FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1) Where is Nav Durga Photography based? Do you travel worldwide?
We are based in Chandigarh (India), and we travel all across the world to shoot weddings. Some of our best Pre-weddings & weddings have been shot in locations like Jaipur, Udaipur, Agra, Kashmir, Manali, Rishikesh, Jaisalmer, and Mussoorie among others.
2) What is the typical team strength of our team that will be traveling to cover my wedding? Will a reduction in crew affect the cost?
We usually film with a crew of 2-3 cinematographers (candid style) and 2-3 photographers (candid and documentary style) along with a director, a production manager, and an aerial drone operator. The crew works as one coherent team with different cameramen specializing in different lenses and styles including aerial, time-lapse, and underwater filming.
For a larger-scale wedding, we don’t recommend a reduction in the size of the crew as this is likely to affect the quality and grandeur of the film. This choreographed, multi-camera setup allows us to position ourselves strategically to capture ceremonies more naturally as they take place, without any hindrance.
However, there are certain advantages to having a smaller team too! For more intimate weddings, a crew size of 4-5 people is enough. This allows for a greater, non-obtrusive individual control of filming for each crew member and this can lead to better, unobstructed views of the festivities especially when the party is on a smaller scale involving fewer people. This also creates a warmer bond between the crew and families as there are fewer people to co-ordinate with. There is an obvious reduction in cost too!
3) Are we into wedding planning or just coverage?
Currently, we are only into coverage (photos and videos) but having worked with some of the top wedding management teams, we are happy to suggest some names at no extra cost. An inspired management and decor team naturally act as embellishments for a beautiful film! You can check the Planners section on our website to check out the work of some event planners & wedding décor companies who are splendid at their jobs.
4) Can we also have additional photographers/videographers along with us?
Sorry, we do not recommend it. Apart from being uneconomical, it may obstruct and tamper with our work. The advantage of a single team is that we will get clean, unobstructed visual frames without local photographers jumping into our frames and ruining the film moments.
5) Apart from the photography & videography costs, what are the other costs to be kept in mind?
The expenses for the travel, food, and accommodation for the crew members are usually borne by the client unless decided otherwise or factored in as a package deal. In addition, the hard drives for the final delivery are paid for by the clients too. Any additional days/hours of shooting (not mentioned in the contract) are charged extra as per the rates in the contract. There are no other hidden costs.
6) What is a pre-wedding shoot and how do we go about it?
A pre-wedding shoot is a photo/video shoot of the couple done before the wedding that portrays the bond they share. Since the wedding is a hectic time to be together, the couple gets this day off with each other to shoot some “Relaxed, Together & Fun” images and videos and these can be used in the highlight film or as a separate two-minute pre-wedding film that can be shown during the sangeet or the wedding. A typical pre-wedding shoot lasts between 6-10 hours. The clothes/styling/makeup for this shoot is usually arranged by the client.
7) Is it possible just to get a pre-wedding shoot without opting for the complete wedding package?
We believe in start-to-end wedding coverage and hence refrain from undertaking stand-alone pre-wedding shoots. We shoot pre-weddings for clients whose weddings we have been commissioned to film. This serves as a great start to the final highlight film and also strengthens the team’s bond with our clients before their wedding day.
8) What are the common deliverables that we can expect as part of the package?
In the standard package, we deliver three different versions of the wedding film and Some edited digital photographs that include both candid and documentary styles. All films and photos are delivered on a Thunderbolt drive.
The three versions of films include –
1) The Trailer (TR) – A 4-5 minute trailer or teaser film that can be released on social networking sites for friends and family to see, reminisce and cherish.
2) The Highlight film (HL) – A 40-45 minute highlight film of the best moments of the wedding on select songs interspersed with the story as narrated by the couple and their loved ones.
3) Full wedding Films (FF) – The entire footage of the main events like the sangeet, wedding ceremony, etc. in a film format edited minimally on ambient sounds blended with soft instrumental music.
A recent trend has seen quite several couples opt for one-minute Instagram edit cuts instead of lengthy full films. Apart from the reduction in the cost of the edit, this cut is fast-paced and edgy and shows the whole wedding in under a minute.
9) Can I opt for only still photographs or video or does the package have to include both?
During a wedding shoot, the stills and the video teams should have harmony and coordination for the benefit of client coverage and to avoid getting into each other’s frames. We usually cover both together to ensure perfect synchronicity of images and film coverage but in rare cases, we have accommodated an odd request to allow a photo team to work alongside for wedding coverage.
10) What are the number of photographs that will be provided in the package? Also the total number of edited photographs and the format in which they would be provided?
It’s difficult to determine the total number of images we will be shooting over a typical two or three-day wedding. Approximately 3000-4500 images are expected to be shot during a typical three-day wedding. All images are given to the client in high-resolution JPEG format on a 1 / 2 TB Thunderbolt drive (digital delivery) and all the images are color and exposure edited. The images are shot both in candid and traditional style.
11) I would like an exclusive, tailor-made track for my trailer. How do I go about it? Does it come at an additional cost?
We love music, and we love the process of creating music tracks that mirror your vibe as a couple. Your love could be carefree as a bird or deep as the ocean – what better way to tell your story than through a customized wedding track? All good things come at a cost – and so does your customized wedding track.
12) What are Cold Coffee Instacuts as seen on your Instagram page? Are they a standard deliverable as a part of the package?
Cold Coffee Instacuts are very short films that can be posted on Instagram. They are part of an exclusive signature series by The NAV DURGA PHOTOGRAPHY where we present the quick glimpses of your wedding in under a minute. This is not a standard deliverable and is purely a complimentary edit by us.
13) Can Navdurga Photography prepare a coffee table book or albums of the photographs?
Although we technically do not get into printing and designing of photo-books, we would love to suggest the names and numbers of the best people for the job. As a thumb-rule, approximately 180 images per album can be incorporated into one album. All images are edited (skin blemishes are cleaned and colors are enhanced) and the album is custom-designed to suit your requirements. Each album page is 12×30, 12×36, 17×24, 15×30, 20×30 in dimension. The cost of the album varies depending on the quality and brand of printing. Usually, a top-quality album is in the range of INR 30000-35000.
14) Can you make the trailer or a short film of the wedding so that we can show it at the Reception / Last day?
Yes, we offer this service – These are referred to as “Same Day Edits” and they are a great way to showcase some of the best moments of the wedding instantly to everyone present. However, this is an expensive process (extra equipment and setups are required for an extra editor to produce this) and adds to the final cost of the package.
15) During the wedding, who do we communicate with regarding all our photo & video requirements?
The Wedding Director or the Director of Photography is usually the prime point of contact with the family. He/she is the sole person that co-ordinates with the couple and the event planner regarding all aspects of the events and conducts interviews etc. Also, from the couple’s side, we need to have a singular point of contact for all wedding shoot co-ordination. The bride’s / groom’s siblings or the best friends are the best people for the job.
16) Are there any specific requirements in terms of venue/stage lighting and other aspects of the setup for the best photo and video results? How can we ensure that the photography team has the best resources at hand to create magic?
Good lighting is a prerequisite for great photos and videos. If a few simple things are taken care of at the planning stage, the job is half done. Go for natural lighting instead of tinted hues and ensure that the stage, mandap, etc. are well-lit, especially at night. The spatial design should be such that it allows the crew to cover the event from multiple angles for a good variety in footage – always advise your planner to keep in mind the space needed by photographers in case of over-crowded events. It’s a good idea to have some extra time at hand before each event for couple shots – it doesn’t take more than 10-15 minutes, but ensures that the couple has some stunning portraits before the hair, makeup, and outfits make their way to the dance floor – to never come back the way they were!
17) What are audio bytes and why are these important for the quality of the film?
The primary charm of the wedding video is the footage and just so that the events are nicely interlinked, we film interviews with the close family (bride, groom, parents, and siblings / best friends – usually 6 frames) so that there is an underlying story that keeps the viewer connected to the film. As the story unfolds, the viewer gets a sense of how the couple met and decided to spend their lives together. For this, we film about 15-20 mins of audio/video bytes with each of the six frames of people. This is because we ask specific questions to different people and place the story in a coherent format in the editing room.
18) How many people can I have in these bytes?
We usually film interviews in six different frames, each frame having a maximum of 5-6 people (in the case of cousins and friends). Too many frames and bytes create an edit hotchpotch of sorts and we have faced these situations in the past. Also, it is likely to make the film byte-heavy and we don’t want that. Not to mention that in the middle of the wedding celebrations, it would be impossible to film so many bytes without compromising the quality of the events’ coverage. We want the film to look like a wedding film and not a documentary, byte-heavy film because that will take away the essence of the celebrations. The highlight film is 40-45 minutes long and the ideal proportion of the bytes and footage is 30:70.
19) When and where should the audio bytes be ideally recorded?
Anywhere with silence in the background. Any time during the wedding. We cannot do any interviews/audio bytes after the wedding is over. A rare case exception is understood but usually, we lock all interviews on the very first day of the wedding as it gets stressful during the later days.
20) Who decides the music and film name for the Highlight film?
Music and song selections are collectively done by the wedding director, the client, and the edit team. A client coordinator is assigned for this under the guidance of the creative visualizer of the project. The film names are usually suggested either by the client or the film director and approved by both.
21) Will our wedding planners’ and other vendors’ names feature in the film?
Oh absolutely. And they will love their names on the big screen just like acknowledgements in a feature film. We have a section at the start of our film called ‘CREDITS MONTAGE’ where these names appear in a specific order.
23) Is there anything that you require from our end to begin the editing of our films?
We need two basic documents from the couple for the commencement of the edit of the highlight film – first is the music selection (various soundtracks you want for various sections/events of the film) and second is the title credits (family names) for the opening and closing sections of the film. A delay in the completion of these documents will exponentially delay the delivery dates of the highlight film. As a thumb-rule, we expect to receive these two documents from the couple within 40-45 days after the wedding.
24) What if our deliveries are delayed by Navdurga Photography?
It is rare that the delivery of the film is delayed beyond 100 days. But it is possible that the director of the film is unhappy with some portions of the film and requests for a revision/re-edit – in which case a delay might happen. All we can say is that it is for the benefit of the film and the client. Most great cinema blockbusters have been delayed but have usually turned out better due to the re-edit. So it’s all in good spirits. We apologize for the inconvenience (should a delay happen) but assure you that we will not release anything that we don’t absolutely adore. So please be patient and give us time to work our magic.
25) Why does it take 75-95 days for the delivery of our wedding HL film?
Film editing is a tedious and creative process and we work with some of the best editors in the industry who are perfectionists and believe in the highest quality of film editing. After seeing hours and hours of footage they select the best of the best shots for the HL film and naturally all this takes time. As a thumb-rule, each minute of final edit takes about one day to finalize once the final edit begins. Rest assured, once you see your final HL film, the wait will be well worth the time.
26) How is our footage delivered to us?
The images, trailer, and highlight film are delivered via an online link. Everything that has been shot by us is your property. We don’t hold back anything. You get all the raw data on a Thunderbolt hard drive. This raw data may be useful for edits later like the first anniversary / 25th anniversary etc.
27) Can we come and see the RAW footage and select our shots?
We shoot thousands and thousands of film clips from multiple cameras and typically the total duration of these raw clips exceeds 50-60 hours of footage for a standard sized three-day wedding. At the studio, these clips undergo careful conversion & screening and a battery of editors work relentlessly to create a first cut of the best clips for the chief editor. This process is almost factory-like with editor stations brimming with activity through odd hours. Client interference at this stage not only delays the final edit considerably but also disrupts the zen-like concentration of the editors going through the footage in their own space and time. Therefore, we strictly do not permit clients to sit through the raw footage selection. This is the reason we have one round of edit changes. In case of any alterations, the couple can communicate this after the first screening of their film and the changes shall be incorporated.
28) Will our Trailer or Highlight film be released on Social Media as well?
Highlight films are usually password-protected and uploaded on our YouTube channel. We do not release/upload the highlight films on our Facebook / YouTube channel. Trailers are shorter versions and more exciting videos and hence we release them worldwide on our YouTube page. However, the release depends upon a few factors. Firstly, we do not release trailers of couples who don’t want them to be shown publicly. We respect your privacy but this clause has to be specified at the time of signing the contract. On average, one out of every five films is released on our public channel depending on the strength of its story or its uniqueness in any other aspect ranging from décor to destination.
29) What is a copyright? Can the Navdurga team use our images and footage on its social media handles?
All original works of art, including pictorial and video works have copyright protection. This means that the creator of an image/video (in this case, Nav Durga Photography) owns the copyright for the same. Hence, We can use any images/videos on our social media channels for any purpose that we deem suitable. Naturally, these images portray the clients in a good light, and more often than not, such social media posts are a matter of pride for all the clients and vendors involved. If the couple does not want their images/videos to be shared publicly, this has to be specified explicitly at the time of signing the contract.