Amateur videos that end up being shown on television are more and more a reality.

With a smartphone in your pocket, when you least expect it, you can stumble on an event worth recording. There are images that are never published, there are those that end up on social networks, but there are also those that end up being used by television or online newspapers, due to their relevance. It happens almost every day on almost every channel.

So here's the alert: get used to always recording with the phone horizontally. Like the human eye, television also favours this format.

This way, when displayed, your video will occupy the entire screen. If the recording is done vertically, the image will have to be stretched, will have a worse reading and will appear with black or blurred side bars, letting read only a part of the screen.

Try to keep the device level. The line of a building or the horizon can serve as a reference. Using both hands, feet firmly on the ground, and slightly rotating the upper torso to follow the movement helps to stabilize and improve the quality of the capture.

Current mobile phones can record with Full HD (1080 lines) or HD (720 lines) video quality. The visual difference will be imperceptible. If the video is longer, HD is easier to send and receive. The longer the video, the more difficult this process will be. It is better to record three or four shorter videos than one 15-minute one.

When sending them, you can use email, whatsapp or, if you are older, use your google drive account (if you have one) or the wetransfer platform, for example.

Clean lenses: you have never probably thought about it, but the lens may be dirty or greasy. It is normal with the use of the telephone. Before shooting, wipe the lens with a clean cloth in a circular motion.

Audio: If possible, keep away from noise that may compromise the understanding of what is important to hear in the video. If it's very windy and it's possible to position yourself, try using your body as a barrier to protect your phone.