Whether you’re an aspiring content creator, a small business owner, or simply looking to capture memorable moments, your smartphone can be a powerful tool for video production.
In today’s digital age, making videos with your phone has become more essential than ever. But luckily, it’s also become easier.
We asked local expert Merrin Munroe, owner of Merrin Munroe Digital and someone who has years of experience working in this space for some advice. She compiled the following set of pro tips to help small businesses get started:
1. Plan what you want to create
Having a clear idea of what you want your videos to convey makes it easier to script and film. Outline the key points, decide on the flow, and identify any props or settings you’ll need.
This planning stage helps you maintain focus and structure in your videos.
2. Choose the right aspect ratio
Think about where you want to share your video before you start recording. Different platforms work best with videos of different aspect ratios. For platforms using reels, stories, and shorts, film in portrait or 9×16, whereas for longer videos that are intended for YouTube, you should opt to film in landscape or 16×9. This ensures your video looks its best and fits seamlessly into your chosen platform.
3. Good lighting is key
Diffused lighting coming from in front of the subject, such as natural light from a window, works best. Avoid bright lighting that creates harsh shadows on the face, as well as lighting that comes from behind, as it will be harder to see the subject can be distracting for viewers. When shooting a video in a house, Merrin often takes her phone holder out of the car and sticks it to a window to ensure the light is coming from the right angle.
Some smartphones have lights built into them, but if needed, investing in a light ring or affordable professional lights can enhance your videos.
4. Improve audio quality with an external microphone
Never underestimate the importance of viewers being able to hear your video clearly. Often people can tolerate lower quality visuals when watching a video, but if the audio quality is poor, viewers are far more likely to stop watching. Most internal microphones are not great quality and pick up background noise easily, whereas external microphones capture greater quality audio and far less background noise.
A quality microphone can be relatively inexpensive and can easily be plugged into your phone. This simple addition can make a huge difference in sound quality and makes your videos more professional.
5. Practice makes perfect
Practice what you want to say several times before you start recording. Record a few test takes and review them to identify areas for improvement, such as your tone, pace and delivery. Don’t be discouraged by initial imperfections, as these help you identify what you can work on.
The most important advice is to just make a start. Perfection is not a requirement for creating videos with your phone. No one is perfect on their first try, and this is normal. Your skills will naturally improve as you gain experience. Remember, even the most successful content creators had to start somewhere, so don’t let the fear of not being perfect hold you back.
Merrin Munroe, owner of Merrin Munroe Digital
A digital marketer who likes to make business fun. Merrin has been running her business for over 12 years and does everything from websites, to social media, content marketing plans and marketing strategies. Having worked full time in broadcast TV before starting her business, and still freelancing from time to time, she has a great love and knowledge of video production. Merrin loves teaching people how to use their phones to make professional content that they can use to market their business.
Support Local
The Mornington Peninsula has an abundance of talented, local people in business. As part of the Support Local campaign, we are connecting our local business community to these local experts. Through sharing their expertise and insider knowledge, these experts hope to play a part in re-energising the economy with new ideas to Support Local.