Please comment my own wedding show

[climax Profile Private message]

Hi Ann, pd, Anna and trulytango ! Thank you all for taking the time to look at my show, and for the nice words.
I really liked the idea of the vignete, Ann !
Thanks a lot,
Cristina

[DickK Profile Private messageWebsite]

Cristina,

You gotten some very good comments and from some folks who don’t give such praise to just any show. I could easily echo that because the show is good and for all the reasons cited. Since you asked for some real feedback, here's my critique:

For me, the major issue here is that you’ve allowed the length of the song to dictate the length of the show which I would not do. The result is too many images for the time allowed, it "feels" rushed and I keep wanting to see the images better. Two possible fixes: reduce the image count or add music. For most folks, the answer is cut the slides--but not for you. I'd leave that alone--just let us look at them a little longer. How much more is hard to say without being able to try it but my guess is 25% at the low end and 50% at the top end, say another 1 1/2 or 2 minutes.

Now where does the extra time come from? Well, now we're into personal preferences. I’d add one or two background tunes. Perhaps open with a short musical introduction behind the opening shots, use the current track for the central story and then when you get the post ceremony section, switch tunes again or even back to what you opened with. If there’s an instrumental version of the song, maybe that or maybe a similarly paced dance tune or…? Let the story dictate how long it should go and the pace not the music.

So where does the extra time go? Again, personal choices here--a little bit across the whole thing. I'd put quite a bit more in the opening sequence: for me, too fast. Slow down so I can see the pics and read the text. The Rudolf + Cristina slide was particularly that way. Not all of them have to the same, try a couple about like they are, but 1 or two really slow down—drawing attention to a shot with a change in pace is very effective.

Photography is excellent—very professional look to it. Use of the pictures is effective and complements the shots. The mix of b&w and color isn’t something I’d have done but it works—note to self made.

Your use of the side-by-side shots is especially good, a too-little-used technique to get more images on screen. It can, of course, be abused with over use, but not by you in this one.

The 3 picture style at 3:08 doesn’t work here. The images are small and collapse so quickly that I can’t see any of them, then there’s a pause with just one against the background but it’s small enough it doesn’t get the attention. I’d reverse the flow—expand the stack and stop with all three as large as will fit, even allow some stacked overlap perhaps.

Bottom line from me is that I liked the show a lot. Slow it down and I'll love it even more. And you can't imagine how few times I've wanted someone to make a show go longer. Excellent job.

Dick

[climax Profile Private message]

Hi Dick !
Thank you sooo much for watching my show and for such a detaild feedback. It has been fantastic to share all this opinions, and all the advices are so welcome !
I really like what you said about not letting the music dictate the show. Must confess that I have never used more than one song before My musical library is not that big, but I'll try to find something that matchs.
Another comment you made and that I totally agree with you is about the slide 3:08. I've looked at it many times with an uncorfotable feelling. I knew that there was something wrong with it, but again was not being able to identify the problem. And I love those pics. so much... the joy in our faces is so real. They deserv to be seen properly.
I'll do my best to improve the show, and will bother all of you guys again ... so you all can check it out
Thank you very much Dick,
I really appreciated the time you took to analyze my show,
Wish you a nice weekend,
Cristina

[DickK Profile Private messageWebsite]

First, you're most welcome. Glad to be of help.

There are lots of sources of music, some free and some not, that's a topic you'll find discussions of over in the Odds and Ends section. Personally, finding the right music and getting the timing right is, for me, the hardest single part of building a show. But I've also found that most of the time, people aren't really listening to it anyway, in fact, I don't want them to be paying attention to that, they're supposed to be watching the pictures. But without the audio being there the show loses a huge amount of the impact--yep, the paradox is that it's really important to the show but it shouldn't grab the show away from the picture story. And that's why I find it tough--getting music that supports and enhances the story's "feel" and tempo but mostly stays out the way.

I really think the issue with that 3 slide group is fixable by just changing the direction--open the stack instead of closing it. That and adding some time with the group open would be what I'd try--not 100% sure that will do the trick but it's what I'd try first.

In the end, no show I've ever made is 'perfect'. I've spent an hour tweaking something that's on the screen for 1 second. No one but me was going to notice and I knew it--so even if not perfect, eventually I just had to say, "enough". So, don't worry too much about it--your audience (well, except for us ) won't know or care about details. They react to good pictures (yep, you've got that) and a good story (yep, got that too).

Have fun with it!
Dick

[ChrissyC Profile Private message]

Cristina, I sent you a PM with some suggstions for you..

[cestjanvier Profile Private message]

Hi,

I saw Cristina and Rudolf.
Congratulations...
Graet photos. Very nice show.
I like it.
Best whishes.
Cordially.
Jean-Paul

[climax Profile Private message]

Thank you Jean-Paul !
Before replying to you I went to have a look on your posts... and wooowwww... I watched Voyage Express.
I'll let you know what I think about it as a reply to your show, ok?
Cristina

[nannybear Profile Private messageWebsite]

Excellent job, You presented this just beautifully. You may be new but you know what you are doing! Cheers Jan

[SherryJB Profile Private message]

Hi Christina-
I really enjoy watching show's that are special to the creator. Yours is truly beautiful. For me, the show is all about the story. Yours shows a wonderfully radiant bride and a joyful groom. It depicts warmth, love, family and friends. Your show was a joy to watch.

SherryB.

[climax Profile Private message]

Thank you so much SherryB. and Jan !
I'm still going to make some changes to the show. Actually I've been even loosing sleep thinking about it.
So many people said it shoul be a little bit longer... I'll try...at least to improve the synchronism with the song in some images, and make some changes in the positioning of pics side by side, and change a slidestyle, so the pics can be seen better. I'll let everybody that replied to this show know when it's ready, so then you all can check it out!
Thanks again
Cristina

[sierra springs Profile Private messageWebsite]

Lovely show with wonderful music. The only criticism I would have is that some of the photos just went by too fast. Beautiful wedding and your were a gorgeous bride.

Karen

[climax Profile Private message]

Hi Karen!
Thank you for the nice words. I want to go slower, but then I'll have to cut some pics or find another song that matchs... dillema...
Cristina

[cec_mar2008 Profile Private messageWebsite]

"ps: I also watched "Um Dia de Verão" amd fell in love with the opening soundtrack. Can you tell me what it is? I enjoyed that show very much, also."
The music is the main theme from the movie "Forrest Gump" (Forrest Gump suite). I'm using it just now in a show.

[Astra Profile Private message]

Cristina,
thanks for sharing your beatiful wedding show with us.

It took me quite a while to come up with my comments, because it was hard to make a division between "You" as a (so radiant and gorgeous) bride and another "You" - as the "creator of the Show".
I know, how you value the objectivity, so I've waited for my opinion to "settle" and be as objective as possible.

Your show was great !!!
It combined overall impression as well as personal details - precisely expressing the mood of people around.
And - of course - you - as the bride - was a shining crown and stole whole occasion - that's correctly what wedding and wedding's photos are for !!! Right ??

My personal opinion about the speed:- I did not think it too fast - I would not change it at all !!!
Show has certain rhytmus - if you slow it down - it could loose the mood ....
If people would be watching your show at home - they could always "pause" it - to look at details.
And - if you'll presenting it for larger audience - you can allways run it twice...

The only thing I could suggest is - to add: Date, Time, (Day), Year, City ??? ... it is easy to remember now,but with following years you could wonder: "was it Tuesday or Wednesday" or: "2:30 pm or 3:30 ???

At the end - (probably you've got more photos then shown here) - to finish it with fast short finale - "collage" - so when you'll be sending the DVD to you wedding guests - nobody will feel neglected or forgotten,
so later - you and them - can re-live these great moments again....

You've made yourself such a beatiful memento - share it with more people - then just us here at the Forum.

And Congratulation to Your Wedding,
All the Best to both of you,

Alexandra

[climax Profile Private message]

Thank you Alexandra !
I'm so glad you took the time to deeply analyze my show.
And to be honest, you kind of brought me peace of mind.
You see, when I made the show, my intention was for it to be interesting, instigating, and different... I mean... more dynamic and not so slow as the other 95% of the wedding shows.
But I got the advice from so many talented people in this forum, most of them advising me to make it slower...
I really heard all of them, and agreed with most of the aspects. I've been trying to find another song, that would match the one I already have, and
IT'S JUST SOOOO DIFFICULT !!
"Quando, quando, quando" is a very special and unique song, in my opinion. And nothing else I know would have the same atmosphere.
Chrissy advised me to try to make the song longer with the help of another member of the group, but I feel embaraced to ask for his help.
So... I've been here, everyday searching for songs, and thinking about it.
But now I think I'll give up, and keep the show as it is, of course making all the small technical changes that were wisely suggested by Polanen, Al, Dick, Ann, Gabriella...
And maybe later, as Al suggested to me in a PM, I'll create another show, with other songs, and in a slower pace. (I do have many pics that were left out of the show).

Polanen also advised me about the date, and it is indeed a great idea. Thank you both for that.
And you Alexandra,
I really appreciated all your comments. Thank you soooo much!
Cristina