How to record a talking-head video on your phone

1. Camera

• Turn the phone sideways. YouTube is 16:9. Vertical footage has to be cropped or padded.
• Use the back camera at 4K or 1080p, 30 frames per second. It's much sharper than the selfie camera.
• Put the lens at eye level, about an arm and a half away. Stack books or use a cheap tripod. Looking up or down at the lens looks amateur.
• Frame from mid-chest up with a little space above your head. We can zoom in later; we can't zoom out.

2. Light

• Face a window. Soft daylight in front of you looks expensive and costs nothing.
• Never have the window behind you. You'll turn into a silhouette.
• At night, one lamp in front of you and slightly to the side beats the ceiling light.

3. Sound (the part that matters most)

Viewers forgive soft video. They click away from echoey or muffled sound.

• Use a clip-on (lavalier) mic, about $15 to $30, or keep the phone within one meter of you.
• Record in a room with soft things: curtains, a sofa, a rug. Empty rooms echo.
• Turn off fans and AC, and put your phone on Do Not Disturb.

4. Background

Sit one to two meters in front of something with depth: a shelf, a plant, a lamp. A flat white wall right behind you looks like a passport photo. Wear plain colors; thin stripes flicker on camera.

5. Recording

• Record in one long take. Don't stop the camera.
• Made a mistake? Pause for two seconds and say the whole sentence again. Your editor cuts the bad take.
• Look into the lens, not at the screen.
• Use a little more energy than feels natural. The camera flattens people.

Quick checklist

Then send us the raw file

Upload it as it is, mistakes and all. HODIS cuts the pauses and retakes, adds captions and motion graphics, and sends back the finished video, two thumbnail options and Shorts within 48 hours. Your first edit is free.