Smartphone Videography Course

Lesson 1 • Navigating Camera App Settings

Maps every relevant setting in native and third-party camera apps. Connects app mastery to consistent, repeatable video output.

Lesson 2 • Resolution and Frame Rate Basics

Explains HD, 4K, and frame rate choices and their practical trade-offs. Guides students to match settings to intended delivery platforms.

Lesson 3 • Focus and White Balance Control

Covers manual focus, focus peaking, and white balance presets for video. Ensures students avoid focus drift and color inconsistency across shots.

Lesson 4 • Exposure Fundamentals for Video

Teaches ISO, shutter speed, and the 180-degree rule for video exposure. Prevents the most common exposure errors beginners make on smartphones.

Lesson 1 • Headroom, Nose Room, and Lead Room

Refines subject placement within the frame using professional spacing rules. Eliminates amateur framing errors that undermine video credibility.

Lesson 2 • Camera Angles and Perspective

Explores eye-level, high-angle, low-angle, and Dutch tilt perspectives. Teaches how angle choice shapes viewer perception of subjects.

Lesson 3 • Shot Sizes and Their Meaning

Defines wide, medium, close-up, and extreme close-up shots and their emotional impact. Connects shot selection to narrative intent and audience engagement.

Lesson 4 • Core Composition Rules

Introduces rule of thirds, leading lines, and symmetry for video frames. Provides the visual grammar that underpins every shot type in later chapters.

Lesson 1 • Understanding Light Quality and Direction

Distinguishes hard and soft light and explains how direction shapes subjects. Builds the perceptual foundation for all lighting decisions in the chapter.

Lesson 2 • Artificial Lighting Essentials

Introduces LED panels, ring lights, and practical lights for smartphone shoots. Connects affordable gear choices to professional-quality lighting setups.

Lesson 3 • Working with Natural Light

Covers golden hour, overcast diffusion, and window light techniques. Teaches students to exploit free, available light for cinematic results.

Lesson 4 • Controlling and Modifying Light

Covers diffusers, reflectors, flags, and gels for shaping light output. Enables students to solve common lighting problems on location or in studio.

Lesson 1 • Controlling Acoustic Environment

Addresses room acoustics, wind noise, and background noise reduction strategies. Equips students to improve audio quality before recording rather than in post.

Lesson 2 • Microphone Placement Techniques

Covers optimal mic-to-source distance and placement for each mic type. Prevents proximity effect errors and off-axis rejection problems in the field.

Lesson 3 • Why Audio Quality Matters

Establishes audio as the primary factor in perceived video professionalism. Motivates investment in technique and gear by demonstrating the cost of poor sound.

Lesson 4 • Microphone Types and Selection

Compares shotgun, lavalier, and stereo microphones for smartphone use. Guides students to select the right mic for each shooting scenario.

Lesson 1 • Principles of Camera Movement

Defines pan, tilt, push, pull, and orbit moves and their storytelling functions. Establishes movement vocabulary used throughout the chapter and course.

Lesson 2 • Gimbal Operation and Setup

Covers gimbal balancing, motor calibration, and operating modes for smartphones. Connects proper setup to smooth, professional motion footage.

Lesson 3 • Handheld Shooting Techniques

Teaches body posture, breathing control, and grip methods for stable handheld video. Enables students to shoot without stabilization gear when needed.

Lesson 4 • In-Camera and Software Stabilization

Evaluates optical image stabilization, electronic stabilization, and post-stabilization tools. Teaches when to rely on in-camera features vs. physical stabilizers.

Lesson 1 • Coverage and the 180-Degree Rule

Teaches shooting coverage from multiple angles while maintaining screen direction. Prevents jump cuts and spatial confusion in the edited sequence.

Lesson 2 • Pre-Production Planning Essentials

Covers shot lists, storyboards, and location scouting for smartphone shoots. Reduces on-set errors by building a clear production blueprint in advance.

Lesson 3 • Shooting for the Edit

Explains handles, slates, and overlapping action for clean editing transitions. Trains students to think like editors while operating the camera.

Lesson 4 • Shooting Interviews and Talking Heads

Covers interview framing, eyeline placement, and two-camera setups on smartphones. Produces polished interview footage usable in documentary and corporate video.

Lesson 1 • Transitions and Motion Graphics

Covers cut, dissolve, and wipe transitions plus title and lower-third creation. Teaches restraint in transition use to maintain professional output.

Lesson 2 • Cutting and Assembling a Sequence

Teaches trimming, splitting, and arranging clips to build a coherent narrative. Develops the core editing rhythm that drives pacing and viewer engagement.

Lesson 3 • Editing App Overview and Workflow

Compares leading mobile editing apps by feature set and workflow efficiency. Establishes an organized import-to-export pipeline students use throughout the chapter.

Lesson 4 • Color Correction and Grading on Mobile

Applies exposure correction, white balance fix, and creative LUTs in mobile apps. Connects color work to the visual tone and brand identity of the video.

Lesson 1 • Analyzing Video Performance Metrics

Teaches watch time, retention curves, and engagement metrics to evaluate content. Connects data interpretation to actionable improvements in future videos.

Lesson 2 • Thumbnails and Metadata Optimization

Covers custom thumbnail design, title writing, and keyword-rich descriptions. Directly increases click-through rate and discoverability of published videos.

Lesson 3 • Building a Consistent Video Brand

Establishes visual identity, tone, and posting consistency as brand-building tools. Prepares students to grow an audience through recognizable, reliable content.

Lesson 4 • Platform-Specific Content Strategy

Adapts video length, format, and posting cadence to each platform's algorithm. Aligns production decisions with audience behavior and platform reward systems.