Authoring Techniques
Establishing shots, reshooting in the moment, auditioning alternatives, and a few small tricks the pros use to make a flick feel intentional.
Once you've got pacing and structure handled, a handful of authoring habits separate a good flick from a great one. None of these take much extra effort — they're mostly about being deliberate.
Establishing shots
Setting the scene is an important part of building a narrative. Anytime you change locations — moving from outside to indoors, for example — add a two-second shot of the surroundings so the viewer is oriented. A Dissolve transition between the establishing shot and the next one reinforces the location change.
Faking an establishing shot
If you forgot the establishing shot, or it came out too dark or obstructed, here's a cheat: do a Google image search of the location on your laptop, then film your computer screen for two or three seconds with your phone. Make sure the borders of the photo aren't visible so it looks like you shot it by hand. Small hand movements actually help — they make the shot feel more alive.
Reshoot often
As you're shooting events, remember that you can always reshoot a moment or add more shots. If you're filming a sporting event and a moment turns out less dramatic than you hoped (a missed goal), reshoot. To be safe, add the new shot rather than replacing the old one — you'll choose the best one later. You can stack 4–5 alternatives for any unpredictable event: kids' parties, pet tricks, concerts, social activities.
Whatever you do, resist the temptation to include all the shots you took. That's how a flick becomes repetitive and tedious.
Auditioning shots
If you've followed the advice above and have multiple alternatives, use the Hide Shot feature to preview the flick with different combinations active. Hide one alternative, watch the flick, then hide a different one. The best version usually becomes obvious quickly.
Auditioning is the cheapest editing tool you have. If you're torn between two shots, hide one and watch the whole flick — your gut will tell you within seconds.
Shooting yourself
If you'll be in the shot, use the Countdown setting to give yourself a 3...2...1 before recording starts. There's also an option to use the phone's flash as a visible countdown when you're on the rear camera. And the Apple Watch companion app lets you start and stop shooting without touching the phone — invaluable when you're in front of the camera on a tripod.
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