How To Evaluate Cinematography

When looking at any form of media, such as a movie or TV show, there is one key factor that determines whether it was successful or not - good cinematography!

The term “cinematographer” is usually associated with this word, but that is only part of what they do. The person who oversees the photography of a film is typically referred to as a director of photography (DP), while those individuals under them are called camera operators (COs).

However, in order to be able as successful as possible, both need to work together. And though each may have their own specializations, none can succeed without the other. That being said, even if you aren’t necessarily interested in becoming a DP yet, working with a DP and/or CO can still help you as a filmmaker.

This article will go over some fundamental tips for evaluating cinematic quality of shots and filming styles, along with some easy ways to identify potential bad DPs and CoDs. If you are already somewhat familiar with filmmaking, then feel free to skip down about the second half of the article where we talk more specifically about individual roles.

Look at the lighting

As mentioned before, strong lighting is one of the most important parts of cinematographic photography. Lighting can add shape, drama, and even believability to your photographs!

Having adequate light in the scene you are photographing makes producing quality images much easier. It also helps determine the feel of the photograph. If the image looks dark and gloomy, then using heavy shadows and/or contrast may be needed.

Light sources include natural sunlight, studio lights, flash, and candles or other artificial light. The type of light used for each photo depends on the look you want to achieve. For example, if your goal is to create an eerie mood, then using very little light source that are close to the subject is better.

If the aim is more dramatic, then using a few extra sources is good. By doing this, you create depth by adding shadow to indicate distance from the light source, and emphasize the contour lines of the body being lit.

Watch for good and bad editing

Another important element of cinematography is how well you edit together different shots or scenes. There are two main types of edits in moving pictures: cuts and vides. A cut is when one scene ends and another begins, for example, coming out of a car window, into a building, or walking away from someone.

A vide is an uninterrupted shot that contains enough detail for viewers to understand what is happening. These are usually longer and more elaborate than a short cut.

Good editing takes advantage of the strengths of each other part. For instance, when traveling outside, there is often a long exposure time to get a wide angle view. When traveling inside, it is sometimes hard to see everything so some parts may be cut off.

When editing moves from one place to another, there should be a reason for the transition.

Pay attention to the locations

A good cinematographer will always keep an eye out for interesting locations. They create beautiful backdrops by finding spaces that inspire them. It is their duty to use these new settings effectively, though.

The important thing to remember about using locations for storytelling is that they should never feel forced. Your audience needs to connect with this space and believe in it as an authentic setting. Make sure to add some sense of natural flow to your shots so that everything fits together seamlessly.

Keep looking until you find one or many pieces of furniture or equipment that work well with the rest of the scene. This can be something completely unnecessary like a water bottle or a coffee cup, or something more elaborate like a television set or computer screen.

Avoid taking place outside unless there’s actually snow or rain happening. The outdoor-cam style of shooting is very popular but can look really fake if done wrong.

Watch for obvious and not-so-obvious editing

A good cinematographer will always make their shots look natural and fluid, with little or no effort involved in creating them.

However, this is only true if you are looking at the shot as it was filmed not edited.

It is very important to evaluate how the camera was set up before applying any kind of artistic touch.

For example, if the person filming the scene has an elaborate back drop that they want to include, then they must re-level the camera so that the background looks normal.

The same goes for if there are props in the way of the action.

Is there any music?

Music is an integral part of most films. Whether it is a song that represents the current scene or a lull before something bigger happens, movie soundtracks always have a function.

Music can help establish time period, narrative tone, and setting. It also helps convey emotion, like when Adele’s “Hello” comes on during a romantic moment.

When watching movies, you should be aware of what parts contain strong musical content and how these parts affect the film. For example, if the soundtrack consists mostly of silence with some ambient sounds here and there, this may indicate that the film is going soft or slow. If there are lots of songs, then the film probably contains very little drama or tension. A lot of filmmakers use music as background noise to aid in the storytelling.

There are several ways to evaluate cinematographic style. Some of the key components include whether or not there is a sense of flow, consistency in styles, and whether or not the camera moves add interest. All three of those things contribute to the artistic expression of the filmmaker.

Pay attention to the camera work

When watching a movie, there are several components that contribute to the overall feel of the film. One of the most important is the way the camera moves or “lenses” as they are called.

The use of lenses in filmmaking has gone through many changes throughout cinema history. Some films feature very little coverage with a wide-angle lens, while other movies may completely remove the focus element to create an abstract sense of space. A few classic examples include Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds where all we see is either a bird eye view or a close up of someone being mobbed by birds, or Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street where we only see long shots of people moving around or walking down stairs.

These types of coverage can help emphasize on how large or empty the setting is, creating a sense of mystery or fear. They also give the viewer a feeling of detachment since nothing is really defined beyond the frame. An example of this would be when the wolf in The Wolf of Wallstreet walked away from his prey for a moment before coming back to devour them.

This style of filming is often referred to as documentary photography because it creates a raw, unvarnished look at the world. It was popularized during the golden age of Hollywood storytelling, but you will still see it used today.

Is there any special effects?

Effect-based cinematography is when the camera does not focus on a single subject for longer than a few seconds at a time. This is very common in television, where dramatic scenes are made possible by extended amounts of time that the cameras remain focused on one person or element.

This is sometimes referred to as “slice of life” filming because it captures an authentic moment between two people who have no clear reason to meet. A good example of this is a romantic scene where both characters just kind of happen to be in the same place at the same time.

These types of shots are usually accompanied by music, which helps create the sense of flow and immersion into the story.

There are many ways to use effect photography in filmmaking, but making the viewer aware that the settings, backgrounds, and even light sources are integral parts of the image can take away from the natural intimacy of the situation. Some directors like Stanley Kubrick would cover all of these with heavy curtains, glass windows, and bright lights to make the setting feel less important to the picture.

Other instances may feature computer generated imagery (CGI) or practical effects instead. For instance, using slow motion footage or pulling back so far on your lens that you see stars - what we refer to as deep depth of field. All of these contribute to creating more interesting images that emphasize creative touches rather than true stories.

Does the quality match the price?

As we have seen, cinematographers are very expensive, which is why it is so hard to find many that do not require significant income to work with them. This is also an important factor in evaluating their work!

If you look at their social media accounts or speak to people who have worked with them, they will talk about how much their artist paid for this or that shot. Unfortunately, these numbers are usually exaggerated because of the cost of filming and paying for studio time.

Most large studios offer discounts for filming outside normal business hours, and some even pay for your food while you’re there! So, when calculating how much money someone spent, don’t include the costs of lodging, meals, and transportation. These things add up quickly when you're talking about dozens (or hundreds) of shots per film!

Furthermore, if a filmmaker lists their camera as “rented”, use caution before giving them credit for production value. A lot of times, artists list old, broken down equipment as “rented” to make it seem more professional.

These tools might still function properly, but most definitely do not resemble what a professional camera looks like. The same goes for using Alexa or Google Camera apps instead of buying your own back-up gear.

By no means does this mean such devices are bad, but please evaluate whether or not their lack of prestige is due to budget or poor artistic talent before passing judgement.