I want my videos to have more of a unique, cinematic feel. Any suggestions?

[Graham Bernard]

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[Raymond Pace] “Something that can make my videos stand out and sort of transcend what you’d expect from an amateur video editor.”
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Ah, the Holy Grail! You’ve asked the best of questions, but maybe in the wrong Forum. Here, I would suggest, you will find answers on how to go about applying the controls and functions of Vegas Pro to get what you want – once you KNOW what you want. And yes, there will be many here who will attempt to interpret your question by applying what they do to get what you are implying you want.

If you wish to discuss WHAT you want, in a more directed, informed and an analytical way, I’m more than prepared to have that discussion – sure, in a heart beat! But until I would have a better understanding of your what, your how culminating with the best of the viewer experience you are wanting to achieve, I’d be shooting grape shot. And to do that, you need to ave captured the content that best exhibits your intentions to tell a story. It’s that straight forward. Make no mistake, the best of filmic experiences are JUST a bunch of clips, strung together. The content (pre-shot selection) and just how (editing) they were strung together? Well, that’s the craft. Content will blow most and many effects away.

O…K…

For me, in any of my videos I try to determine IF I actually have the content that tells a story. If the story is a story about NOT telling a story then that can be done too! But what is needed is the script, even the most flimsiest of scripts: “I have an idea to show how water laps against the seashore” or even “Why do we need a script when I make a Video”. The script doesn’t have to be written down, although it certainly helps, but that isn’t essential. While editing you’d be working your way through the script to achieving to telling your story.

So, “Content is King”. And content is the best you can obtain that will tell that story. Content also includes Audio too. An average visually inept piece can look passable if the audio is classy and clear. BUT the best of video can “look” rubbish if the audio is poor. There’s a evolutionary reason for that – go look it up!

So all the above comes under the question:

Q1] What are you trying to achieve?

Once you are clear about that – and BTW this COULD be at the base of your opinion about your own clips too! – then doing a first rough cut will get you clarity on then what further you may wish to apply in Vegas.

Again, you’ve asked the best of questions – I understand.

So, here comes the next question:

Q2] On the basis above, would you care to post here some of your footage so I could make a comment?

Start asking yourself questions like: I want a Tarantino approach : Or I want it to convey SPEED: Or I want to convey love, warmth anger, frustration . .. or just plain awe and wonder . I want to get the audience engaged with the drama and tension or controversy . . . these are the objectives and ways we communicate to get an authentic latch onto and into people’s emotions and thoughts, but to deny this of yourself will be doing yourself a disservice as all we have is that ability to communicate.

Here’s a simple task for you: Watch a favourite TV show. Get a writing pad and pencil; turn off the audio and play the video/show and start writing down what you are seeing and how you feel and have a stab at just what happened before a scene change, during a scene and then after. Summarize what it was the Director/Editor did to do it and give your OWN shorthand reference. You can also do this with adverts.

And again, truly, you’ve asked the BEST of questions. The majority of video makers don’t even question if their output is near the mark. So, well done you!

Please regard my responses to your question as a wish to assist and open the agenda.

HTHs

Grazie

Video Content Creator and Potter
PC 7 64-bit 16gb * Intel® Core™i7-2600k Quad Core 3.40GHz * 2GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 560 Ti
Cameras: Canon XF300 + PowerShot SX50HS Bridge

[Angelo Mike]

Watch a lot of movies, figure out what you like, and shoot constantly to practice getting that look. Don’t get complacent about it.

[Raymond Pace]

[Graham Bernard] “Here’s a simple task for you: Watch a favourite TV show. Get a writing pad and pencil; turn off the audio and play the video/show and start writing down what you are seeing and how you feel and have a stab at just what happened before a scene change, during a scene and then after. Summarize what it was the Director/Editor did to do it and give your OWN shorthand reference. You can also do this with adverts.”

I’ll do you one better, if you think it can still work. I’ll show you a work that has the type of feel that I want to emulate.

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A couple of things he does well is incorporate slow-motion with real-speed footage, and use flash transitions with (what I think is) a “lens flare” effect. At around 1:37, you can hear the “whoosh” sound effects I mentioned in this thread’s original post. It also looks like (not positive) he may have lowered the framerate slightly (I know how to do that, so no big deal), and he has some sort of lighting effect on all of the footage that you can see if you look on each side. It looks maybe like another case of a slight lens flare-like effect, but I’m not sure. Here’s a still from the video that gives you a good look at it:

Things like that are what I want. Like I said, I want people to feel like a team of experts had a part in making this video, not one guy who’s never done this for a living, and just has free time, a POS laptop, and an urge to express his creativity. Advanced cinematic techniques, be they transitions, effects, or simple strategies that I can incorporate when making the video.

I definitely appreciate your response, and if there’s any more info you might need, feel free to ask.

[Graham Bernard]

The video was superbly, fluidly constructed. It had immediacy and flow. It had a relevant story and relevant FXing. But above all, the actual “Slice ‘n Dice” was driven by the words and music bed. The audio pushed it along.

OK . . none of that is impossible in Vegas. Totally doable. What sits above all of this was the quality of the shooter and the camera.

1] Colour grading: I counted at least 5(?) interventions of grading. Doable in Vegas.

2] The Horiz flashes: This can be done in Vegas.

3] The Lens Flares: Also Vegas.

4] The side burn-ins/outs, that too.

There’s nothing there that would worry me.

But again, there is a wealth of shots to make a selection from. And that, over above everything else, provides the driving force for the narrative. It’s a hymn or gospel to the guy’s continual achievements.

Thanks for sharing.

Grazie

Video Content Creator and Potter
PC 7 64-bit 16gb * Intel® Core™i7-2600k Quad Core 3.40GHz * 2GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 560 Ti
Cameras: Canon XF300 + PowerShot SX50HS Bridge

[Raymond Pace]

Wow, thanks for the quick response. I really appreciate it. And now that I know that all that stuff (and I’m sure LOADS more) is possible, what do you think is the best way to get good/better at utilizing those effects and whatnot?

Thanks again.

[Aleksey Tarasov]

20 free light leaks you can get here: https://vegasaur.com/light-leaks