Improve Your Smartphone Videos
Good footage starts before you press record. In this video from Life at the BBC, you’ll learn simple techniques for framing, positioning your phone and capturing clearer, more effective images.
These tips are especially useful when recording directly through RiiS, where the goal is to document what is happening clearly and authentically as it unfolds.
Video by Life at the BBC, embedded from its official YouTube channel.
Practical tips
Use these points as a quick checklist before and while you record.
Keep your phone steady
Hold your phone with both hands and keep your elbows close to your body. Avoid sudden movements.
Show the whole situation
Start with a wider view so viewers can understand where the event is happening and what is going on.
Choose a clear angle
Move only when it is safe. Avoid filming through obstacles or from a position where the main action cannot be seen clearly.
Avoid digital zoom
Digital zoom can reduce image quality. Move closer only when it is safe and permitted.
Record long enough
Do not stop immediately after the important moment. Give viewers enough time to understand what happened.
Pay attention to light and sound
Avoid pointing directly at strong light when possible. Do not cover the microphone with your fingers.
Record what is really happening
Do not recreate, stage or ask people to repeat events. Document what you are seeing as it happens.
Stay safe
Never enter restricted areas, private property or dangerous situations to get a better shot.
Before you publish, also read the Rules & Safety guidelines.