These days, everyone has access to a powerful video camera – and it’s right in their pocket. That’s right – if you have a smartphone then the power of video is right at your fingertips. The question is, are you using that power to your advantage? Video marketing is making waves in the world of brand storytelling and with the advanced technology of smartphones, it’s easier than ever to #tellgreatstories by way of video. So, in hopes of inspiring the videographer within all of you, we’ve got some tips on shooting video from your smartphone.
Always Shoot Horizontal Footage
You know when you come across a video that those annoying black bars on each side? Well, that’s what happens when you shoot video while your phone is vertical. Shooting horizontal video not only does away with those black bars, but it also allows for a wider shot that will look more appealing in the end.
Check Your Storage Before Shooting
So, you’re in the middle of shooting the perfect video and suddenly it shuts off and a notification pops up informing you that there is not enough storage on your phone. Who else has this happened to? You can avoid this by always checking your storage before beginning to shoot any video – especially one of high importance!
Invest in a Camera Stand or Tripod
Especially when it comes to video being used for marketing purposes, you want the quality of your videos to be top notch. After all, these videos are going to speak for your brand, right? And there is nothing professional about a shaky video. Investing in a camera stand or tripod is really a small price to pay for a much higher quality video.
Shoot from Multiple Angles
Something as simple as shooting from multiple different angles can make the final cut of your video so much more visually appealing. Play around with bird’s eye view and close-ups when applicable. The goal of any video is to capture the attention of your audience and visual stimulation is the best way to do that.
Know Good Lighting When You See it
Lighting is everything, folks. E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G. When you are getting ready to shoot a video, take a moment to observe the lighting around you. What do you need to do to improve on or create good lighting? You want the light to fall on your subject, so if the natural lighting isn’t ideal, you may have to turn on some lights or experiment with things to get the right shot with your smartphone. Lighting can literally make or break your video.
Avoid Digital Zoom When Possible
Regardless of how technologically advanced our smartphones have become, using the digital zoom can really ruin a perfectly good video. Zooming in digitally when videoing with your smartphone usually comes with copious amounts of pixilation, which leaves you with a video that looks very unprofessional. Whenever you can, try to get as close to your subject as possible in order to avoid having to use the digital zoom.
Experiment with Different Types of Video
The world of video is evolving and there are so many different types of video that you can experiment with now, a lot of which cater specifically to shooting video with a smartphone. A couple of examples –
huffingtonpost.com
Time Lapse
Have you checked out the time lapse video feature on your smartphone? If not, you should! This feature allows you to shoot footage over an extended period of time – hours or even days – and when you play the footage back, time appears to be moving faster and thus lapsing. This feature is a lot of fun to experiment with.
GIFs
You have undoubtedly seen these GIF videos everywhere. These videos are so simple to create and they are HIGHLY shareable. Instagram has even launched a new feature called ‘Boomerang’ that caters specifically to creating these short stop-motion video clips.
Did you know that we specialize in video production? For more information about The Storyteller Agency, or to share your vision and story with us, contact us here. And then go out and tell a good story.
