SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON…
Video vs content creation: understanding the differences
Maybe you’ve heard about content creation and you’d like to know exactly what the difference is between video and content creation so you can choose which is better for you—or if you want both?
Video vs Content creation: what’s the difference?
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard about content creators and that perhaps they’re ‘cheaper’ than hiring a videographer. But do you know exactly what the differences are between what they do and what types of videos you’ll receive from them?
Here’s a quick guide show how video and content creation compare. Please note this is a general guide and some content creators, like me, offer a bespoke service so you can choose exactly what you want.
The key differences between choosing a videographer compared to a content creator for your wedding day.
Format | Orientation
Video
Typically utilises horizontal/landscape orientation, offering a wide-angle view ideal for cinematic experiences and YouTube uploads.
Content Creation
Often employs vertical/portrait orientation, perfectly suited for mobile-first platforms like Instagram stories and reels and TikTok.
Sound
Video
Sound is typically recorded directly in-camera or through external audio devices, and is synchronized during the editing process to ensure high-quality audio.
Content Creation
Sound may not always be included; often, edits feature only a music overlay to complement the visual content, creating a more streamlined production process.
Equipment
Video
Often relies on high-quality DSLRs, mirrorless cameras, and camcorders and external audio to achieve professional-grade video production.
Content Creation
Commonly utilises smartphones and iPhones, providing convenience and accessibility for quick, on-the-go content creation.
Final Product
Video
High quality final edited videos using professional video editing software, including audio optimisation, licensed music and colour correction. Videos range from 3 to 5 minutes long to full documentary videos lasting 1+ hours. Often you’ll receive complete videos for the full ceremony and speeches.
Usually professionally shot and edited video looks a lot more cinematic and polished than content creation videos, because of the larger sensor size and lenses used, as well as extensive editing work.
Normally you just receive videos from a videographer; occasionally you’ll receive stills as well but as these are from the videos they will never be a good quality as photographs and you’re unlikely to be able to print from them.
Content Creation
Usually supplied as ‘raw’ clips so that you can edit the clips yourself and push out to your social media feed. Some content creators will create a ‘highlights’ video for you with what they feel are the best bits of your day. There is minimal editing done by the content creator, and this may be done using smartphone apps.
Smartphones are improving all the time but at the moment, footage from smartphones tends to look less polished, and more about capturing candid moments, using popular music and following the latest social media styles and trends.
In addition to video footage a content creator may take photos alongside the video clips they capture, so that both photos and videos can be edited together for posts, stories and reels.
Price
Video
The price is higher because there is a lot more work and time involved in producing your videos, and the majority of this will be taken up with the post-production work in editing your final videos.
Content Creation
Content creation is often cheaper than video as there is minimal editing involved; the priority is to get the footage to you asap, often via Dropbox or Google Drive, and you can then choose how to edit these.
Delivery Time
Video
Because of the amount of work involved in creating high quality videos, you may need to wait between 2 weeks to several months to receive your final videos. Some videographers push out a teaser video within a few days but this will normally be in horizontal/landscape format.
Content Creation
The key advantage of hiring a content creator is to get hold of all the clips for your wedding fast—often the next day or within 48 hours. This is ideal if you know you want to be able to relax on your wedding day but want to be able to post clips on your social media feed.
Video vs. content creation—Which is right for you?
If you’re still not 100% sure whether to go for video or content creation, then here are four questions which may help you decide which is best for you…
What do you want the ‘content’ for?
If you’re thinking of your videos as heirlooms for your family, your children and your future granchildren—then you’ll want to hire a videographer.
However if it’s more important for you to have short candid clips and photos, then go for a content creator.
What level of editing do you want?
Do you want beautiful edited and finished videos, telling the story of your day, often in a linear fashion? Choose a videographer.
However if it’s more important for you to choose the clips you want and to edit your videos yourself, then you’ll want to choose content creation. Often a couple will want everyone to focus on their day instead of taking photos and videos with their phones, and content creation is a great way to ensure there’s no pressure on family or friends to do this.
How quickly do you want your videos/photos?
Traditional videographers may send you a teaser (around 1 minute) within a few days but generally you’ll need to wait a few weeks or even months for your final videos. Editing a high quality finished wedding video takes up a lot of time.
However you can expect to receive your smartphone content within 24 to 72 hours, depending on whether or not you’ve chosen to have videos edited for you or not.
Where will your photos and videos be seen?
If you know that you’re mainly wanting to show off your day on social media, and that this is something you’re really keen to do, but want to delegate this to a professional so you can enjoy your wedding, then it makes total sense to opt for content creation rather than video.
It also comes down to personal choice—do you want to focus on horizontal or vertical videos?
Video or content creation or hybrid photos and video…
Which will you choose?
As you can see, video and content creation are not the same, there are some quite big differences between them.
Some people will know clearly that they want one or the other, but there is also the option to have a photographer, videographer and a content creator for your wedding day. You don’t have to make a choice—you can have both!
Or perhaps you’re beginning to feel your wedding could look more like a film set than what should be a happy and carefree day. If that’s the case, then maybe hybrid photography and video is something you’d prefer. Check out hybrid wedding photos and video…
Check out my prices and packages
I offer both video or content creation as a service and you can check out my prices and packages. I’m also happy to refer you to a trusted vendor or hire an associate to work as a team with me if you want both video and content creation
Video
Check out my prices for all day video for your wedding, with high quality long-form and shorter videos edited with music, audio and telling the story of your day.
Hybrid Photos & Video
If the main focus is photography, but you’d love to have video clips of your day then hybrid shooting could be the perfect solution for you.
