Shooting videos can seem like an overwhelming task, but when you understand the basics it is actually fairly simple. It’s not always necessary to go all out and invest a couple thousand dollars in camera gear or editing software to get the job done. Shooting great videos can be accomplished easily on your smartphone.
If you’re looking for some basic tips to help you shoot better quality videos on your smartphone, RYNO Strategic Solutions is here to help. We’ve compiled a list of tips to help you feel more confident and ready to start capturing great videos.
Record Horizontally
Shooting videos horizontally allows you to fit more of the background into the frame, and will allow the video to be played full screen on other devices including laptops and TVs. If you shoot video on your smartphone vertically, it will display with black bars on either side of the screen when you view the video on other devices, which in most cases is not preferred.
You Shoot
Where you decide to shoot your video is important and is the easiest way to make sure your footage looks great. Make sure you pick a spot with a nice backdrop that communicates your message. Shooting a video talking about your HVAC company in front of the dumpster behind your building would not impress your audience. Take the extra time to make sure that your background is as presentable as possible!
When choosing a location, also take into account the lighting that exists there and how the shot looks once it is set up. Choosing a dark corner of the room may lead to grainy/low quality footage. This can always be fixed by adding more light, which can be as simple as opening a door or a window.
Keep It Steady
Smartphones are small little devices, and because of this it can sometimes be difficult to keep the video steady when you are shooting for longer periods of time. Consider propping your phone on a desk or against a wall to keep the video extra steady! If you decide to shoot handheld, the best way to make sure your arms don’t get tired as fast is to hold the camera with both hands and keep it as close to your center-of-gravity as possible.
Video Resolution
While many smartphones today are capable of shooting video up to 4k resolution, in most circumstances this is not necessary. If you intend to post the video across your business social media platforms, you should shoot your video at a maximum resolution of 1080p. Most social media platforms are not able to publish videos at a higher resolution, so shooting at this size will get the job done without taking up too much storage on your phone
Make Sure You Have Enough Storage
Nobody is perfect, and sometimes it takes more than one try to get the video right. Planning ahead can make the recording process a lot smoother. Before recording video on your phone, make sure you have enough storage on your phone. Typically, 200-300 MB will last a couple minutes. The easiest way to free up storage on your phone is to delete a couple apps that are not essential from your phone. Don’t worry – you can always download these again later once you have captured your footage and deleted the clips that you don’t want to use.
Have Fun and Be Creative!
Shooting videos is about being creative and finding fun ways to tell the stories that you want to tell about your business. Hopefully these few tips that we have compiled help you feel more confident and ready to capture videos easily on your smartphone!
If you have any specific questions about shooting higher end videos for your business, our experienced team is happy to help. Contact us today for more information!