- Jamie Hobert captures and edits high-end wedding content with his colleagues.
- The Roland V-8HD is the heart of his content creation process.
- The 1/4" jacks allow him to run multicamera livestreams when venues require fewer attendees.
“Love what you do, and you’ll never work a day in your life,” goes the adage. Jamie Hobert takes the sentiment to heart. He’s owner, videographer, and lead editor of the award-winning company, All Because He Asked. A videography veteran, Hobert brings “14 years of wedding experience and 10 years of livestreaming experience” to his job.
That job is giving couples a flawless video of their wedding day which allows them to relive it over and over again. Hobert captures and edits high-end wedding content with his colleagues. The team includes photographer-videographer, Danielle Hobert, videographer-editor, Guillermo Luna, and editor, Kaitlynn Williams.
The VC-1-DL converter was chosen for its reliability and flexibility and is being used to manage the signals across the studio to the different monitors. The VC-1-DL not only allows bidirectional conversion of SDI/HDMI but it also provides frame sync and delay adjustment of up to 9 fields (4.5 frames) for audio and video independently.
Livestreaming Experience
Although livestreaming weddings became popular during the pandemic, All Because He Asked has done so since 2011. This experience proved invaluable. While many companies scrambled to learn the basics, All Because He Asked was already utilizing multiple cameras, drone intros, and remote guest appearances.
Central to the workflow for All Because He Asked is the Roland V-8HD. “Using the V-8HD, we’ve been able to stay one step ahead of the rest,” Hobert says. “We have an amazing time collaborating with couples and thinking outside the box in this new virtual wedding world.”
The V-8HD is more than just a piece of equipment. “It’s the heart of our content creation process,” Hobert confirms. “With the V8-HD, we don’t have to place limits on what we can do creatively.”
For some weddings, the entire bridal party may not be able to attend. We have them send us videos of each of them walking down the aisle. Then we edit and incorporate that into their livestream.
Stability and Reliability
Stability is of great importance to Hobert, something the V-8HD provides. “A wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime event, so reliability is the single most important thing when it comes to gear.” That need is even more crucial with ever-shifting environments. “We’re not livestreaming from one location. We need something that works with our network bonding encoder (LiveU Solo) and has multiple HDMI outputs.”
For Hobert, the wedding remains the focus. “I wanted something rock solid and easy to use so we can focus on what’s important—the event we’re filming.”
Indeed, with the challenges of videography, the V-8HD provides solutions for All Because He Asked. “The extra HDMI output allows us to record a live feed or send it to a nearby display for guests in attendance,” Hobert explains. “For some weddings, the entire bridal party may not be able to attend. We have them send us videos of each of them walking down the aisle. Then we edit and incorporate that into their livestream.”
Features and Fun
This feature has some playful applications as well. “Extra HDMI outputs let us share fun moments from remote guests. It brings everyone together, even though people might be thousands of miles away.”
Furthermore, the extra outputs expanded the scope of what All Because He Asked could provide. “When I first got the V-8HD, I thought the 8 HDMI was overkill for us. Within a few months, we were using six or seven inputs for certain livestreams. I was thankful we had the extra capability.”
The V-8HD’s audio mixer is another “huge plus,” according to Hobert. “One thing that’s always evolving is how we capture audio. We need every wedding to sound great, no matter what happens,” he says. “We put a lavalier mic on the groom and officiant. Using the V-8HD iPad app, if we notice issues with the venue’s sound, we’ll switch over to our mics. Then we can mix everything ourselves, so it all sounds crystal clear.”
In this new world, every wedding, big or small, is its own unique story.
Unique Times, Unique Challenges
The Pandemic era saw the mainstreaming of Zoom and other platforms. Still, unique times bring unique challenges to a wedding videographer’s work. “We use YouTube Live to stream our weddings. It allows for a higher-quality video and audio experience for remote guests than Zoom,” Hobert says.
One socially distanced wedding involved boats circling a large vessel for the bride and groom. Guests attended in person on the surrounding boats. It was an elaborate shoot, utilizing drones. “Using the V-8HD’s RCA output, we sent audio to a Zoom audio-only call and had everyone dial into that feed.” The technique was a resounding success. “They kept their eyes on the wedding and heard audio from our stream with minimal delay.”
Hobert explains the powerful effect of that wedding. “By the time we got to land, I felt we’d all seen something extraordinary amid a tragic pandemic. Knowing so many others took part in a live celebration is a rewarding feeling.” It truly is a fresh frontier for All Because He Asked. “In this new world, every wedding, big or small, is its own unique story.”
We want to create an experience for remote viewers at home that aligns with the rich guest experience of those able to attend in person. That takes the right equipment.
Flowing Through the Switcher
Hobert’s passion for his work and desire to provide clients a premiere nuptial experience color everything he does. To meet his standards, the V-8HD is essential. The device also turns heads. “Everything flows through the switcher,” Hobert reveals. “When people see our setup they say, ‘You guys are on another level,'” he laughs. “We could stream a wedding with a single camera, an HDMI to USB adapter, a hotspot, and a laptop. But where’s the fun in that?”
To Hobert, a wedding should be visceral, whether virtual or in-person. “We want to create an experience for remote viewers at home that aligns with the rich guest experience of those able to attend in person. That takes the right equipment.”
Even with detailed planning, certain V-8HD features were a welcome surprise. “The 1/4″ jacks allow us to run multicamera livestreams when venues require fewer attendees.” Hobert details another integration. “When connected to BOSS foot pedals, we can use our feet to switch cameras live. This leaves our hands free to operate the camera.”
What’s in a Name
The future looks bright for Hobert and All Because He Asked. “It’s 2021, and we’re still livestreaming several weddings every week. People realize you can save money and have a creative and fun wedding that celebrates your relationship. You can share that with those you love in real-time.”
In keeping with Hobert’s self-styled approach to wedding videography, there’s a personal explanation for his company’s name. “It’s based on my own story of realizing all the crazy stuff that gets set in motion when you propose,” he reveals.
Ultimately, Hobert’s commitment to picture-perfect memories for his clients makes his work a calling. “I started my wedding company the year I got married,” Hobert shares. “I didn’t think I’d still be filming weddings 14 years later. I’ve fallen in love with the idea that what we do means so much to couples and what we create, they’ll cherish forever.”
