A few years back I wrote a blog about shooting video content on your smartphone. An awful lot has changed since then, and due to the current climate surrounding the Covid-19 epidemic – providing our clients with the tools and know-how to produce their own user-generated content at home is more relevant than ever.
For context, a few weeks into the pandemic lockdown, our friends at Luma Marketing asked us to take part in a webinar for a few of their select clients, to show them some basic skills they could learn to massively improve their video content during periods of home isolation.
We assumed most clients wouldn’t have a fancypants camera (like us), and a whole studio (again, like us); so we opted for keeping it simple, and suggested the use of a recording device we all have access to (even your nan); a smartphone.
The webinar proved really successful and we found that the participants were super keen to learn more and start making their own smartphone videos for their brands and businesses.
So we decided to condense the information down into a brief five minute film containing our top 10 tips for shooting better video on your smartphones.
Tips for shooting better video
1. Get your set up right! Think about your ‘set’ and what you’re wearing.
2. Think about Framing & Composition. How are you ‘filling’ the frame?
3. Lighting doesn’t need to be complicated. Make use of domestic lamps or natural light.
4. Don’t forget about sound. Find the quietest place in your house.
5. Know your content before you start. Make notes or have a script before you start.
Shooting better video on your smartphone
1. Try video apps. They unlock the full capability of your phone’s video recorder.
2. Know your Hardware. Try some gadgets like tripods, lens modifiers or gimbals.
3. Dial in your settings. Have a play with the video app in manual mode for full control.
4. Get nice, clean sound. Try an external microphone (bluetooth or 3.5 jack).
5. Clean your lens! Duh!
Have you been shooting any video yourself while on lockdown? Drop us a line if we can help bring a little extra sparkle to your content.