Mobile video: a newsroom in your pocket
The phone is a reporting tool, but equipment alone does not make journalism. Stability, clear sound and deliberate shots turn a recording into a usable account. Decide what each image contributes and keep the same standards of accuracy and responsibility that apply to writing.
The essentials
Stabilise the camera. Brace your elbows, lean against a fixed surface, rest the phone securely or use a small tripod. Choose the orientation for the intended format before filming: landscape and vertical video serve different publishing contexts. Avoid moving the camera simply because your hand can move.
Prioritise sound. Move the microphone close enough to the speaker, listen for wind and other noise, and record a short sound check. Capture some clean ambient sound too. A visually attractive interview becomes difficult to use if the audience cannot hear what is being said.
Think in visual sentences. A wide shot establishes the place, a medium shot shows an action and a close-up reveals a meaningful detail. Hold shots steadily long enough to edit them, rather than collecting constant movement. Gather the coverage while events unfold. The sequence should serve the reporting without requiring you to stage a scene afterwards.
Take it to the field
Before an interview, record and listen to a short sound test. Check framing and stability. Gather establishing and detail shots so the edit can tell the story without asking people to recreate events later.
Your turn
Film exactly nine stable shots of a neighbourhood subject: three wide, three medium and three close-ups, about eight seconds each. Edit a 45-second sequence without commentary. Let the images carry the account.