How to Get the Film Look: Adding Atmosphere

There are all sorts of attributes to consider when achieving the film look. Most amateurs think that it’s all about the camera. And although certain cameras can play a role in achieving the filmic look, it only plays a small role. Besides, the knowledge of how to use a camera (any camera) will play a bigger role than the type of “lens box” that is used.

But, I digress…

One of the most important attributes that should be added to any shot, is
atmosphere.

And, what is atmosphere?

Atmosphere can be defined as “the envelope of gases surrounding a planet” or it can be defined as “the pervading tone or mood of a place, situation, or work of art”. For the purposes of this post, I like both definitions.

You see, getting the filmic look all comes down to adding a dimension of mood or tone, which (by one of these definitions) qualifies it as atmosphere. This type of atmosphere, can be achieved by lighting choices, or even color choices: props, sets, wardrobe, etc.

However, when developing this blog post, I was referring to adding dimensional atmosphere, which can create the illusion of depth. Adding the illusion of depth to your shots is one of the easiest ways to transform a shot from amateur to professional.

So, how does one add the illusion of depth to their shots?

Besides, lighting and the composition of the frame, you can add depth to your shots by literally adding atmosphere to them by way of haze.

If you look at most, if not all, big budget studio productions you’ll see the effects of haze. It’s how they get those awesome light streaks to come out of flashlights, or any other light prop.

However, the effect doesn’t have to be so overt for it to be beneficial. Because, a lot of times, the filmmakers are actually trying to achieve something that’s virtually unnoticed in nature.

Check it out!

Next time you’re outdoors, look far out into the horizon and you’ll see something you’ve probably never noticed before, haze.

So, when this dimensionality tool is not present in your shot, it feels wrong, because something will seem to be missing (even with a good lighting setup).

However, when shooting BloodGuilt, a haze machine was way out of my budget range. So, I opted for a fog machine instead; which can actually get the same effect as a hazer, albeit with a little more effort.

Meaning, the fog itself is a lot thicker than haze, but you can diffuse it with a fan, or you can wait for it to dissipate into the desired density.

I learned this the long way while filming BloodGuilt. I wasn’t liking the thickness of the fog, and was actually going to scrap the entire idea altogether. But, when I waited for it to clear, it eventually thinned into the look I was going for. From then on, I made sure to bring my small fan to each production shoot.

There are loads of things to consider when trying to achieve the film look: lighting, color palettes, set design, wardrobe, and even blocking – let me know if you’d like me to go over any of these topics on future blog posts. However, when planning for you next shoot, make sure you take some time to literally incorporate some atmospheric haze – or fog if you’re on a strict budget like me when filming BloodGuilt. [salute]