How To Rate Cinematography

Rating cinematographers is not an easy task as it seems! There are so many different styles of filming, there’s no standard way to grade pictures, and most films have multiple directors that hire their own personal camera assistants.

That being said, here we will take a look at some tips on how to evaluate a film’s cinematography. This article will focus more on giving your potential movie project a proper review rather than if the shots were good or bad.

You should know that just because someone does not use professional grade equipment does not mean they cannot create incredible looking images. Many successful filmmakers do not have expensive cameras, lights, or gels, but instead make clever uses of natural light, manage exposure correctly, and emphasize layering for effect.

I hope you enjoy reading these tips as much as I did! Please note, while this article may discuss popular shooters, such as those mentioned in the title, none of these tips apply to them. They all work separately which makes them very valuable.

Observe how the camera is lit

A well lighted scene requires good lighting. The way the lights are used, whether they are natural or artificial, and what colors they use in the picture can make a difference in how the scene looks.

The color of the light can affect the feel of the movie. For example, if the setting is dark, then using a white light would create a lighter feeling film. Using a very bright light would create more dramatic feelings.

Pay attention to resolution

A movie’s overall look is determined by two things: its camera angle and its shooting format (wide-angle, normal lens, close up). The former affects how much of the setting you see, while the latter determines what scale of the scene you get.

The more settings in a given area, the higher the quality of the image. This depends heavily on the available light, as well as the length of time the camera was able to work before running out of batteries.

Resolution is an important factor in determining the visual appeal of a cinematographic image. Low resolutions are usually due to poor lighting or the camera being unable to focus for long periods of time.

Increasing the resolution can sometimes be done via digital editing, but this isn’t possible if the footage has already been shot. One way to ensure high quality pictures is to invest in a good camera!

Another option is to shoot with a full frame sensor instead of the standard crop-style sensors used today. These larger sensors require longer exposures which create better looking images.

Look at editing

As we discussed, great cinematography is made possible by good editing. The way that editors organize shots into sequences and transitions are what makes up your final movie.

Editing in film is usually not done manually, however. Computers do most of the work for us. This is where things get tricky.

As human beings, we rely heavily on tone and expression when talking or listening. A computer program does not. So, how do you make sure the viewer gets enough information? You use effects.

Computer software programs like Adobe Photoshop have tools to create special effects such as vignettes (where parts of the image fade out), blur, and soft focus.

These features can be used to emphasize important parts of the photograph or conceal poor quality parts. Technically speaking, these effects are called “matting” and “toning,” but everyone calls them blurs.

By using different blurring techniques, your camera lens will automatically compensate and add this effect to the photo.

Pay attention to composition

A good starting point when rating cinematographic shots is paying close attention to how the camera is positioned in relation to what you are establishing as the focus of the frame.

The way that the camera is framed, along with its distance from the subject, influence whether the audience feels focused or not. If the camera is too far away, then people will feel that the scene is longer than it needed to be. The shot may also seem very professional, which creates an uncomfortable feeling for the viewer.

If the camera is placed closer than necessary, the effect can be the opposite - the scene seems cut off and less immersive.

By having a well-composed photograph, viewers can become more immersed into the setting due to the closeness of the camera. At the same time, the angle of the camera can add dramatic tension by showing part of the setting beyond the edge of the frame. Both of these create strong reactions and emotions from the audience.

Is there color correction?

Color grading is another term for color-contrast adjustments. These can be done in either professional grade software or with simple tools that most people have at their disposal. Some of these include Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, GIMP (a free alternative), and YouTube videos where you can search “color correct” to see what different settings do.

There are also several online resources where you can get quick tips and tricks such as Brightcove. They are very popular because they create free content you can download and access anywhere!

Color grades are not only used for entertainment productions, but business use as well. A common way to achieve this is via photoshop. For example, if someone uploads a picture containing bright colors, you can tone down the intensity by adding shades of gray to reduce the overall brightness. This makes the image seem more natural and neutral.

Another option would be changing the hue or temperature which changes the flavor or feel of the photo. For instance, a green hue may make your subject look like they are taking a break after working hard, whereas an orange one could convey energy.

Does it look natural or over-processed?

While not every filmmaker has great lighting, filming techniques, or color schemes, those that do are consistently excellent at capturing their intended emotion or tone.

Most film artists learn how to use light in very basic ways. They may be able to create good shadows but they don’t understand why some scenes need heavy diffusion of light to make them feel real, for example. Or, they might know what high key looks like, but none of them seem to put together an appropriate ratio of lights and shadows for different scenarios.

It is important to recognize good cinematographic style when you see it, though. You wouldn’t call someone who uses very bright, well-focused light during most parts of a movie a professional photographer, would you? So, while this isn’t necessarily impossible for novices to spot, there are some markers which indicate that the person making the claim knows what they are talking about.

Is there any distracting lighting?

Sometimes, even though the camera was able to completely eliminate other sources of light in the room, there is still something that can distract from the overall image. This can be caused by something like a bright lamp or overhead lights.

If you notice anything more vibrant than the rest of the scene being exposed due to these source, it may need to be adjusted or eliminated. You could try moving the light or changing its intensity, switching it out for another one with less strong illumination, or putting additional covers over them if they are powerful enough.

Another option would be using an extra black cloth or paper as a background to cut off some of the light, which would also help preserve detail in the subject.

Does the quality match the price?

As we have seen, cinematography is an important tool for filmmakers. But before you go into too much detail about what makes one shot or sequence of shots beautiful, there is something that really sets the work apart. It’s not only how beautifully it was photographed, but also whether or not it was cost effective.

The more expensive the camera, the longer the lens, the larger the computer used to process the footage, the longer it took to produce, the higher trained professionals get paid, and so forth, the better the quality will be.

However, this doesn’t mean that less professional looking photographs are bad! In fact, some of the most well-known movies in history were mostly accomplished using very inexpensive equipment!

What matters most is whether or not the film looks good and clearly shows its intended purpose. Many films now have their own style which people recognize as being representative of the movie maker’s personal aesthetic - these types of films usually use relatively affordable equipment.