How to make an ordinary little town look like a scene from a Hollywood movie?
How to fake drone shots, how to get views
and angles you don't see from your typical eye level?
All will be revealed in this very scenic tutorial.
Ahoj, this is Zdenka. If you are into photography and video,
consider subscribing.
Let's start from a plain look,
building it up all the way to this Hollywood look.
I'm using an iPhone 14 pro
filming in native camera app in automatic mode.
It's not noon.
It's 5:20 a.m,
very shortly before sunrise.
To get light like this,
you don't necessarily have to get up that early.
You can also get a very similar light in the evening
during sunset and shortly after sunset.
If you will be filming in native camera app with no additional accessories,
you will only get this typical look.
So how do you get this look instead?
Well, you will need some accessories.
This is Freewell Sherpa series phone case.
This is 1.55x Freewell anamorphic lens Sherpa
with ND filters. To be able to get high drone or crane shots,
you need a gimbal and monopod.
This is Hohem iSteady M6
gimbal with remote and I footage Monopod.
I will link all those tools
below the video in a video description for those interested.
When it comes to filming
with anamorphic lenses, you have two choices. You can film a native
camera app in automatic mode and desqueeze the footage in a post.
Better option would be filming in a third party app, which has a setting
dedicated to anamorphic lens and a where you can also film in a manual mode.
I chose to film in 4K resolution, 60 frames per second frame rate,
shutter speed 1/120th, ISO the lowest option 57.
I used an appropriate ND filter from the package to get balanced exposure.
White balance I had to set was 5600 Kelvin.
I could go with a colder white balance,
but I purposely chose that setting
to get this specific look. In accessories
I selected 1.55x anamorphic lens,
and in the record section I chose Standard Stabilization.
Many of you asked me in the past if the stabilization should be turned off
if you are using a gimbal.
If you turn it off, you will get this footage.
As you can see, it is quite shaky,
that is why I chose standard stabilization.
To get the most creative freedom in the post, whenever possible,
start filming from being behind the object in foreground
or using sky for possible transition.
The same goes for ending the shot.
Hide behind an object in the foreground.
This will give you more opportunities for creative transitions.
Another perfect example would be taking advantage of buildings.
Get as close to it as possible, panning from one street to another one. Quick shot
which can be very handy in the post for transitions from one place to another.
Inception mode
will give you a continuous 360 degrees spin.
Perfect for unusual creative shots.
These were warm up shots.
Let's add a monopod to the picture to get those high and low crane shots
almost looking like a drone footage.
You don't get that from your typical eye level.
To make the shots really stand out,
look for any structure where you can go very closely around
or under or above.
Most of the shots were filmed in lock mode.
This gimbal
is extremely responsive to any movement and there is literally no restriction.
Once you frame the shot, you don't even have to look and move in any direction.
The gimbal never failed at holding a perfect frame.
Typical panning shots
will also look more interesting from a lower point of view.
The monopod will make your job much easier as you don't have to bend.
This is a very lightweight monopod even though you can stretch it very high.
I'm 5'9"
and this is how long the monopod really is.
When it comes to sunrise
and calm water, don't only film against the sun.
Turn around and check out the reflection.
The nicest shot you will get once
you go very low, close to the water.
A simple shiny pole will help
3 ways.
You will see a bit of a sun reflection,
you will get a more dynamic shot as you will be passing it
very closely in the foreground
and you can also use this pole as a transition to a different location.
Another pole shot is this one.
This time taking advantage of this structure
at the top, making the shot look very interesting.
Don't just stand at one spot, but move.
Go forward, sideways, add long continuous moves.
Hohem iSteady M6 has an AI tracking sensor, so if you are filming by yourself
and you want to be in the shot, you certainly can.
The gimbal will follow you.
Giving the impression that there was another camera person.
I filmed this shot in cinematic mode in native camera app,
which means that I had to desqueezed a clip in a post.
Anamorphic lens
gives you the beautiful signature light streak.
Most people would not even think that a typical tree line
can give you an an extremely dynamic shot due to the streaks you get as
we are passing by. Get as close to the trees as possible.
Bring your monopod as high as you can and just keep walking.
As tall as I am,
sometimes I wish I could reach even higher.
I was hoping to get through this streetlight, but it didn't work out.
I'm quite positive the light would give
very interesting light reflections.
Instead, I filmed it a bit lower,
which still gave a very cool look.
instead of a just plain shot going down,
walking around in a spin direction gives a very eye catching look.
Gazebo has the same effect as a tree line.
The light streaks will be flashing as you walk by.
Combine it with foreground elements by being as close to the gazebo as possible.
Don't make just a quick shot. Keep moving.
Keep going and let your eyes naturally capture what you see around.
You can always trim the clip if you don't want to use the whole thing,
but you will get an option to choose the nicest segment.
Here is a perfect
example of this gimbal's ability to help you maintain a locked frame
on a very long shot. Go to the ending position,
frame the exact view you want to achieve,
make sure the gimbal is indeed in a lock mode.
Go all the way to the beginning of the shot and just keep
walking towards your final shot in creative direction.
Take advantage of any foreground objects.
Keep your shot low,
so you are passing through.
You're not going to get the same view
if you would film much higher.
And it can
do the same thing as you are backing up.
In this shot, I'm taking advantage of the large black object
at the end, which can be used for a transition.
Whenever you film in a city or town,
think of the large store windows as they will give you lots of reflection.
Always keep close to windows.
This will also give you an interesting foreground
as you will be passing by all kinds of different objects.
Don't film in your eye level, but rather lower the shot to get a view
you don't normally see.
The other option, which will give you an absolutely amazing view,
And this is, in my opinion, the best shot from that morning,
by moving your gimbal as high as possible.
All those little store signs will give you that typical Hollywood
look you see in the movies.
Anamorphic lens
can be used with standard lens and also a telephoto lens.
It is a good idea to switch it a bit to get different focal lengths.
A variety to your final video.
Crossing the street will add a different view.
Make sure to start and finish from the building wall.
This can be also used for a transition.
Cars have interesting shapes and they also reflect the light.
Think of the unusual view you can get if you film from above.
Make sure you don't see your feet in a shot, though.
Frame your shot first to make sure you are facing
the ground before you lift up the gimbal and monopod.
Keep looking, make sure your frame did not move.
You might adjust it with a joystick and try the shot a few times to get the right.
Here's a car reflection I mentioned before.
Get close.
The park is a park and will always look like a park.
However, if you see something like these bird houses,
you will change the typical look of a park. Circle around
or walk by.
Last shot is here.
This one was created with the help of the remote.
In the gimbal review video
I mentioned that the remote has limited functions.
Well, I have to give a big shout out to BlairAir
who left a comment with a complete guide for this remote.
Besides starting and stopping recording, moving the joystick to the side,
you can also change gimbal modes with the M button.
Press it once for pan follow,
2x for pan tilt follow,
3x for lock,
4x for POV.
If you press and hold the M button for 5 seconds,
the led on the remote turns blue momentarily.
Now the up and down arrow buttons zoom in and out.
Press M button 5 seconds again and it goes back
to tilting the gimbal up and down with arrow buttons.
So here in this shot, I use the arrows on the remote
as a joystick, creating a tilt movement from the top down.
All right.
Let's pick some of the nicest shots add some music and some light color
grade, by the way, the music is from Epidemic Sound.
You will get a one month free the links below in a video description.
I'm going to add the name of the song as you always ask me in a comments.
Let's just play it now.
Give it the thumbs up.
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Leave a comment below and perhaps check out one of these videos next.
See you in the next one.
Cau... Ahoj....
So it's 24, 30.
I have no other way of making it 60 frames per second so...
Yeah, I forgot the gesture.
So many gimbals and they have all different gestures.
Okay.