Sunrise smartphone videography walk

Join Rob Layton for a sunrise smartphone videography walk in the historic town centre of Perugia and learn how to improve your mobile videography skills.
The session will be limited to 30 people. Registration is necessary, write to Rob Layton. You will be contacted on the day before the videography walk to confirm your participation.
20-minute pre-walk workshop on narrative videography with smartphones (in the Sala Raffaello, Hotel Brufani)
Introduction
> Focus on storytelling through sequences; leverage Perugia’s sunrise ambiance
Shot types and sequencing
> Wide shot: establish setting; the where, e.g., Piazza Italia at dawn
> Medium: introduce people; the who, e.g. a shopkeeper
> Close-ups: capture details; the what/how, e.g., coffee being poured, hands crafting goods
> B-roll: film textures (cobblestones, market produce) for context
Unique angles from a smartphone
> Position the phone in unusual places that exploit the phone’s versatility
Stabilization and movement
> Techniques: two-handed grip, lean against walls, use a rig/tripod
> Movement: slow pans/tracking following light transitions; track a subject walking
Audio tips
> Minimize wind noise with phone orientation; record ambient sounds (church bells, footsteps)
> AI audio– Apple Audio Mix, Google Sound Amplifier
> Brief narration ideas (e.g., a participant’s reflection)
Editing-in-camera
> Shoot 5-second clips for easy sequencing
> Capture transitions (e.g., sunrise time-lapse, shadow movement)
> QR code for sharing final works among participants
Storytelling ideas tailored to Perugia’s sunrise atmosphere and local character
The first espresso
> Document a barista preparing the morning’s first coffee. Focus on the ritual: grinding beans, steam rising, a regular customer’s first sip
> Technique: shoot through the café window for reflections, or use slow-motion for steam curling in golden light
The street sweeper
> Capture a worker tidying Perugia’s cobblestone streets. Use the rhythmic motion of their broom and the contrast of their silhouette against dawn light
> Theme: quiet labour that keeps the city alive
The market vendor
> Follow a vendor setting up a stall. Film vibrant produce (lemons, olives, flowers) being arranged
> Composition: overhead shots of colourful displays, tight angles on hands sorting goods
The shopkeeper
> Film a shopkeeper opening the shop, and setting out their goods
> Composition: start with a wide stablishing shot, close-ups of hands stacking goods
Shadows and light play
> Create a visual poem of sunrise light creeping over Perugia’s walls, casting geometric shadows through shutters or arches
> Technique: time-lapse or slow pans to show movement of light
Silent streets awakening
> Contrast the emptiness of dawn with gradual signs of life: a shopkeeper rolling up a metal gate, a cat prowling, a delivery van navigating narrow lanes
> Sound design: start with silence, then layer in subtle noises (gates clanking, engines rumbling)
Creative challenge: the 5-second story
> Tell a micro-story: five clips in five seconds:
> A wrinkled hand placing a newspaper on a doorstep
> A pigeon scattering as a baker tosses crumbs
> A flower vendor snipping stems, droplets hitting the pavement
Tips for participants
> Observe rituals: Perugians love slow mornings—linger over a cornetto at a café, or watch people chatting on benches
> Interact gently: ask vendors/shopkeepers for permission to film; their stories add depth
> Use the terrain: Perugia’s hills create dramatic angles—shoot upward from alleys or downward from staircases