Video is obviously a huge part of the PlayerLync platform. Watching video content sent by the home office, annotating a clip sent from a co-worker, or taking your own video to send to your marketing VP - these are just a few of the uses we see daily. Not everyone is a videographer, but not everyone needs to be, either. With these tips, you should be able to capture and share watchable video content.

Lighting

Be aware of the light source for your video. If you are recording video of someone and they are backlit, have them move to face the light so that the entire video doesn't have their face in a shadow. If there is very low light - say, if you're recording video of a water leak between the drywall - try to use a flashlight to brighten the area. Don't forget that most mobile devices now have an LED that can be turned on and maneuvered into small spaces.

Sound

Try to limit ambient sounds as much as possible. In our water leak example above, you may want to capture sound of the drips but someone is running a drill the next room over. That loud sound will overwhelm the simple tablet microphone, so wait until they're done or ask them to stop. Also be aware of any random conversation that might be captured inadvertently. You don't want to share confidential information on accident. And if you're narrating the footage, be sure to speak up and as closely to the microphone as possible.

Motion

Steady as she goes, mate! Not every situation calls for a tripod and you won't always have one, but be sensitive to how the video will turn out for the viewer. Try to keep the subject in frame and be as still as possible while recording. Keep both hands on the tablet and draw your elbows in to your sides to keep your arms steady. Leaning against a wall will also help. If there's something solid and grounded that you can set the tablet on, use that!

Focus

Most tablets now have cameras that have different depths of focus, which is to say that they can focus on something near or something far and not everything will be in focus. If you need to adjust your camera's focal point, tap on that object as you see it on the screen. The camera will try to focus on that item. Also, make sure you don't get the camera too close to the subject. Tablet cameras are good, but they're not made for extreme close ups and objects will be fuzzy and out of focus.

Landscape v. Portrait

For most people, the natural mode to hold a tablet is with your hands on the long ends, what's called Portrait mode because it is how you would shoot a portrait of someone, capturing their torso, head and shoulders. Landscape mode - with the long ends horizontal - is the preferred way to shoot because you will capture a wide shot of the visual field. Have you ever watched a video where the video is blurred or black on the sides? That can be fixed by shooting in landscape mode.

We hope these tips help you create better video for your team and clients!

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