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Step by Step editing guide

In this short editing guide, I explain you how I achieved the look.

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1. Capture your footage in S-Log or CineLike

When shooting in S-Log or CineLike profiles for a cinematic look, remember to pay close attention to your exposure. These profiles preserve a greater dynamic range, allowing for more flexibility in post-production. Here’s a tip: Tip: Prioritize proper exposure. Utilize tools like zebras or histograms to ensure you’re capturing enough detail in both shadows and highlights. Avoid overexposing highlights, as recovering blown-out areas can be challenging in post-processing. Additionally, consider using a gray card or an 18% gray target to help set exposure accurately. This attention to detail during capture will provide a solid foundation for achieving the desired cinematic look during post-production.

2. Add a lut 

Choose a LUT that complements your footage. For a cinematic look, consider LUTs that enhance contrast and color depth while maintaining a natural feel.

 

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3. Adjust color balance

Adjust Color Balance: Tailor the color balance to evoke the desired mood. In this example, we’ve warmed the tones to create a cinematic, orange-hued ambiance.

4. Fix the highlights and shadows

I wanted to create a more contrasty look, by lowering my shadows, I made the foreground more punchy. The sky felt a bit overexposed, so I lowered the highlights and added a bit of orange to my tones to make the sun light pop out.

5. Add halation

Halation refers to the soft, glowing effect around bright areas in an image. It adds a subtle yet impactful touch of cinematic flair, enhancing the overall atmosphere and depth of your footage.

6. Add glow

Introducing a gentle glow lends a dreamy, ethereal quality to your footage, elevating its cinematic appeal and imbuing it with a sense of magic and wonder.

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7. Increase saturation

Boosting saturation can make colors pop and enhance the vibrancy of your footage, further enriching its cinematic allure. Here, we’ve added 10% saturation for added impact.

8. Add light rays

I’ve enhanced the light rays in this clip by manually creating a selection and increasing the highlights on that selection. This way I make sure the rays pop out of the image.

Bonus Tip

To enhance the cinematic quality of your footage even further, experiment with framing and composition. Utilize techniques such as leading lines, depth of field, and strategic use of light and shadow to captivate your audience and tell a compelling visual story. Zooming in or out on your clip can create even more motion to your footage.