What equipment do I need for my smartphone video productions?
If I want to try my hand at smartphone video, I need lightweight equipment.
In other words, to exploit this type of production, I need to be able to move around quickly and with agility.
What equipment does a smartphone video production require?
Lately, it is not uncommon to come across blog articles and social media advertisements promoting big and complicated gadgets to make ‘professional videos’ with a smartphone.
Firstly, I don’t need gadgets to make a ‘professional’ video with a smartphone, I need to use my brain.
Above all, the equipment to produce video with a smartphone must remain light. In short, what’s the point of using a smartphone if I have to carry around 20 kilos of equipment?
In conclusion, I have to make sure I have the necessary material to film to the best of my ability. And I have to connect my brain to achieve my communication goals, not those of the tech industry.
1. A smartphone
Everyone owns a smartphone but few understand its strengths and weaknesses. Practice is the key. The answer is in my pocket.
2. Light
My number one ally is the sun. Alternatively, I can use artificial lights. To illuminate my subject, I can buy a small, portable spotlight.
3. Microphone(s)
Among the weaknesses of a smartphone camera, the most challenging is audio recording. The microphone in my earphones is enough to reduce the problem significantly.
4. A tripod or, even better, a stabilizer
I can buy a gorilla tripod for 10-20 euros or a camera stabilizer for 100-150. The improvement in the quality of my images is impressive.
5. Fully charged batteries
It sounds trivial, but the biggest failures in smartphone video production depend on small details. Have I checked that I have all the cables and batteries I need?
6. An app for video-editing
There are plenty of apps for editing my videos on my smartphone, available on both iOs and Android. The ones we have used most often are Vivavideo, Kinemaster, Powerdirector, or Video Editor.
7. A drone
A drone is not a smartphone but it is a mobile technology, and a very fun one at that. At Smart Videos we use it for indoor shooting.
8. Google 🙂
This is not a joke. When there’s something I don’t know, or would like to find out, about mobile video marketing, just ask Smart Videos or, more simply, a search engine.
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