Understanding the Nuances Between 'Film,' 'Movie,' and 'Video'

It's often said that the English language presents considerable challenges for learners. Even native speakers can find themselves puzzled by words with varying meanings, leading to moments of doubt about one's own understanding during conversations. 

The arts are especially prone to this, with numerous terms that overlap in meaning. For instance, saying ‘I love this track,’ ‘I love this record,’ or ‘I love this song’ might all express the same sentiment: I enjoy the music I hear. However, track, record, and song each carry distinct meanings when considered separately.

Filmmaking is similarly complex.

Key examples include the terms 'film,' 'movie,' and 'video,' each harboring different definitions. While all three terms generally refer to watching moving visual media, they’re interchangeable in various contexts. 

For example, “Can you film this?” might mean the same as “Can you take a video?” Likewise, “Shall we watch a movie?” can be equal to “Shall we watch a film?” but “Shall we watch a video?” would not work in the same context. Additionally, while you can create a movie using either film or video, using a movie to create a movie does not inherently make sense. 

Confusing, right? Let's dive into each of these terms and clarify their meanings.

1. Film 

The term 'film' is commonly divided into three categories: the media, the format, and the action. It’s these categories that can help us understand how the term differs from and relates to similar terms like 'movie' and 'video'. 

At its essence, film is most often associated with the motion picture art form — an art form that conveys a narrative, whether through a traditional storyline ("Parasite"), the factual exploration of a documentary ("The Queen of Basketball"), or the abstract expressions of experimental art ("Lost Highway"). This perception of film as a medium naturally leads us into the complex world of filmmaking. 

So, how’s a film made? They film it…using film.

Yeah, here we go again…

To make a film

Last year, esteemed filmmaker Christopher Nolan presented his Oscar-winning film "Oppenheimer." Throughout the press run, we heard that the movie used no CGI and was entirely 'filmed' in-camera.

Video via Vanity Fair

The phrasing "to film" is important to recognize, as the verb form is imperative to how our three terms have become interchangeable. The term originates from the medium used to capture motion pictures.

Film (film stock), a thin layer of light-sensitive material typically made of celluloid, was the predominant medium for shooting films until the early 2010s. With the advent of the digital era, making a film with film became a sought-after luxury that directors had to fight for, rather than it being a conventional norm. However, much like how a painter uses paint to make a painting, this format has led to the term 'film' being used to refer to motion pictures as a complete entity and the act of capturing a motion picture.

The impact of 'film'

It's important to note that 'film' is often associated with motion pictures that are considered to have higher societal value and demand more from the audience. For instance, would you categorize the French Art House motion picture "Portrait of a Lady on Fire" as a film or a movie?  

Contrast that with "Avengers: Age of Ultron," which many would consider a movie (including famed director Martin Scorsese).

Some suggest that a 'movie' is a commercial product designed for mass consumption, primarily to generate profit and provide entertainment that meets audience expectations. On the other hand, a 'film' is thought to address more serious themes with an artistic intent.

2. Movie

Of the three terms, 'movie' has perhaps the fewest additional connotations. Movie typically refers to a motion picture, but movies can also refer to the act of watching a feature motion picture in a cinema. For example, one might say, "Friday night at the movies!" to describe a cinematic outing.

It's important to note that the term is predominantly associated with American English within the United States. In contrast, cinema-goers often refer to movies outside the U.S., particularly in British English and across Europe, as films.

Although there's no official decree on this classification, it’s interesting that works leaning more toward an artistic platform — such as documentary films, independent films, surreal films, and short films — are typically not categorized as movies within their respective circles.

Stephen Follows, a well-regarded data researcher in the film industry whose work has been published in nearly every major online and print film outlet, conducted an extensive study on the usage of 'film' versus 'movie'. His research included over 3,000 responses from industry professionals and analyzed 239,000 industry headlines, 10,282 major newspapers, and Reddit posts from 2004 to 2016. 

The findings reveal a clear division: casual cinema-goers in America predominantly use 'movie,' while industry professionals and Europeans are more likely to use 'film'. This data reflects regional language preferences and highlights how terminology can signify deeper cultural and professional attitudes toward cinema. 

Learn more about his research here.

3. Video

While the term 'video' originally referred to the electronic process of recording digital or analog signals to produce visual images, it has evolved significantly beyond its initial concept. In modern language, 'video' may encompass more meanings than both 'film' and 'movie' combined. 

For example, if you were born between the 1980s and just before the turn of the millennium, you might associate video more with home tape-based formats like Betamax or MiniDV, or more commonly, the VHS (video home system) tapes, rather than video broadcasting.

Modern video

Today, video has taken on several new meanings in the context of digital media. Quite like how a floppy disk is commonly used as a save icon, despite being as outdated as a VHS, video is the common term used when referring to any form of digital visual media with motion. 

The interchangeability of the term video, as well as the confusion, typically arises when it comes to the practice of making films. For example, let’s look at Darren Aronofsky’s 2010 film "Black Swan." While most of the film was shot on traditional 16mm film, there was a moment of guerrilla filmmaking (shooting on location without permission and incognito) using a Canon 7D — a DSLR camera that can be purchased for a few hundred dollars on eBay. How did they film on the Canon 7D? Well, they used 'video' mode. 

Video via Joaquinn Salinas

So, if we want to get pedantic, part of the film, which was mainly shot on 16mm film, was also made with video. However,  we would not call “Black Swan” a video; it is a film. Yet, if we were to download a section of "Black Swan" to edit into our video essay (which you can easily do with WeVideo), that snippet of film would be considered as a video clip. 

Earlier, the French film "Portrait of a Lady on Fire" was referenced as an example of a work that would typically be called a film rather than a movie. Despite this, it was shot on a RED digital cinema camera, and browsing B&H for such a camera would place it under the 'Pro video' section. Even though filmmakers might label their digital creations as 'films,' they are technically 'videos' due to their digital format.

See, in 2024, the term 'video' has evolved into a catch-all phrase for a wide range of media. As language evolves, the distinctions between various visual storytelling methods become blurred. For example, "to video" might suggest recording a detailed documentary or capturing high-quality footage using professional cinema equipment. In more casual settings, shooting a video might simply refer to taking a brief clip on a cellphone for social media sharing.

Conclusion

To summarize:

1. Film

• Often used to refer to the motion picture art form and associated with higher cultural value.
• Considered more artistic, serious, and demanding of the audience.
• Can mean:
  • the physical film stock 
  • the art form 
  • or the act of filming

2. Movie

• Commonly used in American English to describe a feature-length motion picture.
• Seen as a commercial product primarily aimed at entertainment and profit.
• Less frequently used in formal or artistic discussions.
• Can also be used to describe the act of watching a film at the cinema when referenced as “Going to the movies.” 

3. Video

• Originally referred to recording and broadcasting images on a tape-based medium. 
• Evolved to include a wide range of digital media, extending beyond traditional film or movie formats.
• Used in professional contexts (e.g., digital cinema cameras) and everyday use (e.g., video on a cellphone).
• Encompasses a broader scope in the digital age, from professional production to casual social media clips.

While each term has its own distinction, it’s also important to understand that the terms used can directly affect how your work or project is perceived.

For example, in the film industry, what a creator calls their work can influence everything from the funding it receives to its distribution channels and its audience's expectations. A project labeled as a 'film' might be expected to offer more artistic value or intellectual engagement, attracting a different kind of audience than one marketed as a 'video,' which might be perceived as more online-focused. 

If you’re an esteemed Hollywood director, perhaps you’re making a film. Or maybe you’re making the summer’s next greatest blockbuster movie. If you’re a business or solopreneur, your next great digital marketing asset is probably a video. And that’s fine! Just like art itself, its terminology is often subjective.

Regardless, one thing remains true — whether you're making a video, movie, or film, you can do so today, right now, with WeVideo! Just sign up for a free plan to get started.