How to Self-Tape With Your Phone
Quick Reference
Before shooting with your smartphone, you should consider three things:Is your device fully charged?
It's best if your device is fully charged to prevent any interruptions and lost work.
Do you have enough free storage to record video?
Typically, a 4k video at 30 frames per second (fps) requires 375 MB of storage for every minute recorded
Is your phone on Do Not Disturb or Airplane Mode?
Making sure your phone is on Airplane Mode or Do Not Disturb before filming ensures that your take isn't interrupted by notifications.
Video Settings
Go to Settings
2. Camera
3. Record Video
Select 4k at 30fps*
*If you are limited on space,
1080p HD at 30 fps will also work.
Lighting and Background
Before setting up your camera on a tripod, walk around the room with your phone in Selfie Mode (aka your front facing camera). This will give you a pretty good sense of how your recording might look. You'll want strike a balance between flattering, soft light on your face, and a background that isn't too busy.
Typically, you'll have the best results if you're facing a window with transparent curtains.
Pro Tip! Try to avoid direct sunlight and bright windows in the background of your shot. This will help prevent over exposed video, which can be difficult to correct in post production. If possible, face the window!
Camera Rig and Framing
Use a phone tripod, and set up the camera in landscape mode.
You will be using the front-facing camera (the same camera you would use to take a selfie), and should position it around eye-level, with your face and upper body in the middle of the frame. Try to have a little room between the top of your head and the top of the frame.
Note: Any phone tripod will work. However, the most versatile options are extendable, have fold out legs, and can be set on the floor or a desk.
Pro Tip! Compose your shot based on the Rule of Thirds. If you were to divide the frame into thirds, try to position yourself slightly left or right of center where the dividing lines intersect.
Audio
For singing, the best option is to use an external microphone to capture your voice. Check out our favorite microphone here.
A general rule for capturing clear audio is to position the microphone as close to the source as possible. Contrary to popular belief, (if you have a decent quality mic) it is not necessary to place a mic across the room from a singer. It will often sound best with the mic hanging overhead, but with limited equipment that's not always possible. Do your best to place the mic close, but where it can’t be seen by the camera.
Pro Tip! Check your signal levels before you start recording! Sing your loudest note(s) and watch your sound meter in your editing software, or listen back to a test recording to make sure there isn’t any distortion.
Note for using a backing track: position the speaker a few feet behind your microphone. Unless they are especially made to do otherwise, most microphones do not pick up sound from the back of the device. It produces a much cleaner recording if you eliminate as much bleed from your speaker as possible, and layer the music track into your video afterwards.
Performance
After setting up, you can record your video in three easy steps:
Press record on your camera
Press record on your audio recording device
Clap once*
* This will help us sync up the audio afterward. Just like a clapperboard from the movies!
The best ways to produce a strong performance are to have fun, and be consistent. Don't sweat the small stuff—if something isn’t 100% perfect, still try to finish the take!
Pro Tip! Listen back between takes. Often times things aren’t as bad as you thought when you listen back. We usually recommend having 2-3 complete takes of each piece to choose from.
Transferring Footage
Transferring Footage to your PC
To transfer footage from your iPhone to a PC, check out this how-to video.
Method #1: iPhone to Mac
Use AirDrop!
Method #2: iPhone to PC
(1:30-2:20 in the video) is typically the easiest. Remember to choose "Trust this Device" on your iPhone after plugging it into your PC!
Method #3: Android to PC
Method #4: Android to Mac
