How to Get a Western Look In Your Next Film Project

For a western film you may need authentic props. Maybe you need a cool location. Maybe you need an Arri Alexa with anamorphic lenses. Maybe you need a ton of lighting. Maybe you need an expensive software to edit the project. Well, some of these are not that essential.

FilmRiot has teamed up once again with HitFilm to produce a western short with a modern twist. The project was not shot on a budget but the guys from FilmRiot have showed us many examples on how you can do a lot with less. In this video you will see they've rented expensive gear and shot everything with natural light and light shapers but don't be discouraged by that. There are golden principles you can incorporate in your next short film whether it is a western or not.

Even though you may have access to an Arri Alexa and anamorphic lenses, there's no guarantee your film will look good. Without an engaging story supported by the right location, props, actors, and audio, nobody will care about the gear you used. The guys from FilmRiot have taken their time to work on the details while the cool gear was just the last piece that tied it altogether.

On the visual side of things they have used inspiration from classic westerns when it comes to wide, medium, and extreme close up shots. When you see the film you will feel that classic vibe. The sound may be taken for granted but most of the sound effects are recorded separately and added in post. That's a usual technique you may be or may not be familiar with.

Another cool thing is they've edited the film in HitFilm which is a professional video editing software that has a free version too. This entire film has been edited in the free one. It includes options for visual effects and in that film they've used motion tracking, adding muzzle flashes, smoke, replacing sky, and more.

Oh, and here's the short:

Their previous collaboration with HitFilm produced "Portal Combat" that you can watch here:

And of course behind the scenes. Here's part 1:

...and part 2: