the yellow blog

Filming videos on a phone | #FilmYourself | E3

hello@willcarne.com (Will Carne) — Mon, 08 Mar 2021 08:48:04 GMT

episode 3

your phone

is better than

it looks...

Welcome to the ultimate guide to recording video at home.

I'm a YouTuber turned freelance video producer now working with some of the UK's biggest brands. I've gathered my expertise into this quick reference guide for anyone trying to film at home: learn the basics of video and lighting and applying my hacks, tips and tricks to optimise your existing devices.

Smartphone cameras are designed to be easy-to-use. With developers spending millions miniaturising tech and automating settings to make great video accessible to everyone... which we then use to record TikToks.

Years of smartphone makers trying to make us buy the new model every year, has resulted with an extremely powerful piece of video kit in our pockets.

A few years ago, those devices reached the professional quality threshold, so now people (like me) regularly use them alongside our big pro cameras on major productions.

1. Back camera is better

Phone manufacturers have concluded we prefer taking pictures of our pets, than ourselves. So the quality of the image from back cameras are usually much better than the front 'selfie' cameras.

That said- using the back camera is more difficult because you often need a work-around to monitor yourself as you record. If you need use the front cam, make sure you've got the settings as high quality as possible, only the very latest models have improved these cameras.

If you want to connect your phone to a display- use a HDMI adaptor or try out screen mirroring . I'd recommend only doing this on the latest phones as it takes a lot of processing power, and recording 4K video is already quite power hungry!

If you're working solo, you often need to be able to monitor yourself to check you're in frame (and recording). There are options to connect your phone to a display... but often the simple solutions are the best. If you have a small mirror, position it behind the phone!

There is no need to shoot at 50fps (or 60fps) even if your phone supports it. This is generally only used for slow motion and can create unnecessarily huge files!

2. Film in 4K 25fps

Smartphone settings are set by default to compromise for a general American user. This balances the file size with quality, which is useful most of the time when recording memories, but not so much for professional videos. As a rule, film in the highest resolution your phone offers and in 25fps rather than 30 (if you're in Europe!)

For Apple devices go to Settings and scroll down to Camera, then:

For other devices, look for video settings with terms such as:

PAL - 25 fps - Video Resolution: Highest - 4K - 3840 x 2160 - 16:9

While filming, you can check which resolution and frame rate you are using in the top corner.

If you flip between front and back cameras, the resolution may automatically change as some older phones only have 4K cameras on the back.

To film landscape you may need to turn off p ortrait lock .

3. Get the camera to eye level

Cameras flatten your beautiful 3D self into an often unflattering 2D image. To give your vanity a fighting chance, set the height of the camera as close as you can to eye-level.

Position yourself in the frame so your eyes are roughly one third down from the top of the screen. A common mistake is to have far too much headroom, or sometimes far too little!

If you have the grid guidelines turned on, the eye-line is represented as the first line down. This works whether you're close up, or far away!

Cheap tripods are great. But I use these flexible arms which attach to a desk or bookshelf. And they're less than £15.

4. Download these apps

There are some great apps which access some secret camera settings inside your phone, creating even better footage.

5. Plan to send the big files

So you got all the settings right and have a great high quality video... but now it is stuck on your phone. Ask yourself which one of the following applies:

Emails are not designed for carrying big things.

Just like how we don't squeeze exciting large parcels into envelopes to post. Video files are often huge, especially with the settings I've suggested! But luckily there are a few free services that will do the job.

And finally, if in doubt: Google it.

All phone manufacturers have gone out of their way to make user friendly guides. Go look for them!

Learn to Light Yourself | #FilmYourself | E2

hello@willcarne.com (Will Carne) — Mon, 01 Mar 2021 08:45:02 GMT

episode 2

the basics

of lighting

Welcome to the ultimate guide to recording video at home.

Cameras convert light into computer code. So learning to improve your lighting will improve your videos far more than improving the camera...

1. Brighter is sometimes better.

As long as you are evenly lit, generally more light will make your image look better as your camera won't be trying to see in the dark. But, if one light is much brighter than the others you could be making the problem worse. This is often the case when filming at night with a ceiling light above you.

Exact lighting is fairly subjective, but I'll assume you're just trying to look broadly good and you're not being too stylistic... that's a topic for another article!

Put the brightest light in front of you, if you're unable to do that- remove that light source and repeat.

i.e. pointing the same direction as the camera.

Practically this often means turning off a ceiling light in favour of a lamp, or masking part of a window to block harsh sunlight. Which brings us nicely onto...

People who light for a living use shade, reflectors and black flags almost as much as lights. And so when looking at how your lighting looks, think as much about what can be taken away or blocked, as what needs to be brightened.

2. Light includes shadow.

Often we will be using cameras that automatically adjust to the brightest part of the image. So lighting can be as much about blocking out light that is too bright, as adding in lights somewhere too dark. The most common example is blocking out direct sunlight, which almost always overpowers a room.

3. Diffuse the situation.

The reason pros use softboxes , is harsh shadows are less than flattering on human skin. And this can often be the case when using lamps where you can directly see the bulb, or harsh sunlight. It is common in offices to have translucent pale blinds which diffuse daylight. If you have a home office you're planning on using for video a lot, perhaps net curtains might be a wise investment!

If a light source is too harsh: bounce it (reflect it off of something else). Often shining a bright lamp at a white wall can create a nice diffused ambient light which looks great on camera.

Try positioning different lamps around your space, at various heights and angles. Look how shadows can make a video look more 3D, or how coloured background light can make you stand out in the foreground.

4. Paint with light.

Use light in video like you would colour in a painting. Once you have the necessary minimum lighting so you are clearly visible, you have the opportunity to get more creative, and make your video pop.

5. Level up with these purchases.

And finally: here are some ideas for making your space more friendly to video. This could be a permanent setup that can be used for filming and video calls, or just an extra you bring out when you need to record something special.

Getting White Right

One of the most common problems with lighting for video is mixing up colour temperatures .

All colour in cameras is calibrated by white in a process known as the white balance . Most cameras (such as smartphones) automatically judge this for you- but if you have multiple different temperatures of white within one image, this automation can go wrong.

When your camera interprets white incorrectly it has no hope at getting your skin tone correct... and you can end up looking a bit ill!

Warm Bulbs. Direct Sunlight. Cooler Bulbs. Cloudy Sky.

The Sky's the Limit

Look around at the artificial light sources available in your environment.
Notice where they roughly fall in the warm to cool spectrum above.
If you intend on filming during the day - look around at the natural light sources. Windows, skylights, bi-folding doors.
The colour temperature of these sources will depend on the weather and time of day.

You can't control the weather's colour- but be aware which of your artificial lights match (and which clash) whenever you sit down to film.

Tip: Avoid direct sunlight, hope for overcast skies.

Light is so important because for amateur setups it often decides when and where you film.

Explore where in your space has the best lighting at different points in the day. If you want to film in a certain place, you may need to adjust or invest in lighting to make it suitable.

Which setup is right for you?

And finally.

If in doubt: go outside.

And let nature do the work for you.

The Basics of Video | #FilmYourself | E1

hello@willcarne.com (Will Carne) — Tue, 16 Feb 2021 18:45:01 GMT

episode 1

the basics

of video

Welcome to the ultimate guide to recording video at home.

Let's start with the basics of video.

Video Shape: "Aspect Ratio"

The shape of the frame is known as the aspect ratio , because we label them as the ratio of the height to width. We almost always film in 16:9 - sometimes called widescreen or landscape . A very common mistake when filming on a mobile is to film portrait (also known as 9:16), which is hard to convert to a widescreen video without black bars.

Keep in mind: we can crop an image down in the edit but we can't invent more image if it wasn't in the frame.

In the age of social media, we also use square (1:1) and sometimes other special formats like 4:5 for social media feed posts.

Video Speed: "Frame Rate"

A video is made up of a sequence of pictures like a digital flip book. The frame rate is the number of pictures the camera takes per second. For the vast majority of cases you only need to learn one number:

25 fps

This is the standard for video in the UK. However, most cameras (and smartphones) are set to the US standard 30 by default. This is sometimes described under their official titles PAL (for Europe) and NTSC (for the North America).

For boring science reasons electricity in the UK and Europe work on a different system to North America. Which by proxy means our lights work slightly different too. The frame rate standards are designed so lights don't interfere with recording, and so editors can work with a standard setting. Put simply: set your video to PAL, pal.

Most lights work by flickering on and off thousands of times a second. Which is a problem if those tiny 'off' periods sync with the times your camera is taking a picture, in a process known as banding .

Video Size: "Resolution"

You can record in a number of different sizes known as the resolution of the video. This means the number of pixels (little squares of colours) that make up the image. Think of it like a mosaic made of square tiles covering a wall: smaller tiles will provide more detail.

The most common are 720p, 1080p and 3840p - known better as HD , Full HD and 4K . The standard for video is still 1080p (Full HD)... but filming in the highest resolution your device can handle is best. Check out my articles on device settings to see how to get the most out of your devices.

We film landscape or portrait... even if we change the aspect ratio later in editing.

Quality is Important

This diagram is to scale as a reference of how different the resolutions look. Again we can make a video smaller in editing, but we can't make a video bigger without getting pixelated. So we'd always prefer a nice 4K sized video filmed on a phone than a 720p video filmed on a laptop. The downside is file size... but we'll talk about that later.

Did you know Zoom will save videos in 360p, or if HD setting is on: 720p. This is great for video calls on dodgy internet, but can provide disappointing results when used for filming.

More detail for my fellow science nerds...

For the vast majority of cases, you do not need to shoot with a higher frame rate than 25 (or 30 in the US), and this will just double your file size unnecessarily! Unless you desperately want a dramatic slow-mo hair flick...

There are actually a few more common frame rates you may see to chose from. Cinema uses 24 fps as standard, so the common choices are in fact 24, 25 and 30. Many cameras now have the option to shoot twice as many frames per second: with 48, 50 and 60. This can create a smoother image... but more often it is used to slow motion to half speed.

If you want to be even more nerdy- you may see really awkward numbers like 29.97 and 23.97. These are to do with how American TV works. That system is ridiculous. And ultimately should be regarded by you as a bad thing.

Child Safeguarding Policy

hello@willcarne.com (Will Carne) — Mon, 15 Feb 2021 17:55:03 GMT

WILCA Media acknowledges the duty of care to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and is committed to ensuring safeguarding practice reflects statutory responsibilities, government guidance and complies with best practice principles.

As part of our safeguarding policy, WILCA Media will:

Promote and prioritise the safety and wellbeing of children, and will value, listen to and respect them.
Ensure everyone understands their roles and responsibilities in respect of safeguarding and is provided with appropriate learning opportunities to recognise, identify and respond to signs of abuse, neglect and other safeguarding concerns relating to children.
Ensure appropriate action is taken in the event of incidents/concerns of abuse, and support provided to the individual/s who raise or disclose the concern.
Ensure that confidential, detailed and accurate records of all safeguarding concerns are maintained and securely stored.
Prevent the recruitment of unsuitable individuals.
Ensure robust safeguarding arrangements and procedures are in operation, complemented by policies on Health and Safety, complaints, recruitment and volunteering, photography and anti-bullying.

We recognise that:

The welfare of the child is paramount, as enshrined in the Children Act 1989.
All children, regardless of age, disability, gender, racial heritage, socio-economic background, religious belief, sexual orientation or identity, have a right to equal protection from all types of harm or abuse.
Some children are additionally vulnerable because of the impact of previo us experiences, their level of dependency, communication needs or other issues.
Working in partnership with children, young people, their parents, carers and other agencies is essential in promoting young people’s welfare.

The policy and procedures will be widely promoted and apply to all staff, including paid staff, volunteers, students or anyone else working on behalf of the production. Failure to comply with the policy and procedures will be addressed without delay and may ultimately result in dismissal/exclusion from the organisation, and/or referral to an outside organisation such as children’s social care services, the independent Local Authority Designated Officer or the police.

A child is defined as a person under the age of 18.

Good practice means...

Always working in an open environment, e.g. avoiding unobserved situations and encouraging open communication with no secrets.
Always putting the welfare of each child first, before winning or achieving goals.
Maintaining a safe and appropriate distance with students.
Building balanced relationships based on mutual trust, which empowers children to share in the decision-making process.

Ensuring that if any form of manual or physical support is required, it is provided openly. Care is needed, as it is difficult to maintain hand positions when a child is constantly moving. Children and their parents should always be consulted and their agreement gained.
Keeping up to date with technical skills, qualifications and insurance.
Being an excellent role model - this includes not smoking or drinking alcohol in the company of young people.

Giving enthusiastic and constructive feedback rather than negative criticism.
Recognising the developmental needs and capacity of children - avoiding excessive training or competition and not pushing them against their will.
Keeping a written record of any injury that occurs, along with the details of any treatment given.

Promo ting good practice

Child abuse can arouse strong emotions in those facing such a situation. It is important to understand these feelings and to not allow them to interfere with your judgement about the appropriate action to take. Abuse can occur within many situations including the home, school and extra-curricular clubs. Some individuals will actively seek employment or voluntary work with young people in order to harm them.

Teachers and volunteers will have regular contact with young people and can be an important link in identifying cases where they need protection. All suspicious cases of poor practice should be reported following the guidelines in this document. All personnel should be encouraged to demonstrate exemplary behaviour in order to promote children’s welfare and reduce the likelihood of allegations being made.

Practices to be avoided

Avoid spending time alone with children away from others and avoid taking or dropping off a child to an event or activity, except in emergencies. If these situations are unavoidable, it should be with the full knowledge and consent of someone in charge in the school or the child’s parents.

You should never...

Engage in rough, physical or sexually provocative games, including horseplay.
Allow or engage in any form of inappropriate touching.
Allow children to use inappropriate language unchallenged.
Make sexually suggestive comments to a child, even in fun.
Reduce a child to tears as a form of control.
Fail to act upon and record any allegations made by a child.
Do things of a personal nature for children or disabled adults, that they can do for themselves.
Invite or allow children to stay with you at your home unsupervised.

It may sometimes be necessary for staff or volunteers to do things of a personal nature for children, particularly if they are young or are disabled. These tasks should only be carried out with the full understanding and consent of parents and the players involved. There is a need to be responsive to a person’s reactions. If a person is fully dependent on you, talk with them about what you are doing and give choices where possible. This is particularly so if you are involved in any dressing or undressing of outer clothing, or where there is physical contact, lifting or assisting a child to carry out particular activities. Avoid taking on the responsibility for tasks for which you are not appropriately trained.

Incidents that must be reported and recorded

If any of the following occur, you should report this immediately to the appropriate officer and record the incident. You should also ensure the parents of the child are informed:

If you accidentally hurt a child
If they seem distressed in any manner
If a child appears to be sexually aroused by your actions
If a child misunderstands or misinterprets something you have done

Recruitment and training of staff and volunteers

WILCA Media recognises that anyone may have the potential to abuse children in some way. All reasonable steps are taken to ensure unsuitable people are prevented from working with children. Pre-selection checks must include the following:

Consent should be obtained from the applicant to seek information from the Disclosure and Baring Service.
Evidence of identity (passport or driving licence with photo).
For Producers, two confidential references.
For other Heads of Department, one confidential, professional reference.

Interview and induction

All employees and volunteers will be required to undergo an interview carried out to acceptable protocol and recommendations. All employees and volunteers should receive an induction, during which:

A check is made that the application form has been completed in full, including sections on criminal records and self-disclosures.
Their qualifications are substantiated.
The job requirements and responsibilities are clarified.

Awareness

In addition to pre-selection checks, the safeguarding process includes making staff and volunteers aware of safeguarding practices at WILCA Media. This is achieved by distributing the relevant policies to crew members, and supporting them in understanding their responsibilities regarding safeguarding.

It is not the responsibility of anyone working with WILCA Media, in a paid or unpaid capacity, to decide whether child abuse has taken place. However, there is a responsibility to act on any concerns by reporting these to the appropriate officer or the appropriate authorities.

WILCA Media will assure all cast and crew that it will fully support and protect anyone, who in good faith reports his or her concern that a colleague is, or may be, abusing a child.

Where there is a complaint against a member of staff there may be three types of investigation:

A criminal investigation
A child protection investigation
A disciplinary or misconduct investigation.

The results of the police and child protection investigation may well influence and inform the disciplinary investigation, but all available information will be used to reach a decision.

Action if there are conc erns about poor practice

If, following consideration, the allegation is clearly about poor practice, the designated safeguarding person will deal with it as a misconduct issue.

The designated safeguarding lead at WILCA Media is Will Carne.

If the allegation is about poor practice by the designated safeguarding lead, or if the matter has been handled inadequately and concerns remain, it should be reported to social services.

Action if there are concerns about suspected abuse

Any suspicion that a child has been abused by either a member of staff or a volunteer should be reported to the designated safeguarding lead, who will take such steps as considered necessary to ensure the safety of the child in question and any other children who may be at risk.

The designated safeguarding lead will refer the allegation to the social services department who may involve the police. The parents or carers of the child will be contacted as soon as possible following advice from the social services department.

The designated safeguarding lead will deal with any media enquiries. If the designated safeguarding lead is the subject of the allegation, the report must be made to any of the other safeguarding officers who will refer the allegation to Social Services.

Confi dentiality

Every effort should be made to ensure that confidentiality is maintained for all concerned. Information should be handled and disseminated on a need to know basis only.

This includes the following people:

The designated safeguarding lead and future other safeguarding officers
The parents of the person who is alleged to have been abused
The person making the allegation
Social services and/or the police

Seek social services advice on who should approach the alleged abuser, or parents if the alleged abuser is a child. Information should be stored in a secure place with limited access to designated people, in line with data protection laws.

Internal enquiries and suspension

WILCA Media’ designated safeguarding lead will make an immediate decision about whether any individual accused of abuse should be temporarily suspended pending further police and social services inquiries. The welfare of the child should remain of paramount importance throughout.

Action if there are concerns about suspected abuse

Consideration should be given to the kind of support that children, parents and members of staff may need. Use of helplines, support groups and open meetings will maintain an open culture and help the healing process. The British Association for Counselling Directory is available via http://www.itsgoodtotalk.org.uk/therapists .

Consideration should be given to what kind of support may be appropriate for the alleged perpetrator.

Allegati ons of previous abuse

Allegations of abuse may be made some time after the event, e.g. by an adult who was abused as a child or by a member of staff who is still currently working with children. Where such an allegation is made, the Producer(s) s hould follow the procedures as detailed above and report the matter to the social services or the police. This is because other children, either within or outside of the school, may be at risk from this person. Anyone who has a previous criminal conviction for offences related to abuse is automatically excluded from working with children. This is reinforced by the details of the Protection of Children Act 1999.

Concerns outside the immediate school environment, e.g. a parent or carer

Report your concerns to the designated safeguarding lead, who should contact social services or the police as soon as possible. If the designated safeguarding lead or any of the other safeguarding officers are not available, the person being told of or discovering the abuse should contact social services or the police immediately. Social Services and the designated safeguarding lead will decide how to involve the parents/carers. Information should be shared on a need to know basis only.

Action if bullying is suspected

If bullying is suspected, the same procedure should be followed as set out in 'Responding to suspicions or allegations' above.

A ction to help the victim and prevent bullying in school:

Take all signs of bullying very seriously.
Encourage all children to speak and share their concerns. It is believed that up to twelve children per year commit suicide as a result of bullying, so if anyone talks about or threatens suicide, seek professional help immediately. Help the victim to speak out and tell the person in charge or someone in authority. Create an open environment.
Investigate all allegations and take action to ensure the victim is safe. Speak with the victim and the bully(ies) separately.
Reassure the victim that you can be trusted and will help them, although you cannot promise to tell no one else.
Keep records of what is said: what happened, by whom, and when.
Report any concerns to the designated safeguarding lead or the school, wherever the bullying is occurring.

Action toward the bully(ies)

Talk with the bully(ies), explain the situation, and try to get the bully(ies) to understand the consequences of their behaviour. Seek an apology to the victim(s).
Inform the bully’s parents.
Insist on the return of 'borrowed' items and that the bully(ies) compensate the victim. Impose sanctions as necessary.
Encourage and support the bully(ies) to change behaviour. Hold meetings with the families to report on progress.

Inform all organisation members of action taken. Keep a written record of action taken.

M ost 'low level' incidents will be dealt with at the time by teachers and volunteers. However, if the bullying is severe, or if it persists despite efforts to deal with it, incidents should be referred to the designated safeguarding person as in ‘Responding to suspicions or allegations’ above.

Information for social services or the police about suspected abuse

To ensure that this information is as helpful as possible, a detailed record should always be made at the time of the disclosure/concern. this should include:

The child's name, age and date of birth of the child.
The child's home address and telephone number.
Whether or not the person making the report is expressing their own concerns or those of someone else.
The nature of the allegation. Include dates, times, any special factors and other relevant information. Make a clear distinction between what is fact, opinion or hearsay.
A description of any visible bruising or other injuries.
A description of any indirect signs, such as behavioural changes.
Details of witnesses to the incidents.
The child’s account, if it can be given, of what has happened and how any bruising or other injuries occurred. Words must not be put into the child’s mouth. Do not ask leading questions.
If the parents have been contacted. If so, what has been said?
If anyone else has been consulted? If so, record details.
If the child has been spoken to, if they were not the person who reported the incident. If so, what was said?
If anyone has been alleged to be the abuser? If so, record details.

Where possible, referral to the police or social services should be confirmed in writing within 24 hours, and the name of the contact who took the referral should be recorded.

If you are worried about sharing concerns about abuse with a senior colleague, you can contact social services or the police directly.

Other options are the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000, or Childline on 0800 1111.

What is a Child Performance License?

hello@willcarne.com (Will Carne) — Tue, 09 Feb 2021 18:31:23 GMT

The licensing system is designed to check that those responsible for using children in performances make suitable arrangements to safeguard them. It is important to recognise that the license alone will not protect the child.

The license is to be issued in the local authority where the child resides. If the child does not like in the UK, then the local authority where the license applicant resides, or has their place of business should be used.

Licenses apply to children who have attained age 16 during the academic year, as they are still of compulsory school age until they leave at the end of the summer term.

When might a license be required?

A performance where a fee is charged for admission.
A performance on licensed premises.
Any broadcasting performance.
Any performance recorded by whatever means to be used in broadcast or such service or film intended for public exhibition e.g. a live stage performance for cinema, screening, film, video or website content.
Anything to be streamed on the internet.

How does the process work?

Firstly check the website for the child's licensing authority to see how many days in advance they will accept applications in order to process it. They vary... so check!

The child's license comes in two parts.

Part 1 is for the applicant/production.
Part 2 is for the parent to complete.
When part 2 is completed it is to be returned to applicant/production.
Production check both parts are complete and have all the correct supporting documentation.

O nce ready to submit to license authority, email form and supporting documents, requesting a confirmation of receipt.

How long will it take to be processed?

Regulations state that the licensing authority may refuse to grant a license if the application is not received at least 21 days before the day on which the first performance or activity takes place.

This is to ensure that the licensing authority has sufficient time to carry out the required checks to ensure the child's safety and well-being.

C ompleting Part 1 in advance would help speed up the process. Answer all questions and put N/A if a question is not applicable rather than leaving boxes blank.

How to Apply for a Child Performance License

hello@willcarne.com (Will Carne) — Tue, 09 Feb 2021 17:00:40 GMT

Part 1 is to be completed by production and will consist of the following:

Child Protection Policy (attach)
Project name and theatrical/musical/dancing/filming/sport/modelling
Description of activity child will be completing with contex t
Risk assessment (attach)
Locations of rehearsals/performance
Dates and times of rehearsals/performance
Total duration of activities or performances including rehearsals
Approximate duration of child's appearance in activities or performance
Night work (any activity between midnight and 7am) - must provide good reason for the work being done at night
Child performance fee
Rehearsal details
Days requiring time off school
Tuition details
Chaperone, tutor or parent details
Chaperone licence authority
Number and sex of children the chaperone is responsible for
Address of the child's accomodation if different from home address
Approximate travel times
Any other local authorities considering applications for this project

Part 2 is to be completed by the parent and will consist of the following:

Child's name
Child's home address
Child's date of birth
School name and address
Details of any license recieved in the past 12 months (if the child has moved to a new local authority)
Details of any license refused in the past 12 months
Details of any performances for which a license was not required in the past 12 months
Dates on which the child has been absent from school due to performance in the past 12 months
Amount of monies earned by child in the past 12 months

Always put N/A or TBC rather than leaving any boxes blank.

The parent is then required to attach:

Completed medical declaration.
Copy of child's birth certificate.
Recent picture of the child.
*Copy of the contract or draft contract.

*All of the above is to be completed prior to casting with the exception of the child's contract.

the yellow blog

Filming videos on a phone | #FilmYourself | E3

episode 3 ﻿

your phone

is better than

it looks...

Welcome to the ultimate guide to recording video at home.

Smartphone cameras are designed to be easy-to-use. With developers spending millions miniaturising tech and automating settings to make great video accessible to everyone... which we then use to record TikToks.

Years of smartphone makers trying to make us buy the new model every year, has resulted with an extremely powerful piece of video kit in our pockets.

A few years ago, those devices reached the professional quality threshold, so now people (like me) regularly use them alongside our big pro cameras on major productions.

1. Back camera is better

If you're working solo, you often need to be able to monitor yourself to check you're in frame (and recording). There are options to connect your phone to a display... but often the simple solutions are the best. If you have a small mirror, position it behind the phone!

There is no need to shoot at 50fps (or 60fps) even if your phone supports it. This is generally only used for slow motion and can create unnecessarily huge files!

2. Film in 4K 25fps

For Apple devices go to Settings and scroll down to Camera, then:

For other devices, look for video settings with terms such as:

PAL - 25 fps - Video Resolution: Highest - 4K - 3840 x 2160 - 16:9

While filming, you can check which resolution and frame rate you are using in the top corner.

If you flip between front and back cameras, the resolution may automatically change as some older phones only have 4K cameras on the back.

To film landscape you may need to turn off p ortrait lock .

3. Get the camera to eye level

Cheap tripods are great. But I use these flexible arms which attach to a desk or bookshelf. And they're less than £15.

4. Download these apps

5. Plan to send the big files

Emails are not designed for carrying big things.

Just like how we don't squeeze exciting large parcels into envelopes to post. Video files are often huge, especially with the settings I've suggested! But luckily there are a few free services that will do the job.

And finally, if in doubt: Google it.

All phone manufacturers have gone out of their way to make user friendly guides. Go look for them!

more blog posts like this

Learn to Light Yourself | #FilmYourself | E2

episode 2

the basics

of lighting

Welcome to the ultimate guide to recording video at home.

Cameras convert light into computer code. So learning to improve your lighting will improve your videos far more than improving the camera...

1. Brighter is sometimes better.

Put the brightest light in front of you, if you're unable to do that- remove that light source and repeat.

People who light for a living use shade, reflectors and black flags almost as much as lights. And so when looking at how your lighting looks, think as much about what can be taken away or blocked, as what needs to be brightened.

2. Light includes shadow.

3. Diffuse the situation.

If a light source is too harsh: bounce it (reflect it off of something else). Often shining a bright lamp at a white wall can create a nice diffused ambient light which looks great on camera.

Try positioning different lamps around your space, at various heights and angles. Look how shadows can make a video look more 3D, or how coloured background light can make you stand out in the foreground.

4. Paint with light.

5. Level up with these purchases.

Getting White Right

The Sky's the Limit

Light is so important because for amateur setups it often decides when and where you film.

Explore where in your space has the best lighting at different points in the day. If you want to film in a certain place, you may need to adjust or invest in lighting to make it suitable.

Which setup is right for you?

And finally.

If in doubt: go outside.

﻿ And let nature do the work for you.

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The Basics of Video | #FilmYourself | E1

episode 1

the basics

of video

Welcome to the ultimate guide to recording video at home.

Let's start with the basics of video.

Video Shape: "Aspect Ratio"

Video Speed: "Frame Rate"

25 fps

Video Size: "Resolution"

Quality is Important

More detail for my fellow science nerds...

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Child Safeguarding Policy

﻿ WILCA Media acknowledges the duty of care to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and is committed to ensuring safeguarding practice reflects statutory responsibilities, government guidance and complies with best practice principles.

We recognise that:

Good practice means...

Promo ﻿ ting good practice

Practices to be avoided

Avoid spending time alone with children away from others and avoid taking or dropping off a child to an event or activity, except in emergencies. If these situations are unavoidable, it should be with the full knowledge and consent of someone in charge in the school or the child’s parents.

You should never...

Incidents that must be reported and recorded

If any of the following occur, you should report this immediately to the appropriate officer and record the incident. You should also ensure the parents of the child are informed: ﻿

﻿ Recruitment and training of staff and volunteers

﻿ Interview and induction

Awareness

﻿ It is not the responsibility of anyone working with WILCA Media, in a paid or unpaid capacity, to decide whether child abuse has taken place. However, there is a responsibility to act on any concerns by reporting these to the appropriate officer or the appropriate authorities.

episode 3

And let nature do the work for you.

WILCA Media acknowledges the duty of care to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and is committed to ensuring safeguarding practice reflects statutory responsibilities, government guidance and complies with best practice principles.

Promo ting good practice

If any of the following occur, you should report this immediately to the appropriate officer and record the incident. You should also ensure the parents of the child are informed:

Recruitment and training of staff and volunteers

Interview and induction

It is not the responsibility of anyone working with WILCA Media, in a paid or unpaid capacity, to decide whether child abuse has taken place. However, there is a responsibility to act on any concerns by reporting these to the appropriate officer or the appropriate authorities.

Action if there are conc erns about poor practice

Confi dentiality

Allegati ons of previous abuse

Concerns outside the immediate school environment, e.g. a parent or carer

Other options are the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000, or Childline on 0800 1111.

When might a license be required?

How does the process work?

How long will it take to be processed?

Part 1 is to be completed by production and will consist of the following:

Part 2 is to be completed by the parent and will consist of the following:

6. State dates and times of day. 'Within permitted hours' is not acceptable.

Best practice: ask parents to complete this for each child prior to casting, and bring along in a sealed envelope with the child's name on.

All documentation for any child not cast will be destroyed as per our data protection policy.