Why Should I Film Videos Horizontally?

Short Answer: Filming videos horizontally gives you more flexibility because you can crop a horizontal video into a vertical format if needed, but filming vertically and trying to make it horizontal later results in poor quality and black bars on the sides.

Full Explanation

When you film a video horizontally, you capture a wider frame that includes more of the scene from side to side. This wider aspect allows for easier adjustment of the video into other formats, such as vertical orientation. Since horizontal footage contains more image content on the sides, cropping it to create a vertical video will still maintain good visual quality and composition.

On the other hand, if you choose to film vertically first, and later decide you want a horizontal video, the result will not be pleasing. The vertical footage is narrow in width, so converting it into a horizontal frame creates empty spaces, often appearing as black bars, on the sides of the screen. This reduces the visual appeal and can make the video look unfinished or poorly edited.

Step-by-Step Breakdown

Film horizontally: Start recording with your camera or smartphone held in landscape orientation.
Capture wider footage: This approach records more details on the left and right sides of your subject.
Edit to vertical if needed: Crop the horizontal footage to a vertical format by removing side areas while retaining the main subject.
Avoid filming vertically if horizontal is desired later: Vertical videos lack the extra side information needed for good horizontal conversion.
Prevent black bars: By filming horizontally first, you eliminate the risk of black bars appearing on the sides of a horizontal video converted from vertical footage.

Real Examples

Imagine you are filming a scenic landscape or a group of people. With horizontal filming, you capture the entire vista or group from side to side. You can then repurpose that footage for vertical platforms by cropping the sides without losing important content.

If you had filmed the same scene vertically and tried to make it horizontal afterward, the video would have significant empty spaces on the left and right, resulting in black bars and a less immersive experience.

Common Mistakes

Filming vertically first when you plan to use the video horizontally later.
Ignoring the importance of framing and composition while filming horizontally, which can cause issues during cropping.
Assuming that vertical footage can easily be converted to horizontal without loss of quality or empty spaces.

FAQs

Can I convert vertical videos to horizontal without black bars?: No, converting vertical videos to horizontal will often leave black bars on the sides due to lack of side image data.
Is it always better to film horizontally?: Yes, filming horizontally provides greater flexibility for editing into multiple formats, including vertical cropping.
What happens if I crop a horizontal video to vertical?: Cropping horizontal video to vertical removes side areas but generally retains good quality and a well-composed subject.

Key Takeaways

Filming videos horizontally offers greater editing flexibility.
You can easily crop horizontal footage into vertical format without losing quality.
Filming vertically first limits your options and can result in black bars when converting to horizontal.
Horizontal filming leads to a more polished and professional final video.