Here’s a bit of advice on breaking down how to create that “cinematic” look — including some helpful and creative resources.
First and foremost, let’s talk about what a “cinematic” look even means. In the past, “cinematic” might have simply been used to describe the look of movies shot on film. One could find a “cinematic” film look in photography, advertisements, or design.
However, ever since the advent of digital video and the revolution of run-and-gun videographers, weekend DPs, and YouTube vloggers, the term has become a catch-all for anything that hearkens back to cinema and film — whether that’s colors and aesthetics, or other aspects such as frame rate or shutter speed — or even camera movements, motion, and composition.
There’s nothing wrong with trying to capture a cinematic look for your videos or projects. In fact, it’s perhaps easier now than ever, with even the most basic camera setups. So, let’s dive into some helpful tutorials that can teach you how to get the look you want.
1. Choose the Right Lens
One of the best ways to create cinematic footage right off the bat is to choose the right lens. Sure, you could argue that the camera is just as important for capturing the highest quality footage possible. However, it’s the lens that will truly give you that cinematic quality.
If you own the best camera in the world but shoot with a cheap, poorly constructed lens, your footage won’t look great. However, there are tons of examples of consumer-grade cameras capturing some truly inspiring footage — with the right lenses.
2. Use Film Grain Overlays
Another quick trick for making your footage look more cinematic is to use film grain in your edit. In this tutorial, Zach Ramelan breaks down how these grain overlays can turn even the most ordinary digital footage into sequences that look like they were shot on film decades ago.
You can read more about his process here — and get your own film grain overlay pack from RocketStock here.
3. Create Cinematic Movement
Capturing a cinematic look isn’t just about your camera, lenses, or your edit. It can also be about your composition and how you choose to move your camera. In this breakdown by Benjamin Jaworskyj, we get some awesome insights into how using a gimbal setup can make any solo videography shoot more dynamic and cinematic.