How to Shoot High-Quality Video on Your Smartphone
Research shows that, of the many types of content you can use to engage with your audience, video may be the most powerful. Compared to massive blocks of text, video is an enticing medium that makes your viewers more likely to respond to your message. Entrepreneurs often shy away from video because they believe producing high-quality marketing videos is expensive and time-consuming, but it can actually be as easy as pulling out your smartphone. You can make high-quality videos that get your customers excited using equipment you already have in the palm of your hand.
Here are some easy to follow smartphone video tips for your next shoot:
Shoot Quality Imagery
The quality of your photos and videos is a reflection of your brand. You want to usehigh quality images to come off as professional, and recording high quality images comes down to a combination of factors:
Orientation
The first rule of shooting video on your smartphone: always shoot horizontally (landscape), never vertically (portrait). Shooting horizontally makes your video look more professional because it displays better in the limited space on widescreens most computers, tvs, and tablets have.
Stabilization
Use a tripod or other stabilizing stand. Shaky shots make videos disorienting and unpleasant for viewers.
Resolution
One of the easiest ways to improve video quality on a mobile device is to maximize your resolution settings. Most smartphone cameras come with either 1080p or 720p resolution settings, which offer a much higher pixel count than standard settings.
Handling
The way you physically maneuver the smartphone’s camera will affect your video quality. First, if you want to zoom in on a subject, always walk closer as opposed to using the zoom feature. Second, you’ll want to keep a slow and consistent panning rate on your moving subject to avoid motion blur. Finally, always use your phone’s auto-focus feature so that your camera isn’t constantly refocusing the shot.
Frame Rate
Your frame rate can drastically change how a video looks. Smartphones let you choose from multiple frame rates that create different styles. 24fps gives your shots a more cinematic look and 30fps gives your shots more of a live broadcast feel. Also, most modern smartphones have the ability to shoot in 240fps, better known as slo-mo.
Perspective
If you’re shooting an effects-driven scene, extreme close-ups, or multiple objects with different sizes, you may want to consider investing in a clip-on lens. Although the lens on your camera packs a big punch, its perspective is limited.
Lighting
Perhaps the biggest downside to shooting on a smartphone is its performance in low-light situations. Although there is a flash option on your smartphone, using it will usually give you overexposed shots. Fortunately, you can fix this by buying a lightweight lighting kit or by using natural light.
Recording High Quality Sound
A major misconception in capturing video is that image quality is more important than audio quality. Totally untrue. If your message is unclear because of low quality audio, you can’t expect your audience to respond well. Recording high quality audio comes down to a couple of things:
- decreasing noise interference
- upgrading your mic
- using voice-overs
Of all the potential audio issues, noise interference can be the most frustrating. External noise such as cars, birds, or construction are all around you and often out of your control. In order to remove external noise, a dedicated space for recording audio is essential.
Unlike your smartphone’s camera, your mic is going to need an upgrade if you want to shoot really professional-looking video. The mic’s positioning on the phone creates a lot of background interference which results in lower audio quality. If you want to get clean audio, it’s definitely worth your while to invest in an external recording device or directional mic.
Voiceovers are also a cool trick because they allow you to cover up audio inconsistencies or mistakes.
Now that you’ve got some basic pointers on how to capture better video on mobile, check out ONTRAPORT’s free guide, The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Shooting High Quality Video on Mobile. In addition to more in-depth tips on how to maximize your mobile video quality, you’ll find suggestions for a handful of cheap equipment upgrades that will help you produce even better videos.
Download The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Shooting High Quality Video on Mobile now, and start producing professional videos straight from your smartphone.
