TWO MINUTE TEACH | Shoot Stunning Mobile Video
The phone that you're reading this blog on probably has an incredible camera built into it! With the rapid technological advances in the last ten years, cell phone media has gone from pixelated 144p to stunning 4K video! When it comes to shooting video on your mobile phone, there are a number of simple tricks that you can use to create stunning motion pictures!
1. Use Two Hands
Seriously, this tip is the easiest to put into practice! By using two hands on your phone while recording you will dramatically increase the stability of your footage! There is nothing worse than shaky video, and when using one hand, every breath, bump or step is translated directly into the phone.
2. Shoot in Landscape
If you're looking for stunning mobile video, you'll want to shoot in landscape, here's why: landscape mode allows you to record in a 16:9 aspect ratio, this means that when you play it back on your TV, on Youtube or Facebook, it'll take the full width of the media player! You'll also be able to edit this footage with video recorded on your personal camera, as most cameras record video in 16:9 by default.
PRO TIP: If you're looking to shoot a mobile video and want to get a large degree of social reach on Facebook or Instagram, consider shooting and uploading it in portrait mode. It takes much more effort to scroll past a portrait video because it takes up dramatically more screen space in someone's feed!
3. Consider Your Light Sources
The small sensor of your mobile device will take in less light than a full sized camera. You'll need to consider your lighting conditions before you hit the record button. If you're shooting indoors, look for a window giving off a lot of natural light, or try to shoot near a powerful light or lamp. If you don't, you'll be left with grainy footage, as the camera tries to 'see in the dark' by increasing the sensor's sensitivity to light, thereby increasing the image grain. Shooting outdoor in natural light will yield the best results, but if you're forced to shoot in the dark, consider having someone else turn their device onto flashlight mode to illuminate your subject.
Take these three points into consideration and you'll take your mobile video game up a level in no time!
Lauren & Jordan