HOW-TO, Techniques, & Best Practices Channel

Anthony Artis (prn. Ant-ny Art-iss) (http://downanddirtydv.blogspot.com/) is a veteran guerrilla filmmaker, television producer, and author of the �The Shut Up and Shoot Documentary Guide� (Focal Press, September 2007). He is also the host of the Down and Dirty DV podcast on iTunes and CEO of the guerrilla filmmaking website, DownAndDirtyDV.com.

(1) Shoot with a 24P Camera
This is probably the single easiest thing you could do to get that elusive film look. Basically these cameras shoot video at 24 frames per second (fps) or electronically mimic 24 fps, which is the same speed that film runs. (Normal video is shot at 30 fps.) Those few extra frames can make all the difference in the world. 24P prosumer cameras are very capable of delivering a great film look right out of the box when set in their 24P modes. Better yet, you can go 24P and HD with the newest generation of HDV cameras.

(2) Light It Like Film
Just because a camera is capable of shooting in low light does not mean that it shoots the best images in low light. A big part of the reason film looks better than video is the lighting. Avoid low-light situations when possible and use professional lighting gear for controlled setups.

(3) Shoot with a Telephoto Lens or Use a 35mm Adapter
You can rent or buy special adapters that will allow you to use professional 35mm lenses (as in the same lenses used for 35mm film) on your camera. These lenses offer much greater depth of field than the standard prosumer video lens. Beautiful, crisp professional lenses and greater depth of field translates into a more filmic look for any footage.

(4) Use Filters
There is an entire arsenal of filters that can enhance the look of your DV footage to appear more like those beautiful frames of film. The most common are 1/4 and 1/2 Black Pro Mist Filters, Warming/Enhancing Filters, Polarizing Filters, and Fog FX Filters.

(5) Use Film Look Software in Post
There are several different software programs and NLE plug-ins out there that will allow you to apply a film look to video footage in post-production. Programs such as Magic Bullet (an After Effects plug-in), Tiffen DFX Digital Filter FX, and most-recently Color, which now comes bundled with Final Cut Pro, all allow you to use a variety of preset film looks that mimic different film stocks and/or film post-production processes or customize your own film look.

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Check out this article in the April 2008 print edition of StudentFilmmakers magazine, page 10.