True Focus Films

Satisfied Clients

Wedding - Emily and Travis

Last night [we] watched the demo video and this morning we watched the wedding recap on the blog. You and Neeta did an excellent job. You captured the true essence of Emily and Travis’ wedding. It was a beautiful wedding where everyone enjoyed themselves, especially Emily and Travis. We noticed things on the video that we did not notice as we were hosting the party. We were so focused on the moment that we missed a lot of details. We can’t thank you both enough for your expertise and dedication to making the video as personal as possible.
Lois (North Grafton, MA)
January 23, 2011

Wedding - Dana and Thomas

I just wanted to drop you a quick note of thanks for the wonderful videotape that you did of my daughter’s wedding at the Hyatt in Boston. The whole family sat around on Xmas Eve and laughed and cried together [watching the video]. You did an unbelievable job capturing the love, the fun, the dancing, the sentimental moments and of course, the insanity…..everything.
Janet (Westwood, MA)
December 29, 2010

Wedding - Sherrie and Anthony

Given our limited budget, I was hesitant in contracting for videography for our wedding. I am so glad I did. Rich and his company were responsive, accommodating, and professional. The editing was seamless and catered to our particular style. And Rich was so patient with our questions and requests - he made the entire process enjoyable. I highly recommend True Focus Films for weddings and all other special events.
Sherrie (Arlington, VA)
March 17, 2010

Wedding - Adrienne and Louis

True Focus Films made a HUGE difference in our whole wedding experience. Lou and I had seen Richard and Neeta’s work both as it was happening at our friend’s wedding, as well as the finished product, watching our friend’s video after the event. The recording of the video at the wedding was so much fun for the guests to participate in and the finished DVD was clear and focused and so personalized. The decision to have a videographer was a last minute one after hearing so many times through our married friends that it is something they were so glad they had done. I called Richard a month or so before our wedding and thankfully he had our date available. I was so nervous during our ceremony and had made sure I talked to all of our guests at the reception that I found I missed so much of what was happening. As everyone says your wedding day flashes by. Weeks later when we received the edit DVD, we were so happy to go over the events again and relive our special day. I even cried again watching our ceremony! I knew right then that it was the best decision we made. The editing was so easy and Richard was very accessible through email or phone to answer any questions I had or make a suggestion if I needed advice. The finished DVD's cover and case was thoughtfully done bringing in some details of our wedding through photos and stationary I had given Richard. “Our” songs made each part of the DVD special to us too. I treasure this DVD even more than my photos. I would highly recommend True Focus Films to anyone looking for a great way to capture the moment.
Adrienne (Natick, MA)
March 10, 2010

Wedding - Robyn and Kevin

Working with True Focus Films was a wonderful experience. From our first meeting to the final product, the team was attentive and delivered a wonderful DVD that captured our day. Whenever we had a question or concern, Richard was very responsive to our needs and really listened to us! When it came to the big day, True Focus Films was there to capture each authentic moment in the most elegant, unobtrusive way! We couldn't of ask for a better experience!!
Robyn (Waltham, MA)
August 29, 2009

Wedding - Tracey and James

True Focus Films created an elegant and comprehensive video of our wedding, capturing all the details that were important to us. From the beautiful packaging to the entertaining DVD, we love our wedding video! Richard was attentive to our every request and understood the unique components of our wedding schedule. He and Neeta were inconspicuous and treated our time and our guests with the utmost respect. I highly recommend them for their professionalism, care, and technical capabilities. They are incredibly trustworthy, hardworking, and know what it takes to create beautiful memories of an important occasion.
Tracey (Westford, MA)
July 7, 2009

Love Story - Chantelle and Donnie

Donnie and I would like to thank you so much for the outstanding love montage! It was a hit at our wedding. Our guests are still talking about it. And thank you for being so professional, yet personable as well. I am recommending future brides that you are a must have! Again, thank you so much!
Chantelle (Raynham, MA)
October 5, 2008

Wedding - Christy and Tom

Richard was great to work with for our wedding. From the first time we met him until the DVDs were delivered he was nothing short of excellent. He has a very creative mind and helped us work through what we envisioned for our video. He was virtually invisible during the ceremony and reception, not interfering with the integrity of the event, but capturing the best shots! We would recommend Richard for any event and he is on our speed dial for all of our future video needs. He is a great professional and a pleasure to work with.
Christy - C.A.K.E. Weddings (Waltham, MA)
September 23, 2008
www.cakeweddings.com

A great job!

WOW! What a great job. It just goes to show what really CAN be done with video. I'll be more than pleased to recommend you to potential customers!
David (Jacobs Communications)
September 18, 2008
www.jacobscommunications.com

Showcase - Ballroom and Latin Dancing

This is the third time I have worked with True Focus Films on our showcase DVD. I find Richard is easy to work with and very responsive to our needs. He pays great attention to the details, always working to get the best recording of the dances. He manages to capture the fun atmosphere of our showcases. These DVDs are a big hit with our students. We will continue to use and recommend True Focus Films.
Christina - Savaria Dance Studio (Norwood, MA)
April 9, 2008
www.savariadance.com

Wedding - Paula and Courtney

We were impressed with the professionalism and excellent results of our wedding video, especially with the personal attention to details. We would happily recommend this service to anyone.
Paula (Medford, MA)
April 5, 2008

Wedding - Heather and David

True Focus Films catered to our needs. They were very responsive and understood how we wanted to capture our wedding memories. I would strongly recommend them to anyone who is a looking for a respectful, honest, and professional videographer. They exceeded both my wife's and my expectations.
David (Ashland, MA)
April 1, 2008

Theatrical Performance - "Suspension"

The DVD viewing night was a huge hit! Everyone absolutely LOVED the DVD! It just turned out absolutely amazing. Thank you so much for all of the hard work that you put into it. It definitely showed in the quality of the final product and we really appreciate that we are able to hold onto these memories forever now.
Becca - Dance Organization of Boston College (Chestnut Hill, MA)
April 30, 2007

Theatrical Performance - "Reefer Madness"

I got the DVD yesterday, and I couldn't be more pleased with how great everything turned out! The visuals were so clear, and I loved having more than one angle all the time. The sound also came out well, as I could hear things that sometimes were hardly audible in person...coming the next night really helped, and I appreciate the hard work you put into it.
Maria - MIT Musical Theatre Guild (Cambridge, MA)
April 22, 2007

FAQ

Why should I hire a professional videographer for my event?

As a videographer, I see it too often. A family member or friend offers to videotape your event, just because they have a camcorder available. But capturing video is a skill and an art, and not something with which you want to take chances on a once-in-a-lifetime event. Most amateur footage is shaky, out of focus, hard to hear, or hard to see from the vantage point of the camera. Professional videographers know what to expect at events, and are prepared to capture all those important moments. While you may save money by asking a friend/relative to carry a camcorder during the event, you may run the risk of being disappointed with the footage. True Focus Films has over 15 years of experience in the event videography business and has delivered beautifully crafted keepsakes to hundreds of satisfied clients.

Are you insured?

Yes, True Focus Films carries full liability coverage. Contact us for further details.

What's the difference between standard-defintion and high-defintion?

From a technical standpoint, it's just a difference in the number of horizontal lines that your TV can display. Standard-definition (SD) can display up to 480 horizontal lines of resolution. High-definition (HD) can display anywhere from 720 to 1080 horizontal lines of resolution (and who knows what the future will bring)! While these numbers may not sound that dramatic, the appearance of HD footage is simply amazing and cannot be matched by SD footage. With HD, colors are brighter, images are sharper, and details are phenomenal. Of course, you'll need a Blu-ray disc player in order to view HD footage. But many clients will want to preserve their events for years to come, and having it delivered in HD (on Blu-ray discs) will ensure the footage is as sharp and beautiful as possible.

What's the difference between standard DVDs and Blu-ray discs?

For many years, standard definition (SD) DVD discs were the norm for Hollywood movies and professionally produced videos. But with more homes now having high definition (HD) widescreen televisions, a demand for higher resolution and quality images became necessary. Blu-ray discs have a similar appearance to standard DVDs, but hold several times the capacity of standard DVD discs. This is perfect for storing the enormous data required for HD footage. To playback Blu-ray discs, however, you will need a Blu-ray player (Blu-ray cannot be played on standard DVD players). As of this writing, Blu-ray players can be purchased for under $200. For all HD movies that we produce, we deliver the footage in full 1080p resolution (the highest quality currently available). The quality of the footage is just amazing!

Why should I hire a videographer if I've already hired a photographer?

Photographs are a great way of preserving moments, but someday, you may want more than just to relive static moments in your mind. You may want to hear the actual sounds or see the actual events unfold on screen as they did on your special day. That's where videos come in. Videos can immerse you back to the time of the event, and make it feel like it was just yesterday. You can see the people who were there, you can hear what they had to say, and be reminded of the happy emotions that you felt. Our approach to event videography is to capture life at its finest moments, and that's exactly what you'll get from having True Focus Films at your event.

Do you use professional cameras?

Most consumer camcorders nowadays are the small, handheld "palm" type. These highly portable camcorders are great for vacations and other places where bulky camcorders are hard-pressed to travel. But because of their smaller lenses and smaller image sensors, they just aren't capable of capturing footage with the same quality and brilliance as professional models, especially in low-light situations. And unfortunately, many indoor events suffer from low-lighting. Our professional-grade Panasonic cameras are capable of capturing images even in the dimmest rooms, meaning that we only use extra light when absolutely necessary (or when requested by the client). In addition, our professional cameras utilize a 3-CCD system, where images are processed by the camera using three separate color sensors to create a single image (unlike the 1-CCD world of consumer camcorders). The result is an image that is bright, clear, and colorful... exactly how you want to remember your event!

What brand/model equipment do you use?

For camcorders, we use the Panasonic AG-HMC150 (rated as a top event videography camcorder for HD footage acquisition). These camcorders can record in low light levels and are light enough for easy portability. For microphones, we use Sennheiser Evolution wireless bodypacks and receivers (with omni directional mic capsules). These mics can capture audio from the quietest of vows to the loudest of musicians.

Do you use extra microphones to capture sound?

What sounds great to human ears may be indiscernible for camcorders. Unfortunately, the built-in mics found on many consumer camcorders just aren't designed to capture sound at far distances, as sounds tend to bounce off walls and other objects before actually arriving at the camera. The result is muffled sound and poor quality dialogue. To overcome this, we place a microphone on every important person/group that will be speaking or performing during the event, thereby capturing audio at the source. For wedding videography, we provide the groom and officiant each with a wireless lapel-worn microphone (similar to those used by news anchors on TV) to capture vows and other ceremonial dialogue. We also mic any guest speakers or musical performers to make sure the sound is clear. Any good videographer will tell you the "video" is important, but we believe both video and audio are what make your events priceless. After all, what good is the video if you can't hear what's going on?

Can you produce widescreen movies?

Yes, almost all of the films we produce are in widescreen (16:9) aspect ratio. Standard size (4:3 aspect ratio) videos are great on older TVs, as the image fills up the entire screen. But with the popularity of widescreen TVs, you may want to consider a widescreen approach to your video, as this will fill the entire screen of a widescreen TV, similar to the appearance of Hollywood-produced films.

How do I place a reservation for event videography services?

Payments can be made in "thirds". First third is due at contract signing. This reserves your wedding date and is non-refundable. Middle third is due three (3) weeks prior to your wedding, when we meet to discuss the final details of your wedding. Final third is due upon delivery of your TrueDemo disc. You will have three (3) weeks to review your TrueDemo disc and submit your change requests.

Do I get to choose what music is included in the video?

Absolutely! This is your video, and we want to make sure it is something you will treasure! For example, if you prefer classical music, and we use club/disco music throughout the video, you may not be too happy. We'll work with you to get a list of songs ahead of time, and incorporate your music style/selections throughout the video.

What is a TrueDemo disc?

Every project includes our exclusive TrueDemo disc process. Approximately two to five months after your event (depending on complexity of your project), you will receive a "demo" disc of your project. The TrueDemo disc is a fully edited version of the footage, complete with opening titles, closing titles, and custom artwork on the disc face and the disc case. We ask that you examine the TrueDemo carefully, and inform us within three weeks of receipt of any changes that need to be made on the video. One round of changes is automatically included in the price of our services, but any substantial changes after the first round of changes may incur additional fees. The TrueDemo must be returned along with your final payment in order to receive your final discs. This process puts you in the director's seat. You have the ability to edit the footage and determine if any portions need to be removed or repaired. It's our approach to making sure you're absolutely satisfied with your project!

Are your discs archival-grade?

We use archival quality DVD-R and BD-R discs that are rated to last 100+ years in storage. This professional media is not available in electronic or computer stores such as Best Buy or Staples. All our custom artwork is printed directly on the disc using a specialized inkjet printing process (not a paper sticker that is adhered to the disc). The result is a high-definition, full-color image on the entire surface of the disc. Many clients agree that the quality of our printing exceeds what is normally seen on commercially screen-printed discs. It costs us more to use these professional grade discs, but we think the safety is worth it. You've worked hard to plan for your special day, and we want you to know that your Blu-rays and DVDs will survive the tests of time.

Will your DVDs play in all DVD players?

Most newer DVD players (manufactured in 2002 and later) will play DVD-R discs just fine. If you're curious about your particular DVD player, feel free to contact us, and we'll be happy to help. Our DVDs are region-free, meaning that they are encoded to work throughout the world (just make sure the DVD player and TV are capable of displaying NTSC signals). We've had satisfied clients send our DVDs to foreign countries such as Brazil and Russia, and they've worked fine on NTSC equipment!

Can I use my company logo on the video and artwork?

Of course, granted that you provide us with written permission to use the logo in our designs. Graphics should be in JPG, GIF, or PDF format with a minimum resolution of 300 DPI for best results.

Do I have to provide a meal for the videography team?

Typically, for any event that has a duration longer than three hours, a meal is provided by the client for all True Focus Films staff (usually two people). Of course, we take breaks in turns so that if an event needs coverage, at least one person will be available to capture the activity.