5 Cheap Ways to Film YouTube Videos on Your Phone

A mobile phone is all you need to record, edit, and publish YouTube videos. In this episode of TubeTalk, Dee Nimmin shares affordable ways to become a mobile-first creator.

Dee Nimmin shares affordable ways to film youtube videos on a mobile phone

You don’t need an expensive camera to film YouTube videos. In fact, the smartphone in your pocket or purse will suffice. Whether you’re an iPhone or Android user, chances are, your phone shoots quality videos. And for just a few dollars – or for free, even – you can download apps to edit your footage.

Despite the affordability, some creators think they need a “proper” camera. But why?

Dee Nimmin, an expert mobile creator, says it’s a confidence issue.

Read More: Everything You Need to Know About Being a Mobile Content Creator

“The biggest misconception, and I hear this all the time, is ‘Dee, I only have a mobile phone. Can I make a living on YouTube?’ My answer to that is yes, you can, and MrBeast got his first 200,000 subscribers using a beat-up iPhone,” Nimmin says.

On his YouTube channel, Nimmin teaches people how to become mobile-first creators – people who shoot, edit, and publish videos using their phones. He shares mistakes mobile creators make, the best apps to use, how to make thumbnails on a phone, and more.

How to Make YouTube Videos on Your Phone

In this episode of TubeTalk, we chat with Nimmin to learn best practices for mobile content creation. His advice is geared toward YouTube, but you can use it to create quality content on any platform, including Instagram Reels and TikTok. Press play below to learn more.

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Here's what you should do to make good videos on a mobile phone:

  1. Make sure you have enough light. Nimmin says the sensor inside of a smartphone camera needs lots of light, so take advantage of daylight hours. Film your content outside or sit near an open window.
  2. Use an iPhone whenever possible. Your Android has a respectable camera, but the iPhone camera is unmatched. Plus, Nimmin hears creators say that footage from an Android doesn’t look as good after uploading to YouTube. But no matter what, use what you have!
  3. No microphone? Use your phone’s headset. This actually comes with your phone and has a microphone attached, right below the earbuds. It captures decent audio!
  4. Film in wide-angle mode. If your phone has this feature, use it. When you film with a wide-angle lens, that shooting style forces you to bring the phone closer to your face. The closer you get to your phone's internal mic, the better your audio will sound.
  5. The iPhone 11 is great for vlogging. Cheers! You don’t need the latest iPhone model. The iPhone 11 has video stabilization, which means you can walk around with it and get smooth footage.

As it turns out, a mobile phone is all you need to record, edit, and publish amazing content on YouTube.

Read More: 7 Tips to Create YouTube Videos That Look and Sound Good

“Now, the majority of people in the world – you could be in India, Africa, South America, it doesn’t matter – have a mobile phone or have access to one,” Nimmin says. “Even if it’s a beat-up old phone, if you have access to the internet, you now have a voice. You can put your content out for the world to see.”

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