How to Make Cinematic Videos: Storytelling, Shooting, and Editing Tips

Introduction to Cinematic Storytelling

Andrew, a filmmaker with over 5 years of experience, explains that stories are the backbone of any cinematic piece. He uses a simple analogy involving a pot, a plant, and soil to describe the three essential components of a good story:

Structure (Pot): The framework that holds the story together.
Character/Subject (Plant): The main focus or protagonist.
Development (Soil): The growth and progression of the story.

He emphasizes the importance of following your intuition and writing stories that personally interest you, even if the process is messy or slow. Authenticity often resonates more with audiences than trying to guess what they want.

Planning Your Shots with a Shot List

Before filming, Andrew stresses the importance of creating a shot list to align visuals with the story. His approach includes:

Starting with wide establishing shots to set the scene.
Using close-ups to convey emotion and connect viewers with the subject.
Introducing action shots that highlight key story moments.

He encourages experimenting with camera angles and movements to enhance storytelling. For more on this, check out Mastering Camera Angles: A Guide to Enhancing Your Storytelling.

Mastering Lighting for Cinematic Quality

Lighting is a critical factor in making shots look cinematic. Andrew shares his lighting setup:

Use haze to diffuse light and soften the scene.
Set practical background lights to provide context and depth.
Employ the "Cinematic Triangle" with a key light (softbox) illuminating half the face, creating contrast and shadows.

This setup separates subject lighting from background lighting, adding depth and realism. For a deeper dive into lighting techniques, refer to Master Cinematic Video Techniques: Storytelling, Lighting & Composition.

Editing: Bringing Your Video to Life

Editing combines music, color, and rhythm to finalize the video:

Choose music that fits the story’s emotion and pace.
Edit clips to match the rhythm of the chosen music.
Record and refine narration or voiceovers, using Andrew’s free audio preset for improved sound quality.
Apply color grading to enhance footage vibrancy and mood, using presets developed over years for a film-like look. For more on this process, see Mastering Script Writing: A Proven 5-Step Framework for Engaging Content.

Creating Thumbnails and Using Camera Sliders

Andrew creates thumbnails by capturing stills from recorded scenes, focusing on contrasting colors and good lighting. For dynamic shots, he uses a simple camera slider technique, moving the camera smoothly to add cinematic motion.

Organizing Creative Projects with Milanote

Andrew uses Milanote, a digital whiteboard platform, to organize his creative process:

Curate color palettes and mood boards.
Use checklists to stay on track.
Drag and drop visual inspirations and connect them to shot lists.
Integrate music to align scriptwriting with the video’s tempo.
Collaborate by inviting others to review and comment on boards.

Milanote helps streamline pre-production and maintain creative focus. For insights on creative organization, check out Expert Filmmakers Share Insights on Directing, Creativity, and Industry Challenges.

Embracing Failure and Continuous Learning

Andrew encourages creators to embrace failure as a vital part of growth. Trying new ideas, learning from mistakes, and iterating leads to better storytelling and filmmaking skills.

Conclusion

This video offers a transparent look into Andrew’s filmmaking workflow, from story conception to final edit. By focusing on authentic storytelling, thoughtful shot planning, effective lighting, and organized creativity, filmmakers can elevate their cinematic videos. Embrace your unique process, experiment boldly, and keep learning through failure.