Reaction Tips

Today I want to share a few thoughts on how reactions are filmed. These are my own POVs on visuals and audio, and the way I would film reactions. 

• Reactor’s Image. We must remember that viewers click on our videos to see us react. They want to clearly see our expressions to different parts of the MV. It’s likely that they have already seen the MV, so that should be much smaller on the screen. Too many times a reactor will box themselves into a small area and it’s hard to see. Most of us use our phones to watch, so it’s even smaller. I usually skip these because they will end up blurry when I edit. If you do this… try switching it up once to see how it looks. You are the main character. 

• Background. The main focus of a reaction is the reactor. Too much clutter in the background can be distracting and take away from the reactor. If the POV is zoomed out too far… then the reactor’s face gets lost a bit. From the shoulders to above the head is a good POV for a viewer. Leave a little bit of room to see expressions with arms as well. This is the area I try to capture when I edit. 

• Sound. This is a very important aspect of reactions. We like to clearly hear the reactor and what is being said. We have already heard the MV and will sing along to it while it plays in the background. Your voice should be above the volume of the MV. For this, a dedicated microphone to capture voice is crucial. It would allow you to capture voice audio as a separate source and then you can adjust that volume alone. If I don’t see headphones and a dedicated microphone, then I usually do not use the audio because it will be difficult to adjust. 

• MV location. Try to place the MV in the direction you are looking. This makes the reaction video more realistic because you will be looking in the MV’s direction. I notice reactors looking in different directions mostly with duos, specially if filmed at different locations. When I edit I place reactors on the mashup as if they are looking at the MV as best as I can. When I cannot, I add a MV screen so that it looks more natural.

• Pausing to talk. Try to make pausing a natural habit. Don’t pause during exciting moments of the MV so that we are allowed to enjoy it with you. What are the exciting moments? You will know because you start to get hype and excited. Pausing during the chorus to talk about the previous verse is great. Very short comments while the MV is playing is also great. Remember to rewind the MV 5-10 seconds after a pause so that we don’t miss any of it. When I preview a reaction I skim thru a few times. If on each check the reactor is talking, I will probably go to another reaction for my mashup. 

• Remember, you are the main character of your reaction video. Don’t place the MV too close to your face, and definitely not blocking our view of you. I notice that sometimes reactors will move and part of their face goes behind the MV, and that is distracting. Try to also not go off screen. I see this a lot when the reactor is too close to the camera, and then in editing it cannot be fixed. I tend to skip these videos because I use closeups, and want to be able to see a reactor throughout the video. 

Hopefully some of these tips will help you if you are filming reaction videos. There is not one correct way to do them, and we all have our particular skills. Please comment with your own tips. Remember, we are all on the same team and grow together. Have a great day! 🥳🎉

*** If you would like me to watch your reaction and give advise, please email me with your channel name and video link to reactionheads@gmail.com