Create Cinematic Video Snapshots

Video allows you to record the movement, atmosphere and sounds that bring a memory back to life, preserving moments in a way that a photograph can’t. But creating good-looking video doesn’t have to mean learning complicated filmmaking techniques.

A few considered camera settings, some simple compositional techniques and the right Film Simulation can make a big difference. If you’re able to use your camera to take a photo, you’re ready to start shooting video as well. Here’s how to get started.

Camera Settings for Filmic Video

There are plenty of settings to explore when recording video, but you don’t need to understand all of them to get started. Concentrating on the basics of resolution, frame rate, shutter speed and aspect ratio will give you a solid foundation for creating attractive footage.

If you’re using an X Series or GFX System camera, most of the following settings can be found by selecting your camera’s Movie mode then navigating to MENU/OK > MOVIE SETTING – or you can find them on your camera’s Q menu by default.

Quality

When choosing video quality, there’s a balance between image information and practicality. Higher resolutions give you more detail and greater flexibility when editing, but they also create larger files that require extra storage space and processing power.

Even compact X Series cameras like the FUJIFILM X-M5 can record 6.2K video internally. This gives you plenty of information to work with, but you may not need that level of quality for every project.

If you’re recording video to archive over the long term or already have a suitable storage and editing set-up, recording at the highest available quality gives you the most options down the line.

For quick memories and social clips, FHD (Full HD) or 4K is a sensible starting point. Your footage will be compressed when uploaded to most platforms, so there may be little benefit in recording at higher resolutions unless you have specific cause to.

Frame rate

Frame rate specifies how many frames your camera records per second. The choice you make affects how motion looks in your finished video.

A frame rate of 24fps is traditionally associated with the film look, producing natural-looking motion with a familiar cinematic character. Television in the UK and Europe widely uses 25fps, while 30fps is common for online video and social media.

Higher frame rates such as 50fps or 60fps are useful when you want to create slow-motion footage. Recording at 50fps and playing the footage back at 25fps, for example, halves the speed while retaining smooth movement.

When choosing a frame rate, consider where you intend to use your footage and whether you want to incorporate slow motion.

Shutter speed

Shutter speed works slightly differently for video than it does for stills. Rather than simply trying to freeze movement on each frame, you generally want to retain a natural amount of motion blur between frames.

A useful starting point is to set your shutter speed at roughly twice your frame rate. This means around 1/50 sec when recording at 24fps or 25fps, or around 1/60 sec at 30fps.

Using a much faster shutter speed can make movement appear harsh and staccato, while a very slow shutter speed can introduce excessive motion blur.

Aspect ratio

Compared to still photography, video recording offers a more limited selection of aspect ratios in-camera. The most familiar is 16:9, which is the standard widescreen format used for most conventional video, while 17:9 nets you a slightly wider, more cinematic look.

If you want to create portrait-oriented videos for social media, you could select a 16:9 aspect ratio and rotate your camera. Alternatively, the FUJIFILM X-T30 III and X-M5 feature 9:16 Short Movie Mode. Choose from durations of 15, 30 or 60 seconds and record your portrait-oriented video in Full HD (1080×1920) resolution. This setting can be found in MOVIE SETTING > 9:16 SHORT MOVIE MODE.

How to Make Your Memories Cinematic

Once your camera is set up, there are a few simple techniques that can help make your footage feel more deliberate.

Compose like a photograph

A good starting point is to think about each video clip as you would a photograph. Consider your subject, background, light and composition before you press record.

Try keeping your camera still and allowing the action to happen within the frame. A person walking through a landscape, waves moving across a beach or a pet exploring a garden can all make compelling clips without any camera movement at all – just as long as the initial composition is good.

You can introduce movement by slowly panning to follow a subject or smoothly moving the camera towards or away from it. The important thing is to have a purpose for the movement beyond simply that you’re recording video.

Choose your lens

Your choice of lens can have a significant effect on the look and feel of your footage.

A wide-angle lens can place your subject within its surroundings, making it useful for landscapes, travel and interiors. Longer focal lengths can provide greater subject separation and compress the background, helping to draw attention to your subject.

A wider aperture can also create a shallower depth-of-field, producing a softer background and helping your subject stand out. Alternatively, stopping down gives you greater depth-of-field when you want more of the scene to remain in focus.

Think about the feeling you want to create before choosing your focal length and aperture.

Keep it steady

Nothing ruins a video like a shaky camera. To achieve cinematic-looking footage, hold your camera as steady as possible and avoid jerky movements. Stabilisation settings such as in-body image stabilisation (IBIS), optical image stabilisation (OIS) and digital image stabilisation (DIS) can further improve the steadiness of your clips.

An IBIS system compensates for camera movement by making rapid adjustments to the position of the image sensor. It is only available on certain X Series cameras, such as the X-S20 and X-H2S.

OIS is a lens feature. It combats vertical and horizontal camera shake by shifting one of the lens elements. If your Fujinon lens has the letters OIS in its name, then it features optical image stabilisation. Some lenses have a switch on the barrel that allows you to turn the OIS feature on or off.

DIS can further reduce camera shake by slightly cropping your video and digitally stabilising the centre.

You can check and select your camera’s stabilisation options by pressing MENU/OK and navigating to MOVIE MODE > IS MODE.

Try slow motion

Slow motion is an easy way to add a little bit of variety to your videos. By recording at a higher frame rate and playing the footage back at a lower speed, you can extend a brief moment into a slower, more dramatic sequence.

Explore your camera’s slow motion options by pressing MENU/OK and navigating to MOVIE SETTING > HIGH SPEED REC.

Film Simulations for Video

One of the easiest ways to achieve a distinctive look without editing your video is by using a Film Simulation. Fujifilm cameras offer a range of Film Simulations designed to reproduce the character of analogue film, giving you finished-looking colour and tone straight out of camera.

If you’re a fan of Film Simulation recipes, many of the image quality settings used in them can also be applied to your videos, including tone curve, dynamic range and white balance. While not every setting from your camera’s stills mode is available for movies, there are still plenty of options to help you dial in a characterful look without needing to edit your footage afterwards.

How to choose a Film Simulation

The right Film Simulation depends on the subject and the mood you’re trying to create.

ETERNA/CINEMA offers restrained contrast and natural-looking colour, making it a useful starting point when you want an understated yet filmic appearance.

CLASSIC Neg. has stronger contrast and a distinctively analogue colour reproduction, making it well suited to everyday scenes where you want more character.

ACROS provides a monochrome alternative with rich tonal separation and fine detail, which can work particularly well for atmospheric or documentary-style footage.

There are plenty of other Film Simulations to explore, so don’t be afraid to experiment and find one that suits your style.

Sample Settings for Cinematic Video Snapshots

If you’re still uncertain about any of the above, you can try inputting the following settings to your camera. Once they’re in, you can adjust anything you’re not sure about and see how it affects your footage. 

MOVIE MODE: 4K 16:9
FRAME RATE: 24P
SHUTTER SPEED: 60
FILM SIMULATION: CLASSIC Neg.

Step Into the World of Video with Fujifilm

You don’t need a complicated filming set-up to create engaging video. By choosing sensible recording settings and composing your clips with purpose, you can give everyday moments a more considered look.

If you’ve enjoyed dipping your toe into the world of video, this is the tip of the iceberg! You can learn more about filmmaking settings and techniques by exploring more articles in the FUJIFILM Learning Centre.

Discover more about FUJIFILM X Series and GFX System, and shop the range today.