ok so ive been flying for about 8 months now and i feel like my footage is getting technically better but it still doesnt look... cinematic? like i see these videos online where every single clip flows into the next and theres this intentional quality to it and i genuinely dont know how people get there.

i think part of my problem is i just take off and start flying and hope something looks good. like i dont have a real plan. i got a mini 3 pro and the image quality is obviously fine but im just kind of wandering around in the sky and hoping for the best. do people actually scout locations before flying? do you storyboard? im not making films or anything, just want my travel videos to look less random.

also on the editing side im using resolve and i have no idea what LUTs to use or if i should even be shooting in d-log. right now im just shooting normal and slapping on some color grade and it looks flat. any advice from people who actually have a workflow would be really helpful

the planning thing is huge and honestly something most people skip when theyre starting out. what helped me was just spending like 10-15 minutes walking the location on foot before i even unpack the case. look at where the sun is, think about what the interesting focal point actually is (a building, a coastline, whatever), and then mentally ask yourself ? okay what would a slow reveal of this look like from the air? that one question changed everything for me.

for shots specifically i always try to get at least one orbit, one low fast push toward the subject, and one high pull-back reveal per location. those three alone give you something to cut between and they cover a lot of ground emotionally. the orbit is great for establishing, the push creates tension or excitement, and the pullback gives that exhale feeling at the end of a sequence. once you have those in the bag you can get more creative.

on the d-log thing ? yes shoot d-log if you can stomach the flat preview, but make sure your ISO isnt going crazy or the noise will eat you alive when you push the grade. and honestly dont overthink LUTs, find one that gets you 80% there and then tweak the contrast and saturation yourself. most free LUT packs are way too heavy handed anyway.

same boat as you a few months ago lol. what actually clicked for me was watching the video back with the sound off and asking myself if each clip held my attention for more than like 3 seconds without music carrying it. if it didnt, it wasnt a good enough shot. sounds harsh but it made me realize i was relying on the music way too much to make mediocre footage feel exciting.

also i started keeping a note on my phone with shot ideas before i go anywhere. nothing fancy, just like "low angle tracking along the road" or "slow rise over the tree line at sunrise" ? just to have something to aim for instead of freestyling the whole session.