Ways to Film by Yourself: Become a Video Star 😉
Work Flows Series 🌊 Get great content filming alone 🤔 🤳 PLUS tips for getting started on talking to your camera
Filming high-quality social media content as a 1-person-team doesn't require an expensive camera or a professional team. The keys to filming solo are planning and preparation. 🔑 Here are some tips to help you film on your phone without any help based on your effort level 👇
💚 Easy – Tripod(s)
➕ Ensure your shots are stable and smooth, and easily editable.
➕ Keep the same frame.
➕ Don’t worry about your phone tumbling or not catching the right angles.
💛 Medium – Set Locations
➕ Identify accessible locations that have good natural light.
➕ Always film in these spots to establish a recognizable aesthetic for your followers.
➕ Create areas where tripods are always setup and don’t need to be moved for easy video editing.
❤️ Hard – Maximize Your Video Settings
To film high-quality content with your phone, try adjusting your camera settings to ensure your video is as clear and crisp as possible. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you out on better settings for better content:
⚙️💚 Clean Your Camera Lens: Underrated pro-tip–cleaning your camera lens with a microfiber or glasses cloth before you start can keep your video from looking blurry or hazy, and in some cases prevent having to re-film everything.
⚙️💚 Grid Lines: Get composition assistance for your shots! Turn on the grid lines feature in your phone camera. This can help you align your shots and make sure everything is level.
⚙️💛 Filters: Experiment with different modes and filters (like black and white, high contrast, etc.) to find a look that fits your brand.
⚙️💛 Exposure and Focus: You can usually adjust the exposure and focus by tapping on the screen to ensure that your subject is well-lit and in focus. Play around with these settings doing test videos, until you find what works best for you.
⚙️❤️ Resolution: How many pixels are displayed on your screen; the higher the resolution, the sharper your video will be. To get the highest quality video, select the highest resolution available on your phone.
⚙️❤️ Frames Per Second (fps): How smoothly your video plays. For a smoother video, choose a higher frame rate, like 60 fps. Be aware, however, that higher frame rates will take up more storage on your phone.
💚 Easy BONUS! – Write a Script: Make sure you have an idea of what you want to capture before you hit that record button. And it's totally okay to do a multiple takes to get it just right. It’s not always a Marilyn moment 🥴
(usually accessible via your phone’s main settings menu, look for the 'video' or 'record video' option)
Outside of actual filming, chatting with your phone’s camera can feel a bit awkward, so here are some tips for comfortably talking to your phone camera 📱:
🔂 Practice Makes Perfect: Rehearse what you want to say before hitting record. As you get more comfortable, you can start improvising and speaking more spontaneously!
👯 Imagine You're Talking to a Friend: Instead of thinking of the camera as an inanimate object, imagine you're talking to a friend so that you can
🪞 Be Yourself: People connect with authenticity. Don't be afraid to show the personality you show your friends. You're not trying to be a movie star, you're just sharing your unique perspective with the world.
👉 Use Bullet Points: If you get overwhelmed with a full script, use bullet points to guide your conversation. Allowing you to maintain eye contact with the camera and prevents you from sounding too scripted.
😮💨 Take Breaks: If you're feeling overwhelmed, take a break. You don't need to film everything in one take. It's okay to pause, gather your thoughts, continue filming and make edits later.
