How To Make Cinematic Videos: A Step-by-Step Guide

It's easy to look at a movie and say whether you think it looks "cinematic" — but what specific elements give a film that cinematic feel? Is it the colors, the visual depth, the framing and composition, or the way all of it ties into the broader narrative?

Cinematic videos look, sound, and flow better than most other video projects, helping you engage viewers and successfully deliver your message. That said, "cinema" isn't defined by a single video element.

Discover how to make cinematic videos that resonate with your unique audience and brand.

What Is a Cinematic Video?

Cinematic videos describe practically any film content that effectively blends high-quality visuals with visual storytelling. They typically have a more professional, fine-tuned look than standard video content and use their elevated aesthetics to drive emotional impact.

Cinematic film production requires careful attention to detail and intentional creative decisions. Every detail, from shadows to background props, should add to the video's narrative for a truly immersive visual experience. Imagine your footage playing in a movie theater or on a $5,000 flat-screen TV rather than someone's phone — will you shrug off a messy background or unmotivated camera framing, or will you take the time to optimize every moment of screen time?

Cinematic videos generally include the following components:

• Depth of field: Cinematic videos require you to pay attention to more than your subject. Look at everything in the background and consider adding elements to the foreground, such as another actor's shoulder or a few flowers, to create depth and realism.
• Motivated lighting: Practical yet cinematic lighting helps subjects and important details pop on screen, ensuring they don't get washed into the background. Beyond that, lighting can elevate your cinematic storytelling by establishing a distinct aesthetic, guiding viewers' eyes to the next detail, or adding leading lines and extra framing within the camera's composition.
• Color palettes: Colors can drive your video's narrative and emotional gravity, especially when used in props, costumes, backgrounds, and color grading. For example, a scene with desaturated blue colors could establish a somber tone, while an outdoor scene with green grass and trees could create a brighter, more grounded vibe.
• Compelling narratives: Your video needs to grip viewers on a personal level. An intriguing narrative can get audiences emotionally invested in your message and keep them watching. Sure, you could simply list your product's features. But what if you told a story showcasing them from the perspective of a desperate yet relatable customer? The narrative addition makes the final product that much more gripping.

How To Create a Cinematic Video: Step-by-Step Guide

A lot goes into cinematic films. You'll typically need to consider various elements and delegate across multiple production teams to capture your vision fully.

1. Define Your Audience and Goals

First, consider your target audience, including the various demographics you're trying to reach. This will help determine nearly every aspect of your video content, including its focus and the platforms you share on. It can also help you establish clear goals based on where your audience falls in the sales funnel.

For instance, prioritize brand awareness and recognition goals for B2B consumers early in the sales funnel. Meanwhile, work to build trust and authority when marketing to existing consumers.

Understanding who your cinematic film is for and what influences their purchasing decisions must also guide your intentional storytelling. Business goals and calls to action are essential, but don't forget to consider your film's ideal setting, the conflicts audiences will relate to, and whose perspective to tell your story from.

Depending on your content, you'll likely need to appeal to multiple demographics for the greatest impact. Key factors to identify your target audience include:

• Age
• Gender
• Location
• Pain points and motivators
• Income and budget
• Hobbies and habits
• Most used apps and social media platforms

2. Develop a Strong Narrative for Your Cinematic Video

Once you've defined your target audience, create a compelling story arc that motivates them to watch. Your video should resonate with viewers on a personal or primal level, letting them see themselves in your story.

A fully fleshed story should include relatable characters, familiar (or at least recognizable) settings, clear conflicts and stakes, and an arc or change by the end of the narrative. While this may seem like a lot to pull off in 15 to 60 seconds, the art of cinematic storytelling makes it easy if you approach production with a creative mindset and established film techniques.

Cinematic storytelling strategies for connecting with your audience include:

• Immediate hooks: Your film should hook viewers from the opening image, whether through animated text graphics or a captivating cinematic look.
• Relatable protagonists: A relatable character with clearly defined traits and motivations feels real and allows viewers to connect to your story on a more personal level. For instance, your brand film could be from the perspective of a fictional or real-life customer that your solutions have helped.
• Primal needs: Basic human needs — such as survival, love, and freedom — drive many of the best stories and conflicts because they connect with us on a universal level. Embracing primal needs can help your video appeal to viewers' emotions and motivations.

Once you have your idea, begin storyboarding and drafting a creative brief. Write down every idea you have for your project, including the details you must focus on and any specific visual shots. This will help you identify the parts of your video and narrative that need attention.

3. Use the Best Camera Settings for a Cinematic Video

Your exact camera settings will depend on the content and emotions you're trying to capture. Brightly colored films with deep saturation can evoke themes of joy and opportunity, while darker, desaturated shots create a thoughtful, dramatic ambience.

The best cinematic film camera settings include:

• Saturation: High-saturation videos pop with color, while low-saturation videos look almost grayscale. Consider your video's theme and the colors you're capturing. Bright colors can be effective when used right, but they can be distracting if your video doesn't use a specific palette.
• Exposure: Your exposure settings determine how much light your camera captures with each frame. High-exposure videos are better when shooting in daylight, blending your subject with the background, while low exposure is ideal for nighttime and dark spaces. Your best settings will depend on your available lighting and desired tone.
• Shutter speed: Faster shutter speeds can add details and light exposure to your video, giving it a more refined look. For the best effect, your shutter speed should be at least as high as your frame rate.
• Focus: Your camera's focus determines what is and isn't blurry in each shot. While your subject should always be in focus, you must consider how blurry or in focus you want the rest of the cinematic composition to be. Different camera lenses can blur the background or keep every detail in view, depending on your needs.

4. Optimize Lighting for a Cinematic Look

Shadows can add an interesting element to your cinematic video, establishing a sense of uncertainty or drawing attention to specific details. However, they have to be done right. Unintentional shadows on people's faces, key props, or across the background can distract viewers and impair the video's cinematic quality.

A comprehensive lighting setup will limit shadows and give you more control over your final picture. Most productions generally need at least three lights:

• Key light: This remains relatively close to the camera and focused directly on your subject and background, lighting everything viewers need to see.
• Fill light: This provides a softer, more diffused light to eliminate noticeable shadows and decrease contrast.
• Backlight: This light is usually centered behind the subject, erasing the remaining shadows and giving your actor or prop a cinematic glow.

You may not need to focus much on lighting if you're using natural lighting, such as during an outdoor daytime shoot. However, you should still have a key light ready to make your subject stand out.

5. Post-Production Essentials (Cinematic Video Editing)

Video editing is an essential yet often time-consuming part of post-production. Editing one minute of footage usually takes one hour — but you may need to allot more time for color correction and finishing touches to make your final cut more cinematic.

Cinematic video editors focus on the following details:

• Color grading: Color grading can make your footage look more professional and refined. It can prevent subjects from looking washed out and help you lean further into your color palette.
• Juxtaposition: The order of each clip and the timing of each cut can significantly impact your video's final look. To retain viewers' attention, avoid cutting to shots that look too similar and cut to action whenever possible.
• Animation and visual effects: Graphics, animated text, and other VFX elements can make your cinematic video pop even more, whether you add titles, transitions, or completely animated scenes.
• Sound effects: Background music and audio effects can make your video a more immersive experience, especially when they are timed with your visual elements.

6. Enhancing Quality for a Professional Finish

Even after you've finished editing your video, you'll still have a lot to consider before publishing or posting it anywhere, including:

• Resolution and format: Nearly every online platform has different requirements and recommendations for video formats, such as aspect ratio, runtime, and size. Export your video in different aspect ratios and resolutions and consider repurposing it with multiple runtimes to maximize its reach on each platform.
• Test audiences: Ask a variety of individuals from your target audience to watch your video beforehand to avoid your message being misinterpreted and ensure each beat lands how you want it to.
• Engagement and performance: Track the performance of different films across your campaign to identify which stories your audiences best connect with.
• Professional consultations: Production combines various crafts and film techniques, which can be overwhelming without experience or the right crew at your side. Working with a professional video production company is the best way to avoid mistakes and maximize results.

Common Mistakes To Avoid When Creating Cinematic Videos

Even with a strong narrative and concept, simple production errors can disrupt your cinematic storytelling and cast your brand image in a bad light.

Be aware of these common mistakes when making cinematic videos:

• Using subpar equipment: While filmmakers often brag about "making movies on their phones," phone cameras won't always achieve the cinematic look you want — especially if you need a specific depth of field, shutter speed, or zoom-in capability. Investing in essential film equipment, including high-end cameras, lenses, and lights, will help you capture the best image possible.
• Recording bad audio: Various factors can impact your audio when filming, such as nearby traffic and noisy household appliances. Your sound team should double-check audio recordings and capture "room tone" editors can use to balance the noise. Additionally, be prepared to record automated dialogue replacement (ADR) if any actor's lines are unclear.
• Working alone: Filmmaking is an inherently creative process. Collaborating with other talented individuals is essential. An experienced video production company can help you capture your vision while maximizing your cinematic look.

Why Professional Video Production Help Is the Best Option

Producing a cinematic film in-house takes a lot more resources than you'd initially think, from equipment, rental, and insurance costs to the hours of labor to learn the craft and produce your film. A professional partner lets you maximize cinematic quality without losing creative control or overwhelming your marketing team's schedule.

As an experienced film production company, Charter can help you create engaging and cinematic videos for your unique audience. Our expert team includes producers, writers, camera operators, editors, animators, and more, ensuring each stage of the production process falls into practiced hands.

Contact us today to discuss your next film project.