I’ve found that getting a “film” look on digital cameras isn’t always easy. However, there are a few simple things that I do to get my footage to look like film.

One of the most important things is getting your exposure right when you’re shooting. You want to make sure you don’t over or underexpose your shots–especially skin tones.

When you’re editing your video, it’s important to recognize your luma values. A simple increase in your shadows and lowering your highlights are simple ways to achieve a film like look.

Here’s a before and after with the shadows pushed up and a gold lut applied.

By boosting the shadows, we’re creating a more film-like look.