Master Cinematic Video Techniques: Storytelling, Lighting & Composition

foreign [Music] has been going around a lot lately and I

feel like if you knew what it meant it would help you make better videos the crazy thing is all cinematic really

means is adding characteristics to your videos know that there are different techniques

that can make your videos look and feel cinematic like cinematic storytelling [Music]

cinematic visuals [Music] their cinematic sound

[Music] and cinematic experience [Music]

foreign what's up everyone if you're new here my name is Desiree lacap AKA capture I'm a

filmmaker and content creator sharing all tips tricks and hacks with you but if you've been here already I'm super

grateful to have you back all right we're gonna get straight into it we know that the word cinematic is being used

everywhere and we see it all over social media and I'm not knocking it either but let's dive into how we can make anything

look cinematic by defining some key tools to know [Music]

cinematic refers to anything related to or characteristics of motion pictures or films the term is commonly used to

describe elements techniques or qualities that are associated with the medium of Cinema it can Encompass

various aspects of filmmaking storytelling and visual presentation nowadays we see a ton of beautiful

cinematic cinematography from all creators on social media so when something is described as cinematic it

often implies that it has a particular aesthetic or visual style commonly found in movies I mentioned those elements in

the intro but let's dive in a little bit deeper so first we have cinematic storytelling it's basically a narrative

style that unfolds like a film right with a clear beginning middle and end we've been seeing this a lot on social

media is Cinematic visuals write a focus on visual composition cinematography lighting and camera movements to create

visually engaging experiences and I've been saying a lot of really good things along with those two we have cinematic

sound I feel like the cherry on top it's like a high quality and immersive sound design including music dialogue and

sound effects that enhance the emotional impact of any scenes I would say sound is just as important as composition this

is something that we don't often see on social media but a lot in movies or in shows is Cinematic effects right the use

of special effects CGI which is computer generated imagery or practical effects to create impressive and spectacular

scenes so with all that the Cinematic storytelling visuals sound and effects is the most important thing cinematic

experience it's how are you making your audience feel while they're watching the video so the overall feeling of watching

something that resembles or evokes the emotions and Sensations typically associated with watching a movie

cinematic you can hear that a lot in this video is often used as a compliment when describing certain video games TV

shows advertisements or any other form of media that emulates the style and presentations of films it signifies a

level of production quality and attention to detail that brings a cinematic feel to the work now that

we've defined what cinematic is and what elements we could bring into making something look and feel cinematic let's

get into some composition tips foreign some of these before but overall

practice makes perfect and just do it so when you're framing your shot keep the rule of thirds in mind imagine a three

by three grade overlay on your frame dividing into nine equal parts position key elements along the grid lines or

their intersections to create a balance and Visually pleasing composition for example when you're framing a subject

they usually sit in the center because that's where our eye tends to rest on the other hand for interviews usually

you want to have your subject placed like this especially if they're intentionally talking to someone who's

asking the questions this essentially creates look space if the subject is looking out of the frame and not

directly towards the camera then it's better to have more space in the direction in which they are looking

rather than behind them or then it becomes and feels awkward to the audience next up use leading lines feel

like a parrot because I repeated this but leading lines is a compositional technique of using natural or man-made

lines in your frame in such a way that it guides your viewers attention towards your subject so they could be seen

literally anywhere no matter where you are so to better understand start with path borders like an aisle hallway or

even stairs frame within a frame so basically use elements in the scene like doors windows or Arc ways to create a

frame around your subject adding depth and drawing attention to the focal point creating an additional frame can direct

the viewer's focus and attention more immediately towards the subject so by Framing a subject with visual elements

filmmakers are basically underscoring or highlighting the area of the shot where the viewer should look if your shot

seems to fall flat look for any opportunity to use additional framing this will force you to utilize either

the foreground Middle Ground background or all of it in your composition Shadows are crucial compositional elements that

set the atmosphere of a picture they create depth Dimension and even subject matter in your shot with the use of

Shadows the outlines stand out more right leading the viewers eyes to the subject ideally you should choose a

sunny day with hard light conditions to have great results aside from film and right there's post-production so edit

with a purpose the editing process is just as important as filming a lot of people will tell you to have the edit in

mind while you're filming and although that is true and very helpful when you're first starting out try not to

over complicate yourself and just go out and film what you want to film because when you get to editing cut and sequence

your shots thoughtfully add transitions consider color grading to enhance the cinematic feel lastly but not lastly

here experiment and break rules while rules can provide helpful guidelines don't be afraid to break them for

Creative effects sometimes unconventional compositions can make a scene stand out and this is your best

way to create your own style by trying different things that are especially out the ordinary if you think your idea is

weird it really is not and I say this time and time again pursue all your ideas no matter how Wild it seems

because you never know you'll end up setting something up for yourself and maybe starting something on to the next

lighting lighting is a crucial aspect of any visual medium whether it's photography

videography or even setting the Ambiance in a room and can help make your shot look and feel cinematic I understand

that not everyone may have access to any lighting gear so the best thing to do is start with natural light begin by

practicing with natural light which is a beautiful sunshine that we get outside as it is readily available and free so

the best way to do that is observe how light changes throughout the day and in different weather conditions this will

help you understand how light angles and intensities affects your subject a lot of what I film especially when I'm not

filming inside is indeed the natural beautiful sunlight while using pretty affordable gear like an ND filter for my

lenses which is like sunglasses for my lenses or diffuser or a reflector that can help control lighting a bit more but

overall especially if you're just getting started try not to think too much about lighting and just start

filming anything and everything with lighting the thing to do is pay attention to Direction the direction of

light affects shadows and highlights on your subject so front lighting light source in front of the subject provides

an even lighting but could often look flat and then side lighting create depth and texture when you're doing a side

lighting and you have your subject next to a window and they're lit on one side it's always suggested to film on the

shadow side because that creates depth then lastly backlighting can create a halo effect and add drama which also

creates a silhouette consider the mood and the story so lighting can convey different emotions and tell a story

right for example warm soft lighting might create a cozy atmosphere while cold harsh lighting can evoke tension

think about what message or mood you want to convey through your lighting choices lastly but not so lastly

practice practice like any skill practice is key to improving your lighting techniques

experiment with different setups lighting angles and subjects so don't be afraid to make mistakes because I can

often lead to valuable learning experiences and remember lighting is an art form and there are no strict rules

as you gain experience you'll develop your style and understanding of how to use lighting creatively to enhance your

visual work what I suggest to do is watch films and videos with the critical eye right paying attention to how they

use camera techniques or lighting and storytelling to create a cinematic experience with dedication and

creativity you can capture stunning dope cinematic shots that Captivate your audience all you have to do is do it

just start there's one thing that I've learned throughout my journey so far is that I've held myself back and I've

self-sabotaged a ton by just sitting there and questioning how do I do it where do I start am I good enough this

idea worth pursuing and so many questions in my head rather than just going out to do it getting the

experience and learning from it and having fun while doing it well I'm excited to see where you go with your

journey I truly hope you took something away from this video please like comment share and subscribe because I am indeed

coming in hot with some fire content continue being great go out and create and have fun doing it I'll see you all

at the next video peace [Music] thank you

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