Aim for this 👇
✓ DO
Vertical · close-up · bright · looking at you
✗ DON'T
Sideways · far away · dark · cluttered
iPhone setup — do this once
- Turn Cinematic mode OFF — use the normal Video mode. Cinematic caps resolution, fakes the blur, and shifts focus off the animal (which makes our auto-editing worse).
- Record in 4K, 30 fps — Settings ▸ Camera ▸ Record Video ▸ 4K at 30 fps.
- HDR Video OFF (Dolby Vision) — Settings ▸ Camera ▸ Record Video. Keeps colors correct everywhere after upload.
- Tap & hold the animal until you see AE/AF LOCK — locks focus + exposure so it stays sharp.
- Grid ON (Settings ▸ Camera ▸ Grid) and wipe the lens before filming.
- Don't pinch-to-zoom — physically step closer instead (zoom makes it grainy).
In-the-moment rules
Hold the phone uprightFilm vertical (9:16).
One animal, one actione.g. a cat yawning — not two things at once.
Get close — fill the frameThe animal should fill most of the screen.
Hold steady 3–8 secondsBrace your elbows. No fast pans.
Face the lightPoint the animal toward a window. Avoid dark corners.
Catch the momentEye-contact 👀 and yawns 🥱 perform best.
Get down to their eye levelCrouch to the animal's height — way more engaging than top-down.
Step closer, don't zoomWalk in instead of zooming — keeps it sharp.
Filming customers & interactions
- Ask the guest's permission first — every time. It's required here (PDPA), and our system automatically holds any clip with people in it until you approve it.
- Keep the animal the star — film the petting, the cuddle, the animal's reaction. Hands + animal, not faces front-and-centre.
- Only the consenting guest in frame — angle yourself so other customers aren't caught in the background.
- Catch the genuine reaction — the animal's response and the guest's smile are the gold moments.
Upload your clips
Pick one or several clips — that's it, no tagging needed. Uploads resume automatically if your connection drops.