Top 5 Filming Tips to Instantly Improve Your UGC Content

Some of the highest-performing content isn’t filmed in a studio with fancy lighting or a complicated setup. It’s filmed in cars, kitchens, bedrooms, and on the go. What matters most is that it feels natural, clear, and believable.

These are the five filming tips I come back to again and again when I want content to look high quality without losing authenticity.

1. Clean your camera lens (every single time)

This sounds obvious, but it’s one of the most overlooked steps.

Your phone lives in your pocket, bag, or on random surfaces all day. That lens gets dirty fast. Smudges create hazy footage, soften your focus, and make your video look lower quality than it actually is.

Before you hit record, take two seconds and wipe your lens with your shirt or a microfiber cloth. It’s the easiest upgrade you can make to your content and costs nothing.

2. Use natural light whenever possible

Natural light will almost always beat artificial light.

Filming near a window, sliding door, or in direct sunlight gives your footage a clean, soft look that feels authentic and easy to watch. If you can, face the light instead of having it behind you. That alone will prevent shadows and grainy footage.

You don’t need to overthink this. Morning or late afternoon light tends to work best, but any soft natural light will do.

3. Switch up your camera settings and zooms

Most creators stick to regular video mode at 1x zoom, and that’s fine, but variety matters.

Try mixing in:

• Regular video for talking-to-camera clips
  
• Cinematic mode for slower, lifestyle-style shots
  
• 0.5x for wider, environmental shots
  
• 2x for close-ups and detail shots
  

These small changes add visual interest and make your videos feel more dynamic without changing your setup at all.

4. Film both with and without yourself in the shot

Some of the strongest UGC includes a mix of creator-led moments and product-only shots.

Talking to camera builds trust. It shows emotion, body language, and personality. This is where you connect with the viewer.

Product-only b-roll does something different. It lets the product be the hero. Close-ups, hands using the product, setting it on a counter, or showing it in motion all help brands visualize how the content will be used in ads.

When you combine both, brands get flexibility. They can test emotional trust-based content alongside clean, visual-first creative.

5. Don’t over-polish your footage

Authentic content wins because it feels human.

Not every angle needs to be perfect. Filming at your kitchen counter, in your car, or while walking creates relatability. Slight movement, natural pauses, and real environments build trust.

Emotion matters too. Your tone, hand motions, and body language should match the brand. Energy builds belief. Flat delivery kills even the best script.

And this is important: stop relying on overly scripted, robotic copy. Viewers can tell. Focus on storytelling first and product features second. Talk like you’re explaining something to a friend, not reading an ad.

High-quality doesn’t mean complicated

Great UGC comes from clarity, not complexity.

Clean lens. Natural light. Simple angles. Real emotion. A mix of formats.

When you focus on these fundamentals, your content instantly looks better and performs better without adding more time or stress to your process.

Inside Hive Haus, we help creators refine these exact skills so filming feels easier, faster, and more effective. Because the goal isn’t perfection. It’s content that connects and converts.