Bringing cinema to wedding films, and wedding films to cinema.

Wedding films are an interesting phenomenon that gathered pace rapidly with the developments of technology. A cinema-like look could all of a sudden be achieved with a camera the size of a large potato, and some knowledge of lighting and composition. This rapid growth of technology came with some disadvantages, too:

I would like to suggest an idea that may not be as well received, but I truly believe that certain trends were formed simply because the rapid growth of technology suddenly allowed it, and everyone was in awe of what was achievable with a mirrorless camera. As time went on, these trends became accepted as the norm, and no one questioned why they were doing it, or what it was conveying. A good example of such a trend, in my humble opinion, is slow motion footage. Buzzwords like “cinematic” are often thrown around when referring to slow motion, but why is that? The very word, cinematic, is derived from cinema, and means to describe the visual appeal of a scene. Yet, there aren’t any categories in the Oscars for “most cinematic film” - there is, however, a category for best cinematography. If we look at some of the winners of the past few years - Oppenheimer, Dune, La La Land to name a few, these films all have strikingly different looks and feels, but none can argue that they embody the very essence of “cinematic”. Despite their differences, they have at least one thing in common - the sparing use of slow motion.

Let’s break it down further and look at some of the specific slow motion scenes of these movies, starting with Oppenheimer. The first shot that comes to mind is the explosion - slow motion is used to slow the moment down so viewers can be immersed in the magnitude of the moment. In Dune, Timothée Chalamet experiences visions, many of which are presented in slow motion to emphasise their dreamlike, otherworldly nature. It can be argued that these shots would not carry the same impact without the use of slow motion. However, this impact would be greatly reduced if the films only contained slow motion footage.

It is an undeniable fact that the use of slow motion adds new dimensions to the respective films, but only because they are used sparingly and with intention. As with any art form, every creative decision needs to be motivated and intentional. Why is it then, that the exclusive use of slow motion is considered the norm in wedding films? Weddings are dynamic events filled with contrasting emotions such as joy and angst, and slow emotional moments contrasted by fast energetic moments. To truly tell the story of such a day, a more intentional approach to filmmaking is necessary.

Furthermore, another important factor in filmmaking is aperture. This control the amount of light a lens allows through to the sensor, which controls the amount of background blur. It is often perceived that more background blur equals more cinematic. Why is that? My opinion is that background blur is the main factor that separates professional cameras from smartphones, and therefore, people associate background blur with professional footage. Aperture is another factor that should be used with intention. Looking at the work of Steven Spielberg, one of the greatest directors of recent times, his work is often shot with minimal background blur. This was done with intention, as it creates layers of focus, showing more to the viewer. Weddings are almost always shot with the blurriest of backgrounds, but why i