After decades of using photography as a way to document and preserve all kinds of memories: events, wars, people, places, etc, it is time to give filmmaking for said events, the same importance.

As an artist of the visual arts, I have found that clients give more importance to photography than to video. I have seen many that don’t even want to invest in a high quality photographer. So we are talking about 2 things here: GIVE VALUE TO THE DOCUMENTATION OF YOUR EVENT, as it is all you’ll have to show for it, and, VIDEO IS AS IMPORTANT AS PHOTOGRAPHY.

And here’s why:

• It is easier to watch. You can just click on a link and you can watch a video while you do something else, instead of having to scroll through pictures.
• It shows everyone’s mannerisms and voices. This makes video a treasure, compared to stills. People age, die, change or go away, and this allows for a more accurate memory of this person(s).
• If you hire a real high quality professional, they will create a video that will evoke emotion, taking the memory of your event or family to the next level. Instead of regular, everyday (maybe shaky or blurry) videos, you’ll have sharp (or intentionally blurry) videos with great sound, maybe a music bed, maybe titles, basically well-produced, in a way that only us filmmakers can.
• It can have angles, colors and moments that aren’t necessarily in pictures. Sometimes photographers focus on a list of shots (posed and candids) and can miss moments that only the videographer was able to capture, so in the end, you’ll have different shots from both video and stills, elevating your event to the next level.

Remember, once the event is over, all the flowers, plates, mementos, and details will go in the trash, and all that money and dedication you put into it will not be worth it if you don’t have great video and stills of that day. A great film is something that every time you watch, makes you relive that wonderful day, time and time again.

As for family films, these are a new trend because we have come to realize that children grow up fast, we change, and a lot can happen year by year, and it’s the best way to freeze time not only for us, but for future generations. After 4 hours of filming details, closeups and wide shots of what your family does in a day, the professional you hire will create a unique cinematic film, with your own licensed music, for you to watch and cherish forever. I recommend doing this once a year to track your children’s growth.

How about you? Do you give video any importance? Have you heard of event filmmaking or family films?