One newlywed couple’s wedding bliss turned into a nightmare after a videographer didn’t deliver the quality footage that they were promised.
TikTok user Uma earlier this week brought up her annoyance in a series of videos with their wedding videographer CJ Videos whose footage contained several “overexposed” shots from their wedding on Feb. 1.
“This videography company, who calls themselves “Singapore’s best videography and photography company”, delivered a bunch of overexposed footage,” she wrote.
All videos and statements have been taken down by both parties as of publication time.
Uma said there were three photographers at the venue that day and supplemented the post with several stills from the two-part documentary film about two hours long in total which showed both indoor and outdoor shots that were “super overexposed”.
“Little to no editing” was done, she added.
CJ Videos has not immediately responded to Coconuts’ queries requesting comment.
When the couple confronted the company via Whatsapp, they defended and blamed the brightly lit venue and that they couldn’t make any further edits as their S$1,020 package for the six-hour shoot did not cover “advanced editing and equipment.”
This came after months of communicating with minimal replies from the company and even after the groom, who is a photographer himself, gave suggestions to fix the footage.
Uma said even the footage captured on their family and friend’s phones were of “much better quality without edits” and the videos that were marketed on their sites were also of a much better quality.
CJ Videos replied to the couple saying that they threw in “some cinematic footage at no cost” apart from the “high-quality documentary video.”
“We would like to clarify that the cost of $1,020 for the 6-hour videography service did not include advanced editing or equipment rental beyond what was agreed upon. However, we believe that we have provided you with the best service possible at a very affordable rate.” they wrote in reply to Uma.
To counter, the company offered to hand them the raw footage for free.
They subsequently left the Whatsapp group chat after getting Uma’s email to transfer the footage.
“Your service recovery is zero”
After the incident blew up on TikTok, CJ Videos put out a statement yesterday further defending themselves saying that they have “carefully reviewed” the footage and said the screenshots from Uma differ from the actual footage.
They said they did the couple service by using their “Professional Panasonic Camcorder” and “Canon Mirrorless Camera” to shoot the wedding even though only one camera was paid for.
They also put the blame for the overexposed footage on the venue’s “strong light” that was too “harsh.” But the groom said there was nothing that could be done to reduce it and told them to move back when the videographers tried to change their shooting positions.
They also mentioned that they have shot weddings before at the same temple and have received “positive feedback.”
“We wish Ms Uma and Mr Adhithyan a happy married life,” they wrote.
In response to their statement, the groom denied the company’s accusations in another TikTok saying that he told the videographers to move because they were blocking the entire audience.
“That is your business, you have to know where you need to stand with regard to the light, that’s not my concern as the groom,” he said.
He went on to criticize the company for blaming the bright lights at the venue as the outdoor shots at the bride’s house were also overexposed.
“You’re telling me now if on stage, I was to blame, in natural light god is to blame? What? The sun is too bright? If you can’t shoot normal videos in daylight, what kind of videographer are you?” he said sarcastically.
“With your professional grade Panasonic camcorder and your Canon mirrorless cameras, you cannot control light where [the people shooting on their phones] can?” he continued.
“I can forgive anything, your service recovery is zero. But you blaming us, that I cannot take,” he said.
An “amicable” end
In what seems to be a final update to the messy ordeal, Uma today updated that the couple and the company have come to an “amicable solution” and thus, have taken down all videos. CJ Videos have also taken down their statement.
It is not clear what the solution was but we sure hope it doesn’t taint the couple’s newlywed bliss!
Other stories you should check:
