24. A signed agreement is required plus one-half non-refundable retainer fee to hold date with balance due 2 weeks before wedding.

In my opinion, a good video should be, (1) focused; (2) well lighted; (3) superb color: (4) good audio; UHF/VHF lavs; (5) creatively edited; (6) full coverage of wedding and reception; and (7) most importantly, capture the love, joy and tears of happiness you and your guests’ experience. Some studios can offer you parts of 1-6, but none can offer you the ‘creative eye’ it takes to do #7 and do it right—like I can. They do not have the 20+ years experience in shooting people as I have from shooting Pres. Ford, IL Supreme Court Judge, Cardinal George, CEO’s to people who live in the streets; and (6) use broadcast quality AG-DVC200 or JVC X2BU cameras and Apple ReelTime editor quality equipment, as I do. If you’re shopping for price alone (and not quality), please beware some videographers who will quote a low price and only spend two to six hours at your wedding and reception. They miss the last hours or so of the reception where usually the best candid coverage takes place giving you incomplete coverage, use cookie-cutter type of editing, ask you for overtime charges, use lesser quality equipment and give you inferior quality.

I’ll be more than happy to send you a tape or DVD of my samples for $10; refundable at agreement signing.
Thank you for considering me; I would like very much to share and capture your very special memories with you.

E-mail me now for details and availability: jollyjim@flash.net

Good Luck and Best Wishes

P.S. Remember, you’ll be nervous and anxious on your wedding day; the day will quickly go by as a fast blur. The only thing you’ll have to remember your wonderful day and the little details you missed will be your video captured by a professional. For the rest of your lives, you will be able to relive the day, over and over. Your families will always be alive, well, and with you. Your children and their children will treasure it years from now. Talk with the cleric as to placement of the video camera (and lights) for best results; remind him it is your wedding and you want the best possible video memories you can have. Many churches have restrictions, more correctly, individual cleric’s whims, as to placement of camera (and usage of lights and lav mics); most positions are at best adequate. I’ve seen inferior ceremony coverage and have heard of a bride changing churches because of poor camera placement. When hiring a videographer, do not shop price, shop quality, service and especially the videographer/editor; make sure you see the videographer’s samples that will be shooting and editing your wedding; not just studio samples.
Thank you for considering Jim Worzala’s Video Services where video with a personal touch counts.

Testimonials:
“We just LOVE it.” E. H. 7/29/00 Chicago, IL
“He’s sneaky. If his light didn’t give him away, you’d never know he was there —Great candids.” G.B. 8/28/99 Long Grove, IL
“Our slide show introduction is just fabulous.” A.& D. J. 6/26/01 Hickory Hills, IL
“Jim, I never knew I missed so much of my wedding; you captured it all.” S.K. 5/20/99 LaGrange, IL
“You’re better than others charging twice as much.” Dr. J.T. 4/24/99 Chicago, IL
“I’ve looked at about 20 other videographers, ... you’re the best!” S.H. Champaign, IL 11/17/01
“I’m a professional NYC editor using million dollar editing systems, ... you do great work on your NITRO. “I’m glad I found you.” C.S. Peru, IL 9/29/01
“It’s neat.” J.R. Florence, WI 11/28/05