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Part one: landscape

Why you should be using your phone in landscape orientation to make your videos more approachable.

Image of an iPad filming in a horizontal orientation

Fast facts

It's video

Videos are almost always presented horizontally in landscape.

It’s natural

Our vision allows us to see more to the left and right than top and bottom.

Everything is landscape

Television, computer and cinema screens are all landscape.

From television screens, to cinemas audiences are used to watching film in a specic way. Landscape is the most common orientation for video footage, allowing the filmmaker to get as much of a scene in shot as possible.

Mobile filming in portrait is a common and understandable mistake - afer all that is how you hold your phone when answering calls.  However, it is important that you film in landscape orientation.

Landscape makes your footage generally more pleasing to the eye and more enjoyable to watch on other devices. So remember do not hold your phone vertically while shooting unless there is a specific reason.

...unless you have a specific reason for shooting vertically, flip your phone to the horizontal position

The DIY Film School online course home LinkedIn Learning and The DIY Film School Part two: framing