5 tips for filming professionally with your smartphone

You don't need expensive professional equipment to film and produce great video content. You can go a long way by recording movies with your smartphone. In this guide, we give you 5 tips to help you create better videos using your smartphone.

1. Use an external microphone

Good sound is among the most important things for those who watch video, several surveys say. Many newer smartphones have good image quality, but the microphones are not always the best. For example, if it is not completely quiet around you, background noise can be picked up. One way to solve that problem is by connecting an external microphone to the mobile phone.

There are lots of good microphones for mobile phones, an affordable alternative is the Røde VideoMic, which you connect to a headphone socket (3.5 mm). If you film with a mobile phone without a headphone jack, you can buy an adapter. For iPhone it is 3.5mm to Lightning and for Android it is 3.5mm to USB-C.

Do you want to read more about how you can use a microphone when recording video with your smartphone? Read our guide "Choose the right microphone for your recording".

2. Landscape / Portrait mode

If you want to produce a film to post on YouTube or for sale on VOYD, you should film horizontally, that is, film with the mobile "landscape". The reason is that many viewers of VOYD cast the film to their TV or watch it on their computer or tablet.

If, on the other hand, you want to record shorter videos that you want to post on social media, such as Instagram Reels or TikTok, it works well to film vertically, i.e. portrait mode. Check out this quick guide that shows which channels where portrait and landscape videos are best 👇

3. Avoid zooming

In order to get the best image quality possible, you should avoid zooming further than the mobile camera's optical lens can handle, as this results in a noticeable deterioration of the image. The best way to change the distance to the subject is to physically move closer or further away from the subject.

Another good rule of thumb when recording is to keep the camera at the same height as the subject. That is, if you are going to film a dog, for example, you can go down on your knees to get to the right height.

4. Invest in a holder and a tripod

If you're holding the phone yourself, it's easy for the video to be a little shaky, even though some phones have image stabilisation. To solve that problem, there are accessories in several price ranges to help you solve it, here are two tips:

• Use a tripod adapted for mobile phones. It is a perfect aid to keep the mobile still during the recording. Here you can choose to either use a regular tripod or a tripod that attaches to a table.
• If you want to be able to film while you are in motion, you can use a mobile gimbal. A gimbal stabilises your smartphone and gives a really good result without any camera shake.

5. Consider the light

If you use a smartphone to record your film, you should think about filming with the best light possible. Remember to always film in daylight or in a place with good light, but never backlit. Filming when it is dark is difficult and often results in poorer image quality.

If you want to film in a dark room, you can invest in a ring light that you attach to your smartphone or to your tripod. Using a ring light has several advantages:

• Even lighting: A ring light provides even and soft lighting that minimizes shadows and creates a more even tone on the skin.
• Eye contact: When filming yourself, a ring light can help create a "catchlight" in your eyes, giving a more engaging and professional look.
• Better quality: By using a ring light, you can improve the quality of your videos and photos by getting better details and a better color reproduction.
• Easy to use: Ring lights are easy to use and can usually be mounted on your smartphone or tripod.

Summary

You don't need expensive camera equipment to make professional videos, your smartphone will do just fine. With the help of the five tips we have told you about, most viewers will hardly be able to notice that the video is not made with a "real" camera, regardless of whether you post short clips or longer films.

For creators on VOYD who sell their videos, the most important tip is to film horizontally. If, on the other hand, you push your videos on social media, a portrait format works, depending on which channels you use.