10 Tips to Shooting Cinematic SMARTPHONE Videos
Full Time Filmmaker
23 min, 53 sec
A comprehensive guide to filming professional-looking videos on a smartphone.
Summary
- Covers equipment, settings, and techniques for enhancing smartphone video quality.
- Provides recommendations for best smartphone gear, camera apps, and additional accessories.
- Details on getting the right exposure, focus, and smooth cinematic movements.
- Discusses the importance of lighting, composition, shooting to edit, and capturing professional audio.
- Introduces 'Smartphone Video Pro' course for in-depth learning.
Chapter 1
Jake introduces the concept of shooting cinematic videos using smartphones and the associated mini course.
- Jake from fulltimefilmmaker.com shares tips for shooting videos with a smartphone.
- Mentions the 'Smartphone Video Pro' mini course for detailed learning.
- Clarifies that while phones aren't as good as cinema cameras, they can still produce competitive images.
Chapter 2
Guidance on choosing the right smartphone, stabilizer, and manual camera apps to improve footage quality.
- Recommends Apple and Samsung as top smartphone choices for video quality.
- Highlights the DJI Osmo Mobile 4 as a preferred stabilizer.
- Suggests using manual camera apps like Moment for iPhones or Filmic Pro for Android.
Chapter 3
Explains the importance of ND filters, lenses, tripods, microphones, and portable battery chargers.
- Discusses using ND filters for motion blur and choosing third-party lenses for more shooting options.
- Advises getting a tripod for static shots and a microphone for better audio quality.
- Recommends having a portable charger to manage battery life during shoots.
Chapter 4
Outlines the optimal camera settings for shooting cinematic footage on smartphones.
- Suggests shooting in 4K resolution at 24 frames per second for a cinematic look.
- Emphasizes manual control over white balance, ISO, and shutter speed using third-party camera apps.
- Discusses the use of ND filters to correct motion blur and maintain natural motion.
Chapter 5
Highlights techniques for ensuring proper exposure to avoid overexposed or constantly changing footage.
- Recommends adjusting exposure based on the overexposed areas and locking it before shooting.
- Covers challenges with backlit subjects and ways to address them with or without additional light sources.
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Covers the use of different focal lengths and composition techniques for cinematic storytelling.
- Describes the benefits of having multiple built-in lenses or using third-party lenses.
- Gives composition tips such as filling the frame, using the rule of thirds, and incorporating leading lines.
Chapter 8
Emphasizes the importance of planning shots for editing and capturing high-quality audio.
- Encourages pre-planning and shooting with the final edit in mind.
- Stresses the need for professional audio to accompany visuals, using external mics when necessary.
More Full Time Filmmaker summaries
How to Start a Video Podcast from A to Z
Full Time Filmmaker
A comprehensive tutorial on creating a video podcast, from the necessary equipment to post-production and uploading.