5 Tips for Filming Videos With a Phone or Tablet
Today, anyone can be a film director, thanks to the high-quality video cameras available on most mobile devices. Thinking of starting a vlog? Your smartphone has got you covered! Looking to record some of your awesome skateboarding moves? Your tablet can do that, too! Best of all, with sites such as YouTube allowing you to upload your videos completely free, you can easily share your masterpieces with the entire world!
In this blog post, we share five tips for filming professional-quality videos on your phone or tablet. One of the keys to shooting great video with a phone or tablet is having a steady place to rest your mobile device. That’s where GoDonut comes in! Our universally-compatible device holder allows you to enjoy your device completely hands-free, anywhere, anytime. Made in the USA from durable material, GoDonut Original and GoDonut 360 are sure to become your new favorite filmmaking accessories. Read on to learn how to make some epic videos with your smartphone or tablet, then order one of our best-selling mobile device stands today!
Always Use Landscape Mode
For professional-quality footage, avoid portrait (vertical) mode at all costs. Vertical videos inevitably look amateur; after all, no one likes the look of two chunky black bars on the sides of their screen. Not only does using landscape (horizontal) mode make your video look more professional, but it also makes it much more enjoyable to watch on a widescreen television or even a desktop computer. Plus, you’ll be able to capture more of the action in the video.
Avoid Digital Zoom
Using digital zoom is a surefire way to make your video appear amateur. Unfortunately, most devices feature digital zoom, which is essentially just a software trick that makes your subject appear closer yet much more pixelated. There are, however, some phones and tablets available that offer a decent or even high-quality optical zoom. These include the Huawei P40 Pro, Samsung Galaxy S20, Google Pixel 4L, Motorola One Zoom, and iPhone 7 and later models. If getting a device with optical zoom is not possible, just try filming closer to your subject.
Use a GoDonut to Hold Your Device
No matter how steady you think your hands are, they’re bound to shake sooner or later. All videos, but particularly videos with multiple takes, can be compromised by even the slightest movement. Using something steady to hold your device while shooting your video is paramount to creating a professional video.
GoDonut is the ultimate device holder for shooting videos. The GoDonut Original is perfect for videos in which you only need a few frames, as your phone or tablet will fit comfortably into one three different slots. For videos that need more angles, the GoDonut 360 allows you to film video from virtually any direction!
Don’t Use Flash
Remember those camcorder spotlight videos from the nineties, where everyone has yellow skin and red devil eyes? Think Blair Witch Project. That’s what happens when you use flash to shoot videos. Most mobile devices come equipped with LED lights, which are too bright for video and can easily skew the color temperature of your subjects. To avoid this, we recommend using off-camera lighting. There are lighting kits available for a variety of budgets that can get the job done right. The best lighting, however, is free: the sun. Natural light almost always looks amazing. Just make sure to never have the sun behind the subject or else you’ll only get their silhouette.
Don’t Cover the Microphone
This one may seem obvious, but it’s easy to overlook if this is your first time shooting video on a phone or tablet. There’s nothing worse than getting a great video of the perfect skateboard landing only to discover that the audio is totally muffled. Audio is just as important as footage when it comes to making a professional-quality video. Usually, the microphone on your device will suffice, but if you really want to take your video to the next level, we recommend using an external microphone as well.
With GoDonut, Shooting Pro Videos Is Easy!
Thanks to GoDonut, your filmmaking dreams can become a reality. Order your GoDonut universal device stand today and start creating the next Hollywood hit!
