Let's talk before anything else.

For weddings, we recommend booking as early as possible — popular dates (especially May through October Saturdays) fill up fast and we can only take one wedding per day. Six to twelve months out is ideal. For Memento films, there's generally more flexibility, but if you have a specific timeframe in mind — like before a family reunion or a loved one's birthday — let us know and we'll do our best to make it work.

When you sign your agreement, a 10% non-refundable deposit is due to reserve your date or session. This secures Brawner Digital's commitment to you and takes the date off the market. The remaining balance is due before your wedding day or filming session. Nothing is delivered until the balance is paid in full. We'll send a clear invoice so nothing is a surprise.

Your finished film is delivered via a private, password-protected download link (Dropbox, YouTube, or Vimeo — your choice). You can download it, stream it, or share the link with family at any time. USB drives and DVDs are included in select packages and mailed to you within a week of digital delivery. Everything is yours to keep forever — we don't take links down.

Yes. You're booking Brawner Digital — and Brawner Digital shows up. We never outsource your day to a third party you've never met. The person you talk to before the booking is the person behind the camera on the day.

In the very unlikely event of a serious emergency that prevents us from filming, we will make every effort to find a qualified replacement videographer who can deliver a similar experience. If no suitable replacement can be found, all payments received will be returned in full. This is outlined in your agreement under the Limit of Liability clause.

The structure is a 10% deposit at signing and the remaining balance before the filming date. If your situation calls for something different, reach out and we can discuss. We want to make this work for you.

Cash, bank transfer, PayPal, Venmo, Visa, Mastercard, and American Express. You'll receive a clean invoice through Wave with a payment link — no awkward cash handoffs required.

Only with your explicit written consent. We will never publicly share, post, or use footage from your session for portfolio or promotional purposes without asking you first. You can say yes, no, or yes with conditions (like no names or tags) — it's entirely your call, and you can change your mind at any time in writing.

A highlight film is a carefully edited 4–8 minute film set to music that captures the emotional essence of the entire day — the getting ready, the ceremony, the first dance, the speeches, the laughter. It's cinematic, paced, and designed to be rewatched over and over. Full ceremony coverage is an unedited or lightly edited recording of the ceremony itself from start to finish — every vow, every word from the officiant, every moment exactly as it happened. Many couples want both.

Raw footage is everything we recorded before it was edited — uncut, unpolished, straight off the camera. It includes moments that didn't make the final film, longer versions of speeches, background footage, and anything else captured that day. Most couples find the highlight film and ceremony coverage is all they need, but if you want every single second preserved, raw footage is the add-on for you. It's delivered the next day as a digital download.

This is a dedicated filming session that happens before the wedding — just the two of you, in a relaxed setting, having a real conversation on camera. We ask about how you met, what you love about each other, and what this day means to you. That footage becomes the storytelling backbone of your highlight film, so instead of just a montage of pretty moments, your film actually tells your story. Sessions are 1–2 hours covering setup, the interview, and teardown. Available weekdays from 5:30 PM and weekends from 10:00 AM.

Drone footage is aerial video captured by a small flying camera that gives a stunning bird's-eye view of your venue, surroundings, or wedding party. It can add a cinematic quality that ground-level cameras simply can't replicate. The "if applicable" note is important — we operate under FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) regulations and all applicable local laws. Some areas are restricted airspace (near airports, hospitals, or certain parks), some venues prohibit drones, and some weather conditions make flying unsafe. We check in advance and will always notify you early if drone coverage isn't feasible. If it can't happen, the rest of your package is fully delivered as contracted.

A lavalier mic — or Lav mic — is a small wireless microphone that clips discreetly inside clothing (usually the lapel or shirt). When worn during the ceremony, it captures your vows and the officiant's words in crystal-clear audio, regardless of ambient noise, crowd size, or where the camera is positioned. Without one, audio from a distance can be muffled or hard to hear in the final film. We always ask permission before using one — it's a choice, not a requirement — but it makes a significant difference in the final quality.

We understand that weddings rarely run exactly on schedule. Our coverage ends at the agreed end time in your contract, so if the ceremony starts late, we film what we can within that window. We won't abandon you mid-reception — if the timeline shifts significantly, reach out before the day and we'll see what we can accommodate. The best protection is building buffer time into your schedule from the start, which we're happy to advise on during your pre-event consultation.

Absolutely — and we encourage it. Tell us the artists, genres, moods, and specific songs that feel like you. We'll do our best to license or find a close match. Some popular songs can be tricky due to music copyright — using a song without proper licensing means platforms like YouTube or Vimeo may mute the audio on your film. We work with licensed music libraries and will always find something you love, even if the exact song isn't available.

Our base of operations is in the 21740 zip code area (Hagerstown, MD). There's no travel fee for venues within 30 miles of that location. The travel add-on of $150 covers round-trip travel for venues 30–60 miles away. For anything beyond 60 miles — destination weddings or venues further afield — contact us for a custom travel quote before booking.

Photographer and videographer collaboration is important, and we take it seriously. We ask for your photographer's name so we can coordinate in advance if needed, and on the day we work alongside them without stepping on each other's toes. We're there to document, not to direct — so we'll never pull you away from your photographer's shot or create conflict. The two arts complement each other beautifully when both vendors are professional and communicative.

A Memento film is a light documentary-style film centered around a person — most often a parent, grandparent, or older family member — captured in a relaxed, unhurried conversation. We ask the questions families wish they had asked sooner: how they grew up, how they met their partner, what they're proud of, what they want their family to remember. The result is a finished film, scored with music and beautifully edited, that you can return to for the rest of your lives. It's one of the most meaningful things a family can do together.

Some families tell their loved one in advance — and many subjects are touched and excited to be part of it. Others prefer to frame it as a casual family visit, only revealing what it is once the person is comfortable. Either approach works. What matters is that the person filmed feels safe, unhurried, and not put on the spot. We take our cues from them throughout the session.

We go at their pace, always. If they need a break, we take one. If a topic becomes emotional or uncomfortable, we move on — no pressure, ever. The subject's comfort is the priority above everything else. If the session needs to be cut short for any reason, we work with what we have, and if health or an unexpected circumstance prevents participation on the day, we reschedule at no charge.

B-roll is supplementary footage shot alongside the main interview — the subject's hands, meaningful objects around the room, old photographs on the wall, family gathered together, a cup of tea, a garden they love. It's used to visually support the story they're telling, giving the film texture and warmth beyond just a talking head. B-roll is what transforms an interview recording into a film.

Chapter markers are clickable timestamps built into the digital film that let you jump to specific sections — for example, "Childhood," "Marriage," "Becoming a Parent," or "Words of Wisdom." Instead of rewinding to find a favourite moment, you can navigate directly to any part of the story. It's especially meaningful for longer films in the Legacy, Heirloom, and Chronicle packages.

We carefully scan and digitise up to 50 printed photographs and/or transfer footage from old home video formats (VHS, Hi8, MiniDV tapes). The best of those images and clips are woven into the film alongside the interview, giving it a beautiful archival quality — almost like a family documentary. If you have shoeboxes of old photos or dusty tapes nobody has watched in decades, this is the add-on for that.

The printed chapter booklet is a beautifully formatted 8–12 page physical booklet that accompanies the film. It includes chapter titles, key quotes pulled from the interview, and select photographs. It's a tangible keepsake you can place in a memory box, display on a shelf, or give copies of to other family members. It's the kind of thing families hold onto for generations alongside the film itself.

No problem at all. For packages that include two sessions (Heirloom and Chronicle) or if you've added an additional filming session, the second session can absolutely take place at a different location. We'll discuss the second location after confirming the first. If the new location requires rescheduling or additional coordination, we'll sort that out directly with you — just keep the lines of communication open.

Cinematic refers to a style of filming and editing that feels more like a movie than a home video. It involves deliberate framing, controlled lighting, shallow depth of field (where the subject is sharp and the background is softly blurred), intentional pacing, and a music-driven emotional arc. When we say cinematic, we mean your wedding or Memento film is crafted to feel like something worth watching again and again — not a simple recording of events.

Documentary style means capturing events as they naturally unfold, without staging or directing. The camera follows you, not the other way around. It prioritises authenticity — real reactions, natural conversations, unposed moments. It's a less produced look than cinematic but can be just as powerful, especially for Memento films where the goal is to preserve a real person's voice and presence exactly as they are.

Colour grading is the process of adjusting the look and feel of the footage in post-production — the brightness, contrast, warmth, and colour tones. It's what gives a film its visual mood. A warm, golden grade feels intimate and nostalgic. A cooler, more neutral grade feels clean and modern. All our films go through colour grading as part of the editing process — you won't receive flat, unprocessed footage unless you've purchased the raw footage add-on.

A deliverable is anything that gets handed over to you as part of your package — a finished film, raw footage files, a USB drive, a printed booklet. When your contract lists deliverables, it's spelling out exactly what you're getting. It's a standard industry term used to make expectations clear on both sides.

When you pay a deposit, that money is not returned to you if you cancel — regardless of the reason. This is standard practice across the events and creative services industry. The deposit compensates the vendor for turning away other clients on your date once you've committed. It protects both parties: you get a firm booking, and we get fair compensation for holding the date. The rest of your payment is only due before the event and is subject to the cancellation policy outlined in your agreement.

A model release is the section of the contract where you grant (or withhold) permission for Brawner Digital to use footage or images of you for promotional purposes. In simple terms: it determines whether we can share clips from your wedding or session on our website, social media, or portfolio. You have full control — you can say yes, no, or yes with conditions. For Memento films, this is especially important and we require your explicit written consent before sharing anything publicly.

Turnaround is the time between your filming date and when your finished film is delivered to you. Editing takes time — reviewing hours of footage, building a narrative, selecting music, colour grading, and refining every cut. Wedding packages have a 4–8 week turnaround. Memento packages range from 4–8 weeks for Keepsake and Legacy to 6–8 weeks for Heirloom and Chronicle, which are longer and more complex. We'll always communicate where your film is in the process.

The FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) is the U.S. government agency that regulates all airspace, including commercial drone operation. As a commercial drone operator, Brawner Digital is required to follow FAA rules — this includes staying out of restricted airspace near airports, hospitals, national parks, and other protected areas. Some of these restrictions are permanent, others are temporary. We check airspace clearance in advance of every shoot, but occasionally clearance isn't possible even after checking — which is why drone footage is included "if applicable."