Wedding Videography vs Wedding Cinematographer

What’s in a name?

Orlando Wedding Videographer vs. Cinematographer

There is a fairly new phenomenon going on in the wedding video industry. It’s the sometimes heated topic of what to call ourselves. But, why should you care? Names can tell you a ALOT about who you are hiring. I have seen the wedding video industry separate into two distinct categories, after you understand the differences, you can make an educated decision when hiring a company to capture your wedding.

The Wedding Videographer

Traditionally, this is what we think of when looking at our wedding to-do list. This wedding video guy has held the comedic and sometimes embarrassing role on dozens of sitcoms and America’s Funniest Home Video episodes. When we think of this guy, we think big on the shoulder camera, blaring video lights, and of corse the huge tool belt around the bulging waist line. Putting stereotypes aside, their work usually is traditionally what we think of as a ‘wedding video’.

• Editing: Usually its edited to cut out all the parts that the videographer shot of his feet or when a guest walked in front of the camera. All the bits are included. Lets say a videographer is there 8 hours, usually your final DVD is edited down to about 2 hours.
• Camera: Traditionally an on the solder type camera and on camera light.
• Style: Traditionally Documentary style. Meaning a straight shoot of what the bride and groom are doing throughout the day. Sometimes graphics are added of wedding bells ringing or other wedding themed motion graphics.
• Experience: Usually these guys are packed with experience, some you will find, have been filming weddings since the 1980s. But never assume, some less experienced videographers start their career here.
• Price: You will find that they will (usually) be in the medium to low end of the market.

The Wedding Cinematographer

This is a newer name to call a person who produces a creative wedding ‘film’ of your wedding day. This roll attracts the non-stereotypical wedding guy. Some young aspiring filmmakers straight out of film school become wedding cinematographers. In general it attracts the non-sterotypical persons including the more art minded, younger creative people and manny more females than the traditional role.

• Editing: This is where the cinematographer differs the most. Cinematographers spend much more time in the editing room, editing the footage down to include all the important and beautiful moments of the day. It’s usually given a high edit, where when watching your DVD, you should never feel like you need to skip to the next chapter of the DVD. your DVD should flow from beggining to end, like a movie. Lets say a cinematographer is there 8 hours, usually your final DVD is edited down to about 30-45 minutes. (this greatly depends on your particular wedding AND the studio producing it)
• Camera: Usually shot in HD, the camera selection is changing rapidly, you will see some studios using the video-DSLR for some beautiful film like shots and capturing great low light footage (no lights needed). Other studios offer the super 8 film camera for a nostalgic feel.
• Style: Because creativity feeds diversity, you usually will see manny more differences than similarities in the field of style. You will see dramatic “wow” type films. You will also see more playful, unique shots and scenarios. A lot of the time the cinematographer can direct you, like a photographer would, to get the best shots. This is also where you will see more creative options, like ‘save the date’ dvds, unique  ’coming soon’ or ‘highlight reels’.
• Experience: Sometimes these artiest are just coming out of film school, or other educational institution who have a fresh vision, and others have much more experience coming from the ‘wedding video’ world.
• Price: Medium to high end of the market. All filmmakers who film the weddings of politicians, the wealthy and celebrities are cinematographers, but not all cinematographers are that high end.

Editors Note: We made some assumptions when writing this article, and want to point out that some studios do not fit in one particular category. When choosing a studio to capture your wedding, be sure that you have viewed (and liked) their portfolio and make sure that you know what to expect. Happy Planning!

This entry was posted on Monday, January 17th, 2011 at 11:28 am. It is filed under Tips, Weddings and tagged with Orlando Wedding Cinematographer, Orlando Wedding Cinematography, Orlando Wedding Videographer, Orlando wedding videography. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.