How we will make our short film look professional

There are some common errors that many amateur filmmakers make when shooting and editing their films which affects the overall quality. If the filmmaking process is not undergone in a professional, high-quality manner, our short film would look more like a video. Hence, we decided to research some ways that amateur film production can be made to look professional without purchasing expensive equipment.

The more focused shot on the right looks far more professional.

Focus

This is a vital technique for effective cinematography. Changing the depth of focus allows one part of a shot to be blurred while the rest is in focus, as seen in the picture on the right. This technique can have a variety of effects:

• It directs the viewer’s attention to a particular part of a shot. When something is strategically placed out of focus, the viewer doesn’t pay attention to them. Viewers focus on the part of the image that’s in focus.
• It reduces distraction in the background, which can be a significant issue. Thankfully, it can be controlled via use of depth of field.
• It allows a shot to look richer and more cinematic.

Colour Correction

This is a method of altering the colour of a shot to create a specific effect. For example, shot may be editing to have more of a blue tint to it, which creates a cold unfriendly atmosphere, whereas a slightly orange tint would usually have the opposite effect. Colour correction can also be used to salvage a shot that contained lighting errors. Hence, this will be invaluable for ensuring a professional feel to our film.

The top image shows the original shot, the bottom shows the same shot after colour correction has taken place.

Lighting

Lighting plays an important part in creating the atmosphere in a film. The amount of light and the direction of the light source can give meaning to the viewer of the film. For example, lighting is used to indicate the time of the day. There are 5 main types of lighting:

• Back Lighting - This is the main light source from behind a character or object. It is used to create a silhouette. The character can be made to look mysterious due to the effect of the shadows. It can create a sense of impending doom and is often used in horror movies.

• Key and Fill Lighting - This is often the main light source in a particular scene. It is usually directed onto the main character. Fill lighting can also be added to soften the effect of shadows.

• Under Lighting - The main light source from below the character. It is often used to disfigure the face, thus, it is common for horror films make use of this technique.

• Top Lighting - This is the main light source from above the character. It is used to remove shadows produced by the key lighting. It can also create the illusion of a bright, sunny day

• Side Lighting - The main light source comes from one side of the screen. It is used to light one side of the character’s face and produces shadows across the set, creating a sense of mystery.

Film lighting intro from Andy Wallis

Film lighting, light and colour part 2 from Andy Wallis