01
What should you do differently at the camera?
Keep the subject near the centre, leave a little room around them rather than framing tight, put nothing important at the left and right edges, and hold the camera still. A tall crop takes the middle, so anything centred survives and anything at an edge does not.
02
Framing choices and what they allow later
Centring the subject and leaving a body width of room on each side costs nothing at the time and preserves every option afterwards.
| At the camera | Vertical crop | Wide version |
|---|---|---|
| Subject centred, some room around | Works, follows movement | Works |
| Subject centred, tight | Works, no room to follow | Works |
| Subject to one side | Loses them or looks off centre | Works |
| Graphics at the edges | Graphics lost | Works |
| Handheld and drifting | Frame fights the camera | Works, just shaky |
03
Placing the camera
Put the camera at eye level, straight on to the main speaker, and far enough back that there is space on both sides. A slight margin around the subject leaves room for a vertical slice to sit comfortably, even if the speaker shifts position.
Mark the camera position so every session is framed the same way.
04
Keeping key elements central
Anything viewers must see, such as a product being shown or a guest's face, should stay within the middle third of a landscape frame. Objects held out to the side or guests seated far apart are the first to fall outside a tall crop.
Ask speakers to hold items up in front of their chest rather than to the side.
05
Graphics and text in the original
Avoid placing names, logos or graphics at the far edges of the landscape frame if clips will be cropped. They will be cut off or look awkward. If graphics are needed, keep them near the centre or add them separately to each clip.
A clean recording without graphics gives the most flexibility.
06
Backgrounds that crop well
A simple background behind the speaker looks good in any shape. Busy shelves or windows on one side can create unbalanced vertical crops. Keep the background balanced on both sides of the speaker.
Soft, even light helps too.
07
Interviews and two-person setups
Seat guests closer together and at slight angles toward the camera. Consider a second camera for each person if possible, which makes vertical clips of each speaker easy.
Separate microphones keep each voice clear.
08
Checking with a vertical preview
Some cameras and apps can show a vertical guide on screen. Use it during setup to confirm the framing works for both shapes.
A quick check saves hours later.
09
Make the next crop easy
- Centre the subject. The middle is the part every crop shape keeps.
- Leave breathing room. A frame filled edge to edge has nowhere to follow movement into.
- Keep the camera on something solid. A steady original is easier to work with than a handheld one.
Film one session with the crop in mind and compare.
Questions people ask
- Should I just film vertically?
- If the footage is only ever going to be clips, that removes the question. Recording wide keeps the option of a long version too.
- What about graphics at the edges?
- Anything at the left or right will be lost in a tall crop. Place lower thirds and marks nearer the centre if you plan to clip.
- How much room around the subject?
- Enough that they could move a body width in either direction and stay in shot.
- Does a wide shot always work?
- A wide shot with a small subject does not, because cropping in cannot add detail. Reasonably close and centred is the target.
- Does this apply to interviews?
- Especially. A two shot with both people near the centre gives far more options than one with them at opposite edges.