7 RULES FOR TURNING A VIDEO WITH THE SMARTPHONE
First of all, what you need to do is choose the Smartphone with which you want to shoot the video.
This does not mean that you will have to buy a new one.
What you have is definitely good. 😉
But if you can choose from the vast range of phones on the market today, I want to suggest the best smartphones to shoot videos:
1) Apple IPhone 7 (Video Test)
12MP camera
Digital zoom up to 5x
Resistance to water, splashes and dust
Retina HD display - Widescreen backlit 4.7 "LED (diagonal)
2) Huawei P10 64G (Video Test)
Operating System: Android 7 Nougat
Camera: 20 MP mono +12 MP RGB, F2.2, stabilizer, double flash, laser autofocus, 2x hybrid zoom
Memory: 64 GB expandable with 256 GB MicroSD
3) IPhone 6 Plus (Video Test)
Touch ID function
4) Samsung Galaxy S8 (Video Test)
8 MP front camera
12 MP Dual Pixel rear camera
Octa Core processor
64 GB memory (expandable with MicroSD up to 256 GB)
RAM 4 GB
Battery 3000 mAh
IP68 certification, iris recognition
5) G6 LG (VIDEO TEST)
Dual 13MP camera for wide-angle photos
Metal profile and IP68 certification, durable and reliable
Integrated 3300 mAh battery
64-bit Quad Core Snapdragon 821 processor up to 2.35 GHz, 4 GB RAM
As you can verify, going into the details of the technical features of each smartphone, the difference between those listed is minimal, but if you want to shoot a high quality video, my advice is to opt for the Melafonino.
The IPhone 7, unlike the other smartphones, has a last generation optical stabilizer, useful to eliminate definitively or almost the micro-moved. You can then shoot your movie in low light conditions without the aid of a tripod.
Does it seem little to you?
Then let's move on. If you opt for an Iphone, you will have the possibility to choose from dozens of useful applications to make your video perfect.
The best apps are the legendary "FILMIC PRO" and the Evergreen IPhocus App.
In conclusion? Have I convinced you?
No? Perfect, because I didn't want to convince you at all, but simply to underline some features that must be evaluated when you intend to make a film.
The same attention should be given to additional equipment, so let's look at them together.
In this post I want to talk to you about a product that made me practically freak out.
I tried it last month while I was in London. I guarantee you! It's really cool.
It is a kit of lenses that you can place on any smartphone.
If you have a small budget, I advise you to buy the complete kit including an anti-rain case, a convenient support to insert the lenses, a clip to take selfies and four lenses: a wide-angle lens that increases the image width by 40% , a lens for portraits, a fantastic Fisheye and a macro for extreme close-ups.
The company that produces the kit is the OLLOCLIP and you can find it by clicking here!
In addition to the lens kit, I recommend you buy a tripod, especially if you don't have an iPhone 6 plus and if you're not used to holding a camera in your hand. the purchase of a microphone that will significantly improve the quality of the audio is also fundamental.
But I'll talk about this later.
Well, let's finally start to list the practical rules that will be useful to you in the operational phase.
1) CREATE A GOOD LIGHTING
Program-to-do-with-video-smartphone
Creating good lighting, this is definitely the first suggestion!
If you don't have a director of photography in your team, I suggest you shoot in very bright places.
This will prevent you from increasing the "digital noise" in your video.
It also avoids pointing the camera directly at sources that are too bright, because you would create overexposed images.
Most smartphone sensors do not react very well to sudden light changes.
The biggest difference between a Smartphone and a camera is the sensor.
While mid-range cameras have a sensor up to ⅔ inches diagonally, most smartphones on the market are much smaller.
To avoid this problem, try using the backlight and white balance functions that many smartphones have by default.
Another function that is important to use is the manual "focus" that allows you to focus on the point you want.
Moreover, if the "focus" is correct, the sensor will be faster in recording the light and therefore will increase the speed in finding the right exposure.
2) RECORD THE VIDEO IN HORIZONTAL SENSE
I will never get tired of saying it!
Always record videos by keeping your smartphone in a horizontal position. Most people, in fact, have the bad habit of recording video by holding the smartphone vertically.
Nothing could be more wrong!
Unless you want to amaze your friends by creating a "sensational" video, always remember this suggestion that it will become a habit:
before pressing the record button, rotate the smartphone to a horizontal position.
You will avoid making a bad impression when viewing.
In the USA they call it the "vertical video syndrome" and this short video explains very well what I'm talking about.
A solution? Look by clicking here.
3) ALWAYS USE TWO HANDS
It may seem silly to say it but I assure you that one of the most common mistakes is to hold the smartphone with only one hand.
Result? Blurred and out of focus images.
My advice is to always keep your smartphone with two hands. Keep the elbows collected and closed towards the body or, if you can, lean on a surface.
In this regard, I also suggest you buy a tripod. On the market you will find them for every pocket.
An advice? Watch this.
In this regard, I shot a series of videos for Madre in Italy where the protagonist holds the phone in a vertical position.
4) NEVER USE THE DIGITAL ZOOM
Unless you have a smartphone with an optical zoom, never use, and I never say, the smartphone zoom.
In fact, digital zoom is not really a zoom! What it does is take a portion of the image and enlarge it to "simulate" the optical zoom.
But this way, the quality of the images is lost.
Result? During assembly you will begin to walk nervously up and down the room wondering why you didn't listen to me!
Do you want a practical test? Then watch this video!
5) AUDIO IS IMPORTANT AS THE VIDEO
Yes you got it right!
A good video with poor audio quality is not a good video. Unless you have planned to add a clean track during assembly.
In fact, most microphones built into smartphones are of poor quality.
It is very common to hear large gusts of wind entering the microphone in the most important moment of the video.
My suggestion is to record the movie in quiet and peaceful places. A house would be fine.
Otherwise I suggest you buy a microphone immediately that you can insert directly on your smartphone.
In fact, you need to know that professionals always use a recording device separate from the camera.
Even in the movies!
If you can buy it, never forget to beat a clapper at the beginning of the scene. It will be useful during the editing phase to pair the video with the audio without going crazy. 😉
Otherwise, if you can't buy a microphone, I advise you, in the event of a strong wind, to put your hand closer to the microphone.
You will avoid having noise enter the microphone directly.
6) MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE LOAD PHONE
I know, even this suggestion may seem silly. But I guarantee you it's not!
It happens many times, in fact, that your smartphone abandons you at the most important moment.
You've tried dozens of times the scene, the actors are focused, the sun is going down and you only have the last 10 minutes left to shoot the perfect scene.
But suddenly, zac, the phone leaves you.
Do you want to solve this problem too?
Well! Make yourself always ready.
Make sure you always have the battery charged and above all make sure you have enough memory to record in high definition (HD).
7) ARCHIVE IMAGES
Once the shooting day is over, remember to store the shots on a computer. Also make a backup, perhaps on a hard disk and, I recommend, do not postpone the following day.
In my career I have seen so many filmakers forget to do it .... then regret it bitterly!
Result? The unexpected is just around the corner, and what you have shot can disappear ... One of the most recurrent in this circumstance is: "but how did this happen?"
To avoid similar mysteries, always make a copy!
I close with the rule to remember the seven rules: associate to each rule one of the seven dwarfs, even if no one ever remembers all the names ... or associates each rule with a color, as if they were the seven colors of the rainbow. Know that to make a movie with your smartphone, there must be everyone.
Finally, certainly, once you have turned your masterpiece, you will find yourself facing a new challenge: assembly!
Be serene, we'll talk about it in depth, but before saying goodbye, I have to ask you a question that always generates a lot of discussion: do you give more space and are you more interested in writing, shooting, or editing?
Huawei
No comments:
Post a Comment