There is nothing about a “cinematic video” that is inherently expensive. Cinematic video is all about how you employ light, movement, composition and editing to make emotion and structure out of it. Even if you are shooting a basic video on your phone, the video can still look cinematic if you do it with intent.
A lot of videos made by beginners look flat and “random”, and it’s not because they don’t have the right gear or equipment. It’s because they didn’t plan out or think about the visual structure of what they were shooting. The good news is you can solve this problem immediately once you understand the principles I’m about to share with you.
Visualize scenes, not shots
This is actually a huge point of divergence between regular videos and cinematic videos. Beginners are used to shooting one-off shots without really thinking about how those shots link together. When you shoot video in a cinematic fashion, you are more often than not shooting to tell a story.
Before you shoot, try to ask yourself how you would like your video to feel. Even a simple concept, walking around the city, making coffee, or even a landscape, can be turned into a shot-sequence with a distinct intro, climax and outro, to make it feel intentional, and not random.
Movement should be purposeful
Camera movement is one of the most common ways to make a video feel more dynamic, however, it can be counter-productive if it’s just there for the sake of movement.
Instead of trying to be constantly moving your camera around, ask yourself why your camera should move. Maybe you want to build tension with a slow push-in, or maybe you want to reveal new parts of your frame through a smooth pan. Even just static shots can work to make the shot look cinematic if it’s done well.
In general, any controlled camera movement looks much more professional than uncontrolled movement.
Master the use of light
Lighting is one of the most important aspects of cinematic video. It can completely alter the feel of the mood, and the overall atmosphere of your video. Soft and natural lighting can often feel much more polished and emotional than dark and artificial lighting.
You can try filming your scene near a window or just during golden hour when the light is a bit warmer and directional. If you can, you may want to film your subject from the side or with the light behind them, as this can create interesting silhouettes.
You don’t need a complex lighting setup to create cinematic lighting in your videos. You just have to be mindful of how light will affect the overall shot.
Keep your compositions minimal
A cinematic video usually has a very clean and minimal composition. Everything within the frame should serve the video, or it can be distracting and clutter.
There are plenty of great composition rules you can follow, such as rule of thirds, leading lines, framing and negative space, but the main thing you want is for your shot to feel like the subject should immediately grab the eye of the viewer. A well framed and composed shot can make an ordinary moment feel epic and cinematic.
Edit your video to feel like a story
Editing is one of the most important parts of the production process, and one of the biggest differentiators in cinematic and amateur video. You want your video to flow naturally, not just with a bunch of effects and quick cuts.
Focus on editing your video based on rhythm and pacing instead. Allow the shot to breathe for as long as it feels appropriate and try cutting to the movement or emotion, instead of just the action. Good editing in video is something that can make a video feel cohesive and fluid, while not necessarily feeling obtrusive to the viewer.
Final thoughts
To make your videos look cinematic, it doesn’t necessarily have to be expensive or high-end. Start thinking about your videos as a story, and learn to control your movement, light and composition to simplify your shots. If you start thinking of all of these things, you will find your videos start to feel much more polished and professional with very little effort.
Cinematic video isn’t something that you buy. It’s something that you make through practice.