What is the different between Cinematography and Videography

[Kim Welch]

I have heard people say that they are the same but it seems to me that Cinema by definition means it's made for the cinema where Video implies a broader concept. Is there a difference?

Update, November 2026
Videography usually means event, corporate and documentary video, often with a small crew or one operator. Cinematography means designing the look of a story through lighting, composition and camera movement, usually as head of the camera and lighting departments. The skills overlap, and many people do both.

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[Maura N.]

From my knowledge, cinematography is about the art and science of making a movie, while videography is primarly about recording an event.

 

[Kim Welch]

I think I should have said digital cinematography and not videography. Can we say typo! However, it's kinda a mute thing now because 99% of the movies are now made digitally. It's all digital cinematography.

 

[Dustin Johnson]

Cinematography is more about giving people a moving experience. Whereas, Videography is about showing people an experience that (A) they already had, or (B) that they want to have.