The word videographer has become more and more popular in recent years. Derived essentially from a video version of photographer. So now a common search and especially in Sydney where I am based is event photographer and videographer. To me, videographer is a dirty word. Video reminds me of the early days of video. Tape cassettes and shaky, low-resolution footage. So what is a cinematographer then? Well, a great quote I heard was
“A videographer captures the world and a cinematographer creates the world”.
So what does that mean? Cinematographers create the world by controlling the lighting, the background and the talent. Each shot is carefully planned and captured. They aren’t chasing objects around an event trying to capture all the highlights for example. Now I’m not putting videographers down here. Far from it. I’m a videographer, a cinematographer and a photographer. I just adapt to the project and the client’s needs. I just want to explain the differences so you can make a more informed decision on who to hire. So a cinematographer sets out to capture that cinema look. They are usually hired on projects with a higher budget. They will use top of the range cameras and lenses and will have a range of professional grip and lighting equipment. They will craft a story that resonates with your audience.
A videographer will also craft a story. Even if the video is just something simple like a conference. An experienced videographer will piece together the highlights of the day and take your viewer on a journey that makes them want to keep watching. If a video becomes dull at any point then you risk losing the viewer’s interest and they could click away before they reach your call to action. An editing suite is a powerful place. Just like you may be confident choosing soundtracks for your conference background, a video editor can quickly choose music that drives excitement, joy or emotion. Various music tracks can be spliced together seamlessly to give maximum impact to the visuals on screen.
Maybe you are a videographer reading this? What do you advertise as? I mentioned earlier about me finding videography a dirty word. That’s just because at my heart I’m a filmmaker and I feel video detracts from film. I’m not going to lie, I flinch a little if my partner introduces me as a videographer. There is nothing wrong with it, it’s just not me. It serves its purpose don’t get me wrong, especially in the events industry. I just don’t want the term cinematographer only being reserved for Hollywood. It has its place in this world of video and we all need to portray ourselves accordingly.
So that’s it for this blog. I hope that has helped you understand the differences a little. If you are hiring then know who you are looking for and the look you want to achieve for your videos. If you are a shooter then portray yourself accordingly for the type of work you want to be doing.
Thanks for reading!
Gareth Carr
Cinematographer & Photographer based in Sydney, Australia
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Exposed Wolf is a video production & photography company based in Sydney, Australia. With over 20 years of industry experience, they can help you with planning, shooting and editing your projects to give you months of powerful content to raise your business and brand.