This video was filmed before I had heard much of the news of George Floyd. But I want to share these links here for you to consider donating to if you can. If you can't support via donations, please be a good ally. Support and listen, correct and teach people who are spouting racism and please stand by your black community and indeed any minority being oppressed. This is a human rights issue. twitter.com/MatthewACherry/status/1266895545022287872?s=20 www.joincampaignzero.org/ If you are from Australia, please remember that we to have a history full of oppression, genocide and racism. There have been over 400 deaths in custody since the 1991 royal commission and none have really seen justice. Here are some links to various organisations set up to assist indigenous communities in Australia. www.invasionday.org/pay-the-rent-campaigns chuffed.org/project/covid-19-first-nations-fund www.welcometocountry.org/aboriginal-charity-guide/

This needs to be watched by every KZfaqr out there calling themselves a ‘Cinematographer’. The terminology matters. Thanks for this - nice job 👍🏽

Thanks for the insights! this is about the only time im going to rant about it online... but I find it funny when experienced cinematographers or professionals in the industry make fun of videographers and low budget equipment. I see it as if professional sport players would make fun of amateur leagues ... yeah I film with a bmpcc and they film with cooke lenses but.. why are we even a target ? it's such a snobby business , anyways Im out , I have to look for the next coolest LUT online lol (Much respect to professionals that empower videographers with great advice)

I have read here and there that a director of photography is called cinematographer when they also operate the camera during the entire production, but if they have an independent operator they are called DP’s (like in USA union system) but these terms are really fluid, as you said; some use them as synonyms, whether you operate or not, your creative input is the same. Love you videos Felicia!

It made me chuckle when this video popped up in my subscriptions as I very recently decided to "rebrand" myself as a cinematographer. I've worked as a videographer for the past decade, however, I decided it was better to market myself for the jobs I actually want to do. There does seem to be a lot of negativity out there from industry Cinematographers/ DOPs" towards videographers when as you mentioned, they/we often do everything from pre-production to delivery. A production manager recently told me, a lot of old-fashion industry professionals, dislike videographers for exactly that reason, 1 videographer can now do the job of a small team, saving production companies money but, unfortunately, putting people out of work. I'm not sure if it's just a UK thing, but it seems you can be a cinematographer over here and then you earn the title of DOP. Sorry for the essay! =p

I refer to myself as filmmaker. There's actually film in my camera, and I've worked most jobs on set. Cinematographer, and DP are interchangeable in my book. Videographers typically work sports, weddings, etc. Cool channel. New subscriber.

That is very interesting. I don’t know if it’s a personal or geographical difference, but I see cinematographer as an easier term to throw around and call myself rather than DP. I feel like the term DP can only be used if you are truly directing your department and that there is a real quality to the department itself. If you have a bunch of cam ops running your g/e you’re more of a cinematographer. 🤷🏾‍♂️ Great content and good job on breaking down videographer! Much more elegantly put than I’ve explained in the past 🤦🏽‍♂️

the difference between a Cinematographer and a Director of photography, it´s when you shoot a film with a lot of cameras, a lot of units, especial photography units (aerial, fx, stopmotion,etc) several cinematographers are involved in the same project but the DP, Director of photography, its the head, the one its in charge of that all cinematographers make a visual unity. good work. i like your videos.

This is so well versed and I feel like you explained it PERFECTLY. This honestly explained a lot of the confusing I had about these different terms and roles!

What about Cinnamontographer? 😀 (blooper on focus pulling vid)

This helps me understand the specific differences even more than before. Thanks!

DP from the states now in Glasgow Scotland turned Video Producer: I believe the terms refer more to a state of mind. Anyone can be the acting Director of Photography on any given shoot. The next day however, they may be operating for fellow DP’s. DP in my mind is simply a role on a set where as Cinematographer or Cinematography is the literal art form or medium and more so mindset. Who knows really, I’m a video producer so what do I know 😅

It took me longer than I would’ve liked to fully embrace the video production/videography realm. For whatever reason, it doesn’t sound as cool as “filmmaker” but I love the one man band aspect along with quick turnaround.

Nailed it. Personally I'm 50 and been at this 25 years and dont call myself anything. Videographer would be closest but I never warmed to the word. And glad you cleared up filmaker and DOP because I was starting to think you had to be in your 20's and have a DSLR to be either of those.... Burn ( I love Last Man on Earth)

Only things that DP/Cinematographer NEEDS TO KNOW: camera,lenses AND HE NEEDS TO KNOW HOW TO LIGHT!

Fantastic resource, so glad I found your channel. Thanks for taking the time to make all these! You must have 36 hours in your day!

New subscriber and DP here! Thanks for this! I've always been reluctant to call myself a cinematographer (since, as you say, it implies a certain mastery/level of experience I haven't achieved yet) but I am also not a Filmmaker or Videographer for the exact reasons you state here. Nice to know I'm not crazy :)

The video content is so excellent, congratulations

I didn’t study photography or videography before, so I feel like I’m lacking a lot this industry knowledge (but I do do photography and videography now). Thanks for sharing your insight and knowledge! :)

GREAT CONTENT FELICIA. Thanks

Oh man I find video related job titles so hard! I run a youtube channel for a beauty company and do all the strategising, briefing, filming, editing and SEO - and I have NO IDEA what to call myself. My current job title is "videographer" but it doesn't feel right at all, I know "content creator" would fit but every influencer and their dog throws that title around. I kinda want to go with "content producer" so bad but I know that when it comes to actual filmmaking, a producer finances films. so what the heck lol

Nice one...

As someone regarded as either videographer and/or video journalist, I thought you summed up covering events well. I also use terms like covering news and current affairs. If you are in difficult situations with people who have a hatred of the media, use terms like freelance, as individual networks can result in aggressive responses. Few understand how difficult and dangerous this work can actually be. I started filming weddings and christenings at the age of 16, shooting on 8mm. Love your work.

Someone told me that DP: Is when you shoot digitally, and Cinematographer: Is when you use film. I guess they lied?

Okk now I know I was a Videographer for the last 8 years :D Terms are a bit confusing here in Germany. My official job title is "Mediengestallter für Bild und Ton" - "Mediadesigner for Picture and Sound" in english. thats the name of the apprenticeship. But well explained!

According to James Monaco a "filmmaker" is everybody involved in the production of a moving picture regardless of position or field of work. "Filmmaker" is more of a journalist term then an actual "job discription" I would say. We also need to understand cultural differences because these terms mostly refer to western society. If you are used to the old Hong Kong style then your are a "true" filmmaker because you learned to do: camera, directing, light, sound, script, casting, special effects, stunts, action coreography and probably make up and props too. When you work as an "independant" filmmaker and I'm talking of people like John Carpenter or Jim Jarmush the situation is again different. Thinking of my favorit cameraman Robby Müller, who sadly passed away in 2018; he wasn't just a genius cameraman (Dead Man with Johnny Depp, Paris, Texas ect) but also knew everything about light and sound AND worked with it if necsassary. Take a listen to Jim Jarmush talking about Robby Müller: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/e8VjdrOptsm6fnk.html It's good to keep that in mind that these very specific filmjob differences mostly came from the influence of unions. PS: It was Robby Müller's need for special lights that gave birth to famous light company KinoFlo. Those who might get hocked by Robby Müller as well, there's a whole film done on him and his work: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/qsyEmrSHm7uqYWg.html

Well...I´m from Venezuela and here it´s a little bit different. In my own case I didn´t go to a film school. I started making compositions in After Effects. And as an event organizer I started hiring recording teams and editors, who did not entirely satisfy my requests. So I first learned to edit interviews, event highlights, etc. Later I started recording events and interviews myself, first with video cameras and then DSLRs. I was studying books and doing tutorials until editing was my strength. But at the same time I was getting into photography, more than anything to improve my lighting schemes and composition skills. Currently I can do commercials, content for social networks, studio photography, concerts photography, street photography, product photography, etc. And I've also made short films as a camera operator and I've been a DP in a couple of independent productions. So in this market, to be able to pay the bills, if you want to make a living from this, you have to have several skills. In my case, the edition pays half of the bills and the rest is distributed in various activities among what you call a videographer and photographer. I loved your video and I will start to see more.

At least now I know the differences

I was told that a Cinematographer is a DOP who is hands on with the camera

Well,... I'm screwed then,... "Polymath". :) When someone says they're a Multi-Disciplinarian, we call them "Padawan". It's just easier to say Cinematographer, as not taking Stills, nor the Director.

When 'digital video' and HD started to make headway into the 'film' world, I remember a lot of hate towards actual FILM. Very few of the haters shot anything on actual film (shooting on film wasn't as much of an obstacle as it was made out to be). I wasn't too much of a film snob, yet I noticed everyone shooting DV and HD who had a hate for film were adopting film terms over video terms. Calling themselves 'filmmakers' vs 'videomakers' or 'cinematographers' (yes, back in the day CINEMATOGRAPHER meant shooting on film) over 'videographers'. That bothered me a bit.

Fact thanks

YOU WERE ON THE BULLS MUSIC VIDEO FOR THE CAT EMPIRE!? AMAZING!!

For me personally I feel like if you're actually working in the field and you're part of a union you get to pick you can be called cinematographer or DP.( America) The only thing that ever bothers me is I feel like there's a lot of videographers on KZfaq that go out of their way to tell you that there cinematographers or directors I mean seriously if you were to look up lighting tutorials or reviews over the last year 99%are going to be about LED lights,4 or 6k camera's or LUTS there's a lot of rinse and repeat I guess that's the whole steal like an artist mentality, which is fine if that's what you want to do. It just comes off a little amateurish in my opinion. I also find in very funny that out of all the Professionals in the world that are true DP / cinematographer, director etcetera how many of them have KZfaq channels? I'm not in anyway diminishing anybody on KZfaq but I feel like there's a lot of misconception in the difference of being a professional and making a couple of thousand dollars doing a short commercial music video or short film. I can name 10 KZfaq channels that I feel are actually legit including this one everybody else just copies

I call myself a wannabe cinematography student. but yeah, let's see if I can actually get where I'd like to be at one point

I see you are using the Forzas. Don't you have issues with fan sound? I've seen reviews saying they're quite loud and disabling them cuts down from 70-85% of output depending on the model.

Do cinematographers record the movie sometimes?

Those are one sharp pair of lips

As soon as that Canon 5D mk ii was released every videographer was able to shoot bokeh, and boy they did, and so suddenly the term cinematographer was bandied about in place of videographer. Unless you are shooting a film, that is either narrative, documentary, or experimental which is substantial in content and holds worthy ideas then I would say you are making a video hence it would be more appropriate to call yourself a Videomaker rather than a filmmaker but no-one ever uses that term anymore, everyone's making films, a substance that barely exists any more, and I doubt most have ever worked with.

👍🏾

the job title discussion just comes off as gatekeepy and ruins everything awesome and creative about the film scene. film making is collaborative and people need to care less about titles and recognition and focus on making content they themselves would like to see.

uh oh

I call myself editor haha

Does anybody got a clue how to earn money in this industry? I studied creative direction and want to become a film director, but all I do is self-funded projects in which I do everything from writing, producing, filming, to editing. And in the end, it just ends on Instagram and that's it. How can you actually get started to earn money and make it a real job, not just a hobby??? HELP?

Filmmakers are not really professionals? Is this a joke?