Before the pandemic, many people didn’t have the foggiest idea about cloud-based video production. Although some useful tools were available to make remote filming and editing easier for everyone involved, those tools weren’t really taken advantage of until COVID-19. The ensuing shrinking production budgets and travel restrictions due to the virus turned remote production software like Cinebody from a nice-to-have tool to generate cool content with your community, to a necessity for getting any job done. 

The pandemic obviously won’t last forever, but the lessons it’s taught us about the power of video tools that can fit in your pocket will. Especially with advancements in technology like the iPhone 12 and the upcoming iPhone 13, the quality and convenience of remote production will be the way of the future. Here are some tips on how to best take advantage of your device’s capabilities, whether you’re using Cinebody or any of the other amazing cloud-based apps. 

1. Charge Your Device

As simple as this sounds, it’s important to have your phone adequately charged before venturing out to film. Capturing and uploading a bunch of high-res footage on a palm-sized device is a pretty labor-intensive task for such a small battery. So charge that puppy up before heading out to shoot and keep a charger handy.

2. Have Ample Storage

Most platforms won’t even let you film without sufficient storage. That’s because they save a backup copy of every clip to your native camera roll, so your videos aren’t lost and gone forever if there’s a disruption when uploading them. There’s nothing worse than having to delete apps or cherished videos in a panic to free up space while filming, so it’s best to clear off any unnecessary files from your device before shooting.

3. Manage File Size

Your phone may fill up quicker than you think. Video file sizes are typically determined by their resolution, FPS, and duration. So even though you might start with a solid 6GB of available storage, a 10-minute 4K video shot at 60FPS would eat up 4.26GB. You’ll need to make adjustments accordingly because, generally speaking, if a camera runs out of memory mid-take, it’ll stop recording and may not save what you captured up to that point.  

4. Break Long Takes Into Shorter Ones

Aside from the storage concerns with long clips, another issue is not being able to upload them quickly and easily. Shortening them will do you a lot of good. Not only will you experience faster upload times and lower failure rates, but your editor will also have a much easier time reviewing and managing, say for instance, three medium-sized clips as opposed to one behemoth.

5. Consider Your Connection

WiFi is just better than 3 bars of 4G. Period. So it’s always best to connect to more reliable WiFi while filming when possible and enable WiFi-only uploads. The latter will keep your phone from constantly trying to connect to your cellular network when you’re in an area with poor or no connection, which will drain your battery and data. Say goodbye to spinning pinwheels and frozen screens forever.

As cloud-based video production continues to evolve, it's important to stay up-to-date with the latest tips and tricks to ensure that you get the most out of your device and the platform you're using.