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Media & Press: Brooklyn Center Buzz |
Featured Business: RSVP Videographer Gains National Recognition
BC Buzz, Winter, 2007
"RSVP" Vidographer Gains National RecognitionVideo taping wedding ceremonies has become commonplace, but few do it quite like Ron Schmidt. He has pioneered a perfected techniques and equipment that has set his RSVP Videography business apart from other videographers.
Schmidt has won national recognition for his remote controlled video camera work. He has been featured in national trade publications including the March 2007 issue of Event DV. He has done presentations at the Wedding Event Videographers Association (WEVA) annual expo in Las Vegas. Schmidt has attended the expo for 17 consecutive years. He has been producing wedding and event videos for more than 35 years.
Schmidt's secondar career in photography and subsequent videography (her retired from Honeywell's home and buding control division in Golden Valley after 30 years) started when he was in the Air Force and stationed in Germany. The man in charge of the Air Force photo lab introducedSchimdt to the wonders of printmaking, and he became fascinated. "I fell in love with it," he said, referring to the process of making photographs. "I bought my first Pentax camera." In six months, Schmidt was in charge of the photo lab.
After leaving the military, Schmidt worked in Chicago for Honeywell. He continued taking wedding phtographs part-time, and then Honeywell transferred him to Minnesota to manage the photo repair center in downtown Minneapolis. At one wedding where he was the still photograher, Schmidt watched another man take video of the ceremony, then haul a television set into the reception and amaze everyone with the recording of what had just taken place in the sanctuary. Schmnidt was immediately attracted to the new video technology that did not require the bright lights that the home movies did at teh time. He decided that video producing was what he wanted to do.
"Video combines movement and sound," he said. "You still need a still photographer for the formal portraits. There are two ways to record an event [like a wedding]. You need them both."
Schmidt wanted to do videos that respected both the sanctuary and the ceremony. For 25 yaers he has used three remotely-controlled cameras - the Grizzly Pro system. The remotely controlled cameras can be placed where clergy usually do not allow video recording. This makes for more creative angles. The wedding takes place without distraction of camera operators. He developed the sue of the HeavenlyCam to record from a high angle where there are no balconies. Schmidt also has designed special clamps to attach his cameras to places not normally used, such as the covering on a recessed ceiling light fixture.
He said it takes about 45 minutes to an hour to set up his cameras for a wedding. He prides himself on being inconspcuous and letting the event take place without intrusion. He does not want wedding guests to know he was there.
At the WEVA Expo this year, Schmidt recorded a mock wedding to demonstrate to other videographers the style and techniques available with the remote control equipment. He also has been recognized by the Minnesota Professional Videographers Association for producint the most complete coverage of a wedding ceremony.
Schmidt saiad there are only three of the Grizzly Pro remote control systems in the state. Two are in churches and he uses the third one. His style of producing can be used for teatrical events, school plays, sales presentations, family reunions, and funerals (so friends and family unable to attend can view the last rites).
His finest compliments come when people unaware of the remote controlled cameras tell parents of the bride that it was too bad they did not have a videographer. He is also thrilled when clergy invited him back for other ceremonies.
Schmidt has said he used to produce 25 to 30 weddings a year, but since his retirement he has cut back to about 10. He offers the most complete coverage at the most competitive price,i and offers a special discount on his services for members of the Brooklyn Center Business Association.
For informationon RSVP services, call Ron at 763-561-LOVE (5683) or to to the web site www.videobyrsvp.com .
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