"I can't get into video, I don't have the equipment." If you've ever said that sentence, then you probably forgot about that small object that's (probably) in your pocket right now.
Filming with a phone and achieving a quality result is no longer impossible, especially because the cameras built into these devices have made significant progress. Quality is also a decisive factor for a video's SEO.
However, there are a number of best practices to know in order to succeed with a video shot on a smartphone.
1. Focus
During shooting, prefer to put your phone in airplane mode so you won't be disturbed by notifications or other smartphone functions.
Focus is one of the fundamental elements for creating quality videos.
2. Think about lighting
When it comes to video, lighting is extremely important. And believe it or not, you can get decent lighting without owning overpriced spotlights.
A simple trick is to position yourself facing a large, well-lit window (with the smartphone in front of you): your face should then be fully illuminated.
Outside, you can rely on natural sunlight to light your subject.
3. Stabilize the phone
Filming handheld allows more mobility and is sometimes unavoidable (for example, if you want to film something on the fly in the street).
But it has the downside of constantly shaking the camera: even if you stand still, you won't be perfectly steady.
So prefer to place your device on a support, whether it's a tripod, a piece of furniture, or a windowsill.
4. Pay close attention to sound
Keep in mind that sound is at least as important as the image: if theaudio from a video sound is unpleasant or inaudible, even the most incredible special effects won't stop viewers from leaving.
When filming with a smartphone, the sound is captured by the device's built-in microphone. These mics are nowadays fairly good: you generally get a clean sound, free of crackling and perfectly audible, if not flawless.
However, their range leaves much to be desired: try recording your voice while standing 5 meters from your phone and you can see for yourself.
For better sound, you can also simply plug in a headset or earphones with a microphone (they are usually included with your smartphone).
5. Take care with framing
Of course, depending on the type of video you shoot, the framing will require more or less attention and work.
So let's take the most common case: a video of the type VLOG where you film yourself facing the camera. Here, attention should be on you, which means you must occupy a good portion of the frame (and the focus should be on you).
Still, don't neglect your background, which should also help define the atmosphere and tone of the video. Rather than positioning yourself perfectly centered, shift slightly to the side: this leaves more room for your background.
6. Avoid zooming
Zoom is an effect that can quickly become grotesque (and it's no coincidence that it is now rarely used in cinema).
This is all the more true with smartphones, most of which have a digital zoom (not an optical zoom like camcorders of old). This type of zoom tends to pixelate the image and creates an 'illusion' of magnification that is not very pleasant to the eye.
As mentioned earlier, always place the device as close as possible to the subject being filmed rather than using the zoom.
7. Use editing software
You won't avoid it: you'll need to do some editing to obtain a good-quality video.
Editing serves several purposes:
- It lets you cut out failed or unnecessary sequences you don't want to keep;
- Add transitions and gaps;
- But also to give your video rhythm.
There are, in fact, ... very good apps for video editing directly from your smartphone, such as Adobe Premiere Clip.
8. Some tips
To finish, here are a few final recommendations to ensure a good shoot:
- Be sure to charge your phone sufficiently for the entire shoot. A lack of battery would force you to stop filming.
- If you shoot outdoors, try to film all the shots on the same day. Lighting may differ from one day to the next.
- Make sure you have enough storage space for all your raw footage. If your smartphone doesn't have much space, consider adding an SD card. Often, a lot of footage is needed to select the shots that will appear in the final video.
- Finally, it's recommended to make an external backup of your videos to a server, cloud, or hard drive so you don't lose the result of several hours of work.
Conclusion
You now have the keys to create videos with your smartphone. With these 8 tips, Don't be afraid to create your own videos anymore with just a smartphone and to share on social media.
However, if you want to reach a professional quality level, know that you can find a freelance video editor on Codeur.com.
