So what exactly is film? Why is it so magical? and why do I choose to shoot it?

“Our wedding video was better than we ever dreamed it would be! The Super 8 film was perfect and we could not be happier with the result. Brae is an incredible communicator, videographer, and editor! He brought such great energy to our wedding and we got our videos back ASAP! We are so thankful for him and his work of capturing our day in such a unique and special way.” - Makenna Hatloe

A look like no other

Film is physical, it is real, and it is tangible

Film dates back to the 1880s and its primary characteristics have remained relatively unchanged for the past 100 years. Images are imprinted into a light-sensitive emulsion on a strip of celluloid and are then revealed through chemical development. That is just a fancy way of saying that film images are physical, digital images are only accessible through a hard drive and screen.

Oscar nominated actor, Tim Roth, on shooting on film as opposed to digital: “We’re in a movie. We’re not in a hard drive… We’re in a movie.”

The light-sensitive emulsion is responsible for the incredible rendition of colors and texture. Skin tones are more accurate, shadows are deeper, highlights are softer, vibrancies pop more, the grain is real, and the depth is richer. All of these traits make for an image that appears more lifelike than anything rendered on a digital camera.

World renowned director, Christopher Nolan, refers to film as “3D without the glasses.”

Christopher Nolan on what makes film so great

The illusion of motion

motion picture film is actually a magic trick

“People think that when you’re filming something on film you’re recording movement. You’re not recording movement. You are just taking a series of still pictures. There’s no movement in movies at all. But when shown at 24 frames per second, it creates the illusion of movement, and that illusion is connected to the magic of movies.” - Oscar-winning Director: Quentin Tarantino

Tarantino on the magic of film

A movie camera is designed to take 24 images in one second, and when those images are played back it gives the illusion of motion. FILM cameras perform this operation particularly well because of their brilliant design. THE MOTION AND MOVEMENT RENDERED BY A ROLL OF FILM IS SILKY SMOOTH, EFFORTLESS, AND THE MOST ACCURATE REPRESENTATION OF HOW OUR OWN TWO EYES PERCEIVE motion.

The buttery smooth motion, glorious look, and vintage aesthetic gives film its dreamlike qualities

There’s power in limitation

Film is much more deliberate and intentional than digital

The first thing I noticed when I started shooting film photography was how much more thoughtful my compositions were. and This translated over to motion picture film as well. Being limited to three minutes per roll of film and having a dollar amount attached to each shot makes you think about the best possible way to capture each precious moment. The limitations associated with film actually end up being extremely advantageous and result in more profound and authentic images.

film effortlessly brings out your a-game

When I shoot a wedding digitally, I walk away with around 2.5 hours of footage and end up using about 5-8 minutes of it. When I shoot a wedding on film, I walk away with about 18 minutes of footage and have a hard time cutting it down at all.

That’s how good the footage is

Film is great for many scenarios, but it’s hard to think of one more perfect than your wedding day. It just has a way of bringing out all the nostalgia, authenticity, love, and beauty that’s felt during the celebration of marriage. So Trust me, when you load up your wedding video 20 years down the road to relive the most important day of your life, you’ll be glad you had it shot on film.