Although digital video technology has made it more affordable for independent filmmakers to produce their own projects for little cost, there is still a considerable aesthetic difference between film and video. You can almost always tell when footage has been shot on video and when it has been shot on film. However, if you know the right techniques, you can make your video look more like film, and give your project a more professional look.
1. CAMERA - Your camera’s ability to reproduce color and other visual information is vital to creating a film look. Your camera should have 3CCD’s, meaning that it uses three chips to break up light entering the camera, separating it into the primary colors. Your camera should also be equipped with a considerabl amount of manual control, which will enable you to get the image you want.
2. LIGHTING - Proper lighting makes a considerable difference in the way your video will look. Rent or borrow a light kit on all your films and practice using it. Becoming more familiar with lighting will help your projects look their best.
3. DEPTH OF FIELD - One major difference between film and video is the depth of field, or how much of the image stays in focus. In video, everything from foreground to background remains in focus. Films most often employ a shallow depth of field, meaning that the subject is in focus while the background is out of focus. You can achieve a shallow depth of field for video by doing the following: a) Open your camera’s aperature all the way (indicated by a low f-stop number, like f1.8), b) Place the camera at least fifteen feet away from your subject, c) zoom in until the shot is framed the way you want it d) focus on your subject; you will notice that the background falls out of focus.
4. SHUTTER - Film is projected at 24 frames per second (fps) while video is viewed at 30 fps. Film has a distinct “flicker” that can be seen as you watch. If you are using a 3-chip camera (3CCD’s), more than likely it is equipped with a shutter effect, which will give your video a film-like flicker. For the Canon XL-1s, this is achieved by setting the camera to “frame” mode. You can also create a strobe look by setting your camera’s shutter speed to a slower setting, like 1/30. Many cameras now have the ability to shoot in 24P (progressive), which mimicks the 24 fps of film.
5. SOFTENED EDGES - The look of video is very distinctive because of its clean, sharp edges. Film, in contrast, has much softer edges. Check your camera to see if it allows you to adjust the sharpness level of the image. If so, decrease the sharpness until the edges of your subject become softer.
6. COLOR - In most films, the colors are very rich and warm. In video the colors can become flat. Your video can also have rich color by the right use of lighting, but also by bumping up the color gain slightly.
7. EXPOSURE - Let’s say you are shooting a scene in an office where a businessperson sits behind a desk. The lighting may look great in the office, but what about the daylight streaming in from the window behind him? In video this backlight will blow out. In film, cinematographers can compensate for the window and expose the film accordingly. Video doesn’t have that much leeway (yet), but there are a few things you can do - a) if possible, select a location with tinted windows, or blinds that can be closed a little, b) use a filter on your camera lens, like a polarizer; this should cut down the glare, c) heavily light the office interior and then iris down to compensate; this will knock down the amount of light coming in through the window (of course it will also get really hot on set, and you might trip a breaker, if there is too much wattage on one circuit - be careful).
8. CAMERA MOVES - The right camera movements can give your project a film-like quality. I personally like to employ the use of a dolly - a camera platform with four wheels that enables the camera to glide through a scene smoothly. Professional dollies are expensive, so if you can’t afford to buy one, and you can’t borrow one, then be creative. There are instructions out there on how to build your own dolly using little more than PVC pipe and skateboard wheels.
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