5 Fast Fun Smartphone Movie Making Tips

In this post, I answer five of the most important filmmaking questions that will help kickstart your smartphone video project. Just remember, ‘there is no best smartphone for video’, the one you have should work.

When you start learning how to create your own smartphone movie you end up with a lot of questions. My sound is bad what do I do? My phone is old will it make movies? How do I stop camera shake? Let’s answer those questions!

What is Orientation? Who Cares?

Orientation is a smart word for how you hold your camera.

This can be parallel to the horizon or vertical (when you make a call). For simple videos, you will post on Facebook or on a blog, horizontal works best because it gives you a wider screen but upright, often known as portrait, is becoming the most popular shooting method for social media like Instagram or TikTok.

If your smartphone filmmaking is aimed at Instagram, check to see if your camera has the option to shoot in square format, specifically if you want the post in your regular feed, not a story or Reel. This will keep everything within the frame and nothing will disappear at the sides.

Instagram movies aka ’Reels’ are becoming popular and are best shot upright. See what the world is up to then try a reel yourself.

Vertical Video

Apps like Snapchat, TikTok and even Instagram are using video more in its upright format. The vertical format is worth exploring if you blog, vlog or make fast instant movies for immediate use. It is becoming an established technique.

• Check my smartphone movie basics here.

My Videos Are Wobbly

Viewers notice is how steady your video is so a bit of stability helps. It’s not a conscious thing – we just prefer to see video that is mostly stable. So, how do you stop the shakes?

You brace yourself against a wall or rest on something to stop your hands from shaking. This might be the edge of a door, a pile of books, the floor, your knee or the side of a building. Anything stronger than you will work!

If you know you wobble, consider investing in a smartphone tripod. These are small, light and perfect for stabilising shaky video. Any blogger or vlogger (video blogger) will tell you that a tripod will improve the video you shoot. Tripods also give you the chance to stand in front of the camera and demonstrate a technique or product – if you want to.

• Being in front of your smartphone camera gives you authentic human engagement – people relate to you if they see you.

My Sound is Terrible!

If your video sound is poor, people notice. If you have a message you want to get across with speech but poor video sound you have two fast and easy options.

First. If your sound is beyond rescue:

• Remove the soundtrack.
• Add music to replace it then,
• use text to tell your story.

TIP: Licensed music can be purchased from sites like AudioJungle for low prices. This makes sure you are safe from copyright infringement.

Secondly. You may be able to add music using an app or software to muffle outside noise vor disguish some background flaws like rustles or rumbling.

Instagram has a huge selection of authorised soundtracks, so does YouTube. These cannot always be exported with your video so check first.

JOBY – 20% off valid on the full online catalogue: JOBY20WG (excludes new)

Can I Edit On My Smartphone?

Yes, you can. Remember that your editing app will be a slimline version of a computer program but you can trim clips, adjust sound volume, add filters and text.

There are free and paid versions of many popular apps so if my recommendations don’t appeal explore the Apple Store or Google Play. Many of the major social media sites allow basic editing for you get a video online fast. For on the move video editing I use iMovie, and Android smartphones will have their own basic editors too.

TIP: Video files are larger than text files. Use a public or event network wherever possible to upload your finished movie to social media..

Is My Phone Too Old For Smartphone Filmmaking?

The first smartphones to shoot videos appeared in 2002 so the chances are your smartphone will have the capacity to shoot and store video clips.

The length of clips will be limited by your phone memory but short movies should fit.

For longer movies there is a workaround you can use. It’s not instant but it does give you the opportunity to create your own movie.

Here’s what you do.

Option 1

1. If you fill your phone with clips, download them and then delete them from your ‘phone so you can get back to shooting video.
2. Then edit and create your movie on your computer or tablet.
3. After this, upload to social media, Vimeo or YouTube from within the software.

Option 2

Your older smartphone may be able to use some of the video apps available.

Check online so see what might fit your own older phone. Options may be limited but unless you investigate you don’t know what will work.

I hope this post helps you with some of the issues that seem to happen to all of us when we start out making movies. If I missed a question you need answering, let me know in the comments.