Kai Wong is still at it after his split from DigitalRev, and this time he’s brought to the table a video packed to the brim with interesting ways to use the camera that most people always have with them – their smartphone – for video. Kai’s video itself is actually filmed on a smartphone, and many of the tips are demonstrated within.

Here are a few of our favorites:

Audio

When shooting video in any capacity, audio is a make-or-break consideration. Bad audio is a dead giveaway of amateurish video, so a simple way to add production value to anything recorded with a smartphone is to use a peripheral mic like Rode’s smartLav+. At just shy of $70, it costs less than some of the fancier smartphone lenses available, and the improvement in audio quality is well worth the price. Kai’s demonstration of his lavalier microphone vs his iPhone’s internal mic should be all the evidence you need to consider adding a mic if you intend to use a smartphone for vlogging.

Mounting

A smartphone’s size makes it easy to mount just about anywhere, and it’s incredibly easy to create a DIY solution. You can use cheap clamps from the hardware store or tape, for example.

[REWIND:] SMARTPHONE PHOTOGRAPHY | MINIMALIST APPS & GEAR TO UP YOUR PHOTO AND VIDEO TO CINEMATIC STANDARDS

Box Slider

There is a world of gadgetry available for video, including some designed specifically for smartphones. But did you know that your phone comes packaged with a slider? The box that it came in can serve the purpose at no additional cost, and if you’ve tossed it, don’t worry as you can use just about any box to do this. Watch Kai demonstrate the technique in the video.

Kitchen Timer

Though smartphones can count kitchen timers among the old-fashioned devices they’ve replaced, the two can combine to become something greater. You can mount a smartphone on a kitchen timer to create a rotating device to help you capture panning time lapses.

Check out Kai’s video for more, and to see the tips in action!