Guide: Creating Video Content on a Mobile Phone

Breese

• Comments (5)
• Share this story
• View profile

Tags:

• mobile
• ToolKit
• video

This Mobile Media Toolkit section covers tools and techniques that will help reporters create video reports on a mobile phone. The article also covers how to use tools to live-stream video directly from a phone to the web.

The article includes information on selecting a phone for recording video, taking and editing videos on mobile phones, and how to share videos online.
Who is this article for?

This article is for:

Anyone who wants to record breaking news.
Video reporters who want a lighter, ever-present, and inconspicuous video camera.
Reporters who want to stream live video.

Why should you create video content on a mobile phone?

Video is a powerful medium for storytelling and reporting. Given the ubiquity of mobile phones and the fact that more and more phones have the ability to record video, video reporting is accessible to an increasing number of people.
Mobile phones are more discreet than conventional cameras and can thus be used more surreptitiously. This allows citizen journalists and reporters to capture events where a conventional camera might not be welcome.
Mobile phones are connected to a network, allowing for live streaming where available (and affordable). Live streaming refers to immediate transmission of mobile video content to the web over a mobile data connection.
Even though there are fewer video-capable phones than camera phones, the number of video phones is growing and capturing video is getting more sophisticated.
Knowing how to take video on your mobile may help in unforeseeable circumstances, such as when news breaks or when you witness an event that will be hard to recreate using other media.