Master Cinematic Lighting and Framing with These 25 Tips | Dylan Batista

[00:00:00]Whether you are a beginner or have been doing this for years now, [music] I have 25 tips you should consider to become a better cinematographer and [music] filmmaker. Let's get right into it.

[00:00:10]Tip number one. The number one tip for your cinematography is to shoot from the shadow side.

[00:00:15]>> [music] >> I will always say this. If you are a beginner and you're not placing your camera on the opposite plane of your strongest light source, it will be hard to create beautiful visuals. Look at the movies and shows you watch, even short films here on YouTube. If you think a shot think about where the light is coming from. [music] The camera is most likely against the light and where the light comes from is one of the first things you should think about when creating your shots.

[00:00:40]Tip number two.

[00:00:41]>> [music] >> You can and should gather inspiration from anything and everything. Not only from the films and shows you watch, but you could get it from any art form like paintings and from your daily life.

[00:00:53]There's great inspiration to be found on YouTube as well with more and more filmmakers creating short films that are uploaded straight onto here.

[00:01:00]Look around you for inspiration that makes telling your story unique to you.

[00:01:05]Tip number three.

[00:01:06]Pre-production is a must if you want to succeed in whatever you make.

[00:01:10]You need to properly plan your shoots and projects to create the best work you can create. This is when you start figuring out how you're going to reach that final creation. You problem solve and plan and things might not go according to the plan, but the more you prepare in this stage, [music] the easier the whole process will be. You can always pivot or change things as you go, but you have a good start to get the work done.

[00:01:33]Tip number four.

[00:01:34]Don't focus on the camera gear you use.

[00:01:36]It doesn't really matter what camera you're shooting on. The only thing that matters is the experience you get while using that camera. Cameras that come out now all have incredible image quality with barely noticeable differences.

[00:01:48][music] They come with different features that are good for varied use cases, so you need to see what is best for your own voice and style, stick to it, and not listen to others' opinions if it doesn't [music] affect the work you can make.

[00:02:00]What you put in front of that camera matters way more as you can create meaningful work [music] even on an iPhone. Tip number five. If you're watching this video and still haven't subscribed to the Adorama Cinema channel, then what are you waiting for?

[00:02:13]You are getting some of the best cinematography, editing, overall filmmaking tips, tricks, and guides you can find here on YouTube. So many different creators and filmmakers are on here to teach you everything you would want to know and make sure to turn on notifications so you don't miss out. Tip number six. This might be the most important tip on this list and that is nothing comes in the way of telling the story. The whole filmmaking process we go through is to serve the story being told. Anything else does not matter.

[00:02:43]Whether it's by yourself or you're working with a crew, you're all there to serve the story you, the director, or whoever it is is trying to [music] tell.

[00:02:51]Never forget that. Tip number seven. If you want to improve your cinematography skills fast, you have to practice. These are the best ways you can practice by yourself. Recreate your favorite shots you've enjoyed in cinema. This is the easiest way to learn how to create the lighting, look, and feel of a shot you admire. Create scenes using that first shot inspiration to create little stories that lead to something more.

[00:03:13]>> [music] >> And make sure it films all by yourself so you can learn what it takes to put it all together. No matter what it is, keep practicing and keep creating. Tip number eight. To continue from the previous tip, keep posting whatever you create.

[00:03:28]The more you post, the more you will learn and see what you need to improve and work on with your skills. If you never post what you make, you won't be able to see the growth you've achieved and how far you've come. Tip number nine. Learn the rules so you can break them. This goes for any rule you might find in filmmaking. Even shooting from the shadow side is a rule we can learn to break if it serves the story we are trying to tell. Any rules we learn when starting can be broken if you know them inside and out. There are no real rules that we must follow every single time.

[00:03:58]Tip number 10. These are the most important aspects to consider within cinematography. They are composition, lighting, camera movement, color, and set design. There's so much that goes into it, but these should be at the top of the list. Tip number 11. You don't need camera movement to tell interesting stories. You are capable of showing things in compelling ways without moving the camera.

[00:04:23]Especially when you're creating by yourself and don't have the tools to move the camera, it's okay to keep it on a tripod. This helps you improve your compositions to make your visuals stand out in each shot. Tip number 12. These are the most important aspects in lighting. Always consider these when lighting your scenes. They are the lighting placement, where the light comes from, the quality of that light source, whether it's harsh or soft, and the color of the light itself, whether it's warm or cool, or an actual color.

[00:04:52]Tip number 13. When lighting your scenes, don't be afraid to mix harsh and soft lighting. That will give you more depth, avoiding a flat look. You'll add dimension, and there should be different qualities of light within a single scene if you're going for a more realistic lighting approach. Tip number 14. There are so many aspects that are part of the composition. Some you want to consider are aspect ratio, focal length, camera angle, focus, positive or negative space, and contrast.

[00:05:22]Tip number 15. For compositions, it's important to think about what you want your audience to see and what should be kept hidden. They don't need to know everything that is happening, or maybe they should be aware of something that your characters aren't noticing.

[00:05:36]Sometimes it's better to show, don't tell.

[00:05:39]Tip number 16. Work on your color grading skills. Especially if you're a cinematographer, it helps when you can bring your own work to life yourself.

[00:05:47]Don't push too hard on the colors when you're first starting to figure it out.

[00:05:51]And if you do, you can always pull it back. And if you want a more in-depth look, you can check out my color grading tutorials on the Adorama Cinerama channel. Tip number 17. Whenever you are filming, no matter what it is, film an extra 10 seconds before you stop recording. This can save you in the edit when you need just a little bit more time than you thought. And it's something so simple and easy you can do every time you press record. Tip number 18. Make use of negative fill. This helps you add contrast back into your shots, get deeper shadows, and a moodier look depending on what you're going for.

[00:06:26]You can use anything black as a negative fill as long [music] as it is big enough to take away light from whatever you're focusing on. Don't be lazy and add negative fill.

[00:06:35]Tip number 19. If you want to create atmosphere and light raising your shots, you need haze. This is what creates volumetric lighting and makes light visible in a space.

[00:06:46]>> [music] >> There are many different haze and fog machines you can use to achieve this look. Just make sure to fan it out in the space and let it settle before you start filming. Tip number 20. You should dirty up the frame. If things feel too clean in your shots, you should try adding more elements into your foreground and background, obstructing the view of your main subject.

[00:07:06]>> [music] >> You don't have to do this in every single shot, but mixing these in here and there can spice up the overall project and can affect the audience on a subconscious level. Greig Fraser is the best at this and you can see throughout the films he's worked on just how far he goes to dirty up his frames. Tip number 21. Don't shoot everything at a shallow depth of field. Let more things come into focus. Let your audience see more of what's around your character and how they interact with the environment.

[00:07:33]Shallow depth of field should be used as a tool and not every single shot needs to be blurry. Think more about why something should be visible in your composition. Tip number 22, you cannot forget about the music and sound design.

[00:07:47]This will help you elevate your visuals and leave a lasting impression. The scores behind your favorite moments in cinema in a packed theater enhance your reaction to what you're seeing [music] on screen. Take that sound away and you lose that impact. Tip number 23, being a cinematographer is more than telling the story visually and creating beautiful images. On set, you need to be able to problem-solve any issues that come up, manage egos or tension from different people depending on how things flow on set, and just be a leader to help get things done so you don't fall behind when filming. Tip number 24, to continue off from the last tip, you simply have to be kind in the film industry. You have to be a people person and be understanding and patient. It can be tough to work on set at times and kindness really goes a long way to make the process better. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter how skilled you are, those around you will remember you more for how great you are to work with than how talented you really are.

[00:08:45]Tip number 25, less is more in filmmaking.

[00:08:49]You can create with a single camera, with a single lens, and minimal gear, and still come out with amazing work.

[00:08:56]You don't need to have so many lights to create cinematic images. You don't need the latest cameras or even cinema glass.

[00:09:03]What you need is a good eye and a story to tell, and sometimes it's best to keep it simple. Having less to work with will help you be more creative with what you want to achieve [music] and how to get there. If you have any more tips you'd like to share, leave them down in the comments below. Leave a like and subscribe if you're new to the channel, and I'll see you in the next one.