Wedding Video Boss

Welcome to the Wedding Video Boss Podcast! Where we talk about the business of being a wedding creative and also a peek into my world as a wedding videographer. I am your host, Paul Santiago and today is Monday which means it’s time for another Masterclass! Which means you need to bring out your notepad, pen, tablet, your quill or whatever you use to takes notes because you’re not going to want to miss this one. Your instructor for today is Brain Leahy and he’s here to talk about what it takes to be in the luxury and destination wedding market. I think he’s almost ready so let me give you a head start to grab that coffee or any warm beverage and let’s start the class! BRIAN LEAHY IS A LAID-BACK SOCAL GUY WITH AN INTENSE PASSION FOR PEOPLE AND TRAVEL. HIS PHILOSOPHY IS SIMPLE: EVERY GREAT PHOTO STARTS WITH CONNECTION—A CONNECTION WITH THE COUPLE, THEIR LOVED ONES, THEIR CRAZY FRIENDS, AND THE NATURAL BEAUTY OF THEIR WEDDING LOCATION. HIS OUTGOING NATURE, RELAXED STYLE AND KNACK FOR CAPTURING FLEETING CANDID

Welcome to the Wedding Video Boss Podcast, where we talk about the business of being a wedding creative and also a peek into my world as a wedding videographer. I am your host, Paul Santiago. Please, please come in… lay your weary head on the couch, put yer feet up and let me give you and extra serving of a warm bowl of additional video gear… Yes! We’ll talk about the hardest part of being a wedding videographer, carrying extra shit. We’ll talk about the most commonly used ones, which ones we kept, and how I solved the problem of carrying all of it around, in this segment that I’d like to call… “Carry on, carry on" I'm not a geek about equipment, I just know what I like. Adam Jones "Buy once, cry once” - Ning Wong If you’re a photographer listening to this podcast, this is exactly why videographers need a little bit more time to follow you around when you’d decide to be creative and do an impromtu shoot with the couple. If you’re a new videographer, you better be pumping iron because getting that perfect l

Cold Shoulder: Why They Don’t Book You More bookings and better bookings – those are universal goals for most of us in the wedding industry. Yet, not every couple books, and not every inquiry makes it as far into our process as we would like. What can you do about this? In this action-oriented presentation, we’ll talk about: What real couples are saying about us, what is turning them off along the way, and what they wish you all knew. At each of the five pre-booking stages, what you can do to turn their “No No” reactions into “Yes Yes” items instead. Your conversion rate and how you can improve it. How you can make cold prospects into buyers. That was a snippet from today’s episode… Welcome to the Wedding Video Boss Podcast! Where we talk about the business of being a wedding creative and also a peek into my world as a wedding videographer. I am your host, Paul Santiago and today is Monday which means it’s time for another Masterclass! Which means you need to bring out your notepad, pen, tablet, your q

Welcome to the Wedding Video Boss Podcast! Where we talk about the business of being a wedding creative and also a peek into my world as a wedding videographer. I am your host, Paul Santiago. Today we are going to talk about a key skill in covering a wedding: ENGAGING THE WEDDING PARTY. As professionals who capture life through movement and sound, it’s our job to preserve those moments that make up the couple’s wedding day. Your gear may be top-of-the-line, but if you’re completely disconnected and reluctant to connect with the people at the wedding, your video is gonna fall flat. Author and life coach, Rasheed Ogunlaru advises to, “Be genuinely interested in everyone you meet and everyone you meet will be genuinely interested in you.” Because you’re meeting and interacting with people, at an event that’s important to them, you need to have that openness and genuine warmth to put them at ease. Shannon L. Adler, inspirational author, says “You don’t have to say every thing to be a light. Sometimes a fi

Welcome to the wedding video boss podcast, I’m your host, Paul Santiago. This is episode 14 and boy oh boy are you people in for a treat. Wedding Business Architect, Kellie Daab is here and she’s talking about Symbiotic Marketing: Connecting everything about your business and create a sustainable circle of influence to gather and retain clients. Grab your notes and refill your coffee mug and listen to this episode that I should’ve called… The client trap! Kellie Daab is the Founder of Wedding Industry Education and a Wedding Business Architect. Known as a thought leader and disruptor in the wedding industry, Kellie brings a digitally minded approach to clarity, strategy, and mastery in business. After 14 years in event planning, hospitality, venues, and catering - Kellie has worn the heels and carried the bus tubs. Described by industry peers as "a smack down delivered with a bouquet of roses", Kellie leads thousands of wedding industry professionals through empowering ingenuity and encouraging innovation in

Welcome to the wedding video boss podcast, I’m your host Paul Santiago and it’s episode 13 which means… it doesn’t really mean anything. Well, i’m googling it right now and 13 is a number that is often considered unlucky. Eeek. Well, have no fear because Colby Novak is here and he’s talking about SD cards, backing up your shit and the ultimate solution for file storage, NAS. Lucky you! So don’t hit delete on your old files yet because you might learn something from this episode that I should’ve called… Back those files up... Colby Novak didn't gain the nickname "king of lighting" for nothing. Colby graduated in 2015 from the Art Institute of Houston with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Cinematography. Colby is an award winning photographer and videographer, and has been published by numerous websites and magazines. He developed his style learning from one of the best photography companies in the world: SLR Lounge. He became known for his signature look in the wedding community by the age of 22. Colby has shot w

Welcome to the wedding video boss podcast, I’m your host Paul Santiago. We’re at episode 12 and it’s going to be a doozy because THE wedding lawyer is here and he answered all my questions about wedding contracts, the difference between employees & freelancers and we did a little bit of your questions as well. No need to worry anymore because now you can relax and listen to this episode that I should’ve called… I rest my case... Rob Schenk is  a United States trial attorney  and editor of  WeddingIndustryLaw.com, an online resource of news, information, and legal materials for North American wedding professionals. Since 2012, Rob has become one of his country’s most prominent “Wedding Lawyers,”  a  special designation for  lawyers  representing  wedding and event industry professionals. He is the founder of WedFormz.com, a database of downloadable contract templates for wedding and event businesses. Rob’s expertise has been featured in  Time,  Huffington Post Weddings, Petapixel,  and Yahoo News, and he'

Welcome to the Wedding Video Boss Podcast! I am your host, Paul Santiago. We’re at episode 11 and in this episode, we are going to talk about the key steps to attracting your ideal clients! I loved Megan’s interview so much that I needed to follow it up! As people, we naturally gravitate towards others who share our values, who can listen, and who understand our needs. When it comes to telling the unique stories of weddings, creating meaningful connections through genuine service, is what’s going to make clients choose you and even bring others along with them. Some of the most renowned people in the world, believe in this: Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, likens attracting clients to an intimate event. He said, "We see our customers as invited guests to a party, and we are the hosts. It's our job to make the customer experience a little bit better." When your clients or guests join the party, we make sure to listen: David Beebe, a producer for branded content said, “We need to stop interrupting what people

Welcome to the wedding video boss podcast! I’m your host, Paul Santiago and we’re at episode 10 and that was a snippet from my interview with Joey Reger, a Hybrid Wedding Shooter from Southern California. He started his business in 2014 and since then, he’s bought and sold so many cameras that we just had to talk about it. If you’re thinking of getting a camera for video or if you’re upgrading equipment, you wouldn’t want to miss this one. We’ll be covering Sony, Panasonic, Fuji and Canon in this segment that i’d like to call… Gear Acquisition Syndrome AKA GAS GAS GAS With the rise of DSLR cameras geared towards videographers and filmmakers, there’s so many out there that it’s just so hard to keep up. Lucky for us, my buddy Joey has a first hand experience with most of it and he didn’t just try them, he actually owned all of it and lived to tell the tale. Please help me welcome, Joey Reger. Panasonic Sony Canon Fuji Black Magic Affiliate links: Sony 6300 - https://amzn.to/2tvdLvW Sony A7s2 - https://

Welcome to the wedding video boss podcast, I am your host, Paul Santiago. We’re at episode 9 and today is going to be killer because it’s all about branding, we’ll deconstruct and demystify the elements that make up this very important aspect of your business. Just so you know, this one isn't just any other episode because today is Masterclass Monday. Which means I brought in someone who specializes in this topic so you need to bring out your notepad, pen, tablet, your quill or whatever you use to takes notes, grab your coffee because Megan is ready. Let me give you a head start to get comfy and let’s start the class! Megan Kuethen (keethen) is the original wordsmith and brand coach for creative entrepreneurs. In 2012, she started the Wordsmithery to help photographers put into words what was already in their hearts. From there, the evolution to business coach was a natural one, and now she helps creative entrepreneurs get clear on their brands, attract their dream clients, and build sustainable and profitab

Welcome to the Wedding Video Boss Podcast, I am your host, Paul Santiago. We’re at Episode 8 and I want to talk a little bit more about pricing so let’s tackle the different pricing strategies, the cost factors that you should consider, and a live breakdown of how to compute for the price. So let’s start with a quote: "Pricing is actually pretty simple...Customers will not pay literally a penny more than the true value of the product." Ron Johnson Pricing is the one thing that creatives never want to talk about. Probably it’s because we create art and art is priceless OR "like you know, I’m just doing this for fun bro”. That’s right! Having a business should be fun! There are different types of pricing strategies but I have summed it up to the three most useful: Price based on cost Price based on market Price based on perceived value Cost factors: Labor - Post Production - Overhead Value Factors: Experience Quality Customer Service Cost breakdown: ---EXAMPLE--- Lead shooter Second sho

Welcome to the wedding video boss podcast, I am your host, Paul Santiago and today is… you guessed it right… today is Masterclass Monday! Which means you need to bring out your notepad, pen, tablet, your quill or whatever you use to takes notes because you’re not going to want to miss this one. I think today’s instructor is almost ready so let me give you a head start to grab that coffee or any warm beverage and let’s start the class! Jeremy Chou is an international wedding photographer based out of Southern California. In the past 10 years, he has established himself as one of the most sought after wedding photographers in the industry. His work has been seen throughout all major US wedding blogs & select wedding publications. In addition to weddings, he also holds regular workshops throughout US and other international destinations for up & coming wedding photographers. So friends, help me in welcoming, Jeremy Chou! Blog article: http://jeremychouworkshops.com/business/top-5-reasons-why-wedding-

Welcome to the Wedding Video Boss Podcast, I am your host, Paul Santiago. It’s episode 6 and we’re talking about the the most commonly used lenses, the best versions (like brands that sell it) and I will reveal the lenses that I love to use! Before the music comes in, here's a quote to put things into perspective... "I see everything through a spiritual lens.” - Katy Perry Wait that’s not right… oh here it is… “Different eyes see different things” - From the song, Different strings by Rush Your lenses are the eyes of the audience, and different kinds of lenses will show the viewer different things. There are different types of lenses: ultra wide angle (8mm-24mm), wide angle (24mm-35mm), standard (35-50mm), telephoto lenses (85mm to 300mm+++). A prime lens has a fixed focal length, and a zoom lens can go in and out to provide a wider range of focal lengths. Prime lenses have better optics than zooms, they usually can have a wider aperture, which gives them better low-light performance. Although prime lens

Welcome to the Wedding Video Boss Podcast! I am your host, Paul Santiago. This is Episode 5 - Seek and Employ: How to find the right people to work with you. We’ll discuss where to look and how to choose. These are all from my experience so it might be different from what workshops taught you. You’re not going to want to miss this topic because this topic gave me these amazing and more importantly, it can make or break your company. That went dark real quick huh? Anyway, before I begin, let’s do the quotes for the day: "Hiring the right people takes time, the right questions and a healthy dose of curiosity. What do you think is the most important factor when building your team? For us, it’s personality.” — Richard Branson, Founder of Virgin Group “People are not your most important asset. The right people are.” – Jim Collins, book author & teacher “Hiring people is an art, not a science, and resumes can’t tell you whether someone will fit into a company’s culture.” - Howard Schulz, Chairman & C

Welcome to the Wedding Video Boss Podcast, I am your host, Paul Santiago. Today we’re talking about audio, its importance, whether you’re filming from your phone or using a dslr, what kind of microphones go where, how to deal with a nightmare DJ and in the end a simple sample audio setup for beginner videographers or any wedding vendors who want to get into the BTS game. This right here will change the game and you’ll thank me for it if you do it right. First... Here’s a quote from the great Jimmy Iovine, he is an American record producer best known as the co-founder of Interscope Records and mega millionaire because with Dr. Dre founded Beats Electronics. The company was purchased by Apple Inc. for $3 billion in May 2014 "You're only as good as your weakest link in the ecosystem of sound, of audio.” Ain’t that the truth! Audio is what turns amateur video to professional. So as a filmmaker, your job is not only to show the audience what you see, but also to reveal to them what they didn’t hear at all. That

Welcome to the Wedding Video Boss Podcast! I am your host, Paul Santiago and today we’re talking about dressing up for success. This is one of my favorite topics! Before we go any deeper, let’s do the quotes for the day: "You can have anything you want in life if you dress for it.” Edith Head (American costume designer who won a record eight Academy Awards for Best Costume Design,) and “Style is a way to say who you are without having to speak.” Rachel Zoe (American fashion designer, businesswoman, and writer) Now, these quotes may take you into different directions so before you go running to Nordstrom or hot topic, let’s talk about the things you need to remember when you try to dress for success... Growing up in the Philippines, we were a very middle class family and mom worked a at school which was mostly for rich kids. Of course being a child of a teacher, the school gave my mom a great deal for our tuition and we were able to attend school where she worked at. And you know, as a kid, I di

Welcome to the Wedding Video Boss Podcast, I am your host, Paul Santiago and today we are going to talk about the important questions you need to ask yourself when it comes to choosing the right Camera for you! “Money spent on good-quality gear is always money well spent.” ― Tahir Shah, In Search of King Solomon's Mines “The less gear you use, the more you grow as a photographer. Although there are fewer options available, you'll find more creative ways to capture what you feel! In a way, all your technical options before turn into creative solutions that improve your photography even more.” ― Marius Vieth - Photographer, author Finding the right camera is vital to what kind of story you have to tell. Here are 10 questions that I actually want to answer with you. Lens Options Dynamic Range? Low Light capabilities? Recording Format? Camera’s Longevity? What Type of Cards Does It Take? Is It Practical for My Shooting Situations? What Is the Audio Situation? Can It Output Footage? What Is the Crop Fact

What’s up friends! Welcome to the Wedding Video Boss Podcast, I am your host, Paul Santiago and I hope you are having an awesome day so far! If you’re not and you’re feeling lost, then I have a quote for you: "If you cant describe what you are doing as a process, you don't know what you’re doing" -W Edwards Deming I’ve always believed that you find yourself by how you deal with failure. What it doesn’t say is that you can actually fail smart, and when it comes to a career, not everyone is experiencing the same stage of failure. So I came up with the 3 steps to help you become more effective in your wedding video career. Find a good mentor Work for someone else Go out there and fail smart! Here’s a quote from DUSTIN GRINNELL: So if you’re a Master, are you one for life? Unfortunately, the answer is no. Once you’ve reached mastery, you’ve got to keep practicing to stay sharp. Without regular practice, the slip from Master to Journeyman is all too easy. Teachers would be wise to prevent slippage by

Welcome to the wedding video boss podcast where we will focus on the business side of wedding videography as well as, how I established my company looking like this. A tall, handsome and brown gentleman. This is why the word BOSS has a loose translation which means the business of smashing stereotypes because let’s face it, I’m no Leo Di Caprio, I’m more of like a Chow Yun Fat, Ken Watanabe kind of chameleon ;) Which, by the way, they should have a best named businesses awards because I’m just killing it with these! I am your host, Paul Santiago, owner of Boffo Video, a wedding videography company in Southern California. We just hit our 8th year in the business and we average about 75 weddings a year. We have grown our team to 12 shooters and editors and we’ve been featured in numerous major and minor blogs and one TV shoutout! I have been honored to speak on stage for Canon at WPPI demoing new cinema lenses and Wedding MBA in Las Vegas talking about "Getting featured". Having done more than 500 weddi