Written by Mr Guy Cleeve (Photographer, Videographer, Cinematographer and Creative Lead at Medical Sphere). 

Date: 5^th of March 2024 

Videography and cinematography are related but distinct fields within filmmaking. Videography captures what is in front of the camera whereas cinematography creates a story by manipulating what is in front of a camera. We like to explain cinematography as being the “art and craft of motion pictures by capturing a visual story.” Story being the key word here. 

Before I continue, I would like to make it clear that one is not better than the other. Additionally, both fields require highly skilled professionals. Videography and cinematography are two separate methods that achieve different results. 

Cinematography: 

• Involves three stages and more strategic planning. 
• Larger, collaborative, and more communicative team consisting of at least three people. Staff include cinematographers, assistants, lighting tech, camera operators, audio tech and a director. 
• The director is in total control of the content they are creating, and it is the cinematographer’s role to bring the director’s vision to life, e.g. accurately capturing and telling the subject’s important story.  
• Content is manipulated purposefully for example colour grading, lighting and composition are all tools used to evoke certain emotions as well as guide and tell the story. 
• There is collaboration through all three stages- pre-production which includes concept all the way to post-production.  
• Examples include commercials and television shows.  

Videography: 

• It is documenting rather than it is creating.
• Videography captures the world as it is and what is in front of you. 
• Don’t have time to do another take. 
• Lighting and editing are often minimal. 
• Videographers often work independently (“a man behind a camera”). 
• Examples include live events like conferences, interviews and news coverage. 

So, how does this relate to me when I engage with Medical Sphere? 

Well, firstly we offer both services and it depends on the task at hand. For example, if you need a conference recorded live so it can be streamed, we will allocate a videographer. 

If the job needs cinematography, this requires more planning, time, different equipment, and more staff. This evidently increases the cost of the project. 

There are three stages to how we work: 

1. Pre-production: here we have a deep-dive discovery session to understand your what, how and why. Our team then put together a presentation and a schedule for you to approve. This is what we follow closely during production.  
2. Production: the shooting days.  
3. Post-production: editing and finalising the content. 

At Medical Sphere we love creating, telling a story and producing video content that educates. Patients, their family, specialists, scientists and others in the healthcare industry have important information to share. We want to accurately capture this and create content that tells your story. 

Need help with your content? Email: [email protected]