“Video Killed the Radio Star” by The Buggles released in 1979, was the first music video ever to air on the MTV network when they launched on August 1, 1981. Although it was not the first promotional video ever made for music (The Beatles were the first to use this idea in the 60s) it was definitely one of the most influential.
Music videos were an absolute feast for the eyes and over night they became the most critical form of promotion for the bands and their labels in efforts to sell albums. There was nothing more intriguing than viewing your favorite artist playing your favorite song right from your television. This was the birth of ‘image’ becoming the main selling point of an artist, not necessarily their voice or talent anymore - (sadly) Video killed the radio star!
MTV and other television networks now hold over 30 years worth of priceless cinematography, capturing deceased music legends such as Freddie Mercury and Michael Jackson. Without this film, we would have only still images or sound clips from the radio and concerts to reflect back on.
How does this relate to weddings and events?
Videos capture people as they are at an exact moment in time. Watching them back is as close as we’ve come to going back in time...back to the pasts of our very own lives.
We are in the midst of the ever-changing ‘Digital Age’. Since the invention and craze of the Digital Camera, videographers have been put on the second tier of the wedding and event budget as more of a "nice to have" and not an "absolute must". The battle of photographers vs cinematographers has been won with ease by the photographers supplying us with photos galore! The biggest question posed is...Why?
Perhaps it’s due to social media sites such as Facebook and Pinterest that are both addicting and entirely photo focused..Or perhaps it’s because it is easier to take photos of your friends and family as oposed to filming them.
For weddings and events, it's pretty safe to say that one vendor is less costly than two (in most cases). Photography is something we can easily share with our guests, however, in years to come it can be less satisfying - For photos capture only a still moment, a brief laugh or a small detail of time, whereas video captures the total essence of your most special moments. If it were your wedding, wouldn’t you want to re-live it to the fullest and play it back to your children showing them exactly how your greatest moments were lived?
Someone once said that “A picture is worth a thousand words”. If you looked at a photo from 100 years ago, you would have to guess what it was trying to tell you, who the person might be, or where it was taken. Film on the other hand, tends to speak for itself.
Here at Rockstar, we pride ourselves on our roster of preferred vendors - From our beloved photographers to florists, decorators, enetertainers...not forgetting the cinematographers of course!
Looking for a talented videographer to capture your next event? Visit the websites for the Rockstar preferred cinematographers listed below:
LaFrance Films, a favorite around South Florida, Michael LaFrance and his team specialize in “capturing the precious moments in life and presenting them as a cinematic-quality film.” You can view his work on Rockstar's 2012 'Psycho Beach Party' Halloween event here.
Jamice Ivie, a young + super talented film maker who’s work on a 2011 Rockstar wedding is a featured video on our website - view it here.
We leave you with the wise words of French-Swiss film director, screenwriter + film critic, Jean-Luc Godard, “Photography is Truth. The Cinema is Truth Twenty-four Times Per Second.”
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** If you think you’re Rockstar videographer material, please feel free to contact us or submit a sample reel of your work for consideration. We are always looking for talented film-makers to recommend for future weddings + events!