Interview with a Pro - Adam Haviland of Virtuoso Video

A large demand for videographers that can produce professional results for a reasonable price led Adam and Melissa Haviland to launch Virtuoso Video. In the past, wedding videography was only an option for larger budgets, but Adam strived to create a company that focused on working efficiently (keeping costs low) to allow videography for budgets of all sizes. Shooting every single wedding together, the dynamic couple’s excitement and passion for the profession continues to grow with each one.


Back in August, Smart & Chic had the chance to collaborate with Virtuoso Video on a Rock the Dress shoot (along with Graddy Photography). We were FLOORED with the final trailer that came from the shoot - take a look:

We asked Adam a few questions about his company and wedding videos in general, and here's what he said:

What kind of style do you go for when shooting Rock The Dress sessions?
Weddings are beautiful & elegant. During a wedding shoot, we use a style that compliments those themes - slow & steady camera movements. Rock the Dress shoots are the opposite - artistic & edgy. The more creative, the better. So, we adjust our style. Camera moves are quicker and less fluid – definitely not something you would see in a typical wedding video.

How would describe your style of shooting/what ‘styles’ can you do?
We shoot our weddings using a documentary style - complete, unobtrusive coverage of the day so that you can see the events as they actually occurred, not how we directed them. When it comes to RTD, it's all about contrast & drama. We're not cutting together a 20-minute highlight reel, we're creating a short, dynamic video that needs to hold the interest of your Facebook friends. In other words, it needs to pop.

What other trends do you see happening in the wedding videography industry?
More and more couples are blocking off dedicated time during the wedding day for the videographer. It's not much, usually a few minutes in each environment after the photographer has finished, but that's still a big win! Camera equipment is clunky and precise. Tripods, steadicams, etc all take time to calibrate for EVERY shot - a luxury that we typically don't have. Clients that understand this need ALWAYS end up with a stellar wedding video. They look out for us - ensuring that we get a little extra time to adjust our equipment, ultimately allowing us to capture the quality that we're capable of.

Two pieces of advice he offers -
1. Hire a wedding videographer! Even if it's not us, make sure that you get one. It's an added expense that you may not have budgeted for, but immediately after the wedding you'll wish that you had. There are so many special moments that would otherwise be lost forever - things that you likely won't even see.
2. Don't hire an amateur (or a relative)! Yes, they're cheap but they're also inexperienced. Videographers have ONE chance to capture each moment - amateurs tend to make costly mistakes. This is a precious event and you want to make sure it gets done right. Hire a professional.

For more info on the company or to book them for your event, visit www.virtuosovideo.com