Unlock the secrets to stunning visual storytelling by mastering the art of creating cinematic cameras in KeyShot
KeyShot provides powerful yet simple-to-use rendering tools through both a standalone package and a plugin for all the best-known DCC applications (see our guide to the best animation software and the best 3D modelling software).
Whichever workflow you pick will depend on your circumstances, but either way you’ll get incredible lighting, materials and camera tools to help bring your models to life. Setting up the cameras is one of the most important parts of any 3D artist’s workflow.
Expert tip: Depth of field blades
Film cameras have a lens opening that's set by a number of overlapping blades, called the aperture. The number of blades is equivalent to the number of sides that each piece of bokeh has. Use the Depth of Field settings to specify the number of blades for your digital bokeh.
To get the best results, it requires creativity, technical knowledge, and mastery over the software. Thankfully, KeyShot does an incredible job of making the process as straightforward as possible while still providing more advanced tools like depth of field functionality.
Many camera shots are defined as cinematic because of their stylised colour grading or inclusion of film noise. Post-production effects like this are outside the scope of this Q&A, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a huge amount that we can achieve in-camera with KeyShot.
When using KeyShot, we’re able to position our cameras in specific ways that communicate a narrative, as well as introduce lens effects and depth of field bokeh to images. The importance of the position of the camera is often overlooked or undervalued in the pursuit of storytelling, but it’s vitally important.
Let’s take character visualisation as an example. Through the camera angle, it’s possible to present a character in a specific way. A high angle above the character makes them seem vulnerable and insignificant, while a low angle, on the flip side, makes the character seem bigger and more ominous.
The best thing to do is just experiment with different angles and see how each one makes you feel. KeyShot is ideal for this because the results are displayed in real-time. Linked to angles, the framing of objects is equally important. How close the camera is to an object can determine how connected or detached from it the viewer feels. With product visualisation, showing a few close-up shots before cutting to a full shot can create a sense of intrigue and excitement before the big reveal.
There’s one more element we have control over in KeyShot, and that’s the depth of field. Film cameras are known for the bokeh they create, and it’s worth integrating into your renderings to help focus a viewer’s attention, while at the same time giving off that cinematic vibe.
So, let’s dive straight into KeyShot and look at how to create cinematic cameras in four simple steps.
01. Decide on a camera angle
Use the Real-time View to orbit and zoom your camera with either your mouse or trackpad. I also like to use the four sliders included in the Camera Settings panel, as these allow for much finer adjustments than you could achieve directly in the Viewport. The Twist setting in particular is useful for adding something a little bit different. If you find that things aren’t working out, just right click and choose ‘Center and Fit Models’.
02. Lens settings
Four different lens types provide various outputs including perspective, orthographic, shift and panoramic. I use the perspective output the majority of the time, but for specific purposes I might use one of the other three options. Orthographic, in particular, can create a nice alternative look that’s intriguing for your audience.
03. Depth of field
This is one of the most important settings because it’s a vital part of film cameras. Scroll down in the camera settings and tick the ‘Depth of Field’ box, click on the crosshair icon, and select the part of your model you want to be in focus. The default f-stop of 1 is usually too low and will need increasing to up the size of the area in focus.
04. Animated depth of field
Another common effect in cinema is to animate the depth of fi eld, which can be done by right-clicking on the Camera option in the Settings panel. From there, choose Animation and DOF.
Use the effect settings to set the start and end focus distances, before playing back the animation and seeing the focus point move throughout the shot. This is especially effective for forcing a viewer’s focus to a particular area of your image.
Paul is a digital expert. In the 20 years since he graduated with a first-class honours degree in Computer Science, Paul has been actively involved in a variety of different tech and creative industries that make him the go-to guy for reviews, opinion pieces, and featured articles. With a particular love of all things visual, including photography, videography, and 3D visualisation Paul is never far from a camera or other piece of tech that gets his creative juices going. You'll also find his writing in other places, including Creative Bloq, Digital Camera World, and 3D World Magazine.
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