You don't need an expensive cinema camera to make something look beautiful and cinematic.

There are thousands of ways to make a film and this is only 1 person's experience, but I wrote down some tips if you're planning a low-budget film that should help.

Okay I'm pretty sure there are no more typos or errors in this. Feel free to share your own tips if you have something to add! Hope this is helpful . Thanks @martrese20 for the ND filter add!

One thing I forgot to add is if you have it in your budget to rent a stabilizer / slider these would be great options for more camera movement options. For color grading LUTs can be purchased and Davinci Resolve is a free color editing software that is easy to learn.

Last add - tripods are a no brainer but make sure you actually have one that supports your camera's weight. Try to find a tripod with a fluid head so your tilts and pans are as smooth as possible. Otherwise you might get frustrated with sticky movements.

I also rec the MasterShots books. Easy/quick to digest

- MasterShots V1: 100 Advanced Camera Techniques to Get an Expensive Look on Your Low Budget Movie
- MasterShots V2: 100 Ways to Shoot Great Dialogue Scenes
- MasterShots V3: The Director's Vision: 100 Setups, Scenes & Moves

Super last add - affordable extras to have

- Apple boxes/wedges to help adjust the height and level of your camera if the tripod isn’t enough
- Duvetyn to wrap around your tripod or other gear to reduce reflections in windows, etc.
- Black wrap and gels to help shape light