Executing Conceptual Wedding Films Worthy of the Big Screen

Internationally acclaimed for his same-day edit wedding videos (broken down in our September 2014 How-To Issue), Kevin Shahinian of Pacific Pictures offers a slightly atypical genre: full-blown, Hollywood-style conceptual short films, each with their own self-contained story, totally outside the wedding ceremony itself, complete with a script, actors and, of course, starring the couple. Shahinian sees them as an outlet for some original storytelling, and as a way to add a new spin on tradition. Here’s what you need to know to make them happen for your clients.

1. Have the passion for conceptual films. It takes Shahinian and his crew a few months to scout, plan and produce, and then about a week to film. Pacific Pictures only produces one or two every year (compared to 15 to 20 same-day edit videos). These films are a lot of work, so they have to be worth it.

2. Try something new every time. To start, Shahinian asks the couple how they first met and when they knew they were meant to be together, and he notes any other significant moments in their relationship. Essentially, the concept film embellishes these emotional moments, dramatizing, as any Hollywood film would, the couple’s story into a gripping short film. It’s nice to get inspired by what other people have done, he says, but it’s your responsibility as a creator to suggest concepts that are a little outside the box.

3. Communicate the time commitment to the couple. They need to truly understand what they’re in for. Shahinian does a fair amount of rehearsing with the couple to help them feel more comfortable in front of the camera (he uses a Canon 5D Mark III, and occasionally the DJI Phantom 3 or S1000 drone for aerial shots).

4. Keep an eye on how much you do behind the scenes to price your services correctly. Shahinian charges $25,000 and up for his films. In addition to the time it takes to scout and shoot, it takes him and his crew about six weeks to edit down the hours of footage to a 10- to 20-minute film—they’re looking for the least amount of content to tell the story as best as possible.