Beginner Videographers
First, When I look at a videographer that is just starting out. The number one way you can tell is the camera quality and gear looks cheap.
Second, always check the portfolio if he has a small portfolio he is usually just starting out. Unless he has just a couple incredible samples.
Third, Color grading. Color grading is huge you don’t just start out videography knowing how to color grade. I am still learning how to perfect color grading after almost five years in the industry. You can usually tell when someone is starting out just by this factor. Easy ways to tell are by looking at the saturation of the colors if it seems over saturated it’s possible that is his/her style but 9/10 times they are just starting out. Second, if the shot is over exposed or under exposed and the blacks and shadows are extremely harsh.
Age is just a number!
Just because a videographer is young does not mean they are inexperienced. You would be surprised. I was filming weddings when I was just fifteen years old. Yeah I did them for cheap but by the time I was sixteen and seventeen my work was professional. I often times got turned down by a couple just due to the fact that they couldn’t trust me with a job like this. Really do your research. Watch their samples get a feel for their style and if it fits you. Go for it! “Age is just a number”.
Professional Videographers
When hiring a videographer you’re paying for quality. If someone is charging outrageous amounts because they got a “degree” they are most the time not worth your money. This industry is talent based. I hate to say it but film school teaches how to use tools and when to use them. But you can’t teach creativity. Creativity is something that comes from within. Degrees mean nothing in the videography world! Stop paying for degrees. I’m not saying that everyone who goes to film school is terrible. I’m saying look at the quality of videos before looking at degrees and years of experience.
Dont Wing It!
A professional videographer will ask you to sit-down and story board out your vision. They will ask you what your vision for this video is and where you would like it filmed. They will usually know what locations and lighting would look best for your ideas. In my experience I noticed when I storyboard and really dive into what they are looking for as the final product before shooting. On the day of the shoot we know what props, setting, the story. Filming generally goes a lot smoother and the final product always looks incredible compared to if no pre planning went into it.
Gear & Quality
Most people don’t know camera gear. But you can naturally tell if a camera is nice or not. Most the time if the videographer has a nice setup and you can tell he knows what he is doing with it. He is professional. However, don’t be fooled by the illusion that if you have nice camera gear you’re automatically an amazing videographer. That is not the case… The difference is some videographers save up for their gear and others rely on their parents to pay for their expensive gear. Watch out for these kids. You can have a kid with a $10,000 setup make terrible quality videos vs someone who knows what they’re doing with a $1000 setup. You have to be careful when hiring a videographer.
