1. Introduction: What's your story?
We are Natural Focus Films, a nature-inspired wedding videography company founded by Luke Shapiro. We aim to capture each wedding's genuine energy to create memories that couples can hold onto forever. Going beyond just our work, we have made it our mission to donate 10% of our revenue to wildlife and environmental conservation efforts because we believe our small business should help create a better future, not just better profits.
2. How long have you been filming weddings? How many weddings have you filmed?
At first, I was simply filming my travels surfing in Bali, Costa Rica, and of my time hiking and camping in the Rockies. When my sister got married in 2017, I wanted to gift her with a film her wedding weekend. I found it to be really fulfilling and over the years, I started filming family friend's weddings all over the nation ranging from Massachusetts, Maine, and Colorado. Since then, I have filmed over 10+ weddings and have over 30+ booked within the next two years.
3. How would you describe your videography style?
We really strive to be a calming energy throughout the day. We want our couples to feel our presence but not to the point where we are in the way of their most intimate moments. In this spirit, we take a less-directive approach and strive to film the day as it is naturally occurring.
Nature and the outdoors really inspire and shape our films. We love working with couples who appreciate the outdoors just as much as we do and we always incorporate elements of nature within our films. We allocate time in the day to capture beautiful footage of the venue space and fly the drone (weather and location permitting).
Most of our couples love the cinematic films we create for them because they have storytelling moments that illustrate the emotions of the day and show an attention to detail that the couples want to relive and remember for years to come.
4. How well in advance should couples book their wedding videographer?
Most of our couples are reaching out a year and a half in advance of their wedding date. Especially if you know you want to get married during peak wedding season (May-October), the sooner you can book your vendors, the better your chances are to have your top choices available.
We have also found that if you want the best price, it is better to reach out as soon as possible because the longer you wait, the more likely prices will increase during peak season as vendors become more booked.
If you aren't ready to lock in your date, as a courtesy, we have a first come first serve policy. If you reach out to us first and aren't ready to move forward, we will always let you know if someone else has reached out about the same date.
5. What are the different packages that you offer and which one is your most popular package?
We offer three signature packages that provide a wide range of pricing options for couples with varying budgets. Our most popular package is the Natural Focus. Our couples love the price point, full-day coverage, drone footage, and the 3-4 minute length of the Cinematic film. One reason our couples love our packages is because we offer both cinematic and documentary-style films in each package.
We also customize any package because ultimately every couple's vision is different. We offer a la carte options like raw footage, rehearsal dinner coverage, and Instagram teasers.
6. Are you the wedding videographer who will be filming on the wedding day? How many camera people and cameras will be operating on the day?
Yes, myself and my partner, Alexis, are the lead videographers. For the getting ready portion of the day, we usually operate two cameras. At the ceremony, depending on the set-up, we usually have between 2-4 cameras operating to get different angles and audio. This is also the same for the reception so we can get proper footage of the first dances and reception speeches.
7. Do you charge a travel fee? For what distance? What does that cover?
Usually, if your venue is more than an hour away from our home office in Boston, we will charge travel fees based on distance and if we need to book lodging. Our travel fees range from $50-$400 and can cover anything ranging from gas, food, and lodging depending on the circumstance.
8. How do you back-up your footage to ensure no footage is lost and for how long do you keep the footage after the wedding?
When we finish filming your wedding, we immediately offload the footage onto our computer and a back-up hard drive for safekeeping. Once we deliver your films after our 12-week deadline and have confirmation that you successfully downloaded the films, we no longer keep your raw footage on our hard drive.
9. How long after the wedding will the couple receive the video? And how will the video be delivered?
Since we edit our films in-house, we usually need 12 weeks to finish editing your films. We do offer faster turn-arounds for an additional fee. Our films are delivered via digital download on Vimeo and if your package includes raw footage, then you will receive a physical hard-drive in the mail.
10. What is your cancellation and/or refund policy?
Cancellation policies depend on each couple's circumstance. In most cases, your deposit is non-refundable unless you cancel for COVID-19 reasons. We ask that you supply us with written notice at least 30 days before your wedding date if you need to cancel. If you end up rescheduling your date and we are available, we will roll over your deposit and any payments to the new contracted date.
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