Cinemony: Part One: A Style Guide

A new month means another new blog series here at The Digital Shore. Lately we have really leaned into social media networks and how to leverage them as a business, brand, or ministry. While we obviously work with businesses and ministries, one of the other services we offer is wedding videography. We have taken the time to craft an individual website for these services since it varies quite a bit from our regular monthly services; however, it seems time to tackle wedding videography this month on the blog. In fact, we’re not just going to cover wedding videography in general; we are going to answer some of the questions that often arise in searching for a videographer to capture your special day. 

Wedding videography is something that has surged in popularity in recent years, and while many understandably overlook this in favor of a good photographer, I would argue that videography is worth the investment. Videographers are there not just to capture the vital moments but also the unplanned, unscripted moments from your special day.

Now, one of the questions often asked of videographers is about their style. For those of you who are considering videography, here is a quick rundown of several buzzwords that prevail when discussing videography styles. 

The Cinematic style is pretty much exactly what it sounds like. These videos tend to mimic angels and shots similar to what you would find on the big screen. It is not unusual for those implementing the cinematic style to incorporate voiceovers, big aerial shots, or even slow-motion sequences where appropriate. It tends to follow a less linear format and leans into the emotions and drama of your special day. These type of videos also might lead the videographer to direct some shots, much like the photographer does, and typically features more movement from the videographer. 

The Documentary style of videography typically has a less polished look to it because these videographers are all about capturing the unplanned and unexpected moments of the day. When edited together, this style still seems to follow a more linear approach to the day, typically tracing from morning prep to the end of the reception. This style also usually sees the videographers in a more detached role, observing and capturing many events from afar. These kind of videos can also feature interviews with people from the wedding party, guests, or even the bride and groom. 

The Traditional style is precisely what it sounds like and would probably resemble what many people who got married years ago have somewhere in their entertainment center (possibly even on a tape). This is typically the whole ceremony and reception in linear form with very little editing. These are the videos that are like two to three hours long and mostly include wide shots to cover every moment of the day. Admittedly, this form is not as popular now, but there are still some videographers who offer the option. 

In addition to these terms, you will usually hear the phrase “short form” or even the word “storytelling.” I hesitate to call these styles because they are usually incorporated in every style in some way. Every videographer I know offers a short form video in all of their packages, which gives snippets of the day’s highlights. Additionally, no matter what style visually appeals to you, there is a storytelling aspect to all of it. All videographers want to tell the story of your day and the love shared between the two of you. 

At the end of the day, no matter what style a videographer identifies with, you should always ask to see examples of their past work. This is the best gauge to see if you like their style.

So, where does The Digital Shore fall? 

Honestly, I would say we are somewhere in between the cinematic and documentary styles. A lot of our decisions there coincide with the couple and the vibe of their special day. For some we have incorporated these wide, sweeping images because it matched their personalities and preferences. For others, the documentary style better suits them and captures all of the highlights they want from their special day. No matter what style it mimics, we love capturing the unscripted moments of the day, and those moments usually end up being our favorite parts to include in our final videos. 

So, do you have a style that you prefer? Comment and let us know!

And, as always, if you find yourself looking for a videographer on your special day, you can find examples of our work here. 

Look out next week as we tackle another one of the big questions for wedding videographers: the type of equipment used.