Tips for filming

This article contains the guides, tips and tricks that will help you make professional grade videos.

• Definition of professional quality video
• Recommended equipment
• Points to be checked
• Tips for framing
• Tips for filming
• Mistakes to avoid

What defines a professional quality video ?

To get a video with a professional quality rendering, you must check these 3 criteria :

• Framing

Your subject must be well-aligned and stable

• The sound : 

People tend to neglect sound while It is very important. You may have a nice image, but if the sound is not audible, your message will not pass.

• Image

A clear image will highlight your subject as well as lighting

Recommended equipment

• A smartphone
• A tripod
• A lapel mic
• An extender for the mic
• A jack adapter if you own a recent Iphone
• A smartphone stabilizer/grip

Points to check

Before you start recording your video, remember to check these points:

• Clean your smartphone lens
• Your battery level available
• The remaining storage space of your mobile
• The microphone

Tips for framing

Composition or framing is the way in which the elements in the camera’s objective field are arranged in order to give an impression of harmony and highlight your subject.

The law of thirds or gold rule used by painters consists in cutting the image into 3 horizontal and 3 vertical parts. The points of intersection of these lines, called power lines, are the areas where the gaze comes naturally.

Tips for filming

• Focus on natural light
• Filming in a welcoming place
• Prepare your speakers
• Alternate between different plane values to energize your rendering

Mistakes to avoid

• Avoid zooming in with your phone, you may lose image resolution. Get closer to your subject if necessary
• Leave too much (or not enough) head room above your speaker
• Parasite noise
• Filming in an empty room because of the echo
• Filming against the light or leaving your subject in the shadows
• The overexposed images
• Reflections sources