10 Tips for Adventure Filmmaking with a Smartphone

Here are 10 handy tips for capturing your adventure travels with nothing more than your smartphone. These tips are designed to help you create the best possible videos, regardless of your experience level. Want to learn hand-ons with Adventure Filmmaking? Then sign up for our workshop Adventure Filmmaking with your Smartphone.

1. Know your smartphone camera:

Learn about the capabilities and limitations of your smartphone camera. Study the settings and experiment with different shooting modes. For example, some smartphones have a slow-motion or timelapse feature that you can use for your adventures.

2. Use a tripod:

For stable and sharp images, a smartphone tripod is essential. There are several compact and lightweight tripods specifically for smartphones that are easy to take with you on your adventures.

3. Use natural light:

Make the best use of natural light. Preferably shoot during the “golden hour” – the hour after sunrise and the hour before sunset – to get beautiful, warm colors.

4. Vertical versus horizontal:

Generally, you want to shoot horizontally (landscape mode) for a wider and more cinematic view. However, if you are filming for a specific platform that requires vertical videos (such as Instagram Stories or TikTok), filming in vertical mode may be required.

Adventure filmmaking with smartphone workshop

5. Composition is key:

Consider the rule of thirds, where you mentally divide your screen into nine equal parts with two horizontal and two vertical lines. Try to place your subject along these lines for an attractive, balanced image.

6. Storytelling:

Make your videos engaging by telling a story. This could be the story of your journey, a specific adventure, or even a small event. Beginning, middle and end are the classic elements of a story structure.

7. Different perspectives:

Try different camera angles and shooting types to make your videos more dynamic. Take close-ups, wide-angle shots, shots from above, etc. Alternate between these shots to create an interesting video.

Adventure filmmaking with smartphone workshop

8. Good sound is essential:

While the picture is important, poor sound quality can ruin your video. If possible, use an external microphone and avoid recording in noisy environments. Sound editing apps can also help reduce background noise.

9. Edit your videos:

Use apps such as Adobe Premiere Rush or iMovie to edit your videos. You can crop clips, apply filters, adjust sound levels and even add text or effects.

10. Be yourself and have fun:

The most important thing is to have fun

Adventure filmmaking with smartphone workshop