Filming great videos indoors

Making videos is a fun way to share your ideas, skills, or just your daily life. While filming outside can be great, sometimes staying indoors is easier, more controlled, or just necessary. Maybe the weather is bad, you need quiet, or you just want to film in your own comfortable space. But filming indoors can have its own challenges, like weird lighting, echoes, or cluttered backgrounds. Don't worry, you don't need a fancy studio to make a great video inside. With a few simple tips and tricks, you can make your indoor videos look and sound fantastic, even if you're just using your phone. This guide will walk you through the basics of making high-quality videos right from your home. If you're just looking for get started with vlogging today, these indoor tips are a perfect starting point.

Light Up Your Scene

Lighting is probably the most important thing when filming indoors. Bad lighting can make your video look grainy, dark, or just plain unprofessional. Good lighting makes you look clear, bright, and helps your video stand out.

• Use Natural Light: The easiest and often best light source is the sun. Position yourself facing a window. This will light your face evenly and brightly. Avoid having the window behind you, as this will make you look like a dark silhouette.
• Add Artificial Light: If natural light isn't enough or you're filming at night, you'll need artificial lights. You don't need expensive studio lights.
  • A desk lamp can work. Point it at a wall or ceiling near you to bounce the light back, making it softer and more even.
  • Ring lights are popular because they provide soft, even light and are relatively affordable.
  • Even just turning on all the lights in the room can help, but be mindful of different types of bulbs creating weird colors.
• Soften the Light: Hard light (like a bare bulb) can create harsh shadows. You can soften light by putting a thin white cloth or even a piece of parchment paper over the light source (be careful it doesn't get too hot!). This diffuses the light, making it spread out more gently.

Make Your Sound Clear

Good audio is just as important as good video. People will often stop watching a video with bad sound, even if the picture is good. Indoors, you might deal with echoes or background noise.

• Reduce Echo: Rooms with hard surfaces (bare walls, tile floors) tend to echo. You can reduce this by adding soft things to the room:
  • Put down a rug.
  • Close curtains.
  • Bring in pillows or blankets.
  • Even having furniture helps absorb sound.
• Minimize Background Noise: Before you start recording, listen carefully. Is there a fan running? A washing machine? People talking in another room? Turn off anything noisy you can control. Let others in your home know you're filming so they can be quiet.
• Get Closer to the Mic: The microphone on your phone or camera works best when it's close to you. If you're sitting far away, your voice might sound distant or echoey.
• Consider an External Mic: If you plan to make videos regularly, a simple external microphone can make a huge difference. Lavalier mics (the small clip-on ones) are affordable and plug right into your phone or camera, getting the mic much closer to your mouth.

Choose Your Background Wisely

What's behind you in the video matters. A messy room or a distracting background can take attention away from you and what you're saying.

• Keep it Simple: A plain wall is often the best background. A solid color or a wall with minimal decoration works well.
• Show Your Personality (Carefully): You can have things in the background that reflect your topic or personality, like bookshelves, plants, or artwork. Just make sure they are neat and not cluttered.
• Check for Distractions: Look at your background through your camera lens before you start. Are there things you don't want people to see? Is there anything sticking out of your head (like a plant)? Tidy up or move things around until it looks good.
• Depth: If possible, don't sit right against the wall. Move a few feet forward. This creates a little depth and makes the video look more professional.

Simple Camera Setup and Framing

You don't need a fancy camera to film great videos indoors. Your smartphone is powerful enough.

• Stabilize Your Camera: Don't hold your phone or camera in your hand for long videos – it will shake. Use a tripod, a stack of books, or lean it against something stable.
• Shoot Horizontally: For most platforms like YouTube, shoot your video horizontally (sideways), not vertically (up and down).
• Frame Your Shot:
  • Position the camera so your head and shoulders are visible, with a little space above your head (called "headroom").
  • Center yourself in the frame, or try the "rule of thirds" where you place yourself slightly off-center.
  • Make sure the camera is at eye level or slightly above. Filming from too low can be unflattering.
• Use What You Have: Don't feel pressured to buy expensive gear right away. Start with your phone, natural light, and a quiet corner. You can always upgrade later. If you're looking for simple ways to make videos at home, focusing on these basics is key.

Be Comfortable and Confident

Filming yourself can feel awkward at first, especially indoors where it might feel like you're just talking to a machine.

• Practice: Record yourself talking about anything. Watch it back. See what you like and what you want to improve. The more you do it, the more comfortable you'll become.
• Look at the Lens: Try to look directly into the camera lens when you're talking. This makes it feel like you're making eye contact with the viewer.
• Speak Clearly: Talk a little slower and louder than you normally would.
• Be Yourself: Authenticity is key. Don't try to be someone you're not. Your viewers want to connect with the real you.

Basic Editing

Once you've filmed your video, a little bit of editing can make it even better. You can use free apps on your phone or simple software on your computer.

• Trim the Ends: Cut out the parts where you start and stop recording.
• Remove Mistakes: If you mess up, just pause, take a breath, and start that sentence or thought again. You can cut out the mistake later.
• Add Simple Text or Music: This can make your video more engaging, but keep it simple and make sure any music you use is royalty-free so you don't have copyright issues.

Setting up your indoor filming space doesn't have to be complicated. By paying attention to light, sound, and background, you can create a great environment. For more tips on setting up your video recording space, check out our detailed guide. Remember, the goal is to make your message clear and easy for viewers to enjoy. Taking easy steps to record your first video indoors is a fantastic way to start your video creation journey. These principles are fundamental whether you're just starting out or looking for tips on recording videos for beginners.

Summary

Filming great videos indoors is totally achievable with some focus on the basics. Prioritize good lighting, ideally natural light from a window or soft artificial light. Make sure your audio is clear by reducing echoes and background noise, and get your microphone close to you. Choose a simple, tidy background that doesn't distract. Use a stable camera setup, like a tripod, and frame your shot well. Practice being comfortable on camera, and use simple editing to polish your video. By focusing on these key areas – light, sound, and background – you can make professional-looking videos right from the comfort of your home.

FAQ

What is the most important thing for indoor video quality?
Lighting is arguably the most crucial element for indoor video quality. Good lighting ensures that you are clearly visible, the image isn't grainy, and the overall look is professional. Poor lighting can ruin an otherwise good video, making it hard for viewers to see you and your surroundings properly.

How can I get good lighting indoors without buying expensive lights?
The best free light source is natural light from a window. Position yourself facing the window. If that's not possible, use lamps you already own. You can bounce a desk lamp off a wall or ceiling to soften the light, or place a thin white cloth over a lamp (carefully!) to diffuse it.

My room echoes when I record. How can I fix this?
Echoes happen in rooms with hard surfaces. To reduce echo, add soft materials to the room. This includes things like rugs on the floor, closing curtains, adding pillows or blankets, and having upholstered furniture. These items absorb sound waves instead of letting them bounce around.

Do I need a special microphone for indoor videos?
While not strictly necessary, using an external microphone can significantly improve your audio quality. The built-in mics on phones or cameras can pick up a lot of room noise and echo. A simple lavalier (clip-on) mic or a USB microphone placed close to you will capture your voice much more clearly.

What makes a good background for an indoor video?
A good background is simple, tidy, and not distracting. A plain wall is a great option. If you want to show personality, a neat bookshelf, a plant, or some simple artwork can work, but make sure it's organized and doesn't pull attention away from you. Avoid clutter at all costs.

Should I film horizontally or vertically indoors?
For most video platforms like YouTube, websites, and traditional viewing on computers or TVs, you should film horizontally (landscape mode). Vertical video is mainly for platforms like TikTok, Instagram Stories, or YouTube Shorts. For general purposes, horizontal is the standard.

How do I make sure my camera is stable when filming indoors?
Holding your camera by hand will result in shaky video. To keep it stable, use a tripod. If you don't have a tripod, you can prop your phone or camera up on a stack of books, a box, or lean it against something sturdy on a table. Just make sure it won't fall over.

Where should I look when talking to the camera?
Try to look directly into the camera lens. This creates the feeling that you are making eye contact with the viewer, which helps build a connection and makes your video feel more personal and engaging. It might feel weird at first, but practice helps.

How can I feel more comfortable filming myself indoors?
It's normal to feel awkward at first. The best way to get comfortable is to practice. Record short videos just for yourself, watch them back, and get used to seeing and hearing yourself. The more you do it, the more natural it will feel. Focus on your message, not just the camera.

Is editing necessary for indoor videos?
Basic editing is highly recommended. It allows you to trim out the beginning and end of the recording, remove mistakes or pauses, and potentially improve the lighting or sound slightly. Simple editing makes your video look more polished and professional, even if it's just cutting out unwanted parts.

Can I use my smartphone to film great videos indoors?
Absolutely! Modern smartphones have excellent cameras that are perfectly capable of filming high-quality video indoors. By focusing on good lighting, clear audio, and a tidy background, you can make videos with your phone that look just as good as those shot on more expensive cameras.

How far away should I be from the camera?
Position yourself so that your head and shoulders are clearly visible in the frame, with a little space above your head. This is a standard framing for talking-head videos. Avoid being too far away, which makes you look small, or too close, which can be unflattering and cut off parts of your head.

What if my room has poor natural light?
If natural light is limited, you'll need to rely more on artificial lighting. Use multiple lamps if possible, and try to position them to light your face evenly from the front or slightly to the side. Diffusing the light with a soft material will help avoid harsh shadows.

Should I worry about what I'm wearing?
Yes, what you wear can impact your video. Avoid busy patterns or stripes, as they can sometimes look strange on camera. Solid colors usually work best. Also, make sure your clothing doesn't blend in too much with your background. Choose something comfortable that you feel good in.

Related Resources