Most of our clients never hire a camera crew. They film on a phone, send us the clips, and get back polished, platform-ready videos. Here's exactly how to shoot footage that edits beautifully.
The three rules that matter most
- 1. Light is everything. Face a window, never stand with a window behind you. Outdoors, shoot in shade or during golden hour. Good light makes a phone look like a cinema camera; bad light makes any camera look cheap.
- 2. Hold still (or don't move much). Brace your elbows, or buy a $15 phone tripod. Slow, deliberate movements only — fast pans are the #1 giveaway of amateur footage.
- 3. Film vertical (9:16) for social. Hold the phone upright, keep the subject centered with a little headroom, and stay closer than feels natural.
Audio: the part everyone forgets
Viewers forgive mediocre video but abandon bad audio instantly. If you're talking on camera: film in a quiet room, stay within arm's reach of the phone, and avoid wind and echo. A $20 clip-on lavalier mic is the single best upgrade you can buy.
The shot list we recommend to every client
- The establishing shot — your storefront, office, or workspace, 5 seconds
- The work — you doing the thing: cooking, cutting, building, consulting, 3–5 clips from different angles
- Details — close-ups of hands, tools, textures, the product
- The human — you or your team smiling, talking, working with a customer
- The result — the finished dish, the clean car, the happy client
Five types of shots, ten seconds each, and an editor can build you a week of content.
Settings, once, forever
- Record at 1080p or 4K, 30fps (60fps if you plan slow-motion)
- Clean the lens. Seriously — this alone fixes half of "blurry" footage
- Tap the screen to lock focus/exposure on your subject
Film it, send it, and we'll handle the rest — editing, captions, music, formatting. Get started here →