Hello Youth Vision, Shooting on your phone
Pro Video, Backyard Budget
Guide to shooting from a phone or device
Contents
- 1.Required shots
- 2.Crash course on types of shots
- 3.Filming people
- 4.How you sound
- 5.General tips for phones
- 6.Uploading your videos
Shots we need
Money shots
Shoot in landscape (hold the phone sideways, not upright)
These are the shots you should try to capture.
- 1.Wide shot and close up shots of panels - both still and panning (move camera slowly from left to right)
- 2.Wide and mid shots of the Solar Farm with trees in background
- 3.Mid and close up shots of workers (ideally a mix of candid and looking at the camera)
- 4.Wide shot and close up shots of the bees and the sheep
- 5.Interview quote from Dennis or Justin (or both!) on the bees and sheep. Something that explains why they were chosen to be on site, like:
"We chose the sheep to help keep the grass short, which improves the performance of the PV"
"The bees help pollinate the 5,000 trees to keep things nice and green, and minimise visual impact"
Types of shots
Generally in film, we use five main shots
- 1.Wide shot
- 2.Mid shot
- 3.Close up
- 4.Cutaway (B roll)
- 5.Interview
1. Wide Shot
Wide shots are great to set the scene. Try to tell the audience the location of the video - let them know where you are.
You can often start a film with a wide shot.
2. Mid Shot
These are great interview shots. Or talking to camera shots. You get a good sense of the person and how they are feeling.
Use this shot for the majority of your videos. Generally after the wide shot
3. Close up
This is a close up.
Use it sparingly. It’s generally used for emotional shots. It’s usually just in intimate situations.
4. Cutaway (or B Roll)
A cutaway is any shot that helps flesh out the story. So if someone is talking about koalas, insert a cutaway shot of the koalas.
They often don't involve people.
Cutaways are also really helpful for interviews as they enable us to cut an interview without showing the cuts. Place a cutaway over a cut in the interview.
Reaction shots are really important too. If you have someone talking, get some shots of people listening. Nodding, laughing etc. These reaction shots give the audience a clue on how to react.
5. Interview
Simply, put the person in the middle of the frame, and make sure the light is coming from in front of them (or behind the camera person).
How you sound
How do we know a video is amateur? The audio. Good sound is crucial.
Do these things:
- Set up somewhere quiet
- Speak up. (Don't shout. Just make sure they can hear you).
- If possible, get a microphone to plug straight into your phone. Microphones are not essential, but if you'll do more of these videos it can be a wise investment.
- Here's a good one you can plug into your computer. (This won't work for phones)
- Here's a cheap lapel mic, which you can plug into your computer or your phone. Simply clip it to your shirt.
- Or, use another phone as a microphone! Simply put a smart phone in your pocket and record using the voice memos app. Press start and stop at the same time as your cameraperson presses start and stop on their phone. You will record a separate audio track.
General Phone Filming Tips
1. Reduce Camera Shake
Another amateur giveaway is camera shake.
Three options:
- Place the phone on a table
- Buy a mini iPhone tripod. You can get them cheap.
- Hold it with two hands, lock your elbows into your body, then swivel only your body, not your arms. (Some prefer just one hand. Practise which one works for you.)
If getting a 'panning' shot (moving from left to right) go slow and steady.
No need to zoom - we can do this in post-production.
Finally, always turn your video camera sideways in “landscape” mode. Not upright in “portrait” mode.
2. Lighting
Best time to shoot - morning or evening. That’s because the sun is lower and more flattering. If it’s midday, it’s often better to shoot inside.
If you shoot with the sun in front of you, it’s a silhouette. Phones often can’t handle it.
If the sun is behind you, it’s “front-lit”. iPhone does better with that angle. Just watch your subject doesn’t squint. If they squint, put the sun to the side and “side-light” them.
3. Background
Check what's in your background (especially for shots of people). A messy background will confuse the audience. By the same token, your background should not be bare. Have a little bit of colour, and some light.
4. Eye Height
Make sure the camera is at your eye level. Not below or above.
5. Do a test run
Do a little test run to check light, sound and frame. Watch it back and modify anything that doesn't look quite right.