How to make a Japanese Wedding Profile Video (プロフィールビデオ)
Monday, June 20, 2016
7 tips for making a great Wedding Profile Video:
1. Focus on making a movie that guests won't get tired of watching
2. At the same time both the bride and groom should have a chance to show the pictures they want
3. Make a movie that contains comments and/or messages
4. ...That are shown at a speed where it's possible to read what is written
5. Even if the video doesn't have a clear development it should stick to its form
6. Give the video variation by using two to three songs
7. Make a video that doesn't disturb the progression of the wedding reception
There are some general guidelines for making a wedding profile video. First of all the video should be well balanced, and is usually divided into 3 parts; the background of the childhood of the groom, the bride and finally a section with the the happy couple together. Adding music is also an important part of the process, and most people choose between 1 to 3 songs for their video.
Part 1 & 2:
From baby to school age: Around 5-10 photos each
School age (from elementary school & up):
Recent years: Around 5-10 photos each
Length: Approximately 2:30 min each
Part 3:
30+ photos (depending on your storyline, editing style & length of the song)
Length: Approximately 3 min
Total length of video: Around 6-8 minutes
As mentioned, one important thing to keep in mind is that it would be boring for guests if all the photos contained pictures of the bride/groom only. Adding photos that also include friends and family will make it a more interesting experience for the people that are watching.
My darling Yuma and I recently celebrated our wedding together, and I prepared this very, very simple homemade wedding profile video just using iMovie, the default movie editing program on Mac. Even though the quality might not be super top notch or anything we got a lot of positive feedback from our guests, who seemed to enjoy both the homemade style of the video as well as getting to know more about both our backgrounds and common story. If you have access to a regular video editing program and some time on your hands this type of video could be a great way to spice up your wedding ceremony.!