As mentioned above, as the devices have smaller sensors, they are more prone to an unpleasant effect called a rolling shutter. (See left) This happens when you pan the shot too quickly to the left and right. It affects vertical objects in the shot, giving them a warped look. Because of this, it’s very important to be cautious when doing sudden movements with the camera. If you are to do a shot that contains any sudden movement, it would be best to test your smart device with how sensitive it is with sudden movements. Some devices will be better than others.

Where possible, it’s best to have the camera either on a tripod or something that allows it to be stable.

Some devices will come equipped with a device called image stabilisation or IS. This is either a digital or optical aid that assists in stabilising your footage when operating handheld. This can be a fantastic tool to have however it is strongly recommended to do some testing first to see if it is indeed helping your filming, or impacting it.

A good way to do this is to film with the image stabilisation turned on, then film the same shot with it off. If you are noticing a “jelly” or artificial look on your footage that is not pleasing, you may want to complete the shot again with stabilisation off. It is also worth noting that it’s not recommended to use IS in conjunction with any zoom, optical or digital. (See below)

Although this has recently been changing with some of the recent flagship device models, most have previously only allowed you to zoom in your footage digitally. Whilst this can enhance your focal range dramatically, digital zoom eats into the overall quality of the vision. Some devices have the ability to zoom in optically which is fantastic and can be used. If you are unsure with whether your devices can zoom in optically or digitally, please go to this link: https://www.gsmarena.com/search.php3?sMakers=82

As a general rule of thumb, devices work best when at their widest, please use this wherever possible. An alternative to zooming in your footage is to move the camera closer to the subject. Some phones can use AI depth of field effects to blur out the background digitally which will help to overcome being closer to the subject.

Phones as of recent have upwards of 5 different cameras/lenses on each device, both with their own perks and use. For example, newer iPhones will have one front-facing camera for “Selfies” and 3 different lenses on the back. One for general wide shot shooting, one that gives a sense of the depth of field and one that is ultra-wide. The most difficult part of smartphones is now working out which lens you use for your filming.

One camera to rule out straight away is the front camera. Whilst it is great for selfies, it generally has a smaller sensor and lens to stay discrete on the front of your phone.

If your phone features more than one rear-facing camera, a good rule of thumb to find the right one to use is to load up your default camera app. The first camera that it loads up will almost always be the one to use for your filmmaking. The other lenses may be an ultra-wide and a telephoto, whilst these can also get great footage, they still rely quite heavily on AI to get a good shot. The default camera relies the least on AI which will, therefore, give you a superior shot.

It is crucial when filming to consider what orientation you film in. Filming in portrait may be good for some social media platforms however it is essential to film all of your content in landscape. Filming in both portrait and landscape will create a world of problems in post-production.

As for aspect ratio, it is worth checking that your smartphone does indeed film in a workable ratio, preferably 16:9 where possible. Some phones may default to a 1:1 or 4:3 aspect ratio, this is not recommended.

Working with minimal gear is a big challenge when it comes to lighting. Smarthpone’s do have AI technology now to assist with getting maximum dynamic range out of a setting however there is still a great deal of human input required to maximise the mood and lighting impact of a location. Where possible, always avoid filming during the middle of the day. The biggest reason for this is not that it’s the brightest point of the day, it’s the actual position of the sun. Generally at midday, the sun is directly overhead, this can create unpleasant and very harsh shadows. This is where smartphones will particularly struggle as it will need to try and expose the shot so that as much of the bright and shaded areas are seen. This will create instances of overexposure, taking the cinematic and often realistic feeling away from your footage. It’s therefore strongly recommended to film in the early or late hours of the day, when the light is less bright but most importantly, softer.

Another example to consider when dealing with natural and crafted light is to be aware of what you want the focus to be. If for instance you want to film a subject talking in a dark corner, is the person bright enough in the frame without blowing out (overexposing) your background? In this case, you could either add some fill light to bring up the exposure on your talent or simply try a different shot. It’s crucial to know the exposure limits of your smartphone. Some will do better than others here however it’s a very common falling in smartphone cinematography. Careful thought and consideration must be taken into account when filming, if you want to create a mood that draws in your target audience.