The Basics of Recording UFO video

Here’s the first thing we want you to remember. If you are driving, and it is possible to safely pull over and get out of your car, then by all means do. Videos shot through windows or windshields are more difficult to analyze, and you shouldn’t try to drive while shooting.

If you are indoors, and can possibly get outdoors quickly, then please do.

Once you’re in a safe place with nothing between you and the object of interest but air, hold your camera in both hands, point your camera at the object and hit record. Unless you are an expert videographer, there is no time to adjust settings. You’ll have to rely on your camera’s automatic control of exposure and focus. 

Normally, we want you to hold your phone in landscape position, but that does depend on the circumstances. If the object is not too at too high an angle above you, then tuck your elbows into your body to stabilize the camera, and use your feet to follow the left/right motion, like so. 

As soon as you are recording, start talking. Tell us about the date, the time, the place, and what you are seeing. If someone is there with you, have them talk as well. Then, stop talking so we can record any audible sound from the object.

Here’s a counterintuitive but important point you need to remember – resist the temptation to zoom in, even if your camera has optical zoom. To make sense of the video, we are going to need reference objects in frame. Reference objects can be almost anything in the foreground or background that isn’t moving –  a lamppost, a building, a steeple, a water tower, a mountain, or a tree. Bright stars and planets make excellent reference objects if it’s nighttime and not too cloudy. If you zoom in, we could lose our reference objects, and it’s unlikely you’ll resolve more detail. If anything, zoom out. Also, zooming in and out can cause your camera to lose focus and makes the video much more difficult to analyze.

Keep shooting. Don’t stop shooting until the object is gone from sight, if at all possible. Do your best to keep it in focus. Sometimes tapping on the object on the touchscreen will help it focus.

After the object is gone, it’s good to shoot a couple of more clips at the same location, showing all the objects in view and identifying all the ones you know. If it’s night time, then a daytime video from the same place, or some still shots during the day would be helpful.

At the first opportunity, save off the clips you shot, but don’t edit, modify or annotate them. We need them unmodified right out of the camera. Also, regardless of how high quality your video is, grab a pencil and paper and make a sketch or sketches, showing everything that happened.  This will really help document your case. Go to reportaufo.org and give us the information about what you experienced. 

The big takeaways are:

• If you are in a car, and can safely pull over and get out, please do.
• Shoot video – outside if at all possible.
• As soon as you start shooting, start talking – briefly.
• Hold the camera as steady as you can in landscape position.
• Don’t zoom in, so you can keep reference objects in frame.
• Don’t stop shooting until the object is out of sight.

And of course, make a sketch and get in touch with us as soon as you can afterward. We’d be happy to answer any questions you might have.