Curtis Nemetz : : Wedding Videography

Every so often, Patrick likes to take out his wedding video and watch it with his wife. His favorite part is the moment when the camera zooms in on his expression as he looks at his wife for the first time under the bright sunlight. As everyone stood up in awe, with the cameras aimed at her every move, his heart pounding while holding back tears of joy. What the camera shows as just a few minutes of footage, felt like an eternity as she gracefully walked closer and closer towards him. He feels so blessed to be able to sit and reminisce about that special day.

Curtis Nemetz is one of those videographers who utilizes his unique perspective when capturing that special moment. His videos have a way of bringing you back to that special day and revisiting the same emotions you had before. As photographers, we always watch his videos for inspiration.

How long have you been shooting? How did you get into wedding cinematography?

I have been shooting weddings professionally since 2006, but have been making videos with friends and family as long as I can remember. My brother and I used to make music videos to Boyz II Men, Milli Vanilli and Metallica when we were kids.

I began shooting weddings by accident. In 2003 my wife and I received quite a few Target gift cards for our wedding. We decided, as most completely broke newlywed couples do, that the obvious purchase would be a video camera. I took the camera everywhere, including every wedding I was invited to. After three years of doing it for free, a friend (who happens to be a wedding photographer) recommended that I start a business doing what I love. Curtis Nemetz Productions was born.

Do you only shoot wedding videos? What other videos do you shoot?

I primarily shoot wedding videos, which have kept me very busy and have not allowed for many other projects. Although, I do volunteer my services to my church whenever I can. Also, I have dreams of shooting a documentary that would greatly impact the audience, motivating them to move towards social justice. Sorry that got so deep there; you just got me thinking.

How do you describe your style of cinematography?

We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel here. The film should tell a story; therefore, it should be timeless and classic. The last thing we want to create is a dated, cliché film through over-editing and the misuse of effects. With that in mind, we always try to remain artistic and fresh, while retaining the integrity of the day. The thing that makes a wedding video great is the chemistry between the couple. No amount of editing can produce that.

What kind of cameras do you use?

We use Canon XHA1’s with the Glidecam 4000 rig and the Canon 7d. Man, I felt dorky writing that sentence.

Do you have cool effects, cool camera attachments that you use?

We have a fisheye lens that we use sparingly. Our whole philosophy is to shoot it right the first time and not put a whole lot of effects on the footage. If we do it right while shooting, the footage should speak for itself without loading it up with a bunch of effects. That said, sometimes we have fun with the title. We also love doing stop motion stuff with the bride’s shoes. Some of our couples are starting to expect that now, which has been challenging but fun.

What products do you provide? Blue Ray, HD, Highlights?

A highlights video will be posted online the week after the wedding (usually Monday night or Tuesday) while the couple is on their honeymoon. They really enjoy being able relive the day so soon after the wedding, being that the wedding day can be such a blur. Then we put together a 30-minute film, including everything from makeup to the grand exit, which is then edited to the couple’s music choices. We include, as bonus features, the entire ceremony and toasts with professional audio recording. All of these features are packaged with 3 standard definition DVD’s and 1 Blu-ray DVD.

What inspires you? What are some of your favorite movies? Producers, Directors?

Favorite Movies? North Shore, Rad, Top Gun, Gladiator, etc. I’m sure you were expecting some long list of foreign independents that are black & white, grainy and have subtitles. I hate to say it, but I am a total wedding video nerd. I follow a few wedding film producers; Mayad Studios, Still Motion, Mind Castle, but don’t really pay much attention to what is going on with Hollywood movies.

What are some of the locations you have shot in? Which is your favorite?

I don’t know if I could pick a favorite location. Probably Bakersfield. It’s the land of milk and honey. Last year we shot a gorgeous wedding on the shores of a river flowing through the Yosemite Valley.  Earlier this year, we had the privilege of shooting at Yoshi’s Jazz Club in San Francisco. The most fun we’ve ever had while filming was on a catamaran on the San Francisco Bay under the Golden Gate Bridge while the Blue Angels flew overhead. Although we’ve been privileged to shoot at some amazing venues, we’ve found that the venue doesn’t make a great video, or a great wedding for that matter. Like we’ve said before, it’s the chemistry between the couple.

Is there a place you would give anything to be able to shoot a wedding, whether it’s a location or venue?

No. We love shooting weddings no matter where they are. Was that PC enough?

Any advice you would give to a couple looking for a videographer?

It’s all about educating yourself. Ask friends and family members who have recently gotten married if they got a video and what they thought of their videographer. Once you have a few options, check out their work before you hire them. Ask to borrow a copy of their last wedding. Anyone can put together an awesome highlights video for his or her web page, but you need to see what you are actually getting for your money. Make sure their work incorporates a style that reflects your own. Talk with them on the phone and/or meet with them in person to make sure you get along. Remember, this person is going to be with you all day, documenting the biggest day of your life. You need to trust them. Most importantly, remember that wedding videos do not have to be boring.

Kyle and Meghan Underwood from curtis nemetz on Vimeo.