I've had a small wedding videography business for the last few years now. I shoot with my trusty Canon XHA1 HDV camera. My edit suite is HD capable and ready. So, what's the problem? I have yet to get even one inquiry about delivering a couples wedding in HD.
All the other videographers I know are either HD ready or well on their way. It seems we might be a little ahead of the pack. At the end of last year, Nielsen judged HD household penetration had topped 23%. This estimate is households with an HD set. What we wedding videographers need is the true HD household with an HD set and Blu Ray player. Earlier this year Adams Market research estimates Blu Ray penetration at 8%. While this number is remarkable when compared to DVD penetration after the same time on the market, It is hardly the numbers we need t actually start moving an HD product.
Another thing we need to look at, is who is watching our product? I would say, on average, each couple orders 3 copies of their wedding. I assume distribution goes a little something like this, 1 copy for the couple and 1 copy for each set of parents. I find it very unlikely that all three of these parties will have Blu Ray in their homes.
Why am I writing this? Just to say don't sweat HD. HD is here and it's fantastic, but in my opinion it's going to be awhile before us videographers really start to see a demand for this product. In the meantime I suggest we all keep playing with our HD equipment and really master it. That way, when the HD revolution hits us full on, we'll be ready to deliver top notch high end product without our clients suffering through our learning curve.
Patrick Fisher
Producer-Videographer
http://www.patrickfishervideo.com
All the other videographers I know are either HD ready or well on their way. It seems we might be a little ahead of the pack. At the end of last year, Nielsen judged HD household penetration had topped 23%. This estimate is households with an HD set. What we wedding videographers need is the true HD household with an HD set and Blu Ray player. Earlier this year Adams Market research estimates Blu Ray penetration at 8%. While this number is remarkable when compared to DVD penetration after the same time on the market, It is hardly the numbers we need t actually start moving an HD product.
Another thing we need to look at, is who is watching our product? I would say, on average, each couple orders 3 copies of their wedding. I assume distribution goes a little something like this, 1 copy for the couple and 1 copy for each set of parents. I find it very unlikely that all three of these parties will have Blu Ray in their homes.
Why am I writing this? Just to say don't sweat HD. HD is here and it's fantastic, but in my opinion it's going to be awhile before us videographers really start to see a demand for this product. In the meantime I suggest we all keep playing with our HD equipment and really master it. That way, when the HD revolution hits us full on, we'll be ready to deliver top notch high end product without our clients suffering through our learning curve.
Patrick Fisher
Producer-Videographer
http://www.patrickfishervideo.com