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The Internet is full of grandiose advertisements and short films filmed with a smartphone. But what we don’t usually tell you is that these videos are made by professionals. The only difference between these video clips and those made in the traditional way is the equipment used: a smartphone, rather than a camera costing 20,000 euros. Of course, the results are excellent.
But just because you’re not a video professional doesn’t mean you can’t create beautiful videos with your Android smartphone or iPhone. With a few tips, you can get the most out of your device to optimize your videos.
Here are five tips for enhancing your videos filmed with your smartphone.
1. Find the right lighting
Even on the best smartphones, the small camera sensors don’t perform very well in low lighting. Videos still look good in dim light, but maybe you want more than just “okay” results. In this case, make sure you film in a sufficiently lit area. Natural light is best, but you can’t always take advantage of it – especially if you’re filming at night or indoors.
If you’re filming indoors during the day, remember to check that all curtains and shutters are open to let as much natural light into the room as possible. If there is no sun, turn on as many lights as possible. However, make sure that the bulbs all emit light of the same color. If you mix white light and yellow light you might have problems.
For optimal brightness indoors, it is best to equip yourself with LED panels like those from Neewer. At least if you want to invest in hardware, because this approach comes at a certain cost.
2. Film with a steady hand
First, shoot in landscape mode. When you film with your phone in a vertical position, the video is truncated. If you intend to publish it on a platform like YouTube, you will need a video filmed in horizontal format.
Then, shoot with a steady hand. If you have trouble holding it firmly, you can get a stabilizer for your smartphone. You can choose a simple “grip”, like the ULANZI U-Rig Pro or a more precise stabilizer like the Hohem Gimbal.
3. Optimize the audio
Smartphones aren’t known for having the best microphones. And it turns out that nothing ruins a good video more quickly than poor audio. This is why equipping yourself with an external microphone can be useful to improve the sound of your videos.
There are several types of microphones suitable for smartphones, including shotgun microphones, like the RØDE VideoMic GO II, or lavalier microphones, like the Hollyland Lark M1 Wireless Lavalier Microphone. If you are filming one or two people, lavalier microphones are ideal. If you are filming an event, opt for a shotgun microphone instead.
Furthermore, if you plan to film outdoors, equip your microphone with a windscreen to reduce noise, especially if it is windy.
4. Focus
Some smartphones have better autofocus than others. Some are even able to track faces correctly. But no smartphone is perfect. Therefore, when shooting, choose the subject that needs to be in focus and stay on it.
This approach may require you to hold the smartphone so that you can touch the subject on the screen to maintain focus (this is where a stabilizer can come in handy).
Tapping and filming at the same time can be tricky and takes some practice, especially if your subject moves a lot. But once you have mastered the technique, your videos will be greatly improved.
5. Use the golden ratio
The golden ratio, linked to the Fibonacci sequence, allows you to place the main subject in the most important place in an image.
As a general rule, the main subject should be in the left or right third of the frame to make an image more interesting. If you always place your subject in the center, which we might be tempted to do instinctively, your photos will quickly become boring. Some smartphones allow you to display the grid, with a Golden Ratio option. If this is the case with yours, don’t hesitate to use it: you will quickly understand how to find the best place for your subjects.
In the context of a video, of course, the subject moves. You will therefore have to decide between using the golden ratio or letting your subject move away from it. To make this decision, think about the type of video you want to make, such as fiction or presentation, the settings and the number of people in the scene. Keep in mind that the golden ratio is pretty ideal for filming someone static.
And there you have it, you now know how to improve your videos shot with a smartphone. Happy shooting!
Source: ZDNet.com