Journey back a few years and the thought of filming content vertically was laughable at best. Maybe you would use vertical video for your kids’ soccer game, but the idea of established videographers using their time and expertise to produce a vertical video was ridiculous. Then along came Instagram Reels and TikTok, platforms that not only allow vertical videos, but demand them. Now vertical video is essential and if you only have one camera you very well might use it to make a vertical video, instead of something horizontal for a more traditional video platform.
Have you tried posting a horizontal video on IG Reels or TikTok? It’s ok if you say yes, but let’s talk about how to film for Instagram Reels and TikTok.
How to Shoot Your Video
It might seem like all you have to do to shoot a great vertical video is point your camera and start recording, however, just like most things in the social media world it is not quite what it seems.
Of course you do have to:
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Choose your subject
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Open Instagram, Tik Tok, or Camera App
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Keep your phone vertical
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Click record
However, all of this is just barely scratching the surface. Once you’ve posted your first few videos and get comfortable with filming the next steps will be to start utilizing more of the tools that your phone and the platforms provide.
Adjusting Your Phone Settings For Better Video
Your phone (most likely) is equipped with a very powerful camera, and even if it can’t shoot in 4K, it can still produce a great video with a few tweaks of the settings. Below you will find screenshots of the Camera/Video settings for Android and iPhone that you can change to get crisper videos.
Android
iPhone
Editing in IG Reels and TikTok
Editing is what can turn an “ok” video into something someone wants to share, like, and watch over and over again. Instagram and TikTok have equipped creators with all of the basic and even some of the advanced tools that they’ll need to accomplish this. Below you’ll find videos that walk you through the editing features that each site provides:
Editing in IG Reels:
Editing in Tik Tok:
Conclusion
Whichever platform you choose, it looks like vertical video is here to stay. But you don’t have to sit on the sidelines. You and your brand can capitalize on this change. Adding vertical video to your marketing campaigns will increase your engagement across platforms and increase your business.
