01
Which footage is better with a fixed frame?
Anything where the subject is not a person. A screen recording, a slide, a whiteboard or a piece of work on a bench all sit still, so a frame that moves is responding to something the viewer does not care about. A single seated speaker also gains little, since they were never going anywhere.
02
Does the subject move?
A frame that keeps adjusting against a subject that never moves is responding to something the viewer does not care about.
| Source | Movement in it | Frame should |
|---|---|---|
| Screen recording | None, the screen is fixed | Hold still |
| Slide deck | None | Hold still |
| Seated speaker | Very little | Either, it costs nothing |
| Standing presenter | Lateral, sometimes a lot | Follow |
| Two people talking | Attention moves between them | Follow, or split screen |
03
Footage that suits a fixed frame
Screen recordings, slides, whiteboards, product close-ups and hands-on demonstrations usually look best with a steady frame. The important content stays in one place, and a moving frame would only distract. For these, choose a shape that keeps the whole area of interest visible and hold it.
A wider shape like 4:5 or square often suits this kind of footage.
04
A single seated speaker
A speaker sitting at a desk and talking to the camera barely moves. A steady frame centred on them looks calm and professional. Small movements of the head do not need the frame to follow.
Frame the shot so the face sits comfortably in the upper part of the picture.
05
When movement helps
When two people take turns speaking, or a presenter walks across a stage, a frame that follows the speaker keeps the clip watchable in a tall shape. The movement serves the viewer by keeping the person talking in view.
Choose based on whether there is something to follow.
06
Recording for a steady frame
If you know a clip will use a fixed frame, set up the recording so the important area sits near the centre, with some space around it. Lock the camera on a tripod to avoid unintended movement.
A steady recording makes a steady clip easy.
07
Checking the result
Watch the finished clip on a phone. If the frame feels restless or the important content drifts near an edge, the choice of shape or framing may need adjusting.
Trust what feels comfortable to watch.
08
Mixing approaches in a series
A series can use different approaches for different clips, depending on the footage.
Keep text style consistent so the series still looks unified.
09
Hold still when there is nothing to follow
- Ask whether the subject moves. If it does not, a moving frame has nothing useful to follow.
- Watch a clip for restlessness. Small constant adjustment is the pattern to look for.
- Pick a template that suits. Blur keeps the whole picture in place, which suits static subjects.
Try a screen recording and compare the templates.
Questions people ask
- Can I turn tracking off?
- The template is the control. Blur keeps the entire picture rather than following a subject inside it, which is the practical way to hold a frame still.
- Does a seated speaker need tracking?
- Very little, because they barely move. It costs nothing either, so it is rarely worth thinking about.
- What about a single talking head at a desk?
- It behaves well under any option. Desk footage is the easiest source there is.
- Is movement ever the point?
- Yes, in stage footage and anything where a person walks. That is exactly what following was built for.
- Does the choice cost anything?
- No, template choice does not change pricing, and three of them are on every plan.