These tips are aimed at anyone who wishes to record footage with their smartphone and is a complete beginner.
Phone Settings
No matter if you are an iPhone user or an Android user I highly recommend that you record your footage in the highest resolution possible. A higher resolution means higher quality footage and allows for greater flexibility when it comes to editing.
Many newer phones will allow filming in 4K which I recommend as standard. Many phones will allow a range of frame rates from 24 frames-per-second (fps) all the way to 60fps for standard recording.
30 Frames Per Second
Best for:
- Scenes with low levels of motion
- Person focused scenes / interview
- Cinematic storytelling
60 Frames Per Second
Best for:
- Scenes with high levels of motion
- Visual clarity & realism
- Slow motion
Most smartphones now have built in slow motion filming which records at 120fps or 240fps. I find this unnecessary as I can use frame interpolation to artificially and accurately transform footage into slow motion. This works best if you recorded in 60fps initially.
Changing your recording settings
- Open the Camera app and switch to VIDEO mode.
- You’ll notice the video resolution (720P, HD, 4K) and frame rate (24, 30, 60, 120, 240) labels appear in the top-right corner, separated by a dot. Tap either label to flip between your video quality settings.
- I recommend 4K and either 30 or 60 (depending on what you are filming) as the respective settings
- If you are unsure of what to pick between 30 and 60 then I’d recommend using 60 as it’s more versatile for editing purposes.
- On an Android device, open up the Camera app > switch to Video mode > and then tap on the recording settings to open up a list of Resolution and Frames/sec values.
- I recommend 4K and either 30 or 60 (depending on what you are filming) as the respective settings
- If you are unsure of what to pick between 30 and 60 then I’d recommend using 60 as it’s more versatile for editing purposes.
Portrait vs Landscape
As a simple rule of thumb, always film landscape (horizontal) unless you are specifically filming content for an Instagram Reel or equivalent. Portrait (vertical) filming lacks so much versatility that landscape filming does not.
If you require footage that can be used in both landscape and portrait then landscape filming is still the correct choice, especially when filming in 4K.
Types of Shots
Here is a list of some basic shot types when filming to help you decide how near or far from your subject you want to be when filming.
Basic Shots – Camera Distance
A close-up shot is a shot taken of a person or object at a close range, in order to capture the minute details of the subject. This shot is tightly framed and takes up most of the screen, as it is usually used to frame a character or object in order to show details or emotions about the subject being filmed.
A medium shot, or waist shot, indicates that it was captured at a medium distance from the subject. This shot is known as the ‘sweet spot’ shot, as it allows for both the details of your subject to be seen in addition to the surrounding setting the scene is taking place in.
The long shot, also known as the wide shot, is often times used as an establishing shot in a film, as it normally sets the scene. This type of camera shot, shows the full length of the subject while also including a large amount of the surrounding area of the film setting. This film technique can be used to isolated audience as on-lookers into the story being presented to them, or to help establish location to the audience.
It is important to note that for close, medium and long shots the distance is always relative. For example, 5 meters distance can be a close up shot in one scenario (such as a shot of a building) or a long shot in another scenario (such as a shot of a meal plated up on a dining table). Close, medium and long will always be relative to how much the subject fills the frame vs the background / surroundings.
Zooming In
I do not recommend using a smartphone’s zoom function when filming for these two reasons.
- Manufacturers of smartphones almost universally create the primary lens in a higher quality than their other lenses such as the zoomed telephoto or ultra-wide. This means that this optical zoom will produce a lower quality picture than your main lens.
- If you zoom more or less than the default zoom levels on your smartphone then you are doing what is known as a digital zoom where the camera will use a portion of the image and resize it. This causes a heavy loss of quality and can lead to blurry and pixelated footage.
Basic Shots – Camera Movement
Camera movement can be a huge benefit to video when done correctly and so for beginners I usually recommend the following movement techniques to add some life to your video footage.
This is when you have zero camera movement and will classically be used for things like interviews for fixed angles. Typically you want to keep your camera still when your subject is staying in frame and there is no specific purpose for camera movement. Camera movement without purpose will be very distracting to the audience.
A pan shot (derived from panoramic) is a controlled camera movement from left to right or vice versa. This can be great if you are filming something large and relatively close to allow the audience to see more of the subject. It can also be used to reveal other subjects as they come into frame.
This is a very simple and versatile shot that I recommend practicing so that you can use this to achieve some very smooth footage.
A tip I recommend is to pan at a medium to slow speed unless you are going for an action or comedic effect where it is more practical to pan quickly.
Overusing this shooting style can be very distracting so mix it up with some static shots where possible.
This is a sort of zoom shot where the zoom effect comes from moving the camera lens gradually closer to or further away from the subject. In filming this would be referred to dollying in or out. This can be a great way to add some movement to a shot where the subject isn’t moving and you want to shift focus to the detail or beauty of the subject. This could be dollying in on a flower arrangement to appreciate the vibrant colours for example.
This is a shot that I think should be used sparingly as with specific purpose in mind. I wouldn’t advise using this shot for the sake of variety alone.
I also recommend generally doing this at a medium to slow speed unless you are going for a very specific effect such as a comedic style reaction of a subject.
Lighting
Lighting can get extremely technical when filming. For starting out with a smartphone the important basic concept to stick to is that without enough light your footage wont be clear.
The light needs to be on the subject you are filming in order for it to be clear in the video. For example, you’ll still get poor quality video if you are outside in great natural lighting, but filming something under heavy shade.
The best way to know if you have enough lighting for your subject is to watch your clips back on your phone. Try to see if you can make out the details of your subject.
I would try to avoid the use of camera lights as they will produce a very harsh light that causes distortion of the natural colours and balance of the background and foreground. This can be very distracting for the audience. These camera lights are far better suited (in my opinion) for photography rather than videography.
Audio
When filming with a smartphone you will not have much control over audio although there are a few things to consider.
- If background noise can be removed then it is advised that you do so. This could be as simple as switching off fans for example.
- If you are outside and it’s windy, see if there is a way to shield yourself from the wind to prevent lots of unwanted audio in your footage.
- If you need to capture audio of someone speaking, make sure they are projecting their voice enough and that you are not too far away from them.
When it comes to audio, don’t worry too much. Background noises can be removed, loud sounds can be reduced, some wind noise can be edited out. Audio editing isn’t perfect, but there are steps that can be taken to improve the overall audio quality from it’s original recording.