SDE Video, Documentary Edits & Add-Ons - What Affects Pricing

SDEs make the room cry; documentary edits keep the story for decades. Pricing swings because of how many shooters you hire, how long they roll, how fast you need delivery, where you play the film, and which extras you stack—from aerials to social cuts to raw files.

What changes the number most

• Coverage hours & schedule — Start at prep and finish after last program cue; longer timelines mean more shooting, backing up, and possible overtime.
• Crew size & camera count — Two shooters for lean coverage; three to four plus a dedicated editor for same-day magic.
• Audio plan — Clean vows and speeches need recorders, lavs, and coordination with the house console.
• Edit type — Same-day highlight, next-day teaser, full documentary, or both; every deliverable adds ingest, selects, grading, and sound design time.
• Gear & format — Gimbals, primes, drones, 4K masters, multicam cards; bigger files equal longer ingest and backup workflows.
• Travel — Out-of-town crews add call-time premiums, transport, and sometimes lodging.

When you’re ready to compare reels, shortlist filmmaker teams with strong low-light work and crisp pacing: build a shortlist of storytellers with fast turnarounds.

SDE vs long-form deliverables

Same-day highlight
Cut on site, shown during reception. Price depends on an on-site editor, data wrangler, and enough coverage to craft a narrative by dinner.

Documentary edit
Full ceremony, full speeches, and key moments with multicam cuts. Expect longer delivery windows and revision rounds; be clear about what “full” includes.

Add-ons that stack quickly

• Aerials (permit-dependent)
• Morning teasers or next-day posts
• Vertical reels for social
• Raw footage handoff (drive cost + ingest/organize time)

If you’re splitting responsibilities between social creators and a traditional crew, align scopes so there’s no elbowing for angles: understand how social-first teams differ from classic photo/video.

Playback and tech that affect budget

SDE impact relies on screens and sound more than fancy transitions. Match the room: clean front wash, dependable audio, and screens where guests can actually see. Coordinate file handoff and test runs with the AV lead well before dinner service. For smooth cues and reliable gear, compare audio-lighting partners who publish power specs and screen options clearly: coordinate with AV teams who handle screens and playback cleanly.

Pre-wedding footage that pays off on the day

A well-planned prenup shoot gives you establishing shots and vows snippets ready for your SDE, reducing day-of pressure. Budget permits, location fees, and extra editing time up front: blueprint a pre-wedding session that stays on budget.

Contracts and clock rules that protect you

Lock start/stop times, ingress, and overtime rates. State revision rounds, delivery dates, and backup/archival policies. Clarify drone permissions, music licensing for public playback, and the format of masters (4K/1080, vertical variants). Put the playback deadline in the run-down so catering and speeches don’t collide with the SDE.

Practical ways to stretch value

• Give the editor a quiet prep room and a courier for card runs.
• Time the SDE before dessert so guests are seated and audio is steady.
• Trade low-impact gear upgrades for a dedicated data wrangler or extra shooter during vows.
• Provide name lists and program cues ahead of time to reduce edit indecision.

If timelines, permits, and vendor choreography feel like a lot, bring in an operations-first partner to own run-downs and tech handshakes: tap coordinators who keep crews in sync and on schedule.

Where SDE sits in the bigger budget

Video is a high-emotion category; be honest about priorities. If the film matters most, shift spend from low-impact décor into coverage and edit quality. For category percentages and regional price drivers—so your numbers stay realistic—anchor decisions with a national baseline: use a countrywide cost framework to set guardrails.

Next steps
Shortlist two or three filmmakers, align deliverables and clock rules, confirm AV playback, and schedule a prenup shoot that feeds your SDE. When their portfolios make you feel something and their logistics sound crisp, you’ve found the right team.