OpenTube

How to Practice Cinematography Solo

Brandon Li

201,833 views

It’s possible to shoot great cinematography all by yourself with simple gear and creative techniques. Getting inspired, finding locations, using prime lenses and manual focus. Step-by-step examples of wide angle shots, creative defocusing, b-roll, and faking natural light indoors and outdoors. Plus neon lighting and using with AI to replace the lights.

This video is partially sponsored by ‪@DZOFILM‬

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==============================

✅ Recommended Playlists:

👉 Brandon's Film School
FAQ's: All my gear (and why it doesn't mat...

👉 Short Films
The Shipping Yard: Sunset with Workers in ...

===========================

0:00 Intro
1:13 Getting Inspired
3:06 What Gear Do I Need
4:59 Low Wide Shot
7:12 Defocus Yourself
8:35 Telephoto B-Roll
9:47 DZOFilm Vespid 2 Prime Cine Lenses
11:13 Faking Indoor Sunlight
12:46 Balcony Shot
13:28 Medium Shot in a Chair
14:06 Faking Outdoor Sunlight
15:42 Neon Glow
16:53 Replacing the Light with AI

#filmingyourself #dzofilm #cinematography #godox #solofilmmaker

20 Comments

@dancelens 11 months ago

Confirmed: I suck, not my gear 💪🏻

@SourRobo8364 2 months ago

All I got is a phone, a tripod, some lamps, and a dream. 😁🙃

@vankeo4225 11 months ago

Brandon Li dropping a wealth of cinematography knowledge for free.

The least I can do is like his video and watch the ads without skipping.

@Snapsnap-o9 10 months ago

One fear factor of solo shooting is knowing ur gear is always at risk. Its Vital to make sure location is even " Safe " to film. No matter how good the location is it wont matter if ur gear is already in someone else's hands.

@Cosmojourney 2 weeks ago

Thank you for practical inspiration!

@Parsa_Cinephilia 11 months ago

I'm afraid of the thieves, having this much distance from my gear is terrifying 😵‍💫💀
But I'm very appreciate it Brandon, thank you. :yougotthis:

@visionatelier 9 months ago

Yeah leaving thousands of dollars of gear with my back turned seems like a terrible idea 😂😂

@Superordinarysalman 1 month ago

very informative and helpful. Thank you for your effort.,

@StevenDempseyArtist 3 months ago

Brandon, your videos are just mesmerizing to watch. I appreciate all of the time you put into them. Thank you for the inspiration.

@melelizabeth01 2 months ago

This is one of the best cinematography technique videos I've ever seen. Thank you!

@smasifurrahman9030 11 months ago

I usually never comment on YT. But, honestly, you Brandon are getting more and more inspirational for a non-creative like me. I literally wait for your new videos to come out since the first time I watched one of your cinematography videos couple of months ago. Definitely the best lecture class that I’d love to attend always. Thank You Teacher!

@ikarusmartinellic 5 months ago

Lord. The amount of comments on the gear even though he is talking about the minimalist approach. The video is about positioning, angles you take, time of day you shoot framing not about gear. If you don’t have a light use a reflector, if you do t have an ND then unfortunately use a higher shutter until you can afford. This is for you to practice until you understand the concepts. 😅😅 This dude is a genius, listen to his concepts don’t get bogged down by the gear he’s using.

@GOLDEN_CUBEX 9 months ago

this is golden. very few people giving this kinda of knowledge. When you search for videography, they always teach you about the basics of your camera but not HOW TO SHOOT WITH YOUR CAMERA and this is that video which we all need

@abheymehta 11 months ago

Man I love how much you have put in for this video, very inspiring and creative.

@scottrobertson.studio 2 months ago

Masterclass. Thanks for sharing

@epicroadtripwithpiotrgorski 2 months ago

pretty cool episode!

@DreySantesson 11 months ago

Saving this video to : Watch before traveling !

@CoenradJMorgan 11 months ago

Thank you Brandon, this is edutainment at its best and really generous of you, much appreciated and once again thank you.

@EnochBLV 2 months ago

thanks a lot man

@michaelgreenvideo 10 months ago

The hero of this video needs to be these selfie sticks! You used them for everything. Putting your DSLR on them is wild! But ... I just ordered one to give it a go! Would make general self-shot content much easier! I have been using a small light stand, but I still need to tighten and loosen, but this looks great.