DSLR Cinematography, What it Means

I’ve been getting asked a lot lately about how to do this and how to do that, with regards to video, by photographer friends.  I am a wedding filmmaker and own a video production company, so I am pretty familiar with these things.  But why are photographers asking me how to do things?  Because almost all the new professional cameras that have come out over the last year or two shoot sweet High Def video.  The pro still cameras.  Cameras like the Canon 5D and 7D.  In fact, that’s all I shoot on, except for the occasional free lance job that is very defined on what they want to do, and DSLR’s won’t do it.

I think a lot of photographers are getting asked these days to “just shoot a little video and give us a DVD.”  Sure, sounds easy enough.  The actual shooting of the video is fairly straightforward.  But just like in photography, what lies between turning the camera on, pressing the shutter button, and delivering that gorgeous finished archival print, is a whole ‘nother ball game.

So, yes, there is a lot that goes into it.  Video codecs, compression, color grading, holding the camera steady, framing a shot for subjects to actually move across the frame, on and on.  So many things.  Editing, agh!

These cameras are absolutely unbelievable in the imagery they shoot.  There is a reason so many filmmakers are using them these days.  However, that doesn’t mean they’re easy to use.  Actually, they are much, much harder to use than true “video” cameras.  They aren’t ergonomically set up to shoot video with.  Editing can be a nightmare.  Transcoding, what is that?  So many things to be aware of and learn.

But, the rewards can be mind-boggling.  Totally beautiful cinema-like images.  It’s worth it.

Photographers out there with questions, or anyone for that matter, that has a DSLR, and they want to learn, or they have questions, call, email, I want to help.  Just a little way I can give back.