The aspect ratio is the shape of the video. The ideal aspect ratio varies depending on where it will be displayed.

Most TV’s are 16:9 (16 wide and 9 high), meaning most TV content is this shape. You can also choose a different aspect ratio for creative reasons, meaning sometimes you’ll see content in other sizes such as 2:1, 4:3 (the old TV standard), or 2.39:1 (often used in cinema). These ratios, especially 16:9 are also used on video hosting websites such as YouTube.

Content for phones depends more on the app. While many used to opt for square videos (1:1), we’re now seeing more content in 9:16 — a portrait version of the TV aspect ratio. This is used for IGTV, Facebook and Instagram Stories, TikTok and Snapchat. Posts to the Instagram feed can be various shapes, but a 4:5 aspect ratio will maximise your screen space.

The resolution of the video is how many pixels it has, and therefore how big it can get without loosing quality.

The standard for online content is 1080p (around 1000 pixels in height, or 2000 pixels in width), though TV streaming services are quickly adopting 4K (resolutions around 2000 pixels in height, or 4000 pixels in width).

The frame rate is how many frames per second (FPS) are in your video.

In the UK the most common is 25fps, while in the US it’s 30fps (or 29.97fps).

You can also shoot high frame rates which then play back as slow motion when slowed to your final frame rate. For example, filming at 50fps will result in a half-speed video when slowed down to 25fps.

The colour temperature is how warm or cool the video is, as is measured in Kelvin. Cooler temperatures have a blueish tint, such as 3200k for daylight, and warmer temperatures have more of an orange or red tint, such as 5600k for tungsten lights.

Compression makes the video smaller by reducing the colour and detail quality of your video without affecting resolution. This is good for decreasing upload and download speeds of your video if needed.

These shots are places over the top of your main video footage (e.g. over an interview) to illustrate appropriate imagery. For example, if someone was talking about a product, we might put some insert shots of the product in use over the top. Some people call this content b-roll, but we like to call it insert-shots as all of your filmed content is important.

A gimbal is an electronic pivoted support which stabilises a camera to give you smooth, cinematic moving shots without the need for a track and dolly.

Panning is when the camera moves left or right. Tilting is when the camera moves up and down. Sometimes people get mixed up, but we’ll know what you mean!

A list of the shots that you’re planning to film, often in the order you plan on shooting them, including any notes or details specific to each shot.

A visualisation of your shot list containing illustrations to help convey what will be seen, usually in the order they’ll be on screen.

If you’re looking to create a cinematic composition, following this rule is the easiest way. Try to line objects up to the grid overlay lines, especially where the lines overlap. If you don’t have a grid overlay, just use an imaginary grid!

For example you’re interviewing someone, put them on one of the thirds, and line their eyes up to where the line you’ve chosen intersects with the top line.

This is where the person on screen will be looking. Are they looking into camera, at a person, or at a mark or object off-screen?

This decision can change the feel of your whole video.

A wide angle lens gives you a very wide field of view, more similar to what the human eyes see, useful for showing off spaces or as a creative effect.

This is a folder containing all your relevant video, photo and other relevant content to send out to press or other interested parties.