Master Cinematography Alone: Powerful Tips that will make you a Cinematographer

There are three ways to learn cinematography:

1. Film school
2. Assist a cinematographer
3. Learn on your own by filming

The first two ways will help you learn the basics, get your foot in the door, and gather some experience. And, the third option is the only sure way.

Without practicing cinematography, you’ll never really learn it well enough to actually be useful to other professionals.

Again, the question really is: Can you learn cinematography on your own, without film school and without assisting anyone?

The short answer is yes, you can.

Equally important, before we get into that, let me play devil’s advocate.

The case for film school

Let’s look at reasons why you might want to go to film school:

• Your personality fits well in a school setting. Some people learn best in a classroom and can later apply what they learn.
• You can afford to go to film school. A good film school is expensive unless you get a grant. Can you or your parents afford the cost? If yes, can you also afford the time?
• You want quick guidance and support. Going it alone means finding people to validate your efforts, which is hard, especially at the start when you might be the only one you know interested in cinematography. Film school puts you with like-minded people who want you to succeed, helping you learn faster.
• Finally, most good film schools have strong industry connections, making it easier to get internships or assistant roles. Using these opportunities can help you build your career faster.

It definitely isn’t mandatory to go to film school. A degree in and of itself does not guarantee you a job once you finish film school. Besides, to be bluntly honest, in all my years making films, I’ve never once asked anyone I hired if they went to film school.

The case against film school

Here are some reasons why you might not want to go to film school:

• You don’t have the money! Film school is expensive and can leave you with a lot of debt. If you’re not willing to take on that debt, it’s best to skip film school.
• You want to learn something specific, like being a Director of Photography (DP), or cinematographer. Most film schools teach a wide range of topics, especially in their first year. If you’re only interested in one area, you might feel like you’re wasting time on things you don’t care about.
• You prefer to work at your own pace and are self-motivated. Film school follows a set schedule, which doesn’t work for everyone. Some people learn faster and get bored, while others learn slower and feel frustrated. If you like to learn on your own schedule, film school might not be for you.

At the end of the day, you have to really know yourself and evaluate your own situation to make this decision.

Here’s a video on my thoughts on film school that will help you further with your decision-making process:

Let’s say that you decide not to go to film school. That’s totally fine. You can still become a cinematographer.

We can start at the beginning.

What to learn first to be a cinematographer

Don’t expect to just pick up a camera and start filming. There are a few rules and guidelines that you need to know and follow as a cinematographer.

If you’re thinking that rules are terrible and will stifle your creativity, then let me let you in on a secret: You’re a beginner!

When you’re a beginner, rules help you create something that isn’t absolute garbage. When you improve, then feel free to throw the rule book out and go crazy with your creativity.

Here are the basic rules of cinematography that you need to learn:

Aperture, shutter speed, and ISO

These three are often referred to as the Exposure Triangle. In short, they ensure your images are properly exposed and look good and professional.

Watch this video and read the article to get started:

Composition

The rule of thirds is a guideline for framing your subject to make your video look balanced and professional, helping to tell your story effectively.

Watch this video to get a grasp on composition:

Basic lighting

You need light to create your images. This might sound obvious, but it’s easy to overlook lighting when you first start using a camera. Lighting is one of the key elements that separates a cinematographer from a videographer.

The most basic lighting technique to learn is called three-point lighting. You can watch my video and read my article to learn more about it. Once you master three-point lighting, you’ll be on your way to creating great-looking films:

Camera shots, angles and movements

How you place and move your camera greatly affects how good your film looks, your story, and your professionalism. Your choice of shots, angles, and movements will significantly impact your film’s outcome.

To learn more about the different camera shots, angles, and movements, watch this video and read this article:

The pillars of cinematography

Finally, watch this video to tie it all together:

As a beginner, these aspects of cinematography are what you need to get started.

Should you be going to film school to learn just these basics? Of course not!

If you really want to learn lighting and other specific topics, start with the Wolfcrow Online Film School, and see how much you can learn by yourself!

What should you do next?

Pick up a camera and shoot

Now before you go and start losing your mind over which camera to get, here are a few tips I want you to keep in mind.

Set a budget and stick to it.

Set a budget and stick to it. Many entry-level cameras can shoot excellent 4K video. You don’t need an expensive cinema camera to be taken seriously as a filmmaker. Think of it like buying a first car; a cheap sedan is more practical than a Lamborghini for a beginner. The same goes for your camera.

If you can’t buy, rent

Many companies offer reasonable rental rates for cameras. Renting for a day or two whenever you need it while saving up can help you learn the basics of cinematography with professional gear.

Plus, renting lets you try different camera systems to see what you like before buying!

If you can’t rent, borrow. Ask friends, family, or acquaintances if you can borrow their camera. Just be sure to treat borrowed equipment with respect and care.

Use what you have

You can practice the basics of exposure, framing, composition, and camera movements with your phone.

While it might not be a cinema camera, modern mobile cameras can produce decent footage for practice. You can use it to practice the basics such as exposure, framing, composition and camera movements and so on.

Given how good mobile cameras have become, you can squeeze some pretty decent images out of it and get good practice. The point is to get into the habit of practicing the camera basics until they become second nature to you.

Find a mentor

Whether or not you decide to go to film school, the truth is you still need to learn from someone experienced. No one exists in a vacuum. Find someone who is more experienced than you are and learn from them.

Lucky for you, we live in the digital information age, which means your mentor can literally be a virtual mentor. You can find so many filmmakers on YouTube and blogs who freely share their filmmaking knowledge.

Learn the basics from them, try them out, and keep learning until you get better.

Volunteer to work on shoots with local filmmakers in your area, or take on assistant roles in productions, or even look for internships. You will probably be doing a lot of grunt work in the beginning, but the experience can’t be had any other way. You have to earn your dues.

Look on the bright side. You get to watch pros work up close and personal, and you have the chance to ask as many questions as you like.

As your skills grow, you will have the opportunities to do less of the grunt work and more of the cinematography roles. Before you know it, you’re a cinematographer.

If you really want motivation, watch the story of this great cinematographer from India:

Learn to edit

Lastly, yes, you want to be a cinematographer and might not enjoy sitting in front of a computer to edit videos.

However, learning to edit greatly improves your ability to tell visual stories.

Editing teaches you which shots work together to tell a story and how to pace your scenes. When you know how to edit, you shoot with intention, ensuring you capture the essence of a scene. This helps you create better films.

Furthermore, editing also forces you to view your footage from a different perspective. You can identify weaknesses in your shooting skills, allowing you to focus on improving specific areas of the cinematography skillset.

Be patient and keep learning

Nobody comes out of the gate producing award winning work. So pace yourself.

Don’t expect your first project to be outstanding. What’s more, don’t expect your 100^th project to be outstanding. But, expect it to a lot better than your first.

There is always more room to grow, more techniques to learn, more ways to be creative as a cinematographer. It’s a never-ending pursuit.

As long as you’re willing to learn and grow you will get better.

Maybe even win a few awards.

Now get going.