The layout
Put the phone between what is happening and who is watching. The back camera faces the moment (the TV, the cake, the pitch); the front camera faces the audience. Raise it to about chest height of the seated people, one to two metres from them.
Reaction video setup gear, from free to under $50
| Item | Free option | Cheap upgrade |
|---|---|---|
| Stand | Books, a mug, a shelf | Small tripod with a phone clamp |
| Light | A window to the side | One LED panel or a desk lamp in front of the audience |
| Sound | Phone closer to the people than to the speakers | Clip-on or wireless microphone |
| Power | Full charge | Power bank and a short cable |
| Remote | Voice command | Apple Watch |
Light
The most common mistake is a bright screen or window behind the audience. The front camera exposes for the bright part and faces go dark. Keep the brightest thing to the side of both cameras, and put your one lamp in front of the people.
Framing
- Front camera: faces in the middle third of the frame, with a little headroom.
- Back camera: the whole moment, slightly wider than you think, so a jump or a turn does not leave the frame.
Starting the recording
Start early. Reactions are unpredictable, and the moment before often matters as much as the moment itself. In Lookout you can say "Hey Lookout" or tap record on your Apple Watch, so nobody has to walk up to the phone and give the game away. Black-screen mode keeps the phone's screen dark so it does not attract attention.
A five-minute pre-flight
- Charge or plug in the phone.
- Clear storage: dual recording uses roughly twice the space.
- Turn on Do Not Disturb.
- Record ten seconds; play it back with sound.
- Fix whichever view looks worse, usually the light.