The

Steps
to mastering cinematic
video production
to mastering cinematic

Mistakes
Steps

The

The seven steps to mastering cinematic video

production
Cinematic Video, Cinematographer, DOP What do these
terms actually mean? There was a time when a Director
Of Photography Title was earned over a 20 year period and
based on being responsible for running a camera department
on a Hollywood feature film. And while almost every newbie
DSLR shooter now refers to himself not as a cameraman or video
shooter but as a DoP.well let me clarify a few things.
Firstly we do not shoot on film anymore and I doubt many of
the new breed of self proclaimed DoPs have ever loaded a film
magazine let alone turned a film camera over on set.
Thats not really an issue because video is a powerful medium
and with the right skills you can actually make video look better
than film. Theres a certain snobbery towards videography and
most people prefer the term film maker. Bear in mind that the
Red Epic and Arri Alex are video cameras, so dont get too hung
up on a name.
However, it is imperative that if you are going to call yourself
a Director of Photography you have to be a master at
understanding light to truly step up to the plate and deliver on
that DoP Title.
Blow your clients away by learning how to create and deliver
fantastic images. Let the finished video or film do the talking
and you wont have to.

There are seven steps in the process of capturing and creating

a cinematic video film. And Ive incorporated this seven step
process into something I call The Journey of Light.

Understanding this Journey of Light will really help you to

achieve better results when shooting. But before you switch the
camera on, you have to make a number of crucial decisions. So
before I take you through the seven steps, lets start with how you
prepare for a filming session.

Where do you start? At the end!

Never forget that you are making a film for a client and it is your
responsibility as a filmmaker to fulfill the clients expectations. For
that reason, you start with questions, with research and with a
vision of the end.
You have to know what the client wants; what the story is; what
the mood of the story is and who are the people involved.
This is where you begin: by establishing the feeling of your final
piece.
If you can answer those questions and have a sense, right from
the start, of the END, youll be able to make your choice of what
lenses youll need, how youll light the subject, how youll capture
the sound and what support you need for the camera.
Consider this example: youre a portrait photographer adding
video to your portfolio. A couple come to you wanting a film
of their children playing in a forest. However naughty, uncooperative or ugly those kids are, the parents want something
beautiful. They want their memories captured but only the
good ones!
So your job is to get plenty of footage of laughing, playing, cute
kids With kids or animals, its a good idea to shoot about twice
the amount you think youll need.
Because children will be moving about all over the place, you
might not have the chance to set up a tripod. A monopod might
offer you stability while allowing you more freedom to follow the
kids about.

A zoom lens is likely to be the best option in a quickly changing

environment. If for any reason you have to light anything, a
soft light source is the way to go, or if outdoors, a reflector and
somebody to hold it! Some filters could come in handy to help
control contrast in the changing light.
And if you need to capture sound, radio mics are probably your
best bet for older children. You can forget a wired lapel mic, thats
for sure!
If youre getting a cold sweat thinking about all the gizmos
and gadgets you need, then you cant have read the F-Stop
Report on The Five Mistakes Aspiring Filmmakers Make When
Buying Kit And How To Avoid Them! Go and read it itll help
calm you down enough to focus on this one again!
Have a look at the attached RoadMap too in order to clarify
matters further.
OK, so all that should have given you an idea of the way that what
you shoot dictates to a great extent how you shoot. Now lets go
into a little more detail about some of the individual aspects of
filmmaking.

The journey of light

The journey starts with the Subject Matter and Light (1) a
landscape, a person, a widget it can be anything. Light , coming
from the sun or from an artificial source, is reflected off the
subject.

and passes through the matte box (2). In case youre not sure
what a matte box is, its a device used to control stray light and
lens flare and it can also be used to hold glass or plastic camera
filters in place in front of the lens. Its a significant part of the
process.
Next, the light goes through the lens (3). And the choice of lens
is vital. Its what we use to frame the shot, give us perspective
and intimacy a close up is clearly intimate, a wide more generic.
Theres no right or wrong you might feel that a close up with a
wide-angle lens gives a sense of drama. Whatever you choose.

The light will then pass into the camera (4). In the camera is a
sensor, which has a direct relationship with the magnification of
the lens and the distance between subject and lens. Those three
elements (the sensor, the magnification and the distance) give
depth of field control. The camera processing can also give you
aesthetic control over how the image is recorded and so you can
affect the look in camera.

Cinematic movement (5) The camera may well be on a tripod

on the ground hand held or on tracks. And this allows for the
movement (pans, tilts, glides etc). Camera movement involves
your viewer in the story. Knowing how and why to move the
camera is an art in itself.

The recording format (6) will determine how much data is stored,
how much it is compressed and this will have an impact on.
the final stage, which is post-production (7). Thats file conversion,
editing, graphics, color grading and rendering for final output.

This is in many ways the most critical step - you must always
have the end game in mind but it doesnt mean that mistakes
you make during shooting can be magically corrected in post
production. Decisions you make at each and every stage of the
7 steps listed above can enhance or degrade your image, so
getting it right in the field is absolutely essential.
To shoot successfully, you need to have a good understanding of
all these stages.

This can all seem a bit complicated and daunting, I know, and
theres only so much a single report like this can help you with.

But fear not, Ill now try to explain these elements in a bit more
detail now and theres a wealth of further information, advice and
support available to members of the F Stop Academy Inner Circle.

1. The subject matter is, of course, critical. What is the

mood? What emotion are you trying to convey. This is
the critical Pre-Visualisation stage of a production. This
is where the planning and ultra creative ideas happen.
Think about light. You use light to transform the ideas
and concept and turn them into reality. There are three
basic elements: the quality of light (is it soft or hard?);
the colour of light (is it warm or cold?) and the intensity
of light (how bright?)Soft light, as in the shade of a tree
on a sunny day, is flattering. There are few shadows.
But it can lack definition and depth whereas the harsh
shadows and strong contrast under the midday sun give

definition, but are not necessarily flattering.

Warm orange candlelight or tungsten can seem cozy.
Daylight varies considerably as the sun moves through
the sky.
Contrast between the intensity of the light hitting the
subject and the light hitting the background is what
creates depth on screen.
If you are lighting the scene, then bear in mind exactly
what effect you want to create. Warmth? Or a stark,
sinister feel? What is your story? What is the mood? What
lighting tools do you have available? Take a look at the
Report on The Five Mistakes to help you decide what to
buy. And if you are really serious about learning to light
then invest in training so that you know how to light
your subject effectively.
2. Using glass filters, and a matte box, can really enhance
your images, especially if you cant control the lighting in
the environment (which is usually the case). WARNING:
If you shoot over-exposed images on location (burnt
out sky or skin tones) you cant repair them in postproduction so using a matte box could save your bacon
alongside the right filters. Use color grading to enhance
your film, not fix mistakes that should have been
avoided at the shooting stage. So you will do yourself
a service if you control contrast, for example, as you
film. There are multiple filter combinations and youll be
amazed at what you can do in camera that will save you
hours in post. Its worth mentioning here that if you plan
to do your grading in post-production, it is often wise
to shoot flatter images so that you have the best canvas
possible for use in editing.
3. As for the lenses, you need to understand focal length
and aperture and the relationship between them. Dont
overuse a shallow depth of field. Next time you are at
the movies, analyse Depth of Fieldits not all shallow.

4. Sensor Size This has been the most talked about

subject of recent years. Traditionally video cameras had
small image sensors, which meant everything would be
in focus. This is known as Deep Depth of Field. Camera
manufacturers now offer the film maker larger image
sensors that more closely match and in some cases
exceed that frame size of 35mm cinema. So this means
that when you select the correct lenses, you can emulate
the depth of field control that you are conditioned to
perceive as the film look.However, depth of field is only
one piece of the puzzle..
5. Moving the camera Think of sequences. Continuity is
key. Of course you need to frame your shots, consider
the journey of light, and follow the action, but first and
foremost you need to remember that youre telling a
story. The film must move smoothly from shot to shot,
sequence to sequence, location to location. It is not
something static. It is alive! And youll kill it if you forget
the story and forget the flow. Your job is to engage the
viewer deeply in your story so they connect with your
characters and subject matter regardless of whether
youre shooting drama, documentary or some kids
playing in the woods. Every film has an audience.
6. Recording format: transfer, verify and back up your
data. Losing your material could lead to a loss of work
and even the loss of your clients! This is a crucial step in
the journey of light and as with any process, there are
parts that may not seem all that creative but if youre
going to be efficient then you need to create systems for
processing your data. Messing this step up can screw
your production and worse Your Reputation.

Pictures are nothing

without great sound
7. And finally on this journey of light, a reminder that you
are shooting for post production. Yes, there are editing
techniques and effects but if you use them to cover
up a failing in your filming, theyll look as if they were
shoe-horned into the edit rather than part of the plan.
Post-production should be used to enhance, but not to
fix bad camerawork.

As I mentioned in the Report, The Five Mistakes, I regard sound as

even more important than pictures and here Ill explain why.

There is a direct relationship between subject matter and final

output. Thats the point. At every stage, as you shoot every frame
you need to be thinking what does the edit need? What do I have
to shoot for post to make the story work? What do I want to see at
the end of this process?

Id say the blind person every time. The reason being that as well
as commentary and interview, audio effects and natural sound
give an added dimension, including, crucially, the emotional
mood of the piece. Silent film, in my opinion, does not offer the
same emotional connection as radio.

As I said, filming starts with the end!

That means you have a responsibility to record CLEAR audio.

If you make sure you understand each of the seven steps on the
journey of light, youre on your way to professionalism. Get to
grips with all seven, and youll be heading towards mastery.

The subject must stand out from the background noise. If the
setting is noisy, get a gun mic in close and shoot tight. The
director or client can say what they like, you have to get clarity.
That is your number one priority. Change location if need be.

Sit a blind person and a deaf person in front of a good, well made
film. Who do you think has the better understanding of the story
at the end?

To make these calls, you must have good headphones. And the
confidence to stand your ground Ill get on to that later.
Heres one crucial piece of advice: turn off fridges and air
conditioning. They are your worst nightmare! Both sound
incredibly loud through the microphone and there is nothing
you can do in post-production. Outside, traffic and aircraft are
similarly horrendous. You cant switch them off sadly, so listen
and be strong enough to stop the interview. Start again when its
quiet.

Who are you?

Were all different people with different personalities and

characters. But there are several skills we need if we want to make
a success of film-making. You may already possess some of the
necessary skills, but its unlikely that you possess all of them, so
youll have to work at the others that dont come naturally to you.

understand what they want to see. Theres no point making what

you perceive as a stunning film if its not compatible with their
expectations and desires.

In fact, your ability to match your behaviour to a given situation

may well make or break your chances of filmmaking success.

But the key quality you require is the willingness to work hard.
You must be willing to put in the planning and to go the extra
mile; you must be willing to improve your skills and outperform
the rest.

You must be alert and aware. You must anticipate and plan. You
have to be forceful and flexible. You need to be a storyteller and
an artist; a techie and an electrician; a diplomat and a salesman.

Success is 5% talent; 95% hard work. Some people say you have
to be lucky, but to borrow a famous saying: The harder you
work, the more you sweat, the luckier you get!

Whatever genre youre working in, youll need to have good

people skills, because its likely youll have to get people to
perform or just to switch off their air conditioning. You must
be confident enough to stand on your own and film complete
strangers, and polite enough to fit in at a smart wedding. You
must be strong enough to say that you HAVE to do it this way,
because that way wont work, but flexible enough to adapt to a
changing situation.

If you have that steel, you can become a good filmmaker and
even make a business out of it And thats where the hard
work increases exponentially! But to give you a head start, weve
prepared a Report on The Harsh Truth About Surviving in The
Video Production Business, which you can download by going to
www.fstopacademy.com.

You must plan for every possible eventuality bad weather,

unhelpful subjects, blown bulbs, dead batteries, and have the
solution at hand. You must have done your research (the subject
lives in a dark house) and you must be aware (the clouds are
getting blown away, in a minute the sunlight will blast through
this window and overexpose my shot) so that you can react (lets
set up the interview over there).
You need empathy and understanding because for every
client what youre filming is crucial to them and its vital that you

Director
Actors
Scripted

Drama/Commercials

storyboard
Strong sense of outcome
Controlled environments
Larger crew
Self Directing

Seven Steps Roadmap

ZOOM IN TO SEE MORE...

Some Planning
Very Little control of environment

Live Events

Unpredictable
Multi Camera?
Self Direct/or work with Director
Smaller crew
Semi controlled

Documentary

Strong emphasis on editorial

Quick response needed for unexpected opportunities

1- Subject
Matter

Considerations

Self Directing

Genre

High Pressure
No Retake Option
Weddings

How & What to use

Very Limited Control

Multi Camera options

CODEC

Secondary to main event

Transcoding/File re-wrapping

Software process

Client Expectation very high

Bullet proof workflow

Director

This is huge...

Actors/real people

Media management
Corporate

FCP
Edit Platform

Premiere
Magic Bullet

Think Drama on a reduced scale

Can also be similar to Documentary/live events

7 - Post Production and Grading

Color

Scripted/story boarded

On going projects ie building a skyscraper

All of the Above

Color Grading

Other platform/Davinci

Personal Film making

You Tube

Landscape/montage
Vacation/travel
Family events

Vimeo
Settings to reduce file size without
affecting perceived quality

Film festival submissions?

Output
different genre's require different approaches

other formats

Locations/ ambient surroundings

Transcoding
Working within limitations

Bit Rate

Choosing the right media

Metadata and Workflow Planning

Mood and tone

Codec

Why we light

6 - Recording Format

Lighting Theory

Media

Intensity
3 Core Elements

Media Management

Detail
benefits
Benefits
Considerations

traditional video?

choosing a tripod

Tripod

important elements

Slider

guiding principles
techniques & Why

crane/jib

soft light
Types of light

Open Faced
Fresnel Lights
Types of Lighting

LED Lights
Flags/Nets
ND

Camera Support

Lighting Gel

Color Correction
Diffusion

Controlling Light

Stands & Clamps

Black Wrap

Clip

Reflectors

Latitude

Silks

Exposure control

Bounce

2 - Lighting

Zone system

Understanding core Focal lengths

Fluorescent Lights
HMI Lighting

5 - Camera settings

Camera stabilization ie steadicam

Why vary?

hard light
Intensity of light

Video Production
Blueprint

Choosing camera

Hand held

Camera dynamic range

Color
Color Temperature

Paint settings

DSLR

Considerations

Quality

Learning to work with what you have

Gamma
Matrix

can affect with lights/in camera or both

Contrast- the difference between light and shade

Silk Diffuse
SoftBox

Using 1 light

Position and angle of light

light control
Utilize ambient light

DOF control
f-stop
stopping down the lens

Aperture/Iris
Using 2 lights

Opening up the lens

Understanding lens functions

setting focal point

Focus

3/4 light, Back/rimlight

3rd light smaller fresnel/Dedo

4 - Lenses and DOF

Fixed Video Zoom lens

photographic zoom lenses

mixing sources

Bring in 2nd source, Fresnel/Dedo

Jargon explained

Prime still lenses

Traditional Diffuse

Single light, hard source

Focal length

Using 3 lights

Lighting backgrounds
4th light flexibility

Using 4 lights
Lens types & Choice

Adding dimension
Begin with empty location

Dedicated cinema style lenses

Daylight control
Emulating Daylight - maintaining location consistency

understanding this and the effect on focal length

Using it to your advantage

Focal length and Crop Factor

Lens choice and subject distance

Lighting an interior scene

Using Color Balance to affect Mood of Scene

Lighting for broad Scene coverage
Modifying Light for CU's

Framing

Lighting the Master shot

Placing Subject to take advantage of natural shade
Lens choice and implications for light
Lighting exteriors

Contrast reduction Filters

Light Control Reflectors
Light Control Silks
Why filters?
Intensity
Light control

Quality
Color
Using Matte Box to control Flare

Using Matte Box & Filters

Know how and when to use filters

Polarising

3 - Matte Box & Fliters

Solid Neutral Density

ND Graduated
ND Blender
Filter types

Color grads
Contrast reduction
Softening Filters
Variable ND's

Im sure you have more questions

and concerns about your specific
situation and if you want to
tap into my expertise further, or
benefit from the recommendations
of other filmmakers in a similar
situation, then do consider joining
F-Stop Academy Inner Circle
Filmmaker Community.
www.fstopacademy.com