How to Get the Film Look With Digital Video (Using Dehancer in DaVinci Resolve)

There’s a reason we still fall in love with the look of film. It’s not just the colors or the grain — it’s the feeling. The texture. The way a frame can hold a moment in time and make it feel alive.

In today’s world of ultra-clean digital cameras, getting that same emotional depth can be tricky. But thanks to film-emulation tools like Dehancer, you can bring that timeless cinematic look back — right inside DaVinci Resolve.

In this post, I’ll walk you through how to use Dehancer to create rich, film-like footage from your digital video.

🎞️ Why We Love the Film Look

Kodak Vision3 250D

Film has something digital often doesn’t — imperfection.

It breathes. It glows. It reacts to light in a way that feels tangible.

When we chase that film look, we’re really chasing authenticity — something human and emotional. That’s why tools like Dehancer are so powerful. They don’t just color-grade your footage; they make it feel real again.

Dehancer Plugin

⚙️ Step 1: Set Up Color Management in DaVinci Resolve

Before you start grading, it’s important to make sure your color management is set up correctly.

1. Go to Project Settings → Color Management

2. Set the color science to DaVinci YRGB Color Managed

3. Choose DaVinci Wide Gamut Intermediate as your timeline color space

4. For output, use Rec.709A on a Mac, or Rec.709 Gamma 2.4 on Windows

This setup gives you the widest color range possible and ensures your footage looks consistent from start to finish.

🌈 Step 2: Create a Simple Node Structure

You don’t need a complex 20-node setup to get great results.

Here’s a clean, five-node layout that keeps your workflow easy to manage:

1. Color Space Transform (CST) – from your camera’s log profile into DaVinci Wide Gamut

2. Exposure

3. White Balance

4. Dehancer Plugin

5. Color Space Transform – back to Rec.709

This structure lets you work flexibly, while Dehancer handles most of the heavy lifting.

💡 Step 3: Correct Exposure and White Balance

Start simple. If your footage feels dark, gently raise the gain.

Then warm up the temperature slightly for a natural skin tone.

These small tweaks make a huge difference before you start applying any film emulation.

🎬 Step 4: Add the Dehancer Plugin

Now for the fun part — film emulation.

1. Drop Dehancer onto your film node.

2. Scroll down and select Disable All Tools — this gives you a clean slate.

3. Under Film Stock, choose a look that suits your project.

4. I personally love Kodak Vision3 250D for its warm, contrasty tones.

5. Under Print, try Kodak 2383 for rich color and a smooth highlight roll-off.

Within seconds, your digital image will start to feel cinematic.

🎨 Step 5: Adjust Film Developer & Compression

Dehancer’s Film Developer tools help refine your tone and contrast:

• Lower Contrast slightly

• Boost Color Boost to around 70 to bring back life and saturation

• Enable Film Compression to smooth out highlights and mimic real film response

These subtle adjustments create that soft, filmic roll-off that digital sensors usually lack.

🎞️ Step 6: Use the Color Head for Split Toning

The Color Head section in Dehancer acts like built-in split toning:

• Cool down your shadows slightly

• Warm up your midtones for skin and ambient light

• Keep highlights neutral

This creates a cinematic color separation that feels balanced and organic — no LUTs required.

🧡 Step 7: Add Film Grain, Halation & Bloom

This is where Dehancer really shines.

These effects add the texture and imperfection that make footage feel like film.

• Film Grain: Try 35mm ISO 50 for a subtle, fine texture

• Halation: Adds that soft red glow around bright edges — a key part of the film look

• Bloom: Wraps light around your subject, creating dreamy highlights

Tip: Keep these effects subtle. If you notice them too much, dial them back slightly.

📽️ Step 8: Compare Before & After

Here’s where you’ll really see the magic.

• Before: flat, digital, clinical

• After: rich, textured, cinematic

The difference isn’t just visual — it’s emotional.

The footage now feels like something real, something you could almost touch.

🔗 Try Dehancer Yourself

If you want to try Dehancer in your own DaVinci Resolve projects, you can grab it via the link below.

Use my code GIANTKILLER10 for 10% off your subscription.

This post isn’t sponsored — it’s an honest review of a plugin that genuinely delivers that nostalgic, film-like look.

👉 Explore Dehancer here

🧠 Final Thoughts

Dehancer plugin

Digital cameras give us power, precision, and flexibility — but film gives us emotion.

Dehancer bridges that gap beautifully, letting you blend both worlds: the convenience of digital with the soul of film.

Whether you’re grading a short film, a wedding, or a YouTube project, Dehancer can help you craft visuals that connect — not just impress.

Graded using DEHANCER Kodak Ektachrome 100