Today, we will review the two most popular San Diego wedding video styles for wedding films: cinematic and documentary styles. Choosing the right one sets the entire tone of your wedding film. Today, we will break down both styles and review the style that I, at Tideus Media (TDM), have been using, which combines the best of these two worlds to create something unique for our clients. If you’re a couple looking for a videographer, I recommend reading this page. Clearly communicating your desired style could help save you from regretting the videographer you hire for your wedding day and missing out on important moments that matter most to you and your partner.
Three main San Diego Wedding Video Styles
The three main styles you will see in most wedding videos are cinematic wedding videos, documentary wedding videos, and, lastly, a hybrid method that combines aspects of the cinematic and documentary styles of shooting.
Cinematic Wedding Video/Film
Our friends at Nuview define a cinematic wedding video or film as one that combines music and beautiful images to evoke an emotional response. At its base, the key feature of a cinematic wedding film is that a narrative or story is being told. It uses all these elements, including vows, speeches, and words from family and friends, to highlight the special things that make your relationship unique.
Characteristics of Cinematic Wedding Video/Films
A well-rounded wedding videographer will also add characteristics of film to your wedding video. This includes a gorgeous color grade, grain, halation, and bloom effects. As mentioned earlier, these characteristics mimic film features, but they also add more to the film by introducing character and style, thereby creating a piece of art. All of these characteristics are part of the wow factor you see online from higher-end videographers. Those who know how to edit, color grade, and blend audio to enhance moments in each individual film. Below you can find an example of a cinematic wedding video.
Pros and Cons of Cinematic Wedding Videos/Films
The pros of a cinematic wedding film are that EVERYONE is trying to do this style. No matter what city you are in, there is a videographer out there, either just getting started or long-time in the industry, who has this style. There are hundreds of videos on YouTube and learning platforms that have the word “Cinematic” in them. If you’re in San Diego, search online, and you’ll find this San Diego Wedding video style.
What is a Documentary Wedding Video/Film?
A documentary wedding video or film is a more traditional form of filmmaking. Think of it like the ones that your parents would have back in the day. Camera equipment has improved significantly, and standards have also been raised. It is highly unlikely that you will see shaky hand footage. So, what are the characteristics of a wedding documentary?
The characteristics of a documentary wedding film are that it is filmed as the day happened. There is some editing in the process; however, it is done to maintain interest in the video or conceal minor mistakes. Perhaps a person walking in front of one of the angles, or to hide something you may not like in the frame.
These films usually have longer runtimes, and events unfold naturally, as they did on the day of the event. San Diego wedding videographers who offer this package understand that their clients want to relive their footage and hear every speech from their family members, or revisit their wedding ceremony as it happened on the day.
Pros and Cons of Documentary Wedding Videos.
What are the pros of San Diego wedding video styles, such as documentary wedding films? One of the main advantages is that it is archival and allows a couple to relive their wedding day. It shows the natural flow of your wedding day minute by minute, frame by frame. Steve Jobs is famously known for saying, “You can only connect the dots looking back.” That is the power of hindsight. Documentary wedding films are for those who have developed a well-rounded foresight as well.
So, what are the cons to these San Diego wedding video styles? The cons of a documentary film are that it can be expensive due to the extensive coverage required to create this type of video style. It also requires a larger team to complete a full documentary for a wedding. Expenses can add up quickly for a team of this magnitude.
Cinematic Vs. Documentary – Side by Side Comparison
| Feature | Cinematic | Documentary |
| Story Telling Style | Highlight Driven | Full event coverage |
| Audio | Vows, Speeches, Music | Natural Sound |
| Editing Style | Stylized | Chronological |
| Length | 4-8 Minutes | 30-90 minutes |
| Use case | Social Sharing, Wow | Archival, Full Replay |
You can take a closer look at our cinematic wedding films in the ” My Films section of the website.
Want the bests of both Worlds?
At TDM, we offer both the cinematic wedding package with a blend of documentary filmmaking. This is without the higher-end price of the documentary style. My starter package includes both the highlight film and your ceremony, as well as speeches at the most competitive price that you will find in all of San Diego.
I will edit your wedding video by reviewing these sections and identifying key moments during the speeches and the ceremony. Through the edit, I am paying attention to you and your partners’ emotional reaction. I figured, if I’m going through all this footage, why not just send it over to you? What is more interesting is what has happened since I started doing this.
As I mentioned in my “San Diego Wedding Videographers FAQ“, one of the most common reasons clients request re-edits is that there were moments during the day that were more important to them. Either a speech by someone important in the client’s life or just wanting a little more that just could not fit in a nine (9) minute video. This style captures every vital moment from each of the major sections of your wedding video.
Below you can find an example of our blended long-end wedding videos that combine both interviews from documentary wedding videos, a great cinematic look, and key moments of your wedding all in one.
Final Thoughts
So, which of these San Diego wedding Video styles are you going to choose? If I had to choose between one of these San Diego wedding video styles, I would opt for a combination of both. It’s why I offer the best of both worlds as our San Diego wedding video style. If you feel the same, take a look at our packages and contact me today.
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