Does anyone know how I can make my DV camera and iMovie look like that professional quality video that you see in TV or movies? Is there a filter or effect I can use? Thanks for any help!

What exactly do you mean my "professional look?"

QuickTime has several built-in filters, and more are available for iMovie from the iMovie site.


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I'm cookoo for Cocoa Apps!

Well, there's just a look in the film of TV and movies that differs from that of a DV camcorder... I really can't explain without you seeing it. Is there anywhere else that there are iMovie compatible filters?

It may not be possible from iMovie, but there's an article about making video look like film with Final Cut Pro at http://www.2-pop.com/articles/2001-05-09b.html .

-Doug

The "Pro" look is acheived by shooting good footage. Poor lighting & bad sound make for lousy video, the kind you see in typical home movies. By turning some lights on, adjusting your camera (so the whites look white- white balance) and maybe padding windows for noise (if you're in a city) you can shoot "Pro" looking video. A good camera helps, and there are many lens options like wide angle and macro to enhance the overall appeal.

There are effects, like DigiEffects Cinelook and Film Damage, which provide various films stocks and other tools for coloring/damaging video. Quicktime Pro has a built-in dust and scratches, hair and stains too. I'm not sure if iMovie can do this, but adjusting color balance (Red, Green and Blue) to enhance or correct color problems is often useful. Adjusting audio gain is helpful too, especially if you can raise and lower the volumes at critical points where sound is bad.

It just takes time and work and good video to work with to get that pro look, but it's worth it. good luck!

OK, I think I know where you are comming from now. I was thinking you meant changing the look using filters like "film noise" or "sepia tone."

I have to agree with Osiris. Good digital video starts with good footqage. Chris Breen (MacWorld Magazine) offers some tips on shooting good DV in this TechTV article.

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I'm cookoo for Cocoa Apps!

Keep the camera steady. That's probably the first thing you need to do. Even with a high-end camcorder, if the picture is not steady, it will look very amaturish.


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I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous.

Shoot 16:9 in progressive scan mode if your camera allows it. Then once you've finished editing in FCP, run it through the Digieffects filters. You can, with the right amount of care and time, make DV look very much like film.


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Anarchy is an ethic

This article over at 2-pop says it all (pretty much).

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Erik K. Veland
That's no ordinary rabbit