Shooting Better Video on Your Phone: Steady, Well-Lit and Easy to Edit

Practical tips for filming clips that look good and are easy to edit later, covering orientation, stability, light, sound and shot variety.

Good editing can improve a video, but it can't fix everything. A little care while filming saves a lot of work later.

Choose your orientation first

Horizontal (landscape) suits TVs, computers and most long-form video platforms.
Vertical (portrait) suits phone-first formats such as stories and short vertical videos.

Decide before you start, and stick to it for the whole video. Mixing orientations leads to black bars or heavy cropping during editing.

Keep it steady

Shaky footage is tiring to watch.

Hold the phone with both hands, elbows tucked in.
Move slowly and smoothly, and walk with bent knees, rolling from heel to toe.
Lean against a wall, table or tree for support.
Use a small tripod or stand for interviews and static shots.
Turn on your phone's built-in stabilisation if available.

Mind the light

Film in bright, soft light, near windows or outdoors, but out of harsh midday sun.
Keep the light source in front of or beside your subject, not behind, or they will turn into a silhouette.
Avoid mixing light colours, such as daylight and warm bulbs, which cause colour shifts.

Clean your lens

A fingerprint smudge is the most common cause of hazy, dull footage. Wipe the lens with a soft cloth before you start.

Focus and exposure

Tap the screen on your subject to set focus and exposure. If your phone allows, lock them so that they don't change mid-shot.

Don't use digital zoom

Zooming digitally reduces quality. Move closer instead.

Capture clear audio

Sound matters as much as the picture. Film in quiet spots when possible, and keep the phone close to the person talking. Wind and traffic noise are hard to remove afterwards.

Shoot a variety of shots

Editing is easier with options. For each scene, try to capture:

Wide shots to show the setting
Medium shots for the action
Close-ups for details and emotion
Cutaways, meaning extra shots of related things, which you can use to cover cuts

Hold each shot

Record at least five to ten seconds for each shot, even if you plan to use only two or three. You'll be glad of the extra when trimming and transitions.

Plan the story

Before recording, think about the beginning, middle and end. Even a simple plan, such as arrival, the main activity and a final moment, makes editing much simpler.

Battery and storage

Video uses a lot of storage and battery. Check both before an event, and carry a power bank if you can.

Common mistakes

Filming in the wrong orientation.
Moving the camera too quickly.
Shooting against a bright window.
Forgetting to record enough different shots.

Practice

Film a one-minute clip of a simple activity, such as making tea, using wide, medium and close shots, then edit it into 20 seconds.

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