How to film footage that cuts well

The AI can choose the best seconds, but it cannot invent light or stability. These habits cost nothing and make a visible difference.

• Film vertically (9:16): hold the phone upright.
• Face the window, not with the window behind you. Light on the subject is the single biggest quality jump.
• Hold the phone with both hands or rest it on something solid. Slow, smooth movements only.
• Film every shot twice and let it run two seconds longer than you think; the cut needs room.
• Mix scales: one wide shot of the place, several medium shots of people, a few close-up details.
• Get faces and hands. Reactions and craft are what people watch.
• Tap the screen to focus before a detail shot and hold still for a second.
• One sentence to camera per topic, slower than you would normally speak.
• Quiet background if someone talks; otherwise keep the natural sound, it feels real.
• Ask Relsko for a shot list first. It turns your goal into a list of shots you can tick off.

You do not need tens of minutes of footage for a simple edit. Six different views of one situation help: the place, the person, the start of the activity, a detail, the result and the ending. Each shot then has its own role in the story.

Cover the whole scene and the detail

For making coffee, start with a view of the cafe. Then film the staff, the coffee being poured in, a close-up of the stream into the cup, the finished drink and it being handed over. If you filmed six almost identical views of the cup, the editor would have fewer options.

Let every clip run for a moment before the important point and after it. A short margin makes the cut easier. Do not make several quick changes of direction while filming; a calm shot is usually more usable.

Do not forget the ending

People often film the preparation and the activity itself, but forget the result. The finished product, the completed route or a person's reaction is what helps close the video.

This is not a compulsory template for every event. If a single moment that cannot be repeated is the most important thing, give your attention to that. The list of six views is a aid so that you do not come home with many files and no story.