What's New, Personalize Your Website, Wilmington DE PTM Video, Personal Touch Memories, Videography

Personalize Your Website

Your website is the first impression a viewer has to your firm, your products, your services, and yourself. It provides the viewer with your personality and validates your business. The use of video on your website can only enhance what you provide. Through the use of video you can provide your potential customers with testimonials from satisfied clients, a quick “how we do it clip”, the pros of using your product or services, or simply a “Meet the President” or “Meet the Staff”. Any one of these allows for a more personable image of yourself, your staff, and your products and services. Click on the link to view a quick “how we do it” video from Randisi & Associates, Inc . To see a video clip of Randisi & Associates, Inc, simply go to "Videos" and selection "Corporate Events"

Personalize Your Website, What's New, Wilmington DE PTM Video, Personal Touch Memories, Video Services, Videography

Keller Family History, Wilmington DE, What's New, PTM Video, Personal Touch Memories, Videography, Video Services

Keller Family History, Wilmington DE

On Sunday, June 14, 2009, I videotaped "The Keller Family History". A family history chronicles the life stories of a family. Designed to be presented in chapter format, some chapters could include: stories of parents/grandparents, sibling stories of growing up, how parents/grandparents met, certain world events that reshaped the future, just to mention a few.
The Keller family grew up in York County, Dallastown, PA but the videotaping session occurred in Wilmington, where one of the siblings lives. The Keller siblings consist of 6 sisters and 1 brother, Bob, Sylvia, Dolores, Wanda, Susan, Carol, and Cathy. Although only 5 were present, all contributed to what was a most wonderful day with varied stories, thoughts, and memories over some 70 years of life. Those not able to attend sent answers to previously provided questions as well as videotaping themselves and having that footage incorporated into the final DVD.
The completed DVD is menu driven including chapter points and contains music, still pictures, video clips from 1 of the siblings unable to attend, as well as the captured video from Sunday's taping session. A total of 3 hours of footage was taken. Two cameras were used - 1 for close up shots and the other for wide angle shots. Three different wireless microphone systems were also used - 2 Audio-Technica lavalier microphones and a handheld Samsung. Originally designed to be only 45-50 minutes in length, the stories told were so vivid, exciting, and numerous that the final DVD is 1 hour and 11 minutes. All participants did so much research, provided so many pictures, had so many stories, that it was extremely difficult to leave so much on the cutting room floor.

To view a short 4 minute clip simply go to Videos and select "Family History"

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Wedding Tip, Wilmington DE

Wedding Tip, Wilmington DE

Same Day Edits are an exciting new way to allow your guests to again experience the beauty and pageantry of your wedding day. Same Day Edits refer to creating a short montage that focuses on the morning preparatory stages of a wedding and normally leads all the way to the end of the ceremony and possibly the first dance. It is about 7-10 minutes long and is shown at the reception. It's a great way to surprise your guests (and sometimes the bride and groom) with a quick recap of the events earlier in the day. I've done several and they are great. If your budget allows I would suggest considering it.
I did one for Martinique & Albert Wilson and it turned out beautifully. Martinique didn't realize that her father kissed her shortly before escorting her down the aisle and it was a way of immediately reliving that experience. While the groomsmen were getting dressed they talked the groom into breakdancing and it was fabulous. The guests, not to mention the bride and groom, had a great time viewing it and laughing about it.

MacKale Wedding, Philadelphia, PA

MacKale Wedding, Philadelphia, PA

On Saturday, May 16, 2009, Dawn Carrol and Joe MacKale were married. The ceremony and reception took place at Normandy Farms in Blue Bell, PA. There were about 250 guests in attendance. Both wedding and reception were shot with 2 Sony-Z1 High Definition cameras. The photographer was Sam & Jo Trasati, Lavendar & Lace, of Newark, DE. I worked with Sam & Jo several times and, as always, it was a real treat to work with them again. A tip for upcoming brides is to try to get people who have worked together before. There is a certain comfort level and knowledge of how they both work that lends to a more productive day and ultimately a better finished product. The DJ was "The Best of Both Worlds" of Trenton, NJ who I've also worked with before.

Why Hire a Professional Videographer, Wilmington DE, PTM Video, Personal Touch Memories, Videography, Video Services

Why Hire a Professional Videographer, Wilmington DE

The ceremony and reception will be over in 12 hours. The look of the church, the hall, the decorations, the centerpieces, the bouquet, and the cake are now becoming a distant memory. Everyone who is important to you will be there, your family and your dearest friends. This day took months, and in some cases years, to plan and in 12 short hours it will be over. The bride and groom remember little, if anything, as the day is a complete blur. However, hiring a professional videographer provides you with more than just a memory of how beautiful the day really was, it provides an avenue for you to relive all of these memories exactly as they occurred when you share these memories with family, friends, and future generations. Everyone will be able to recall the walk down the aisle, hear your precious vows and intentions, see and hear your first dance, and all the other events that make this day your Cinderella day. So why hire a professional videographer instead of a relative or friend, after all “…anybody can press the record button on a video camera.”.

A professional is just what he/she is, a professional. They are the experts at getting the footage that means the most to you; the groom’s look as he sees you for the first time, that special kiss from Mom and Dad. Taping a wedding is unlike taping a family vacation or a child’s school play. There are absolutely no retakes and each moment of the 12 hour day is precious and holds memories for a lifetime to come. Everything matters from the professional audio equipment that is used, to the quality of picture from the video camera including exposure, focusing, and camera placement. Every taped minute counts.

A professional knows how to get the tough shots, they know how and when to zoom or pan, they can anticipate the tear in a loved ones eye just about to be dabbed, they can foresee when the tender moments between bride and groom will occur. They are capable of anticipating and getting these shots. A bride commented to me how touched she was when she saw tears in her husband's eyes at their first dance. One groom told me that he was so glad that his wife made the decision to hire a professional videographer as he now sees and hears everything that they both missed during the day.

A professional videographer has experience getting footage in difficult situations, i.e. a guest stands in front of the camera at the same time you are exchanging rings, the church's audio system goes down and you can’t hear the readings, the proper lighting needed to obtain the best possible picture without using large and bright camera lights, the different angles of shots that make your wedding your special day are among a few.

In many situations, a professional videographer is also an editor or works with an editor who can put the entire puzzle of your wedding footage together in one narrative Cinderella Story, Your Cinderella Story. They have the most up to date non-linear editing system needed to provide the tools to be sure that the quality of your picture is impecable, such as the ability to color correct and be sure that white is white,, audio enhancements to be sure that your vows seem natural and easy to hear, and many others.

You hire a professional photographer, a professional ballroom manager, a professional caterer and baker, a professional florist all to provide you with the most beautiful day possible, so then why trust an amateur with absolutely no experience with something so critical and long lasting as your wedding video? Your wedding DVD will be the only thing you have to show everyone, now and in the future, exactly how your day was.

What's New, Why Hire a Professional Videographer, Wilmington DE, PTM Video, Personal Touch Memories, Videography, Video Services

Preparing For Your 1st Meeting , Wilmington DE, Personal Touch Memories Video, PTM Video, Wedding Videography

Preparing For Your 1st Meeting , Wilmington DE

1. VIEW THE WEBSITE – Look at each page to see the overall scheme of the site. If there are testimonials, read them. However, realize that no negative testimonials will be posted. View the video clips and see the editing style used by the company. Make sure it is what you want. If you are looking for large graphics and packaged transitions then be sure that you see them. If you are looking for something else, be sure to make note of it to see if the company can do it.
ASK FRIENDS WHO THEY USED – Friends who recently got married will give you the pros and cons of the vendors they used. A videographer’s best form of advertisement is the satisfied clients he or she has. That’s why it is imperative for videographers to continually strive to satisfy the needs of their clients.
CEREMONY AND RECEPTION LOCATION – Check to see if your videographer has ever worked in these locations. However, the fact that they may not have worked at your site before should not prevent you from hiring them. Personal Touch Memories makes every effort to visit the venue prior to the wedding to find the best possible location for cameras, microphones, etc. Additionally, if time and distance allow, Personal Touch Memories attends the rehearsal to see the method of procession, where the attendants will stand during the vows, etc.
COMMUNICATION – Be able to tell your videographer everything that is going to happen at your wedding, i.e. announcement of a wedding anniversary, special events that will occur. The more the videographer knows, the better he/she can prepare for your wedding. The last thing you want to hear is that the videographer was videotaping the cake when Grandma was dancing with the groom.
SEE EXAMPLES OF THE VIDEOGRAPHER’S WORK – You should try to see a few examples of the videographer’s work. Be sure that you see the work of the actual videographer and editor who will be shooting and editing your wedding. Don’t settle for “we have a staff of great videographers and editors”.
QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD ASK:
a) How do you handle lighting? Personal Touch Memories does not use large banks of bright lights. Instead the cameras that Personal Touch Memories uses are good in low light and if the light is too low then we ask that the lights be turned up for proper illumination. At the reception, we only use on-camera lights. A 10 watt light bulb attached to the camera is not the least bit offensive and works wonders.
b) Will I be able to hear my vows and readings? Personal Touch Memories attaches a wireless microphone system on the groom as the primary audio recording device. We also use a backup digital voice recorder on the groom just in case there is interference, battery problems, etc. Additionally, a separate digital voice recorder is placed inconspicuously on the podium or pulpit where the readings will be given.
c) Do you have backup equipment? Personal Touch Memories always travels with 3 cameras, 2 of which are always used at the ceremony. It has 3 wireless microphone systems, several digital voice recorders, 7 on-camera batteries providing over 70 hours worth of power. Therefore, if any piece of equipment malfunctions we always have another in reserve.
d) Do you work with a contract and can I view it before signing it? At the very first meeting Personal Touch Memories provides the bride with two copies of the contract that explains the length of time involved, the cost with the breakdown of payment and what each package provides, various Terms & Conditions, i.e. deposit, raw footage, etc

Preparing For Your 1st Meeting , Wilmington DE, Personal Touch Memories Video, PTM Video, Videography

Ransome Birthday Party, Carneys Pt NJ, Personal Touch Memories Video, PTM Video, Videography

Ransome Birthday Party, Carneys Pt NJ

On Saturday, March 7, 2009 Monalisa Ransome celebrated her 50th birthday.

I met Monalisa, her husband, Darryl, and her daughter ShaRhonda a few years ago when I did ShaRhonda's wedding in 2007. The birthday party was held at the Elks Club in Carney's Point and there were about 150 people in attendance. The party began about 8 PM and ended about midnight. Dancing and partying were at a maximum. Everyone had a great time including me even though I was working. There was so much activity to get that I had to priortize what footage would capture the best of the evening.

I used a Sony 170 with an oncamera light. Monalisa wanted the lights turned down quite low and I was concerned about the low light conditions. I informed Monalisa of my concern about the low light, however, the Sony 170 is great in low light and just a few modifications had to be added during post production to adequately show the footage without the footage being grainy or noisey. Noise looks like tiny dust particles on the lense of the camera when there is not enough light.
It was great to work for the Ransome family again and I'm looking forward to doing Monalisa's neice's wedding, Shereese Green on Saturday, June 27, 2009. I'm expecting an equally great party.

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Erin and Eric Tryzinski Wedding, Rehoboth Beach DE,

Erin and Eric Tryzinski got married at Rehoboth Country Club in Rehoboth, DE. Their wedding was held outside overlooking the 18th green.

Barth Wedding, Philadelphia PA, Wedding Videography, Wedding Video, www.ptmvideo.com, Personal Touch Memories Video, Wilmington DE,PTM Video, Wilming

Barth Wedding, Philadelphia PA, Wedding Videography, Wedding Video, www.ptmvideo.com, Personal Touch Memories Video, Wilmington DE,PTM Video, Wilmington DE

Attention Brides, What's New, Personal Touch Memories Video, Wilmington DE,PTM Video, Wilmington DE, Wedding Videography, Wedding Video

How did you meet? When did you know this person was the one? What was the proposal like?

Send us your engagement story & photos and we'll post them on our blog!

Contact us here.

Personal Touch Memories Video, Wilmington DE,PTM Video, Wilmington DE, Love Stories, What's New