Recording Emergencies On Your Phone Instead Of Helping, A Guide
WHETHER it’s watching a migrant scale a four storey building to save a toddler dangling from a railing in France, to watching a serious assault break out in Supermacs in Trim, as an onlooker at an emergency you have two options- help, or record the incident on your phone so that you can share it on social media for thousands of likes.
With helping not an option due to the fact that you’d have to put your phone down, let’s see how best you can get that online clout with a shakey 30 second clip of the life-threatening incident.
1) Shoot in portrait
If a dramatic incident breaks out in front of you, be sure to shoot it in a ratio that ensures your audience will see as little action as possible. Turning your phone sideways to get a better, wider shot of the daring rescue or the vicious assault is not necessary, as it might lead to someone actually being able to tell what’s going on.
2) Do not put yourself at risk
Did you see that guy scale the building to save that kid? He had that situation under control. You’d have only hampered him, so why bother trying? In situations where it’s all kicking off, make sure to remove yourself so that you can do what’s important; create content for your social media channels.
3) Don’t get help
Look, you can use your phone to snap the grisly aftermath of a car crash, or you can use it to call the emergency services. You cannot do both at the same time. Someone else will ring an ambulance, you just concentrate on keeping your hands steady.
4) Get it online asap
In the aftermath of a shooting or a terrorist car rampage, people will be searching social media to see if their loved ones are safe. It’s only right that the first thing they see is your video of a body-strewn street. It might cause outrage online, but that’ll only drive more traffic to your Twitter account, so it’s win-win.
5) Submit it to Ladbible or Daily Mail
Sites like Unilad or the tabloids are struggling to survive, so do them a favour and send them your video so they can make thousands of Euro in ad revenue from it. Make sure they credit you though, so everyone knows where to go if they’d want to check out your soundcloud or whatever!