Avanii Thakur Do you sometimes wish your smartphone could magically print out money or act as a portal to another dimension? At some point, we’ve all had a whacky tech idea that we thought was revolutionary. But, in all fairness, it probably wasn’t practical at all.
Although, it’s perfectly okay to be this ambitious. This is the kind of ambition that drove the creation of the smartphone as the ultra-powerful device that it is today.
The world’s transition to all things video has been a rather revolutionary one. Today, short videos have become a universal mode of communication. While the whole world was taken aback by the rather dystopian reality with the arrival of a pandemic; dalgona coffee and various other short video trends shook us out of our pandemic blues and brought us all closer together. They served as a breath of fresh air amongst the havoc. This revolution was only possible due to the smartphone and the genius formula of short videos.
Today, it’s possible for anyone from any remote corner of the world to pick up their phone and simply start recording and sharing short videos. It helps to amplify your voice, reach out to millions of people, share opinions, visualize and create content. Content that unites and lifts up the world even during the toughest of times.
But before this turns into an ode to smartphones, let’s move along and understand the inception of all things vertical.
The Push for All Things Vertical
For years horizontal filmmaking has been the industry norm, and cinematography was only restricted to the traditional horizontal format.
While the Oscars do not have a category for short vertical videos yet, the short video revolution might result in this becoming a reality pretty soon. We’re keeping our fingers crossed!
Did you know? Academy Award-winning director Damien Chazelle who directed ‘La La Land’ and ‘Whiplash’ shot a short vertical film called ‘The Stunt Double,’ which significantly impacted the filmmaking industry. What’s more, this movie was shot entirely on an iPhone 11 pro.
What’s truly special about this project was that this film held its own despite the evident disapproval of this format from traditional directors.
So, for all the video creators out there, this should serve as inspiration enough to whip out that phone and throw your ideas out there into the universe.
Imagine a scenario where a filmmaker, a content creator, and a film critic or enthusiast walk into a bar. What do you think they’re talking about? One thing’s for sure, they’re definitely not in agreement with each other.
While filmmakers and film enthusiasts may not see the endless possibilities that vertical filmmaking has to offer, short videos have taken over the world and are here to stay. It’s time to think out of that horizontal box and embrace the vertical.
Now you’re probably thinking, how do I create my next vertical blockbuster? Is it possible to convey the ‘bigger’ picture through vertical videos? Look no further because we’re here to answer those questions for you.
Here are a couple of tips and tricks that will come in handy when you feel like putting your creator/cinematographer hat on.
Creator Tips & Tricks for Vertical Video Making
Establishing Shot
What do you think an establishing shot is? It’s probably exactly what you’re thinking. As the name suggests, an establishing shot creates a premise for the scene or story. Be it Kubrick’s eerie and foreboding establishing shot or Harry Potter’s stunning shots of Hogwarts, these establishing shots are the skeleton of any good film and essential for great storytelling. So, applying them to vertical video making is only fitting.
Since the basis of an establishing shot is to create a premise for the story, you need to be thoughtful about how you communicate it through vertical. Damien Chazelle portrays innovative ways in which you can make the most out of the vertical dimensions and truly own your shot. For instance, he utilizes the space efficiently by allowing movement to flow from top to bottom rather than left to right.
Get Up Close & Personal
There’s something intensely raw and real about a close-up shot. It’s an essential aspect of cinematic storytelling and helps in character building. Be it a beautiful portrait photo or close-up shots in videos, it adds a sense of personal connection and breaks that wall between the viewer and creator.
If you’re someone who loved ‘Deadpool’ or ‘Fleabag’, you probably enjoyed it because they kept breaking the fourth wall and directly addressed their audience. As a viewer, when you sit to watch these shows and movies, it feels more like an engaging conversation than observing someone’s life from the outside.
So, how do you translate the same style into vertical video making? By adding close-ups and extreme close-ups of various characters into your short video, the frame fits the entire face ever so perfectly and adds that layer of depth to the video. You can even go the extra mile and break that fourth wall to engage with your audience directly.
Is Negative Space Positive?
Don’t worry; your eyes haven’t deceived you. You read that right. When it comes to vertical video making, using negative space will help you showcase wider objects. You can apply this trick when you don’t have supporting vertical shots or cannot fit a wide object within the vertical dimensions.
Although we recommend that this be your fallback option as shooting solely for vertical will help maintain consistency throughout the video.
For instance, if you want to show a wider object, such as a car, in its glory, fitting it within a vertical frame can be challenging.
The trick here is to introduce negative space around the object. You can achieve this by using the landscape version of the video or photo and simply filling the space around it with text, filters, or even a collage-style template.
With Rizzle, you can pick from a wide range of templates that will help you do just that! In fact, video making with photos from your gallery is also possible with Rizzle. Select from a thousand plus options and pick the one that resonates with the style of your video the most.
We Want Variety!
Let’s be honest, who doesn’t love variety? There’s a reason why we all gravitate towards an unlimited buffet at a restaurant or browse through Netflix for hours at a stretch. We all love options, and we’re always looking out for more.
The same principle applies to vertical video making. When creating a sequence of shots, it’s crucial to present your viewer with different actions, characters, and objects while incorporating those close-up shots that we discussed earlier.
Take La La Land’s iconic opening scene, for example. How many of you remember this spectacular highway opening scene on the LA freeway overpass? This six-minute dance number is a perfect example of how movement, objects, and variety play a role in cinematography.
Supporting YouTube Link – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVVqlm8Fq3Y
This shot can easily be applied to vertical videos as well. The camera captures various actions performed across the highway as it pans through cars that perfectly frame the scene.
With multiple people and objects present on screen, you can expect a ton of movement supported by close-up shots that ties it all together. So, don’t be shy about experimenting. Take various shots and see what works best! It’s all about trial and error in the beginning.
Now that you have a couple of tricks up your sleeve, it’s time to apply these concepts and try your hand at vertical video making.
Razzle Dazzle with Rizzle
Now wouldn’t it be a dream if you could shoot, edit, add music, templates, effects, and features, as well as broadcast on one single platform with no compromise? This is no joke. What if we told you that Rizzle is one such video making app that lets you host your own episodic short series?
If video making and content creation is your passion and you want to play your part in breaking the stigma associated with vertical filmmaking then hop on to Rizzle. It is home to an abundance of tools and resources that will help you navigate through vertical video making with utmost ease.
Apart from these tips and tricks, here are a couple of things to keep in mind while shooting your video:
- Make sure to shoot specifically for vertical. Avoid shooting in landscape as it would be harder to fit that footage into a vertical frame while editing.
- Try incorporating taller objects such as tall buildings and stairwells as opposed to wider ones that might test the limits of the vertical frame.
- Moreover, make sure to enjoy yourself, have fun, and engage with your audience.
So, what are you waiting for? Download the app, and get started on your creative journey. Do leave us a comment with any vertical video making ideas, tips, or tricks that might help other creators out there.
