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Make your Like app videos pop with tips from Amanda Cerny

The YouTube celebrity has editing advice to make these videos even better.

Alina Bradford CNET Contributor
Alina Bradford has been writing how-tos, tech articles and more for almost two decades. She currently writes for CNET's Smart Home Section, MTVNews' tech section and for Live Science's reference section. Follow her on Twitter.
Alina Bradford
5 min read

The Like App is the top rated free video player and editing app on the Google Play store and the Apple App Store. It has over 10 million downloads on Google Play, alone. If you're a fan of this app, or your interested in trying it, you're going to need a few tips. I reached out to Amanda Cerny, a celebrity partner of the Like app, for some of her best tips. 

Cerny was originally known for her massive following on Vine, and now has has over 19 million followers on YouTube and Instagram because of her popular comedy videos. Here are her tips for getting comfortable with the app and making better videos.

Give your video some thought... before shooting

Get yourself ready. The success of your video comes with the planning beforehand. 

It's best to wear solid, bright colors, for example. This way any Like effects used will have a stronger impact and stand out in someone's newsfeed. "For example, white can get blurred more easily than bright, solid colors," Cerny told CNET.

Find a clean spot in your room with a solid colored wall. No one wants to see piles of dirty laundry or your unmade bed in the shot. This space needs to have little or no background noise. You don't want the TV playing in the background or construction outside your window to distract or distort the content in any way.

Keeping the camera steady will make any video appear more professional in quality. Propping your phone up against something sturdy on a flat surface will work, but, for a reliable steady shot, opt for a tripod or a PopSocket grip to steady your phone when filming.

Before filming anything, check the lighting situation, too. You want to choose a brightly lit space so your phone's camera can capture the best quality. Try to avoid backlighting or direct overhead spotlighting. Use cool color or natural light and avoid red or orange lights, which will make the overall effect dim.

Think about the platform you will be sharing your Like video on. This will help you figure out the best direction to film your video. Some platforms support landscape, while others are better suited for portrait mode. For example, Instagram does better with portrait, while YouTube videos work better in landscape mode. All you need to do is rotate your phone to get the app to change modes before you hit record.

Also, have a theme in mind and create a story around your content. Viewers can tell when posts are thoughtful and emotive. For some ideas to spark your creativity, scroll through the Popular videos section of the app.  Tap on the smiley face icon on the bottom left, too, and scroll through some of the face filters to get ideas. 

Don't be shy 

You don't have to worry about makeup or looking perfect when the special effects can do the job for you. Tap the makeup brush icon on the right side of the screen. These effects can be used to balance colors in the frame, add accessories and brighten or enhance your complexion. 

Most importantly, don't take yourself too seriously. "Social media is supposed to be fun, so have a sense of humor when it comes to filming video content! You don't have to overthink the process. The best posts feel natural and fluid," said Cerny. (Amanda Cerny has the technique down in this video.)

Get creative with your shooting and editing

There are a lot of ways to make your video pop with the different features on Like. 

Take advantage of the 4D Magic background tool, for example, if you can't find a great place to shoot. The tool is found under the video button. 

Tap it, then set your phone down on a stable surface and tap the I'm Done button, then tap Shoot the Background and move out of camera range. A green checkmark will pop up when it's done recording the background. Step back in front of the camera, tap the timer button, wait for the countdown to end and then do your thing. After you record, tap the backgrounds and effects you like from the options on the screen.  

An great example of using the editing tools well is this video by Emilio Martinez: 

While you're shooting, grab a friend and really show interaction and to better communicate the message. Here are some good examples by Mark Dohner and Jake Paul:

Utilize sound as much as possible. Videos are of course about creating an appealing visual, but the bonus to video content versus a still photo is that you can incorporate sound. Whether that's through the addition of a music backtrack, voice filters or special sound effects. You can choose the music for your video beforehand by tapping on the music icon that's found beside the video button.

Choose different song genres to coordinate different filters and sticker styles within the app to make the overall effect more harmonious. For example, EDM styles work best with songs that have a quick rhythm. "In this genre, the dance moves should be more powerful and have a bigger range to match the beat," Cerny said.

This video by Makenzie shows what great sound can do for your Like videos:

Play around with editing features to customize the pace, music, special effects, backgrounds, filters and more. "The editing options are endless and can help you to keep your content fresh using the latest features," Cerny said.

To use the editing tools, drag your finger across the video frames until you get to the spot where the effect will go. Then, tap on the effect from the menu at the bottom of the screen. Put your finger on the area in the video where you want the effect to show up. Keep tapping to add the effect to the next frames. Drag your finger around the frame to add the effect to different areas of the shot.

 Here's a good example of using the app's editing features to the fullest: 

Watch your time

Keep in mind the limited time when filming. "Videos on social media have a small window of time to make an impact and viewers' attention spans can be even shorter. Get to the point and tell your story, show your best dance moves or share the strongest vocals right away. No time to waste," Cerny said. 

There is an in-video timer on the app, so keep an eye on the yellow bar at the top of the screen. When it is all the way across the screen, video time is up.

Don't be random with your cover shot

Be thoughtful in the selection of the cover shot. "This is the still shot everyone will see while scrolling through their feed and ultimately what determines whether or not they decide to click play," Cerny said.  

To choose your cover shot, tap on the bookmark icon on the right side of the caption screen. Then, drag your finger across the frames to choose the photo that will work best. Pick one that is crisp, clear and really captures what someone can expect to see once they click play. 

Here's a good example by Andreaespadatv:

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See all photos

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