Video Into Film

Making Video look like Film

One way of making Video footage look like film is having a shallow Depth Of Field (DOF), many new film filmmakers believe this is a vital element in achieving a film look. A good camera to do this with is the DSLR’s and other similar interchangeable lens cameras. The larger your sensor, the shallower your DOF will be, another variable to consider is the choice of lens. Traditionally, feature films made use of a shallow depth of field to bring attention to a person or object.

Another way to make video into film is to shoot at 24 frames per second. Since the earliest days of film, movies were shot and projected at 24 frames per second, and viewers have grown accustomed to this frame rate. If the frame was filmed at a higher rate the footage would blur and it would not look professional and it would not be sutible for cinema.




Camera movement is definitely one of the most important aspects of getting a film look. This can include a wide range of things from sticking your camera on a tripod and deciding to have no movement at all, to going handheld and getting a crane shot.





 In caveat to this, lighting is another way you can make video into film. Good lighting in a shot can make a scene, lighting can portray many thing and done well can give the audience extra information about a scene.