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Torii’s tips for filming a virtual tour (Smartphone)

The Torii team has put together tips for filming a virtual tour on a smartphone camera. If you would rather use a DSLR camera, check out Torii’s tips for filming a virtual tour on a DSLR.

virtual-showings
  • Walk through the home with your client (or on your own) first. Identify key areas that are important to highlight. This can also be done over a video call if you cannot go to the home in person.
  • If you plan to obtain staging quotes, take panoramic photos of the space so stagers can give you an accurate quote. Contact us for local staging company recommendations. They may be able to give you tips on staging with what your buyer already has.
  • Schedule your photo / video shoot for mid-day, when light at the home is at its brightest. 
  • Ideally start at the front door and present each room in 360° so that prospective buyers can explore the home’s space as if they were there in person. Shoot each room from its center point.
  • Remember: As you travel from area to area, your lighting will change and you may need to give your phone’s camera a few seconds to adjust to the new lighting as you move.
  • Use a tripod or monopod if you have one, and keep your phone at the same level so each image is uniform. 
  • Set your tripod height to reflect an average-height, eye-level perspective.
  • Consider including a shot of the door opening or a walk in from outside to inside. If you’re walking from outside to inside, make sure to check your camera’s settings, as the exposure may need to be adjusted while walking in. 
  • Be wary of reflections and mirrors and try not to show silhouettes on windows and reflective surfaces. Also, be aware of any shadows that may be noticeable on the floor. The cleaner your shoot, the more professional it will appear.
  • Aim to use three to four different perspectives with your camera. Shoot from floor to ceiling, ceiling to floor, left to right, and right to left.
  • Hold your phone steady at all times and move slowly each feature in the home can be clearly seen.
  • For video, shoot 5-10 second clips. Ideally, you will use the smoothest 3-4 second clips of these shots. It should be rare to use clips longer than 3-4 seconds in your final video tour.
  • Skip the music for video tours, let the property speak / sing for itself.
  • Helpful apps for easily putting your images/videos together: Splice, InShot, Quik.