If you asked that question just a few years ago, most people would have looked at you as if you were insane. But now, things have evolved, and it might be time to reconsider if vertical video has a serious place among professionals.
Coming to you from Cut to the Point, this great video features a discussion on vertical versus horizontal video and if vertical video truly deserves a permanent place nowadays. Over the past few years, phones have become the primary media consumption device for many individuals, and of course, we naturally hold them in a vertical position. I know that personally, I'm frequently watching my friend's Instagram stories while walking to teach and carrying a bag, and I simply can't/won't turn my phone sideways to watch a rotated video. Instagram seems to have taken notice of this trend, quietly introducing the ability to post landscape videos in a vertical format with bars a few updates back, indicating that indeed, many users prefer to consume their content in that fashion rather than rotate their phone. Of course, as time goes on, people will acclimate to such aspect ratios all the more, and vertical may find a permanent place, but what that will be remains to be seen.
Lead image by Bruno Cervera, used under Creative Commons.
Then the question is, do you watch movies in vertical on your phone with it rotating? No you don't. You turn the phone and it rotates to display it. So why would you shoot a video vertical then? My desktop doesn't auto rotate.
Who is suggesting that we start shooting all movies vertical? We currently have websites that detect the type of device you're viewing from and send you to the proper version of the site that is optimized for your device automatically.
Plenty of video content is made that isn't designed for theaters or tv so that's wrong with having standards for video that is designed to be viewed on mobile? Maybe you can finally shoot different types of video and direct people to the appropriate format depending on their device.
And as for me, i don't watch movies on my phone because i don't want to be turning out horizontal if i don't have to as it's a less secure grip.
One mistake Steve Jobs made was to not introduce the iPhone with only a horizontal video option and maintain that for all subsequent entries. Watching vertical videos makes me cringe.
It's actually funny because I was thinking about this as I was re-reading Peter Hurley's "The Headshot" the other day and when I ran across the section about how he felt that he benefited from making the decision to take his headshots in landscape orientation due to the transition to computer monitors as our primary viewing device. Obviously, this book was written a while back, but I wondered if maybe the pendulum has swung back the other way and it's no longer an advantage to do so due to people using their mobile devices as their primary viewing device. I was pondering what his take on the issue today might be.
I think that vertical video should be accepted simply because of the ubiquity of mobile devices. Even if manufacturers embedded the ability to record horizontally while holding the phone vertically, people are still going to be holding their phone vertically when viewing videos more often than not. It's obviously not ideal for certain types of content, but that's where we have to evolve to figure out how we can shape new types of content that utilizes the new dimensions best. It's no different a challenge than moving from a 35mm camera to a 6x6 camera and having to learn how to compose your shots differently due to the square framing.
In short, if portrait orientation photography can be an accepted standard, why not portrait orientation videography?
Maybe as a "standard" no but as yet another option or vehicle for story telling, probably. I just don't see it as standard anymore than I see 3D or 1:1 as standards.
I think vertical video is a novelty. Instagram tv bombed Because who wants to film a video for YouTube and then refilm it for vertical video because somebody is too lazy to turn their phone sideways. Can’t turn it sideways with one hand? Give me a break. But I’m sorry, maybe some people do have a target client of only phone surfers. Which I get. But someone too lazy to turn their phone sideways, or is content watching content on a screen bigger than their hand, is not my ideal client.
Also, off topic: “content watching content” looks weirder than it sounds outloud!
Makes a video about and argues on behalf of vertical over landscape shooting for video...shoots video in landscape...?
This explains everything you need to no about vertical video..:) https://youtu.be/Bt9zSfinwFA
Thanks Mark for posting this! Made my day! :D
No. When my eyes start seeing the world vertically I'll consider it.
No not ever please. Auto horizontal should be the default setting on phones. Our eyes see the world horizontally and vertical video just seems so unnatural.
All valid comments. But the time has come to concept and shoot for what the end result format will be. I prefer horizontal everything (to the point that I've had clients ask for more vertical images haha) Our eyes are side by side and we evolved seeing the world on a horizontal plain (because it is). Then came the vertical smart phone and changed all that. It's not going away, so I just started shooting to accommodate the possible end use. Clients love it and it's made posting my own work easier too (not having to crop horribly to make something fit, or omg, post it sideways) It doesn't take much extra work if you work it into your production work flow and thinking from the beginning. Basically just use as much of the available real estate as you can, especially in this day of the super short attention span, bigger is always better.
I'm going to deliver my next wedding film in vertical mode? The answer to that question will inform me. OR do we watch movies at the theater in vertical mode? NO! On the flip side, will people stop filming in vertical mode? Nope. Will we stop watching video in vertical mode? nope. Only phone maker can change this. Will they? nope.