Film Jams
Strasvoigtye Film Jammers! Do you want to create cinematic footage without the Hollywood budget?
Here are 8 simple ways to make your film look more cinematic
We're here with DP Sean Keller today who helped us out on our fruit ninja video
So check that out if you haven't already, and we're gonna be filming on the Canon c100
Camera to show that you don't necessarily need a high-end cinema camera to get cinematic results. Yeah, that's right
You can pick up a c100 on ebay for about under $1,500 bucks. So it's definitely in the reach of many indie filmmakers
All right. Well, let's get Cinemaking!
Cinemaking? Yeah. You just create that word. Yes, I did. That's a great word. Like bacon and cinema. Cinemaking
Lighting. Now one thing that I used to do is over light scenes
But cinema is about having contrasts and shadows and shaping your light. Use your lights to highlight important elements in a scene and create
separation between the foreground and the background. Try to make the lighting seem
Motivated. If there's a window to your left don't light from the opposite side use the natural elements in the scene to help
Tell your story. Here's a quick shot of a scene lit, very flat. We just basically pointed the lights at the talent.
Now here's the same scene where we tried to use lighting to set the mood. More shadows more contrast
Mmm mmm cinematic sauce. What you dippin' in that sauce? Ah, just a lens maybe?
That's not good for it
We grew up watching a lot of widescreen movies
and we've got a certain affinity for that widescreen anamorphic look which is what creates those
cinematic black bars on your TV
You may not have the budget to film on anamorphic lenses
but you can add those cinema bars to make your project look more like one of your favorite movies. Now you can do this a
few different ways
We're gonna use an overlay we found from a quick google search. These bars use a 2.35 to 1
aspect ratio when you apply it to your scenes, voila! Filmic!
Always remember to keep your aspect ratio in mind while filming so no important details in your frame get cropped out when the bars are
applied. You can apply aspect ratio guides in almost every modern camera today
Yeah, and if you don't have guides tape your monitor with some gaff tape, so, you know where the frame lines are.
Film grain. Adding a film grain effect is another way to get that film look and give texture to your footage
There are some cheaper options out there, but I highly recommend using a plugin like FilmConvert.
This plugin has a ton of options to customize your style
You can even choose what type of film stock you want to emulate and the size like 16 millimeter 35 millimeter, etc
And it looks very organic. Yes it does. Here's a clip with
And without FilmConvert plugin applied
Pretty filmy. Unbelievably filmy! Uncannily filmy!
Film in 24p, this might seem like an obvious one, but it's worth mentioning
We've all sort of become accustomed to seeing the films projected at 24 frames per second
This frame rate gives a slight motion blur to your footage and a unique motion characteristic, which may be what gives 24p
That certain "je ne sais quoi" that we know and love. Higher frame rates such as 30 or 60p
Can sometimes look too real or give you that soap-opera effect?
Don't leave me Christian! Why you do this to me?! Do no leave me! Oh Manuel!
It may be a matter of subjective taste but most Hollywood movies are still filmed in 24p. Today,
most modern video cameras have the option to film at 24 P or
23.976
So if you want a filmic look set your frame rate to 24 P!
Applying a color grade to
Your footage is an important part of the cinematic feel depending on the style or feeling of your scene
You can adjust the color to match
For example, if it's a sad scene you might want to use more blue or cooler tones
And for a happy memory, you may want to use more warmer or oranges
Yeah, so in general if I'm working with flat or log footage
I like to bring down the black levels and add some contrast and also decrease the saturation a bit
Here's what that looks like
Of course each project should have a color grade that fits its style
If you're an Adobe Premiere try using the Lumetri color panel
Which has a number of look presets to get you started quickly. In this clip from our film Memory Keeper,
We added some contrast brought down the black levels and applied a cooler tone to the grade. That's some good-looking stuff man. Thanks
Did you like that I did I really enjoyed it. You've never seen it. I've never seen it. Great
Shallow depth-of-field can sometimes be overused today with all the full-frame hype but when shallow depth is used in that right way
It can be very visually captivating and cinematic
Absolutely to get that shallow depth use a lens with a low f-stop
For example, most prime lenses will go to a 1/4 or 1.8
At least check out this shot filmed with a Rokinon 50 millimeter 1.4 lens at a wide open aperture of f/1.4
Here's the same shot at an f/ 11
The shallower depth pulls us into the frame and we're more focused on what the filmmaker wants us to see
With everybody these days, even my ma, having a camera gimbal
It's just easy to overuse camera movement, but when it's done, right and for the right reason in a scene
It can be more powerful than static shot. Using a dolly
Steadicam or even a monopod or other tools you can use to add movement. So here's a shot where the camera is static
And here's that same shot camera movement the movement can pull the audience into the scene
So use camera movement selectively to enhance your cinematography in your film. And say hello to your mother for me
Absolutely. Hey, ma! Hey Sean! You want to come over ma and shoot some film jams with me? Yeah, that sounds cool
let's shoot a film jams! Gee ma. You sure are pretty. What?
Slow motion when used in key moments can really add a cinematic feel to your film
They can inject a surreal quality and allow your audience to see things from a different perspective
Slow motion for me! Slow motion for me kids! Here's a shot of a scene in slow-mo
And here's the same scene standard 24p
Not quite the same feeling. Slow-mo is a powerful tool but use it wisely
Daniel-san doesn't use the crane kick
every time, he saves it for someone special
Digital cameras have gotten so clean and some might say clinical looking that many
cinematographers today use softening filters in front of the lens to give scenes
especially of people a more organic feel. Using something like a Schneider's Hollywood Blackmagic filter can add a subtle softness glow and
Cinematic feel to your footage. Here's a clip with the filter and
Here's a clip without the filter. With the filter,
Without the filter.
Soft and smooth like my legs. Oh, wow, that's nice
Yeah, that does feel more cinematic. Sure does yeah
Well, let us know in the comments of any other ideas, and please feel free to use our Amazon affiliate links below
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Film is, just a thing I do. Film is, it's what we like to do. Film is,
cinematic and fun