5 Ways to Make Your Video Look More Cinematic

Aspiring filmmakers often wish to give their videos a more movie-like, cinematic look and feel. While expensive cameras and proper lighting play a role, clever application of editing techniques and effects can also take videos to the next level in emulating professional visuals.
With smartphones capable of capturing content once limited to film, new tools now empower all creators to realize their visions. This article will explore five simple tricks that editors can implement to lend their projects enhanced production value on modest budgets.
By prioritizing camera movement, lighting, color correction, aspect ratios, and sound design, even casual videos can achieve a polished finished appearance.

5 Ways to Make Your Video Look More Cinematic You Need to Know

Here are some tips you need to know:

• ● Storyboard is the First Step
  A storyboard is the foundation of any well-edited video. By mapping out your vision in a comic-like strip before filming, you’ll ensure your footage is capturing exactly what you need to effectively tell your story.
  As any good promo video company knows, storyboarding allows you to foresee challenges or limitations in advance so you can overcome them during production. It also helps optimize camera placement and scene composition for professional-level results.
  Taking the time to storyboard doesn’t just help with editing – it streamlines your entire shoot and leaves little need for retakes. An organized storyboard expedites post-production, so your resources are spent where it matters most – on your final creative product.

• ● Color Grading
  Color grading allows editors to fine-tune the tone, mood, and professionalism of any video through strategic adjustments to hue, saturation, and brightness levels.
  For example, a corporate video production may apply cooler shades of blue and grey to lend a sophisticated and polished appearance appropriate for the client’s brand. Alternatively, warmer tones like gold can make interview sequences feel more natural and personable. Proper color treatment also helps footage from different cameras or locations integrate cohesively into a uniform visual style.
  With practice, skilled video editors develop an intuitive sense of how subtle color shifts subtly guide emotional perception. Harnessing these nuanced psychological factors elevates any video through a well-calibrated grade.
• ● Utilize Slow Motion Options
  Slow motion is a simple yet highly effective way to draw viewers into the story and immerse them in pivotal moments. When applied judiciously, it can breathe cinematic gravitas into even casual content.
  For example, the slo-mo of athletes in action highlights their superhuman abilities through balletic choreography of movement. In cooking tutorials, important steps like flipping an omelet or kneading dough feel dramatic and satisfying at 30% speed.
  Slowing passages of interviews prevents blink-and-you-miss-it reactions or fleeting gestures from passing by unnoticed. Editors should experiment with their software’s versatile slow-motion controls to unlock the technique’s suspense-building and emphasis-lending properties. With a discerning eye, slow motion elevates scenes without overpowering the overall pacing.

• ● Film Editing
  Film editing refers to the creative process of assembling camera takes and selecting shots to form a coherent story or message. An experienced editor understands how to strategically sequence scenes, omit redundant footage, and utilize transitional elements like cuts, fades, and dissolves to craft a fluid narrative experience.
  Editing sketches like shot logs and timelines helps visualize the overall structure before spending hours at the computer. Simple adjustments to shot order or duration can profoundly alter the emotion and understanding conveyed.
  Experienced editors finely tune pacing and tone through close reviews and tweaks. For projects requiring multiple shots per scene, editing brings filmed material to life through carefully considered shot construction and flow.
• ● Don’t Zoom!
  While optical zoom functions on many cameras seem convenient for composition, relying too heavily on digital pinch and push can actually detract from image quality and professionalism.
  Instead of chasing subjects around with Zoom, filmmakers should make camera movements more intentional. Slow dollies, pans, and static master shots keep viewers immersed without disruption from zoom adjustments.
  Learning basic camera maneuvers also empowers more dynamic blocking of actors and precise coverage of the action. Stable images appear higher end, while zooms can induce dizziness. Editors then cut selectively between wide and tight frames for clarity and impact.
• ● Be Aware of Lighting and Use it Well.
  Good lighting is fundamental to cinematic video production. Rather than simply aiming for brightness, skilled editors collaborate with cinematographers to achieve flattering illumination of subjects through intentional placement and modification of light sources.
  Bouncing light off walls can soften harsh shadows and silhouettes, while spotlights draw focus to important actions or details. When weather or location imposes limits, reflector boards minimize unattractive glare and brightly reveal faces.
  Light ratios between key figures and backgrounds also influence depth and separation. With a nuanced understanding of light and shadow, even simple scenes take on lively drama through intelligent lighting design. This foundational technique deserves dedicated effort for polished results.

Frequently Asked Questions

• ● How much does it cost to make videos look more cinematic?
  Many of the techniques discussed require only free or inexpensive software and modest equipment you likely already own, like your phone. While higher-quality gear offers benefits, you can achieve striking results with optimization of lighting, editing, color, and more through creativity rather than budget.
• ● Do you need help learning cinematic techniques?
  Some skills like color grading or complex camera moves take practice but the basics can be graspable for any skill level. Start with one tip at a time, experiment freely, and view tutorials to build experience over time. Focus on mastering technique applications rather than expecting immediate perfection. With use, the techniques become simpler.
• ● How long does it take to see results?
  You should notice improvements even after attempting just one suggested technique on your next video. However, editors consistently refine their “cinematic voice” over months by regularly applying various strategies across multiple projects. Be patient, as developing a discerning artistic eye resembles any learning process with gradual returns through continuous efforts.
• ● Can these techniques be used for anything other than films?
  Absolutely. Cinematic techniques transform not only narratives but also promotional, tutorial, interview, or product videos by enhancing mood, professionalism, and viewer engagement. Videographers of all genres can find applications, whether capturing skits, weddings, events, travelogues, tutorials, podcasts, or more, to impress audiences with polished, impactful visual storytelling.

Conclusion

The beauty of these cinematic techniques is that they can all be tested without heavy expenses. Editors should experiment freely to discover what effect mixing and matching works best for their style and platform.
While not meant as an exhaustive list, implementing a few of these fundamental strategies per video will take outputs noticeably closer to what consumers associate with premium productions.
Most importantly, the visual polish must remain secondary to compelling storytelling and creativity. With ongoing practice and an inquisitive approach, any videographer can develop a repertoire of skills to breathe immersive life into their films.