Horizontal video is one of the most powerful and effective ways to engage with your audience. It’s a great way to share your message in a visually appealing and memorable way.
But when, why, and how should you use horizontal video? Let’s dive in.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HORIZONTAL & VERTICAL VIDEO?
In the age of smartphones and social media, video content has become an essential part of many people’s lives. But when it comes to shooting video, there’s a big difference between horizontal and vertical formats.
So what is the difference between these two types of videos? Let’s take a look.
Horizontal Video
Horizontal videos are shot in a landscape format, meaning that the frame is wider than it is tall. This aspect ratio (width compared to height) is sometimes referred to as 16:9, which represents 16 units wide by nine units tall.
The horizontal video has been around for decades and still, it’s continued to be more popular due to its ability to fill up computer and television screens without having to use letterboxing or pillar boxing techniques.
Horizontal video also works well on mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones because since devices feature larger displays with a wide aspect ratio.
Vertical Video
Vertical videos are shot in a portrait format, meaning that the frame is taller than it is wide. This aspect ratio (width compared to height) is sometimes referred to as 9:16, which means nine units wide by 16 units tall.
Vertical video was once considered taboo in the world of filmmaking, but that changed when smartphones started taking over the market. Nowadays, most people shoot vertical video because it’s easier and faster than shooting horizontal video on their phones — and they don’t have to worry about turning their device sideways or upside down in order to get a good shot.
WHEN SHOULD YOU USE HORIZONTAL VIDEOS?
The answer to this question depends on who your audience is and where they are consuming the video content. If you’re targeting people who access videos primarily on mobile devices, then horizontal is the way to go.
Mobile phone screens are much wider than they are tall, so if you film vertically or squarely, it will leave big black bars around the edges of the screen, which can be distracting for viewers. Additionally, since many video players default to horizontal mode, it’s best to film horizontally so your video looks its best no matter where it’s being watched.
WHY YOU SHOULD USE HORIZONTAL VIDEOS
Horizontal videos provide viewers with a more immersive experience since they occupy more of their field of vision than vertical or square videos do. This means that people tend to stick around for longer as they scroll through their feeds, making them more likely to engage with your content and click through to other parts of your website or social media page.
Additionally, filming horizontally allows you more flexibility when editing, as there is less need for cropping, which can cause quality issues if not done correctly.
HOW TO FILM HORIZONTALLY
- The first step in making sure your video looks good when viewed horizontally is making sure you have the right equipment needed for filming in this format (such as a tripod).
- Second, ensure that whatever camera you are using has an adjustable field-of-view setting so that it does not distort the image when filmed at different angles (this is especially important if you plan on doing any panning shots).
- Third, make sure that all of your lighting sources are evenly distributed across the entire frame (this will help avoid any hot spots or shadows from ruining the look of your shot).
- Finally, make sure that all of these elements come together during post-production by spending time color-correcting and adjusting audio levels.
Filming horizontal videos is one of the most effective ways to capture viewer attention online due to its immersive nature combined with its flexible editing capabilities and the ability for easy sharing across multiple platforms.
With some simple equipment setup and post-production work, you can create stunning horizontal videos quickly and easily.
Not interested in creating your own horizontal videos? Keller Media Works can help.