Shutter speed and motion blur: a starting point
Choose a shutter speed from your frame rate. Work through an ND filter example and learn which capture choices an edit cannot fix later.
Shutter speed is a capture decision with a visible effect on movement. It is useful to understand the arithmetic before choosing a neutral-density filter or trying to solve every motion problem in the editor.
The calculations here explain exposure time and light reduction. They do not predict that a particular setting will make every drone shot look cinematic.
Relate exposure time to frame rate
A shutter angle describes exposure as a fraction of the frame interval. Exposure time equals angle divided by three hundred and sixty times the frame rate. At thirty frames per second and one hundred and eighty degrees, that gives one sixtieth of a second.
At twenty-four frames per second, the same angle gives one forty-eighth of a second. Your camera may offer a nearby discrete setting rather than that exact value. Use the shutter and ND calculator to see the relationship for your inputs.
Compare like-for-like exposure readings
Suppose the scene is correctly exposed at one nine-hundred-and-sixtieth of a second, with aperture and ISO fixed. You want one sixtieth of a second. The new exposure lasts sixteen times longer, so matching the light requires a sixteen-times reduction: four stops.
The comparison stops being equivalent if the ISO, aperture or light changes. Re-meter rather than treating the first number as a universal filter recommendation for the whole day.
Do not confuse blur with unstable movement
A change in exposure time and a change in camera movement are different things. A well-chosen shutter cannot automatically turn an abrupt direction correction into a smooth reveal. Likewise, trimming the unstable start of a clip does not change how its remaining frames were exposed.
When reviewing footage, identify the actual problem before deciding which stage can address it. Some issues belong to the next capture; others can be improved by a more selective edit.
Use a starting point, not a compulsory look
A familiar shutter-angle starting point can help establish consistency. It is not a rule that every action scene, still frame or creative effect must obey. Compare a short sample at normal playback and decide whether the motion serves the subject.
An ND filter only reduces incoming light. If the chosen exposure needs more light, adding stronger filtration moves in the wrong direction. Check the camera's histogram and visible highlights rather than relying solely on a filter label.
Keep the edit focused on usable moments
You can still make a clearer film by choosing the useful section of a recording and removing unnecessary setup movement. Read the first-cut guide, then check Stitch's actual feature scope before assuming an editor includes a particular stabilization or reconstruction tool.